• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

full gallery

The Kent State gymnastics team, coming off arguably the best season in program history, will give fans a preview of what the 2012 season will hold when the Golden Flashes host their annual Blue and Gold intrasquad meet Friday, Dec. 2 at 7 p.m. at the M.A.C. Center.

Admission is free for the event. In-meet scoring updates will be available through kentstatesports.com.

SCOUTING THE FLASHES

Kent State is aiming to repeat the high standards the program set in 2011, when the Golden Flashes made their first-ever appearance at the NCAA Championships.

Friday's Blue and Gold intrasquad meet will feature multiple competitors from Kent State's 2011 NCAA Championships squad as well as a group of freshmen steeped in talent. The 2012 roster features 14 returnees, including eight gymnasts that saw action at the 2011 national championship event, while seven freshmen join the squad for this season.

BLUE SQUAD

Headlining the Blue squad for Friday's intrasquad meet is a trio of returnees that were top 25 finishers at the national competition. Sophomore Marie Case (Erie, Pa.), who was the Mid-American Conference's Freshman of the Year last season, placed in a tie for 22^nd overall in the all-around at the 2011 NCAA Championships.

Sophomore Nikki Moore (Columbus, Ohio) took 24^th at the national championship in vault for Kent State last year, while junior Lindsay Runyan (Maineville, Ohio), the 2011 MAC Specialist of the Year, competed for the Golden Flashes in the uneven bars.

Other returnees for Kent State that competed in the national championship that are on the blue squad are seniors Jaimee Caldwell (Blue Ash, Ohio) and Rachel Goldenberg (Doylestown, Pa.).

Captaining the Blue team is freshman Kelsey Lawless (Lyndhurst, Ohio).

ROTATION: Bars, vault, floor, beam

GOLD SQUAD

Junior Rachel Guida (Cumberland, R.I.) finished her sophomore campaign with a 24^th place finish on the vault at the 2011 NCAA Championships while also competing on the uneven bars. Fellow junior Lauren Wozniak (Pittsburgh, Pa.) participated in the floor exercise and the vault for the Golden Flashes at the national championship.

The slightly more experienced squad of the two teams in terms of class, the gold squad also features seniors Brianna Skiffington (Lumberton, N.J.) and Erin Rothrock (York, Pa.); Skiffington competed on the balance beam for Kent State at nationals.

The gold team's captain for Friday is freshman Amiah Mims (Indianapolis, Ind.).

ROTATION: Vault, bars, beam, floor

NEXT UP

Kent State will begin their intercollegiate competition schedule Sunday, Jan. 15 at Mid-American Conference foe Western Michigan for a 1 p.m. meet.