The Bowling Green gymnastics team took advantage of their opportunity to host the Mid-American Conference championships Saturday afternoon. The Falcons finished fourth among the seven MAC schools participating with a season high team score of 195.175. This mark eclipsed the previous season best of 194.275, which they set on March 2.
“I was absolutely elated with our performance,” head coach Dan Connelly said. “This was definitely our best performance of the year. We did it at the right time.”
Ann Marie Kassouf was given Second Team All-MAC honors. Kassouf’s combined score of 39.100 placed her fourth in the individual all-around.
“Ann Marie has not had this type of performance at the MAC championships in the past,” Connelly said. “This was really her opportunity to shine…this was pretty special for her and I am really happy for her.”
“It’s pretty exciting because I have never done very well at a MAC meet before,” Kassouf said. “It’s a big accomplishment for myself.”
Kassouf was not only pleased with her individual accomplishment but was also excited with the team’s performance.
“We did really good today. This was our best meet of the season,” she said. “Our season was a little rough and we were hoping this would be our best meet and I think we pulled through…it was a good way to end our season.”
Leading the way for the Falcons in the floor event was Melissa Popovich. Popovich tied for fourth place with a score of 9.900. Like Kassouf, Popovich was also more excited about the team’s performance than her own individual accomplishments.
“It’s the best we’ve done all year and we had the most energy that we’ve had all year,” Popovich said. “The crowd definitely helps us. It gets us into it and I think they get into it. It brings up the energy.”
Jessica Guyer and Kathy Emerson led the Falcons in the beam event. They finished in a tie for fifth place with a score of 9.825. Kassouf and Kristin DiPetro contributed scores of 9.800 as the Falcons posted a season best score of 48.900 in this event. Guyer and Kassouf were the top Falcons in the vault. Their score of 9.775 was good for an 11th place tie.
On the uneven bars, the Falcons were led by Popovich and Kari Elste, who tied for 10th with a score of 9.850, setting a season high for the Falcons in this event.
The MAC Championships brought to a close the 2003 season for the BG gymnastics team.
“To have this kind of performance in this arena with a nice crowd and a lot of support was really nice to have,” Connelly said.
