Air Force Academy
USAG Championships
Air Force Finishes Fourth at USAG Qualifier
4/10/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - The Air Force women's gymnastics team scored a 190.400 to finish fourth during the first qualifying session of the USA Gymnastics Collegiate National Championships this afternoon (April 10) in Philadelphia. Senior Jessica Wallander and sophomore Kara Witgen combined to pace the Falcons on three of the four events.
Witgen and Wallander shared the Falcons' best placement of the day, as they tied for third on the floor exercise with matching scores of 9.825 - a mark that equaled Witgen's season high and Wallander's career high. Wallander also posted the team's best finish on the vault (fifth, 9.800) and uneven bars (seventh-tie, 9.725), while Witgen added a third-place tally of 38.550 in the all-around and a pair of 16th-place scores on the vault (career-best matching 9.625) and uneven bars (9.625).
The pair paced the Falcons to five finishes within the top half of the 32-gymnast field on the floor exercise. Senior Alexandra Stych finished seventh with a score of 9.775, while freshman Casey Bell and senior Kim McRobbie placed 13th (career-best 9.700) and 16th (9.650), respectively. Stych also finished within the top 16 on the uneven bars, scoring a 9.675 to take 12th.
Junior Shannen Kelly tied for sixth on the balance beam with a mark of 9.675, while sophomore Annie Graft placed 11th with a 9.600.
Lindenwood won the opening session with a score of 194.050 and advanced to tomorrow's team finals with Texas Woman's University, which finished second with a 193.975. Brown finished third with a 191.900, while Air Force wrapped up the team standings with its 190.400.
While team competition is complete for Air Force, Wallander (vault, floor exercise) and Witgen (floor exercise) will return to The Palestra on Sunday, April 12, for the individual event finals at 1:00 p.m. (ET). The pair qualified to Sunday's finals based on their top-five finishes today.
Players Mentioned
