SAINT PETER, Minn. – The Gustavus gymnastics team is set to kick off its 2019 campaign 4 p.m. Saturday at the Best of Minnesota Meet, hosted by the University of Minnesota. The meet features the only four collegiate gymnastics teams in the state of Minnesota – Gustavus, Hamline, Winona State, and the U of M.
“We have a lot of returners,” Head Coach Aryn DeGrood said. “Last year we graduated one person on every event so we have the majority of our lineup returning with a lot of veterans and seniors. They know what to expect. They knew what they needed to do over the summer and this fall to be ready for the season. They’ve been really great leaders on the team in terms of making sure everyone else is on track. They came in prepared and ready to go.”
This season’s seniors include Samantha Ardy (Thousand Oaks, Calif.), Victoria Aycock (Buffalo, Minn.), Jamie Erdely (Phoenix, Ariz.), Jessica Gerczynski (Kiowa, Colo.), Amanda Malo (Greenwood, Minn.), Katy Trunk (North Branch, Minn.), and Veronica Vasina (Arvada, Colo.). Vasina unfortunately suffered a season-ending injury and Gerczynski is serving as a student coach.
Malo is the top returning point-scorer for the Gusties, averaging 36.47 in the all-around, including an All-American sixth place finish at the NCGA Championships last year. Ardy is another top performer after leading the team on the bars last year with a 16th place finish at the national meet.
“The goal is always to make nationals,” DeGrood said. “It’s going to be tough with one key injury, but it still is doable. When you lose an All-American level bar routine, it takes a hit. [Vasina] was a contributor on two other events last year so that was a blow. Bars is a weak spot this year.”
Last season the Gusties placed fifth at the WIAC/NCGA West Regional with a season-high score of 185.725, which marked the third best team score in program history. Coming in as the No. 8 seed, a school record beam score of 45.900 and season-high score of 46.775 on bars led to the best finish since 2004 for Gustavus.
This season the Gusties are working toward improving their scores leading up to the regional meet and not concerning themselves with wins and losses.
“I want them to stay comfortable and confident tomorrow,” DeGrood said. “I really preach this year, because of the way our conference works, score is the only determining factor going into regionals and what your rotation order is going to be. Wins and losses don’t matter. I’m worrying less about that, wins are nice, but I’m more concerned about preparing for March 9 instead of worrying about every single day.”
Gustavus has seven road meets before competing in its home studio on Feb. 15.