NCGA Division 3 ChampionshipsMar 30, 2017 by Lauren Green
PREVIEW: NCGA Championship To Feature Division III Stars
PREVIEW: NCGA Championship To Feature Division III Stars
Get to know the six teams competing for the NCGA Division III championship this weekend.
The NCGA National Championships for Division III schools is set to kick off this weekend at Johnson Fieldhouse in Menomonie, Wisconsin. The team and all-around competitions get started on Friday, March 31, followed by the event finals on Saturday, April 1. Both competitions are being streamed LIVE on FloGymnastics.
Three University of Wisconsin system programs advanced out of the West Region: championship host UW-Stout, UW-Whitewater, and UW-La Crosse, which is aiming for its third straight national title. In the East Region, SUNY Brockport, Ursinus College, and Springfield College advanced to the finals. Brockport was last year's runner-up.
Athlete to Watch: Lisa O'Donnell (all-around)
O'Donnell will compete in all four event finals but is strongest on floor exercise, with seven of her nine scores on floor hitting at least a 9.725. She's also the second-ranked gymnast on the uneven bars with seven scores of 9.500 or better. She posted a season-high 9.825 on Feb. 18 against UW-Oshkosh. The Warharks finished third at last year's NCGA nationals and won the West Regional title -- their first since 2010 -- last weekend. O'Donnell and the rest of the UW-Whitewater gymnasts will look to raise the national championship trophy for the first time since 2014.
Athlete to Watch: Kari Willett (vault/balance beam/floor exercise)
Willett is a strong contributor on all three events, and she advanced to the event finals on vault, beam, and floor. She has six scores of 9.600 or better on balance beam and seven on floor exercise. The Eagles won last year's title after setting a school-record score of 193.650. They will be aiming for a three-peat this weekend. UW-La Crosse holds 17 titles overall.
Athlete to Watch: Kaylee Jondahl (all-around)
Jondahl is ranked ninth in the all-around, but her strongest events are floor exercise and vault. She'll compete in Saturday's event finals on both apparatuses. She is strong on floor, where she has scored a 9.600 or better in all 10 meets. She posted a season-best 9.800 in the final home meet of the season. The Blue Devils are hosting the meet and have the added advantage of a home crowd and being on their own equipment.
Athlete to Watch: Jenn Sklenar (all-around), Brittany Vasile (vault/floor)
Sklenar has competed six meets in the all-around, with her best meet of the season coming at last weekend's regionals, where she finished with a 38.575 all-around total. She has scored a 9.600 or better in her past seven meets on floor exercise. Sklenar qualified to the event finals on vault, beam, and floor. Vasile has been a strong contributor on two events but especially on floor. She scored a 9.700 or better six times on floor, including a season-best 9.900 last weekend at regionals to qualify for the event final. The Golden Eagles were the runners-up at last year's NCGA nationals after scoring a 193.000.
Athlete to Watch: Alexandra Puryear (all-around), Lauren Chavis (uneven bars)
Puryear is a consistent contributor on vault, beam, and floor, though her strength is on floor, where she has scored a 9.5 or better seven times. She is ranked seventh in the country in the all-around and will compete in the event final on floor exercise. Chavis has been solid on the uneven bars all season. She has posted six scores of 9.500 or better, including a season best 9.650 against Brockport on March 5. She is tied for eighth in Division III on bars.
Athlete to Watch: Marissa DeAngelo (all-around)
DeAngelo has competed in the all-around in all eight meets she has appeared in this year. She showed excellent consistency throughout the season. Her strengths come on balance beam and floor exercise. She has posted scores of 9.500 or better on all but one routine on balance beam. She posted a 9.500 or better six times on floor. DeAngelo set a new school record in the all-around on Feb. 11 with a 38.550. She will compete individually on the balance beam.
STREAMING: Available on FloGymnastics.com
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Three University of Wisconsin system programs advanced out of the West Region: championship host UW-Stout, UW-Whitewater, and UW-La Crosse, which is aiming for its third straight national title. In the East Region, SUNY Brockport, Ursinus College, and Springfield College advanced to the finals. Brockport was last year's runner-up.
West Region
UW-Whitewater Warhawks
RANKING: 2Athlete to Watch: Lisa O'Donnell (all-around)
O'Donnell will compete in all four event finals but is strongest on floor exercise, with seven of her nine scores on floor hitting at least a 9.725. She's also the second-ranked gymnast on the uneven bars with seven scores of 9.500 or better. She posted a season-high 9.825 on Feb. 18 against UW-Oshkosh. The Warharks finished third at last year's NCGA nationals and won the West Regional title -- their first since 2010 -- last weekend. O'Donnell and the rest of the UW-Whitewater gymnasts will look to raise the national championship trophy for the first time since 2014.
CHAMPS! @UWWGymnastics wins its 5th WIAC/NCGA West Regional Championship, advances to NCGA Team Championship :https://t.co/mJAYEKUjyO
— Warhawk Athletics (@UWWAthletics) March 18, 2017
UW-La Crosse Eagles
RANKING: 5Athlete to Watch: Kari Willett (vault/balance beam/floor exercise)
Willett is a strong contributor on all three events, and she advanced to the event finals on vault, beam, and floor. She has six scores of 9.600 or better on balance beam and seven on floor exercise. The Eagles won last year's title after setting a school-record score of 193.650. They will be aiming for a three-peat this weekend. UW-La Crosse holds 17 titles overall.
Kari Willett wins vault (9.600) and balance beam (9.600), Lauren Wilson takes uneven parallel bars (9.725).
— UWL Athletics (@UWLAthletics) March 11, 2017
UW-Stout Blue Devils
RANKING: 9Athlete to Watch: Kaylee Jondahl (all-around)
Jondahl is ranked ninth in the all-around, but her strongest events are floor exercise and vault. She'll compete in Saturday's event finals on both apparatuses. She is strong on floor, where she has scored a 9.600 or better in all 10 meets. She posted a season-best 9.800 in the final home meet of the season. The Blue Devils are hosting the meet and have the added advantage of a home crowd and being on their own equipment.
All dressed up and ready to go. @stoutbluedevils ready to host @d3ncga . Teams are on their way pic.twitter.com/Ga0cMMMrOV
— UW-Stout Athletics (@stoutbluedevils) March 30, 2017
East Region
SUNY Brockport Golden Eagles
RANKING: 1Athlete to Watch: Jenn Sklenar (all-around), Brittany Vasile (vault/floor)
Sklenar has competed six meets in the all-around, with her best meet of the season coming at last weekend's regionals, where she finished with a 38.575 all-around total. She has scored a 9.600 or better in her past seven meets on floor exercise. Sklenar qualified to the event finals on vault, beam, and floor. Vasile has been a strong contributor on two events but especially on floor. She scored a 9.700 or better six times on floor, including a season-best 9.900 last weekend at regionals to qualify for the event final. The Golden Eagles were the runners-up at last year's NCGA nationals after scoring a 193.000.
Brittany Vasile earns a 9.990 with this floor routine! pic.twitter.com/A9vgbxxyJ1
— Brockport Athletics (@BportAthletics) March 19, 2017
Ursinus College Bears
RANKING: 4Athlete to Watch: Alexandra Puryear (all-around), Lauren Chavis (uneven bars)
Puryear is a consistent contributor on vault, beam, and floor, though her strength is on floor, where she has scored a 9.5 or better seven times. She is ranked seventh in the country in the all-around and will compete in the event final on floor exercise. Chavis has been solid on the uneven bars all season. She has posted six scores of 9.500 or better, including a season best 9.650 against Brockport on March 5. She is tied for eighth in Division III on bars.
.@alexandra_pur of @UrsinusGym #gifnastics pic.twitter.com/JGfU2jsQ2V
— David F. Pendrys (@davependrys) March 29, 2017
Springfield College Pride
RANKING: 6Athlete to Watch: Marissa DeAngelo (all-around)
DeAngelo has competed in the all-around in all eight meets she has appeared in this year. She showed excellent consistency throughout the season. Her strengths come on balance beam and floor exercise. She has posted scores of 9.500 or better on all but one routine on balance beam. She posted a 9.500 or better six times on floor. DeAngelo set a new school record in the all-around on Feb. 11 with a 38.550. She will compete individually on the balance beam.
How To Watch
ON TV: Now available on Roku and Apple TV 4STREAMING: Available on FloGymnastics.com
Must be a FloPRO subscriber: A yearly FloPRO subscription provides access to ALL FloSports sites. SIGN UP HERE.
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