2016-17 WIAC Women's Gymnastics Athletes of the Week
Week of March 6 - 12
Specialist
Katie Fiorilli, Senior (Solon, Ohio), of UW-Whitewater
Fiorilli won the vault and placed among the top four in two other events in a 192.125-188.850 victory over Hamline University (Minn.) in the team’s final regular-season meet on March 11. She tied a season high with a 9.675 on the vault to win the event by nearly one-tenth of a point. Fiorilli also collected a season-high mark of 9.675 in the floor exercise to place third overall and posted a 9.625, her second-highest score of the year, on the uneven bars. Her performance on the bars helped the Warhawks register a 48.375 in the event, good for the second-highest score in program history. With Fiorilli’s help, UW-Whitewater also finished with a 48.525 in the floor exercise, good for the third-best mark in the team’s record book.
Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Lauren Wilson, Junior, Summit, Mo. (Raymore-Peculiar)
UW-Oshkosh, Dana LoCascio, Sophomore, Lemont, Ill. (Township)
UW-Stout, Kaylee Jondahl, Senior, Elk River, Minn.
Winona State University, Kelly Johnston, Freshman, Arlington Heights, Ill. (Rolling Meadows)
All-Around
Alex Kopp, Senior (Wayzata, Minn./Providence Academy), of Gustavus Adolphus College
Kopp led Gustavus Adolphus in its regular-season finale against UW-La Crosse. She placed second on vault with a 9.575, third on bars with a career-high 9.500, sixth on beam with a 9.275, and won the floor exercise with a season-high 9.650. Kopp’s efforts combined for a first-place all-around finish with a season-high 38.000. She recorded three top-10 program finishes: her vault was the ninth-highest in school history, her career-high on bars is the sixth highest in school history, and all-around the fourth highest. Kopp led the Gusties to a team score of 184.725, their third-highest of the season and fourth-highest in program history.
Also nominated:
UW-Oshkosh, Baylee Tkaczuk, Freshman, Channahon, Ill. (Minooka)
UW-Stout, MacKenzie Nicholson, Freshman, Wheaton, Ill. (North)
Week of Feb. 27 - March 5
Specialist
Samantha Ardy, Sophomore (Thousand Oaks, Calif./Chaminade College Preparatory), of Gustavus Adolphus College
Ardy had a career performance on at the Blugold Invitational on March 3. She led the Golden Gusties on both vault and uneven bars and was the second-highest score on the balance beam. Ardy tied for first on bars with a score of 9.475. She had a career high on vault after throwing a new skill and placing second with a 9.55. On the balance beam, Ardy placed sixth with a 9.425. She helped lead the Gusties to the second-highest team score of the season and third-highest team score in program history.
Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Megan Fayler, Freshman, Afton, Minn. (Stillwater)
Hamline University, Cate Reynolds, Senior, Liberty, Mo.
UW-La Crosse, Amy Enright, Junior, Lake Elmo, Minn. (Stillwater)
UW-Oshkosh, Baylee Tkaczuk, Frsehman, Channahon, Ill. (Minooka)
UW-Stout, Mikala Bugge, Freshman, Oakdale, Minn. (Tartan)
UW-Whitewater, McKenzie Foster, Junior, Manitou Beach, Mich. (Addison)
Winona State University, Eboni Jackson, Junior, Lawrenceville, Ga. (Archer)
All-Around
Baylee Tkaczuk, Freshman (Channahon, Ill./Minooka), of UW-Oshkosh
Tkaczuk counted a season-best 38.15 points to win the all-around competition during UW-Oshkosh's 187.125-184.625 road win over Hamline University (Minn.) on March 4. Tkaczuk reached her all-around score by totaling winning figures of 9.775 points on the balance beam and 9.475 on the uneven bars. She also tallied 9.50 points in the floor exercise and 9.40 on the vault. Tkaczuk’s scores on both the balance beam and uneven bars were season highs. UW-Oshkosh’s Jessica Bernardo finished second to Tkaczuk in the all-around competition with 37.45 points.
Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Samantha Wiekamp, Junior, Clear Lake, S.D. (Deuel)
UW-Stout, MacKenzie Nicholson, Freshman, Wheaton, Ill. (North)
Week of Feb. 20 - 26
Specialist
Amy Enright, Junior (Lake Elmo, Minn./Stillwater), of UW-La Crosse
Enright won the uneven parallel bars (9.725) in UW-La Crosse's dual victory over UW-Whitewater on Feb. 24. Her score of 9.725 tied a season high.
Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Lauren Zurowski, Senior, Greenfield, Wis. (Whitnall)
UW-Oshkosh, Baylee Tkaczuk, Freshman, Channahon, Ill. (Minooka)
UW-Stout, Kelly Huseman, Senior, Tampa, Fla. (Freedom)
UW-Whitewater, Kate Mierow, Junior, Brookfield, Wis. (Central)
Winona State University, Eboni Jackson, Junior, Lawrenceville, Ga. (Archer)
All-Around
Lisa O’Donnell, Sophomore (Berwyn, Ill./Morton West), of UW-Whitewater
One week after setting a National Collegiate Gymnastics Association record in the all-around, O’Donnell scored big again with a 38.800, just shy of last week’s record-setting performance, to help the Warhawks post a score of 191.275, which ranks among the top five in program history, at UW-La Crosse. She tied for first on both the floor exercise and the balance beam and led or tied for the team lead in all four events. O’Donnell’s 9.725 in the floor exercise tied for the school’s 20th-best performance and helped UW-Whitewater post a 47.975, good for the 16th-best score in the program record book. She finished the meet with a 9.700 on the balance beam, good for a tie for 17th in school history, and helped the team finish with a 37.675, which cracked the top 10 in the program record book. O’Donnell also tied for second on the uneven bars with a 9.675 and placed second on the vault with a 9.700. Her scores helped the Warhawks finish with top 12 scores in school history in each event.
Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Samantha Wiekamp, Junior, Clear Lake, S.D. (Deuel)
UW-Oshkosh, Baylee Tkaczuk, Freshman, Channahon, Ill. (Minooka)
Week of Feb. 13 - 19
Specialist
McKenzie Foster, Junior (Manitou Beach, Mich./Addison), of UW-Whitewater
Foster won the balance beam to help the Warhawks down UW-Oshkosh on Feb. 18, and remain undefeated with a team score of 192.400, third-highest in program history. Her score of 9.750 is tied for the third-best in program history and helped UW-Whitewater post a school-record mark of 48.225 on the balance beam. Foster also placed fourth on the uneven bars with a 9.600 to help the Warhawks record the program’s fourth-best all-time score of 48.125.
Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Elsa Spitzmueller, Senior, Lino Lakes, Minn. (Centennial)
UW-Oshkosh, Baylee Tkaczuk, Freshman, Channahon, Ill. (Minooka)
UW-Stout, Belle Ihde, Freshman, Andover, Minn. (Anoka)
Winona State University, Kelly Johnston, Freshman, Arlington Heights, Ill. (Rolling Meadows)
All-Around
Lisa O’Donnell, Sophomore (Berwyn, Ill./Morton West), of UW-Whitewater
O’Donnell posted what is believed to be a National Collegiate Gymnastics Association record in the all-around on Feb. 18, to help the Warhawks defeat UW-Oshkosh with a team score of 192.400, third-highest in program history. Her tally of 38.875 bested the previous high of 38.800 by Eboni Jackson of Winona State University (Minn.) in 2016. O’Donnell won three events against the Titans, placing first on the vault (9.700), uneven bars (9.825, T-3rd in program history) and floor exercise (9.775, 10th in program history). She also helped UW-Whitewater set a school record on the balance beam with a 48.225, placing fourth with a 9.575.
Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Samantha Wiekamp, Junior, Clear Lake, S.D. (Deuel)
UW-Oshkosh, Jessica Bernardo, Freshman, Millford, Mich. (Lakeland)
UW-Stout, Kaylee Jondahl, Senior, Elk River, Minn.
Winona State University, Eboni Jackson, Junior, Lawrenceville, Ga. (Archer)
Week of Feb. 6 - 12
Specialist
Mackenzie Smith, Senior (Milwaukee, Wis./Martin Luther), of UW-Whitewater
Smith won the uneven bars with a score of 9.700, tied for the No. 21 mark in program history, to help the Warhawks remain unbeaten for the season with wins over NCAA Division I Southeast Missouri State University, Winona State University and UW-Eau Claire at the Harley Davidson Invitational in Milwaukee on Feb. 10. Her performance on the uneven bars helped UW-Whitewater finish with the team’s 13th-highest score in program history on the apparatus (47.550). Smith has now scored at least a 9.700 in the event in each of her last two meets. She added an eighth-place in her season debut on the balance beam with a score of 9.450 to help the team post the program’s No. 11 score in the record book in the event (47.500).
Also nominated:
Gustavus Adolphus College, Emily Anderson, Junior, Mendota Heights, Minn.
Hamline University, Sydney Tribbett, Junior, Kingman, Ariz.
UW-La Crosse, Monique Muehlethaler, Junior, Green Bay, Wis. (East)
UW-Stout, Kelly Huseman, Senior, Tampa, Fla. (Freedom)
Winona State University, Haruko Hasebe, Freshman, Suginami Ku, Tokyo (International)
All-Around
Lisa O’Donnell, Sophomore (Berwyn, Ill./Morton West), of UW-Whitewater
O’Donnell tied her career high score and bested six others in the all-around, including five NCAA Division I student-athletes, with a 38.550 to help the Warhawks remain unbeaten on the season by besting Southeast Missouri State University, Winona State University and UW-Eau Claire at the Harley Davidson Invitational in Milwaukee on Feb. 10. She finished among the top three in all four events, winning the floor exercise with a 9.800, which is tied for the seventh-best score in school history. O’Donnell also placed on the uneven parallel bars (9.650), tied for second on the vault (9.525) and tied for third on the balance beam (9.575). Her performances helped UW-Whitewater post the No. 13 score in school history on the uneven bars (47.550) and the No. 11 mark in the record book on balance beam (47.500).
Also nominated:
Gustavus Adolphus College, Lauren Kershner, Senior, Marine, Ill.
UW-La Crosse, Samantha Wiekamp, Junior, Clear Lake, S.D. (Deuel)
Week of Jan. 30 - Feb. 5
Specialist
Haruka Hasebe, Freshman (Suginami Ku, Tokyo/International), of Winona State University
With a score of 9.625, Hasebe took first place in the balance beam at the John Zuerlein Invitational on Feb. 3. She edged out UW-Stout’s Kenzie Hyde by just .025. Hasebe recorded her highest total of the season on the beam. She also finished second in the uneven bars with a score of 9.500.
Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Megan Fayler, Freshman, Afton, Minn. (Stillwater)
Hamline University, Lydia Ingram, Freshman, Oregon City, Ore.
UW-La Crosse, Amy Enright, Junior, Lake Elmo, Minn. (Stillwater)
UW-Oshkosh, Baylee Tkaczuk, Freshman, Channahon, Ill. (Stillwater)
UW-Stout, Belle Ihde, Freshman, Andover, Minn. (Anoka)
All-Around
Eboni Jackson, Junior (Lawrenceville, Ga./Archer), of Winona State University
Jackson won the all-around competition at the John Zuerlein Invitational on Feb. 3, with a score of 38.325 - her second-highest total of the season. She outscored the second-place finisher by over a full point. Jackson won the floor exercise with a score of 9.725 and won the vault with a score of 9.650. She finished third in the uneven bars and tied for second on the balance beam. Jackson recorded her highest scores of the season in the vault and balance beam.
Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Samantha Wiekamp, Junior, Clear Lake, S.D. (Deuel)
UW-Oshkosh, Baylee Tkaczuk, Freshman, Channahon, Ill. (Minooka)
Week of Jan. 23 - 29
Specialist
Kari Willett, Senior (Gainesville, Va./Patriot), of UW-La Crosse
Willett scored a 9.725 on all three of her events at the Lindenwood University (Mo.) Triangular on Jan. 28. She tied for second on the vault, while finishing fourth on the balance beam and sixth on the floor exercise in the meet at the Division II national champions (Lindenwood).
Also nominated:
UW-Oshkosh, Danielle Turner, Senior, Bolingbrook, Ill.
UW-Stout, Belle Ihde, Freshman, Andover, Minn. (Anoka)
UW-Whitewater, Courtney Pickett, Senior, Brentwood, Tenn.
All-Around
Samantha Wiekamp, Junior (Clear Lake, S.D./Deuel), of UW-La Crosse
Wiekamp captured the all-around (38.550) title at the Lindenwood University (Mo.) Triangular on Jan. 28. Her score of 38.550 is currently the highest among all National Collegiate Gymnastics Association teams. Along with winning the all-around, Wiekamp tied for fourth on the floor exercise (9.750) and tied for sixth on the vault (9.625).
Also nominated:
UW-Oshkosh, Baylee Tkaczuk, Freshman, Channahon, Ill. (Minooka)
UW-Stout, MacKenzie Nicholson, Freshman, Wheaton, Ill. (North)
UW-Whitewater, Lisa O’Donnell, Sophomore, Berwyn, Ill. (Morton West)
Week of Jan. 16 - 22
Specialist
Chloe Rehberg, Junior (Cary, Ill./Cary-Grove), of UW-Whitewater
Competing in just her second meet back after suffering a season-ending injury in 2016, Rehberg placed first in the vault with a score of 9.700 to help the Warhawks to a 188.275-181.725 victory at Gustavus Adolphus College (Minn.) on Jan. 21. Her mark helped UW-Whitewater post a score of 48.000, good for the seventh-highest score on the vault in program history.
Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Lauralynn Anderson, Sophomore, West Bend, Wis.
UW-La Crosse, Kari Willett, Senior, Gainesville, Va. (Patriot)
UW-Oshkosh, Danielle Turner, Senior, Bolingbrook, Ill.
UW-Stout, Sierra Beaver, Freshman, Lancaster, Ohio (Bloom Central)
All-Around
Alex Kopp, Senior (Wayzata, Minn.), of Gustavus Adolphus College
Kopp notched her best performance of the season, placing first in the all-around with a 37.700 in the home opener for the Golden Gusties on Jan. 21. To get her total, Kopp earned season-high scores on three of the four events. She placed third on vault with a 9.550, first on the balance beam with a 9.625, and fourth on floor exercise with a 9.500. Kopp also placed sixth on the uneven bars with a 9.025. She led the Gusties in all four events in the loss to UW-Whitewater. Her total helped the Gusties to their second-highest team score of the year.
Also nominated:
UW-Oshkosh, Baylee Tkaczuk, Freshman, Channahon, Ill. (Minooka)
UW-Stout, Kaylee Jondahl, Senior, Elk River, Minn.
Week of Jan. 9 - 15
Specialist
Lauren Zurowski, Senior (Greenfield, Wis./Whitnall), of UW-Eau Claire
Zurowski had solid performances on all three of her events at the Ozone Classic (Tennessee) on Jan. 14. She recorded her personal best on the vault with a 9.600. On the uneven bars, Zurowski scored a 9.500, only .75 below her personal best. She competed as an exhibition on the floor throwing a new routine for the first time and scored a 9.650.
Also nominated:
Gustavus Adolphus College, Samantha Ardy, Sophomore, Thousand Oaks, Calif. (Chaminade College Preparatory)
Hamline University, Sydney Tribbet, Junior, Kingman, Ariz.
UW-La Crosse, Ally Blixt, Freshman, Maplewood, Minn. (Roseville Area)
UW-Oshkosh, Danielle Turner, Senior, Bolingbrook, Ill.
UW-Stout, Mikala Bugge, Freshman, Oakdale, Minn. (Tartan)
UW-Whitewater, Courtney Pickett, Senior, Brentwood, Tenn.
Winona State University, Eboni Jackson, Junior, Lawrenceville, Ga. (Archer)
All-Around
Kaylee Jondahl, Senior (Elk River, Minn.), of UW-Stout
Jondahl took the top spot in the all-around in a dual with UW-Whitewater on Jan. 13. She tallied 37.500 points to top four other gymnasts. Jondahl was first on the floor exercise (9.750), third on the vault (9.500), fifth on the balance beam (9.350) and eighth on the uneven bars (9.100). As a team, the Blue Devils set their best-ever season-opening score in a 187.850-184.300 loss to the Warhawks.
Also nominated:
Gustavus Adolphus College, Alex Kopp, Senior, Wayzata, Minn. (Providence Academy)
UW-La Crosse, Samantha Wiekamp, Junior, Clear Lake, S.D. (Deuel)
UW-Oshkosh, Jessica Bernardo, Freshman, Millford, Mich. (Lakeland)
UW-Whitewater, Katie Fiorilli, Senior, Solon, Ohio
Winona State University, Eboni Jackson, Junior, Lawrenceville, Ga. (Archer)
Week of Jan. 2 - 8
Specialist
Kelly Johnston, Freshman (Arlington Heights, Ill./Rolling Meadows), of Winona State University
Johnston won the balance beam in the Warriors meet against NCAA Division I - Air Force Academy. Her score of 9.625 came after routines that scored a 9.60 and 9.65. As a team, the Warriors scored 47.525 on the beam, tied for sixth best all-time in school history.
Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Kiya Bjorge, Sophomore, Kennewick, Wash. (Southridge)
UW-Oshkosh, Bailey Finin, Sophomore, Oswego, Ill. (East)
All-Around
Tori Erickson, Junior (Woodbury, Minn.), of UW-Eau Claire
In Erickson’s first time competing in the all-around since her first year, she recorded personal bests in the vault (9.625), balance beam (9.625), floor exercise (9.8) and all–around (37.525). Erickson tied for the second on the vault competing against NCAA Division I Central Michigan University and Hamline University (Minn.), and placed fifth on the balance beam and third on the floor exercise.
Also nominated:
Gustavus Adolphus College, Lauren Kershner, Senior, Marine, Ill. (Triad)
UW-Oshkosh, Jessica Bernardo, Freshman, Millford, Mich. (Lakeland)