2024 Season Preview: Centenary Gymnastics
Six decades of gymnastics will be celebrated this season at Centenary College and it all starts for the Ladies on Friday evening as they open their 2024 season on the road versus the Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO) Redhawks in a dual meet set for 6:30 p.m. at Houck Field House.
Cape Girardeau, Mo. – Six decades of gymnastics will be celebrated this season at Centenary College and it all starts for the Ladies on Friday evening as they open their 2024 season on the road versus the Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO) Redhawks in a dual meet set for 6:30 p.m. at Houck Field House.
Live results and live video via ESPN+ are available for the meet at the links below:
Results: http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=499312
Video: https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/c4b6fd58-a0ae-41e2-ac79-8e59af1c2c00
The Ladies are led by second-year head coach Meg Crowley and she is assisted by Joseph Hodges, also in his second season. Crowley is a former Centenary gymnast (2009-13) who helped lead the Ladies to a third-place finish at the 2013 USA Gymnastics Collegiate Nationals, also finishing third on floor and served as team co-captain her senior year.
SEMO (0-2-1) opened its season last weekend in the Missouri Quad Meet in Columbia, Mo. as the Redhawks faced the host Tigers along with Lindenwood University and Northern Illinois University. The Ladies and Redhawks are both members of the Midwest Independent Conference and will compete against each other again in March at the annual MIC Championships set for March 23 in St. Charles, Mo.
Crowley led the Ladies to one of their most successful seasons in the division III era last season as an impressive eight Ladies qualified for the 2023 USA Gymnastics Women's Collegiate National Championships, marking the most Centenary gymnasts to qualify for the prestigious event since 2017.
"I am really excited for this season," said Crowley. The Ladies worked hard over the summer and into the fall on routine upgrades and building consistency. We are looking forward to putting those upgrades out on the competition floor!"
Four Ladies received All-American honors following the event and two of the four are back this season -sophomore Amy Foret (Bedford, Texas) and sophomore Sophie Schmitz (Trophy Club, Texas). Foret and Schmitz earned Second-Team All-American honors as Foret tied for seventh place on floor with a 9.80 while Schmitz earned a season-high 9.775 on bars to tie for sixth place. Two other nationals qualifiers are back this season - senior Kendall Huff (Riviera, Texas) and junior Emma Lavelle (Mandeville, La.).
Foret flourished in her rookie season, winning the AA four times and in three-consecutive meets (Feb. 26, March 4, and March 11). In the Ladies' final home meet of the season, Foret earned a career-high 38.425 in the AA and also posted a new career high on vault (9.60). She was named MIC Newcomer of the Week twice last season. Schmitz posted a solid rookie season with the Ladies in which she earned a 9.60 or higher seven times in 10 meets highlighted by a season-high 9.70 against TWU on March 4. She finished 22nd on bars with a 9.60 at the MIC Championships.
Huff qualified on vault for nationals as her season high was a 9.75 on at TWU on Feb. 10 and scored a 9.50 or better seven times during the season. She competed at nationals for the third time in her career.
Lavelle qualified on beam and competed at nationals for the second season in a row after doing so last year as a rookie in the AA. She earned a 9.65 or higher on beam five times this season and recorded a career-high 9.80 to finish second against Lindenwood on March 11.
Eleven Ladies were named MIC Scholar-Athletes and four had perfect 4.0 GPA's last season as Centenary excelled in the classroom. Five Ladies earned a spot on the 2023 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District® Women's At-Large Team – Huff, Lavelle, and senior Isabel Plaza (San Antonio, Texas) are three of the five back this season who earned the honor. The prestigious team recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances in the athletic realm and in the classroom.
The Ladies earned their highest score (192.475) in eight years last season on Senior Night against Lindenwood as it was their highest team score since posting a 193.775 on March 15, 2015 versus New Hampshire. The Ladies earned their best score of the season on vault (48.325) in the meet and tallied six individual career highs.
"We have a great group of Ladies on the team this year, with lots of leadership across the classes. We have some returners who are expected to make lineup debuts this year – sophomore Claire Flores (Oklahoma City, Okla.), senior Roxanne Myers (Prairieville, La.), sophomore Olivia Stratmann (Houston, Texas), and junior Mylia Vidtor (The Colony, Texas).
"All four of them have returned from challenging injuries and been pushing to get back skills and be routine ready. Our Freshman class jumped right in and has been getting to work, so I anticipate you'll be seeing them frequently out on the competition floor. Sophie Schmitz and Izzie Plaza are looking to compete on new events this year, which is always exciting!"
"As always keep an out for the consistent crew - Kendall Huff, senior Lacey Wedge (Belle Chasse, La.), senior Rylie Molina (Moss Bluff, La.), and Emma Lavelle. Their experience on the competition floor is a huge asset!
Plaza competed in 10 meets on bars and vault last season and her season high on bars was a 9.425 against Texas Woman's University on March 4, and season high on vault was a 9.55 accomplished twice – on Feb. 10 against TWU and on March 4 against the Pioneers.
Molina competed on beam in eight meets and tied her career high mark of 9.65 in a quad meet on Jan. 20. She scored a 9.575 twice, in the season-opening meet on Jan. 14 versus Greenville and SEMO and on March 11 against Lindenwood. Wedge competed in seven meets on floor and vault. Her season high on vault was a career-high tying 9.70 in the first two meets of the season and she earned a career-high 9.575 on floor in a quad meet on Jan. 20.
Five newcomers join the roster this season – freshman Hayden Cagle (Austin, Texas), sophomore Emily McClung (Athens, Ga.), freshman Brooke Murdock (Garland, Texas), freshman Cecilia Paredes (Rockwall, Texas), and freshman Olivia Williams (Cape Coral, Fla.)
"We have a fun schedule this year," said Crowley. We will be traveling a lot, which is always a good time. What I am most excited for though, is our double meet weekend in February. We will have a lot of alumni in town to celebrate our 60th year as a team. We are one of the oldest programs in the country with a rich history of success throughout the years and I look forward to continuing that legacy in the future."
The Ladies will host four home meets this season, with their home opener set for Sunday, Jan. 21 against Texas Woman's University at 2 p.m. inside the Gold Dome. The 60th anniversary celebration will be held the weekend of Feb. 9-11 and feature a pair of meets – the first on Friday, Feb. 9 against Alaska at 6 p.m. and then on Sunday, Feb. 11 for a quad meet featuring the Ladies against Alaska, Greenville, and Talladega. Centenary's final home meet, its annual Senior Night Meet, will be held on Monday, Feb. 26 against Bridgeport at 6 p.m. The Feb. 9 meet will also be the annual Sylvia Keiter Memorial Meet.
The annual MIC Championships will be held on Saturday, March 23 in St. Charles, Mo. at 7 p.m. and hosted by Lindenwood. The Ladies finished fifth in the 2023 MIC Championships as they recorded a 188.875 team score.
The NCAA Regionals are set for April 4 at a site TBD and the USAG Collegiate Nationals will be held in Westchester, Pa. April 12-14.
See the Ladies' complete season schedule here: https://www.gocentenary.com/sports/gymnastics/2023-24/schedule
Admission is FREE to all Centenary home athletic contests. Live stats and live video stream are available for all Centenary home contests.
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