The Eastern Michigan Eagles (3-7) women’s gymnastics team concluded its 2020 season on March 7, against Michigan State University in East Lansing. The team was scheduled to play 13 meets this season but could only compete in 11 due to the cancellation related to COVID-19.
The Eagles were scheduled to participate in the Kent State Triangular which would have started on Friday, March 13. The Kent State Triangular was going to have EMU, Michigan State, and its host, Kent State. The MAC Championships were also set to start in Kalamazoo just a week after the Kent State Triangular on Friday, March 20.
The Eagles ended its season on such a sudden notice with an overall record of 3-7. Three of the teams losses were suffered at home at the Convocation Center. The other losses were on the road. However, all three of its wins were also on the road against Bowling Green, Lindenwood and Air Force. EMU finished with a conference record of 1-4, with the win against Bowling Green being its only MAC victory.
EMU placed its season-high score against Lindenwood which gave the team its second win of the season on Feb. 2. It was a non-conference meet in which the team scored 195.325. During this meet, many Eagles started new career-highs or tied any previous one.
Junior Courtney Bezold tied her career-high on bars during the meet with a score of 9.000. Senior Emili Dobronics tied her career-high on beam with a score of 9.875. Sophomore Kara Roberts placed a new career-high on vault with a score of 9.800. Roberts also witnessed a new personal-best in scoring on the floor along with junior Brianna Price. Roberts scored 9.825 and Price scored 9.800.
Freshman Mickayla Stuckey was the last to earn a career-high with a score of 9.725 on the floor. She also earned a personal best on the balance beam with a score of 9.825. After the teams success against Lindenwood, Dobronics was named an EMU Player of the Week.
Before hosting Northern Illinois at home for senior night, it was announced that Bezold earned MAC Specialist of the Week honors. It was her third time earning the award and first time for the Eagles this season. Even though the Eagles lost on senior night, two Eagles were able to tie or place a new career-high or personal best.
Junior Jada Rondeau tied her career-high on bars with a score of 9.850. She tied a career-high again on beam with a score of 9.875. Price earned a career-high on beam with a score of 9.875. The Eagles went on to lose, 194.375-196.125. Rondeau was later named EMU Player of the Week for her performance during the Georgia Triangular. During the event, she led the Eagles squad on bars, tying her career-high of 9.850.
In the second event, she led the team in three of the four events, scoring 9.850 on floor and bars, and 9.825 on beam. Overall, she finished the event earning third and first place finishes. The Eagles last meet was against MSU where it fell to the Spartans, 195.625-194.200. Roberts and Rondeau finished all-around competition in third and fourth place, respectively.
On Thursday, March 12, it was announced that all sporting events would be cancelled due to growing concerns of COVID-19. The announcement came a day before the Eagles were set to travel to Kent for the Kent State Triangular. All winter and spring sports have officially been cancelled.
