Kent State’s gymnastics team is saying goodbye to graduates this season. These seniors spent the entirety of their college careers at KSU. 

“It’s just been awesome to create relationships with the girls on the team and have such a tight-knit supporting team,” senior Sarah Haxton said. “I’m going to have good relationships with these girls for years and years after this and even with the coaches. I have learned so many life lessons that I wasn’t expecting to get out of this.”

“It’s been really cool to grow throughout my four years here as a person and a gymnast. It’s been a great experience here, and I can say I wouldn’t change it for anything.”

The women expressed their team bond has made this season and their overall time at Kent State the most special.

“Overall, during my five years here, I’ve learned so many things, and I’ve made some of the greatest friendships and bonds that I think I’ll take with me for the rest of my life,” graduate student Karlie Franz said. “It’s so true when they say you meet your best friends in school. I wouldn’t trade being on the team for the world because I love it here, and these people have become my family.”

The women shared their favorite memories and reasons for joining the team. Here’s what they said:

Senior Kennedy Weinpert: “I actually grew up and went to a gym where my head coach was a member of the team back in the day, and he did gymnastics. I grew up just knowing all about this team, coming to their meets and supporting them before I even planned on coming here myself. So, being able to follow through and actually make it onto this team meant a lot to me because it just felt like a family at that point”.

Haxton: “I would say that one of my favorite memories of being part of Kent State gymnastics has been just throughout this year. Senior year has been really bittersweet, but there’s also been a lot of things that I’ve appreciated more this year than last year.”

Franz: “I think my favorite memory has been our Nashville meet,” Franz said. “I think that was just a really fun meet, and everybody did so well. I was also able to achieve one of my personal goals at that meet by getting a 10 on floor, but really just the love that everybody had for each other.” 

Being a leader, appreciating what is happening, balancing athletics and school and having a different mindset is what the women said they will all take away from being a part of Kent State’s gymnastics program for the past four seasons. They elaborated on their takeaways, saying: 

Senior Kyndall Gilbert: “I think one of the biggest things I learned is how to be a leader and a teammate, whether I was on the floor competing or when I wasn’t competing.”

Senior Izzy Geig: “The biggest lesson I learned was to really appreciate everything that I have, whether that’s just being in school and getting a good education, having a good career or being a part of this team and having the ability to do gymnastics,” senior Izzy Geig said. “I think I just learned to be really grateful because it doesn’t last forever, and I was just grateful for this whole experience with this team.”

Haxton: “I would say the biggest lessons that I’ve learned from Kent State gymnastics include work ethic and being able to work hard and balance a lot of things. These are skills that I’m definitely going to take with me throughout the rest of my life, and being able to dedicate 100% of my time and effort into everything that I’m doing”.

Franz: “I think one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned as a gymnast is how much of a difference your mindset can make. I feel like I’ve went from like, ‘Oh, I get to do this’  instead of ‘I have to go practice,’  it honestly makes you appreciate the little things in life.” 

After this season is over, the five women will go on to life after college, going in different directions but remaining connected through the memoirs of the past four seasons. Here’s what some of them said about their future plans: 

Geig: “I plan on doing student teaching, which I’m really excited about. I feel like that’s something that I meant to do,” Geig said. “I’m looking forward to having more free time, but I am going to miss the gym.”

Haxton: “I recently accepted a job at Vanderbilt in Nashville to be a nurse on a pediatric surgical trauma Adolescent Medicine Unit, so I’m super excited to see where that takes me,” said Haxton. 

Gilbert: “I plan to start medical school in the fall. I don’t know where I’ll be, and I’m still in the process of applying, getting interviews and getting decisions back. But ideally, I will be starting medical school come August, and I look forward to using all the things that gymnastics has taught me and my future career as a physician.”

KSU ended its season with a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Championships – Michigan Regional in Ann Arbor April 4. The team scored a 195.60.

Throughout the season, the program set five of the six-highest scores in program history. 

Kent State placed third in the Mid-American Conference Championships and went 5-1 against MAC opponents during the regular season, capturing a share of the regular season title with Ball State. 

Emily Lowen is a reporter. Contact her at [email protected].