Mizzou gymnastics back at NCAA regionals (photo/Mizzou Athletics)
The Mizzou gymnastics team will compete at the 2015 NCAA Norman Regional on Saturday, April 4 at the University of Oklahoma. The bid marks the Tigers’ return to NCAA Regionals since 2012. Missouri will compete against No. 1 seed and host Oklahoma, No. 2 seed Oregon State, No. 3 seed Penn State, No. 4 seed Southern Utah and No. 6 seed North Carolina State.
Southeast Missouri sophomore Ashley Thomas advanced to the NCAA Regional in Norman in the all-around. Thomas, a former walk-on, was a first-team All-Midwest Conference selection in the vault after setting a career-high and tying the sixth-best score in Southeast history with a 9.900 at the MIC Championships. She was a second-team All-MIC honoree in the all-around after posting a career-best 39.225 total score.
Three Lindenwood gymnasts were selected as individuals to compete in Norman as well. Valeri Ingui and Kierstin Sokolowski were selected as all-around competitors, while Courtney Heise advanced in the bars competition. They are the first Lady Lions to advance to the NCAA Division I regional competition, and they accomplished the feat in just the program’s third year of existence.
Norman Regional (April 4 in Norman, Oklahoma, 4 p.m. CT)
Teams
1. Oklahoma
2. Oregon State
3. Penn State
4. Southern Utah
5. Missouri
6. North Carolina State
All-Around Competitors:
1. Gabrielle May, Illinois-Chicago
2. Taylor Allex, Arizona State
3. Valeri Ingui, Lindenwood
4. Ashley Thomas, SEMO
5. Kierstin Sokolowski, Lindenwood
Alt. Allie Salas, Arizona State
Individual Event Specialists:
Vault
Amanda Stepp, Northern Illinois
Alternate: Natasha Sundby, Arizona State
Uneven Bars
Courtney Heise, Lindenwood
Alternate: Courtney Cochefski, Texas Woman’s
Balance Beam
Sami King, Illinois State
Alternate: Amanda Mohler, Illinois State
Floor Exercise
Natasha Sundby, Arizona State
Alternate: Spencer Jones, Texas Woman’s
