Fletcher shines as Flashes finish sixth at MAC Championships

Kent State’s Sarah Lippowitsch goes through her beam routine as her team looks on during the Flashes’ 195.625-195.400 win over Bowling Green on March 9, 2018, at the M.A.C. Center.

Libby Schrack

Freshman Abby Fletcher finished first at the Mid-American Conference Championships on the floor exercise inside of McGuirk Arena.

Fletcher posted a career-high score of 9.925, as the Kent State gymnastics team finished the championships with a 194.375, leading to a sixth-place finish.

Five members on the Kent State floor lineup placed in the top 10, and the team posted a 49.375.

Junior Alyssa Quinlan also matched her career-best score on the floor in her final

MAC Championship appearance. Sophomore Sarah McCarty and freshman Toshi

Richard each scored a 9.875. Quinlan and freshman Nasha Manitkul-Davis scored

a 9.850, which tied them for eighth place.

The Flashes posted the third-best score of the meet on the vault with a 48.900 and was the team’s second-highest score of the season. Fletcher and junior Dara

Williams finished in a tie with a 9.775, which placed them in 15th.

The beam team posted a score of 48.175, which was led off by junior Kennedy

Plude. Plude finished with a 9.850 which placed her at 11th.

Senior Michaela Romito tied for sixth on the uneven bars matching her career best of 9.850.

Following the meet, senior Rachel Stypinski was named 2018 MAC gymnast of

the year. Stypisnki joins former Kent State gymnast Marie Case as the only three-time winner of the award. Brice Biggin was also named MAC coach of the year for the 11th time in his career.

Kent State is waiting to find out where they will compete at the NCAA Regionals on April 7, 2018.