In 2011, the Kent State Gymnastics team became the first school in the Mid-American Conference to qualify for the NCAA gymnastics championships after a second place finish at the Ann Arbor, Mich., regional.

In 2012, the Flashes traveled to regionals wondering if lightning could strike twice and indeed, it did. For the third qualifying year in a row, the team looks to not only score well overall, but continue on to the NCAA Nationals at UCLA in Los Angeles.

Coming off a third place loss at the MAC Championship, the No. 23 Flashes will head to the University of Alabama on April 6 for the first round of the NCAA tournament. Alabama is one of six schools that host the first round of the tournament. In addition to the Flashes, teams competing at Alabama are the No. 3 Crimson Tide, No. 9 Utah, No. 15 Denver, Brigham Young and Iowa State.

Only the top two teams, the top two all-around competitors from each regional and the individual event winners at each regional site will move forward in the tournament for a chance to compete at nationals April 19-21.

The Flashes finished their regular season as champions, remaining undefeated in all MAC competitions with a perfect 6-0 record. After a third place finish at the MAC championship behind co-champions Western Michigan and Central Michigan, the team is looking to move forward.

At the MAC Championship, junior Marie Case was named the MAC All-Around champion with an overall score of 39.250 and was also named Co-MAC Gymnast of the Year. In addition, senior Rachel Guida was named the MAC Specialist of the Year and took the top spot on the uneven bars with a score of 9.875. Both Case and Guida were named to the All-MAC First Team.

For more information regarding tickets or event times for the NCAA Regionals or Championship, visit www.ncaa.com/wgymnastics.

Contact Lily Flynn at [email protected].