Kylie Bridenhagen/Winonan

The Winona State University gymnastics team had their best meet of the season thus far after competing at the 12th annual John Zuerlein Invitational on Friday. They won the triangular meet, hosted by the University of Wisconsin-Stout Blue Devils, with a season high score of 182.175, beating Stout (181.075) and Gustavus Adolphus College (173.900).

The Warriors best event of the night was vault, in which they scored 46.625, a season best on the apparatus. The entire vault lineup, compiled of six gymnasts, scored a 9.125 or better.

Jade Donaldson, who already has one vault title to her name this season, showed impressive consistency, coming in second on the event with a 9.525.

Cassandra Mello was the fifth highest scoring gymnast of the night with a 9.350. Stephanie Wojton was seventh with a 9.300.

Brooke Hiestand and teammate Olivia Catellino were tied for 11th with a 9.225. Receiving a 9.125 for her vault was Melanee Pfautz, who was 16th on the event overall.

On the next event, Danielle Thenell was champion for the second time this year on the uneven bars. She was tied for first with a 9.250.

Anna Gleason was fourth on the event with a 9.200.

“The friendships and the thrill of competing in something that I love,” Gleason said.

The next highest scoring Warrior was Catellino an 8.875; she was sixth overall. Wojton was eighth with an 8.775. Melanee Pfautz and Brooke Baures rounded out the bar lineup with scores of 8.500 and 8.175. The apparatus total was 44.600.

With a team score of 45.125, the Warriors went fourth through eighth, respectively.

Lori Crow was given a 9.150 for her routine and was fourth. Kimberly Miske was fifth with a 9.125. Baures was sixth overall with a 9.075. In seventh was Mello with an 8.950. Wojton received an 8.825 and was eighth.

The second highest scoring event of the meet for the Warriors was floor exercise, where they recorded their second highest event score of the season with 45.825.

All competing gymnasts recorded scores above 9.000. The highest scoring Warrior was Gleason, who was second overall with a 9.400.

Mello was tied for fourth with a score of 9.200. Sabrina Hoover received a 9.100 for her routine, which was good for eighth.

Wojton was ninth with a 9.075. Hiestand tied for tenth with a 9.050. With a 9.025, Samantha Smith rounded out the floor lineup in 12th place.

Wojton was the only WSU gymnast to compete all around at the meet, which was also the first time this year a Warrior competed all events.

To receive an all around score, the four event scores of the gymnast are added up. Wojton’s four scores, 9.3000 on vault, 8.775 on bars, 8.825 on beam and 9.075 on floor, added up to 35.975 putting her in third place.

One of Wojton’s favorite parts about collegiate gymnastics is that the team turns into a family.

“Through the practices, weight training, and bonding activities, our team has become a close-knit family” she said.

The Warriors return to action on the first of February when they compete for a second time this season against UW-La Crosse.

Contact Kylie at [email protected]