Kylie Bridenhagen/Winonan

The Winona State University Gymnastics team competed at two meets only two days apart, the first of which was in La Crosse, Wis. on Feb. 1.

At the 32nd Annual Gershon/McLellan Invitational, Winona State posted one of their highest team scores of the year—182.625, which put them in second overall at the four-team meet. University of Wisconsin La Crosse won the meet with 184.525. UW-Oshkosh was third (179.500) and Gustavus Adolphus was fourth (173.450).

The Warriors’ most successful event of the day was beam, where their apparatus total was 46.025. Brooke Baures was the leader of the team with a 9.450 and fourth overall.

Stephanie Wojton was fifth with a 9.425 and Jade Donaldson ended up seventh with a 9.350. Kimberly Miske rounded out the beam lineup with a 9.250, in tenth place.

On floor, Sabrina Hoover and Anna Gleason tied for fifth place, each receiving a 9.450 for their performance. Brooke Hiestand also scored over a 9.000. She tied for ninth with a 9.200. The total for floor was 45.350.

Donaldson was the highest scorer for the night on vault, where she was received a 9.275.  Cassandra Mello, who at this time last year was competing club gymnastics, was tied for sixth overall with a 9.275.

Mello said that the atmosphere is what differentiates college gymnastics to competing club gymnastics.

“You are competing as a team, so everyone is cheering you on and wanting you to hit,” said Mello.

The final team score on vault was 45.525.

The uneven bars proved to be another strong event where the team lineup was consistent with scores as well as their places.

Danielle Thenell tied for second place with a 9.475. Gleason was fifth with a 9.325, Olivia Catellino was sixth with a 9.225, and Melanee Pfautz placed seventh with a 9.075. Their team score at this meet was 45.725.

Wojton was the lone Warrior to compete in the all around, where her four event combined scores added up to a 35.750 and placed third overall.

On Sunday, Winona State had their second home meet of the year, which was held in the Talbot Gymnasium. It was at this duel meet against Gustavus Adolphus that the Warriors posted their highest team score of the season and also won all individual event titles. They won with a 185.150, which was two and a half points higher than they scored at the La Crosse meet that previous Friday. Gustavus Adolphus was second with a 174.550.

The Warriors started their day on vault, where all gymnasts scored a 9.050 or better.  Donaldson won the event with a 9.400. Pfautz and Mello tied for fifth, each with a 9.250. Hiestand was eighth with a 9.150.

Emily Goldman and Wojton were ninth and tenth with scores of 9.075 and 9.050.

On bars, the Warriors posted a season high team score of 46.350.

Gleason won her first event of the day with an impressive 9.575. Thenell was second with an equally as impressive score of 9.550.  In third place was Catellino, who scored 9.350. Tied for fourth was Pjautz, who scored a 9.100.

In the third rotation on beam, the team swept places one through six. Wojton won the event with a 9.450, her first individual title of the day. Hoover was second with a 9.275. Mello placed third with a 9.225. Miske was fourth with a 9.150. Rounding out the beam lineup was Donaldson and Baures who placed fifth and sixth with scores of 8.925 and 8.825. The team total for beam was 46.025.

This home meet ended on floor, where Gleason and Wojton both claimed their second individual titles for the day. They shared the champions’ title with a 9.575.  Samantha Smith earned the third place award with a 9.375. Hoover competed her routine and was tied for sixth with a 9.200. Winona State had a high event score of 46.650.

The gymnastics team will be back in action when they travel to Shreveport, La. on February 8 to compete in a duel meet against Centenary.

Contact Kylie at [email protected]