Shreveport – A memorable season awaits the Centenary gymnastics program.
The Ladies begin their 2022 campaign on Friday night with a tough test against fifth-ranked LSU in Baton Rouge, will make trips to Alaska and the East coast during the season, and host three home meets.
Head coach Jackie Fain will coach her 11th and final season for the Ladies alongside incoming head coach Brittany Harris, who was hired in November. Centenary features a nice blend of veteran experience with youth and aims to navigate a challenging schedule, beginning with the dual meet at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center against the talented Tigers. Friday's meet will be televised live on the SEC Network, giving the Ladies a chance to shine in the national spotlight.
Centenary's roster is headlined by the return of four All-Americans - seniors Kendall Sanders (Spring Branch, Texas) and Xian Baumgartner (Albuquerque, N.M.), and juniors Taylor Ann Wilson (Memphis, Tenn.) and Kendall Huff (Riviera, Texas). Four freshmen will look to make their mark along with 10 other returnees.
"We are returning four All-Americans this year and having the experience of these four athletes gives us some immediate depth starting the season," said Fain.
"Kendall Sanders has been a rock-solid performer since the beginning of her freshman year, she has competed all-around at every meet except one in her career at Centenary. She is a strong leader on the competitive floor and her coaches and her teammates trust her performances.
"Our other two seniors (Baumgartner and Kendall Knaps (Prairieville, La.) are both coming off pre-season injuries and will be starting a bit slow, but they are on the mend and you should watch for them to make a big impact on their events. They have both been consistent contributors throughout their careers and I know they are excited to finish their collegiate careers strong."
"Other performers of note in pre-season would be junior Lacey Wedge (Belle Chasse, La.) who missed both her freshman and sophomore years due to injury and a case of mono. She has been performing extremely well on both floor and vault and we are looking forward to seeing how she performs as the season progresses. Juniors Rose Deshler (Hastings, Minn.) and Leilani Johnson (Wichita, Kan.) are coming off pre-season injuries but are cleared and ready to start the season. They should both be solid performers on their events this year."
"Freshman Emma Lavelle (Mandeville, La.) has been improving consistently and is going to make a huge impact right out of the gate. She is a work-horse and has been consistent the entire pre-season, I would expect her to compete all-around most of this year. Our other freshmen, Chlore Armentor (Harvey, La.), Carissa Martinez (Albuquerque, N.M.) and Mylia Vidtor (The Colony, Texas) are coming along and should bring real depth to our line-ups."
Sanders was named a First-Team All-American by USA Gymnastics on both the floor and in the all-around as a junior last season. She was also named an All-American by the Women's Collegiate Gymnastics Association as she earned her honors on beam (9.681), floor (9.700), and all-around (38.519). Sanders earned all-conference honors following an impressive performance at the annual MIC Championships as she placed fourth in the all-around with a score of 38.650 to earn all-around second team honors and also earned second-team recognition on floor with a 9.700. She earned a new career-high 9.825 on floor at the USAG Championships on April 10.
Baumgartner was named a First-Team All-American by USA Gymnastics in the all-around last season after a fine performance at the 2021 Women's Collegiate National Championships. She competed on floor for the first time in her career at the Championships and earned a 9.550. Baumgartner also set a new career-high on vault at the event with a 9.525.
Wilson made history as she claimed the individual bars title at the 2021 USA Gymnastics Women's Collegiate National Championship in April in Cape Girardeau. Mo. She scored a stellar 9.875, a new career high mark, to put an exclamation point on her season which can only be described as improbable. Wilson became a national champion just one day after making her collegiate debut in the event. She made history as she becomes the first Centenary gymnast to win an individual title at the USAG National Championships in the division III era (2012-present).
Wilson was named a First Team All-American on bars following her historic performance. She was also named a Corbett Award finalist last July by the Allstate Sugar Bowl, which honors the "Outstanding Female Amateur Athlete in the state of Louisiana".
Huff participated in eight meets last season and competed on bars, floor, and vault and was named a Women's Collegiate Gymnastics Association All-American as she earned her honors on vault with a NQS of 9.73. She earned All-MIC Second Team honors on vault with a new career-high 9.800 and competed on vault in all eight meets of the season, on floor in seven of eight meets, and made her season debut on bars at the USAG Championships on April 10. Huff also set a season and career high on floor with a 9.725 on floor at the USAG Championships.
Fain was named the Regional Coach of the Year by the Women's Collegiate Gymnastics Association in 2020, earning the honor following a vote by her fellow head coaches. The award is the second major honor Fain has garnered in her tenure with the Ladies as she was named the 2013 Midwest Intercollegiate Conference Coach of the Year.
She came to Centenary prior to the 2011-12 season and wasted no time in putting her stamp on the program as the team's regional qualifying score of 191.355 was its highest in four seasons. The Ladies also qualified for the USA Gymnastics (USAG) nationals as a team, garnering four All-American gymnasts. She led the Ladies to their highest team score (193.975 in 2013) since the 2005 season.
In Fain's superb decade at Centenary, she has mentored 16 different student-athletes to 39 All-American accolades by the USGA and the Women's Collegiate Gymnastics Association (WCGA). 18 all-conference recognitions, and two USAG National Meet team appearances in her time at Centenary. Fain also mentored assistant Morgan Leachman for the 2016-2018 season. Following the USAG Championships in April 2018, Leachman was named the USAG Assistant Coach of the Year.
Harris comes to Centenary from Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Mo., where she spent the last three seasons as the first assistant coach. Lindenwood, a Division II school, is a member of the MIC with Centenary. Harris is only the fourth female African-American head coach in NCAA gymnastics, and believed to be the first in DIII. She is the daughter of former NBA basketball player, Steve Harris, and Harriet Harris.
In 2019 Harris helped lead the Lindenwood Lions to a record-breaking season as they were only the third Division II team in history to qualify for the NCAA post-season, competing in Round 1 of the NCAA tournament at LSU. The Lions finished their historic year taking home both the MIC championship and the USA Gymnastics Collegiate National Championships. Lindenwood also walked away with the 2021 MIC championship. Harris was named the Women's Collegiate Coaches Association (WCGA) Division II Regional assistant coach of the year in both 2019 and 2021, along with several other coaching accolades.
"It has been a pleasure to work with Brittany," said Fain. "We have matching philosophies, so things have gone very smoothly so far in her transition at Centenary. Brittany is loving the family atmosphere we have at Centenary and embracing our culture. The Ladies have adjusted quickly to her coaching, and really like her! She is a breath of fresh air in the gym, bringing new energy and ideas to our practices. Having a full staff for the first time since I have been here has been amazing, and I love to collaborate with both her and Wendy Carey, our assistant coach."
Centenary travels to Cape Girardeau, Mo. on Jan. 14 following Friday's season opener to face Midwest Independent Conference foe SEMO in a dual meet set for 6:30 p.m.
The Ladies will make their home debut on Sunday, Jan. 23 versus Air Force in a dual meet set for 1 p.m. in the Gold Dome. The Ladies then hit the road again to face MIC member Texas Woman's University (TWU) in Denton, Texas on Jan. 30 at 2 p.m. Centenary will spend the entire month of February on the road, beginning with a pair of meets at Alaska-Anchorage on Feb. 11 and 13.
The Ladies will face host University of New Hampshire and Long Island University in a tri-meet on Feb. 25 and then complete the weekend against Springfield College, Rhode Island College, and Southern Connecticut State in a quad meet on Feb. 27 in Springfield, Mass.
Centenary returns home in March for its final two home meets of the season, on March 4 versus SEMO and then March 12 against TWU. The March 4 meet is the annual "Sylvia Keiter Memorial Meet" and March 12 will be Senior Night and the final home meet for Ladies' head coach Jackie Fain who will retire at the end of the season.
"The Ladies are looking forward to our two big trips this year; Alaska and out east to the University of New Hampshire and Springfield College," said Fain. "We were supposed to compete at Alaska last year, but were unable to because of COVID restrictions, so it will be great to be able to experience such an amazing place, and get to compete while we are there!"
"Our trip out east will also be a thrill as one of our alumni, Sierra Ponder is the graduate assistant at Springfield College. It will be fun to see her in action in her new role as a coach, and a new experience for the Ladies to go up against their former teammate."
"We will finish our regular season with two meets at home, which will be a nice break from a February full of travel. Both our home meets will be exciting as our March 4 meet will be a tribute meet to our former Lady Sylvia Keiter. This will also be alumni night and my retirement celebration. March 12 will be designated as our senior night, which is always a great meet!"
See the Ladies' complete season schedule here: https://www.gocentenary.com/sports/gymnastics/2021-22/schedule
Live stats and live video are available for all home meets.
Admission is FREE to all Centenary home athletic contests but be advised of current COVID-19 protocols for fans. Updated COVID-19 information is now available via www.GoCentenary.com.
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