OSHKOSH, Wis. — The Gustavus gymnastics team posted its second best team score of the season Saturday at the WIAC Championship/NCGA West Regional hosted by UW-Oshkosh. The Gusties 186.925 earned them sixth place among eight competing teams, defeating both UW-Eau Claire and Hamline. Gustavus finished the day with six personal career-bests and eight season-high scores.
The Gusties started the day on the floor exercise, and were led by Olivia Jahnke (So., Hanover) who posted a 9.650 to start the day — her second-best score of the year — to finish 13th overall. Abby Willis (Jr., San Bernardino, Calif.) was next for the Gusties, finishing with a score of 9.525. Caylee Greeder (Jr., Mahtomedi) had a career day in her floor routine, posting a personal best 9.400 and helping the Gusties to their second best floor score as a team of the season.
In their next rotation on the vault, Lindsay Bangs (So., Owatonna) led the Gusties with a career- and season-high 9.525. Following Bangs was Willis with a 9.500. Both Lily Horsch (So., Somonauk, Ill.) and Kimika Ishikawa-Temple (Jr., Los Angeles, Calif.) added season and career highs, with Horsch scoring a 9.475 and Ishikawa-Temple adding a 9.425
Maddox Lee (Fy., Hugo) led the way once again on the bars, posting a 9.225, good for 17th of 48 competitors overall. Behind her was Annie Corbett (Sr., Brookfield, Wis.) who finished with a 9.150.
The Gusties were sitting in seventh before they stepped up to the beam, and a season high 47.675 propelled the Gusties into sixth. Izzy Breitkreutz (Jr., Big Lake) posted the Gusties’ best individual finish of the day at 12th, earning a season- and career-high 9.700. She was followed closely by Corbett who picked up a season-high 9.650 for 14th. Jahnke added a new career-best of 9.625 for 17th, while Bangs picked up her second season-high at 9.475.
Overall, the Gusties finished sixth in vault with a score of 47.400, seventh on the bars (44.350), fourth on the beam (47.675), and sixth in the floor exercise at 47.500.
“We had 3/4 of a meet was was we asked for. We had a some mistakes on bars that hurt us but the team recovered strong, breaking the school record as a team by .4 on the event,” said Head Coach Aryn DeGrood.
“I couldn’t be more proud of this group. They fought for everything all year, pushing themselves right along with their coaches pushing them. The result was pretty magical. This was the best season we’ve had as a team in my time as an athlete or coach at Gustavus. While we might not have any individuals going to nationals this season, I would take the team results from the season every time.”