Kylie Bridenhagen/Winonan

A trio of Warrior gymnasts competed at the National Collegiate Gymnastics Association Championships on Friday, March 21, and Saturday, March 23, at Ithaca College in Ithaca, NY.

Junior Brooke Baures competed at her third-straight NCGA Championships, while sophomores Jade Donaldson and Brooke Hiestand made their second consecutive appearance at th

e championships.

On Friday, the three Warrior gymnasts competed in their designated events for a chance to qualify to the event finals held the following day. Donaldson competed in the all-around competition where she finished fifth place overall with a career-high 37.975 to earn All-American honors.

She scored another career-high on the floor exercise where she scored a 9.775 for her performance. On the vault she scored a 9.475, a 9.200 on the uneven bars and a 9.525 on the balance beam, all of which contributed to her final all-around score.

Donaldson’s vault score was high enough to qualify and advance her to the event finals on Saturday.

In the event finals, Donaldson placed 16th overall with a 9.450. Hiestand and Baures competed for Winona State University in their individual qualifying events. Hiestand scored a 9.125 for her balance beam routine and Baures earned a 9.100 for her uneven bars routine. Both Warriors scored just shy of advancing to the event finals.

At the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships, the three Warriors posted scores high enough to advance to the NCGA Championship, but fell short in qualifying a full team.

Baures had tied for sixth on the uneven bars at the conference meet with a 9.450 to earn her third trip to the NCGA meet.

Donaldson qualified in the all-competition after placing fourth at the WIAC Championships with a total score of 37.275.

Hiestand tied for second at the WIAC Championships on the balance beam with a 9.625 to advance to the National Championship meet.

In the team competition at the NCGA Championships, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater earned its third consecutive team title with a school record of 193.025. Cortland State placed second with a 191.00 and Brockport State rounded out the top three with a 190.800.

The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse placed fourth (188.550), the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh placed fifth (188.475), Ursinus College placed sixth (186.750) and host school Ithaca College placed seventh with a 182.300.

Gymnasts from the WIAC swept each of the event titles as well as the all-around title.

Katie Fiorilli from UW-Whitewater won the all-around competition with a 38.750. UW-Stout’s Katherine Prouty earned the silver with a 38.550 and UW-Oshkosh’s Krystal Walker was third with a 38.425. Hamline’s Courtney Benson was fourth with a 38.050 and Donaldson rounded out the top-five with her 37.975.

On the vault, UW-Whitewater’s Courtney Pickett won with a 9.775. Elise Konikoff of Cortland State and Fiorilli of UW-Whitewater tied for second, both with scores of 9.750.

UW-Whitewater’s Allyse Diernger scored 9.800 for her uneven bars routine to become an event-title champion on her first of two events. Pickett, of UW-Whitewater, picked up a silver medal on the uneven bars with a 9.775 and Brockport State’s Stephanie Schuler was third with a 9.725.

UW-Whitewater’s Diernger picked up her second win on the balance beam where she scored a 9.900. Brockport State’s Schuler was scored a 9.750 for her routine to place second overall and Michaela McCamey-Metropulos of UW-Eau Claire was third with a 9.725.

On the floor exercise, Hamline’s Kambria Blakely scored a 9.900 to win the event title. Cortland State’s Courtney Mangini was second with a 9.850, and Benson of Hamline placed third after scoring a 9.775 for her routine.