Cape Girardeau, Mo. - The Centenary gymnastics team will compete in the 2021 USA Gymnastics Women's Collegiate National Championships this weekend at the Show Me Center.
Southeast Missouri State University (SEMO) will serve as the host for the prestigious event, which begins on Saturday at 2 p.m. with Team Finals and wraps up on Sunday at 1 p.m. with Individual Event Finals. ESPN+ will stream the meet at the following link: https://www.espn.com/watch/player?id=5b1be8a2-e4e7-4b39-8398-afd29773f207
The Ladies will be competing in familiar surroundings this weekend after placing third in a tri-meet versus SEMO and Illinoi State on Feb. 26 and then second to SEMO on Feb. 28 in a dual meet.
"This team is very excited to have the chance to compete at their National Championships," said Centenary head coach Jackie Fain. "They have really pushed through so many obstacles to get here. After having post-season cancelled last year they realize what an amazing opportunity it is to be going this year, and I expect them to make the most of it!"
Centenary is currently ranked 55th in the nation in the latest Road to Nationals rankings as the Ladies are the top ranked division III team in the country. The Maroon and White placed fifth at the 2021 Midwest Independent Conference (MIC) Championship on march 19 at Redbird Arena in Normal, Ill. in its most recent meet.
The Ladies' strong performance on vault at the MIC Championship collectively earned them their best event score (48.300) of the meet, and a season-high mark in the event. Centenary had an impressive 16 MIC (Scholar-Athletes announced at the meet as these impressive student-athletes earned a 3.25 GPA or higher, including nine with perfect 4.0 GPA's.
Two Ladies also earned All-MIC Second Team recognition; junior All-American Kendall Sanders (Spring Branch, Texas) and sophomore Kendall Huff (Riviera, Texas). Sanders 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. Huff earned All-MIC Second Team honors on vault with a new career-high 9.800. Senior Sierra Ponder (Stone Mountain, Ga.) was named MIC Senior Athlete of the Year following the meet.
Sanders won the all-around competition in the Ladies' final regular-season meet on March 19 versus Texas Woman's University at home, with a new career-high score of 38.825. She set a pair of new career high marks on vault (9.800) and bars (9.675). Sanders finished second on vault, seventh on floor, eighth on beam, and tied for eighth on bars.
Centenary also posted a season-best team score of 193.000 versus TWU in the meet. The Ladies recorded their best overall score in a meet since March 8, 2019 when they finished with an even 192.00 in the Rutgers Quad Meet.
Sophomore Leilani Johnson (Wichita, Kan.) scored a new career-high 9.650 on vault in the meet versus TWU and fellow sophomore Lauryn Stiff (Branson, Mo.) nearly matched her career high on vault as she finished with a 9.600. She previously had a 9.625 at the Metroplex Challenge last month. Freshman Isabel Plaza (San Antonio, Texas) set a new career high on vault with a 9.575.
Senior Jenny Jackson (Monticello, Fla.) had the Ladies' second best score of the meet on bars with a 9.475. Junior Kendall Knaps (Prairieville, La.) had a 9.050, and junior Xian Baumgartner (Albuquerque, N.M.) had an 8.850. Senior Jerrica Harris (Memphis, Tenn.) earned a 9.550 on beam, Ponder earned a season best 9.450 on beam, and sophomore Kennedy Stephens (Bella Vista, Ark.) finished with a 9.275 on beam. Freshman Rylie Molina (Moss Bluff, La.) earned a 9.200 on beam. Harris earned a 9.625 on floor, Jackson posted a season-best 9.500, Johnson had a 9.425, and Huff earned an 8.900.
Centenary's complete 2021 schedule can be found here: https://www.gocentenary.com/sports/gymnastics/2020-21/schedule.
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