Ladies Open Season On National Stage At No. 5 LSU Friday
The Centenary gymnastics team will begin its 2022 season in the national spotlight, as the Ladies are set to face fifth-ranked LSU in a dual meet televised live on the SEC Network from the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on Friday evening.
Baton Rouge – The Centenary gymnastics team will begin its 2022 season in the national spotlight, as the Ladies are set to face fifth-ranked LSU in a dual meet televised live on the SEC Network from the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on Friday evening.
Live stats and live video are available at the links below:
Stats: http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=381517
Video: https://www.espn.com/watch/
Tickets are available at the following link: https://lsusports.net/tickets/
Introductions begin at 5:45 p.m. with first vault set for 6:01 p.m. John Roethlisberger and Alicia Sacramone Quinn will be calling the meet, the first "Friday Night Heights" telecast of the season. Friday's meet marks Centenary's first meet in the PMAC since Jan. 10, 2014. LSU last came to Shreveport on March 13, 2015 for a tri-meet versus Centenary and New Hampshire. Centenary was not scheduled to start its season until next weekend but West Virginia, LSU's original opponent on Friday, had to cancel due to COVID implications so the Ladies seized the opportunity.
"We are obviously thrilled to have a surprise start to our season at LSU this week," said Centenary head coach Jackie Fain. "For my Louisiana Ladies, it is a dream come true to compete in the PMAC as a collegiate gymnast! We were not planning on competing quite yet, but we are going to make the most of it. We are going to go out and do the best we can right now, and enjoy the environment."
Centenary's roster is headlined by the return of four All-Americans - seniors Kendall Sanders (Spring Branch, Texas) and Xian Baumgartner (Albuquerque, N.M.), and juniors Taylor Ann Wilson (Memphis, Tenn.) and Kendall Huff (Riviera, Texas). Four freshmen will look to make their mark along with 10 other returnees. There are six Louisiana natives on this season's roster, the most in Jackie Fain's tenure as head coach. Fain will coach her 11th and final season for the Ladies alongside incoming head coach Brittany Harris, who was hired in November and will take over next season. Centenary features a nice blend of veteran experience with youth and aims to navigate a challenging schedule beginning with Friday's tough test against a talented Tigers team.
Sanders was named a First-Team All-American by USA Gymnastics on both the floor and in the all-around as a junior last season. She was also named an All-American by the Women's Collegiate Gymnastics Association as she earned her honors on beam (9.681), floor (9.700), and all-around (38.519). Sanders earned all-conference honors following an impressive performance at the annual MIC Championships as she placed fourth in the all-around with a score of 38.650 to earn all-around second team honors and also earned second-team recognition on floor with a 9.700. She earned a new career-high 9.825 on floor at the USAG Championships on April 10.
Baumgartner was named a First-Team All-American by USA Gymnastics in the all-around last season after a fine performance at the 2021 Women's Collegiate National Championships. She competed on floor for the first time in her career at the Championships and earned a 9.550. Baumgartner also set a new career-high on vault at the event with a 9.525.
Wilson made history as she claimed the individual bars title at the 2021 USA Gymnastics Women's Collegiate National Championship in April in Cape Girardeau. Mo. She scored a stellar 9.875, a new career high mark, to put an exclamation point on her season which can only be described as improbable. Wilson became a national champion just one day after making her collegiate debut in the event. She made history as she becomes the first Centenary gymnast to win an individual title at the USAG National Championships in the division III era (2012-present).
Wilson was named a First Team All-American on bars following her historic performance. She was also named a Corbett Award finalist last July by the Allstate Sugar Bowl, which honors the "Outstanding Female Amateur Athlete in the state of Louisiana".
Huff participated in eight meets last season and competed on bars, floor, and vault and was named a Women's Collegiate Gymnastics Association All-American as she earned her honors on vault with a NQS of 9.73. She earned All-MIC Second Team honors on vault with a new career-high 9.800 and competed on vault in all eight meets of the season, on floor in seven of eight meets, and made her season debut on bars at the USAG Championships on April 10. Huff also set a season and career high on floor with a 9.725 on floor at the USAG Championships.
LSU, led by head coach Jay Clark, returns an extremely talented core of talent led by reigning SEC Specialist of the Year, Kiya Johnson, and SEC Freshman of the Year, Haleigh Bryant. Johnson is an eight-time All-American and owns 34 victories in her career. She is the 2021 SEC floor champion and owns five perfect 10's. Bryant won the NCAA vault title last season and is a six-time All-American. She owns 14 career titles and has scored a pair of perfect 10's. LSU also welcomes back All-Americans Alyona Shchennikova and Olivia Dunne as well as Elena Arenas, who won the 2021 SEC vault title.
Centenary travels to Cape Girardeau, Mo. on Jan. 14 following Friday's season opener to face Midwest Independent Conference foe SEMO in a dual meet set for 6:30 p.m. The Ladies will make their home debut on Sunday, Jan. 23 versus Air Force in a dual meet set for 1 p.m. in the Gold Dome.
See the Ladies' complete season schedule here: https://www.gocentenary.com/sports/gymnastics/2021-22/schedule
Live stats and live video are available for all home meets.
Admission is FREE to all Centenary home athletic contests but be advised of current COVID-19 protocols for fans. Updated COVID-19 information is now available via www.GoCentenary.com.
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