The Lindenwood Women's Gymnastics team has made history today, winning their first ever national title at the USAG National Team Finals competition at University of Pennsylvania with an impressive 195.550, their second highest team score all year.

In an interview earlier this year, head coach Jen Kesler told Gymnastike that one of the team's biggest goals was to win a national title, and tonight that goal became a reality, with the team beating out Bridgeport, Seattle Pacific and Texas Woman's. Bridgeport was the defending champion, having won six straight titles from 2009-2014.

The Lindenwood gymnasts particularly impressed on beam, where they scored a 49.075. Standouts included freshman Rachel Zabawa, who scored a huge 9.9 (the highest beam score of the meet) and junior Valeri Ingui, who scored a 9.875. The team also had a strong performance on uneven bars, where junior Courtney Heise scored a 9.9 (the highest bars score of the whole meet) and junior Trystien Charles scored a 9.825.

In the semifinal session on Friday, nine Lindenwood gymnasts earned 14 All-American Awards, with seven gymnasts earning first-team honors, advancing to individual finals on Sunday. 

In 2011, Lindenwood became the first school in 10 years to add women's gymnastics to its athletics portfolio. 2013 was the team's first season, when they finished in 63rd place nationally with a 191.365 team RQS. In their second season, the Lady Lions earned a team bid to the USAG Women's Colliegate National Championships. The team is now in their third year and held a No. 50 ranking in the regular season.

Full results below:

Team Standing

Place	Team	Score
1	Lindenwood	195.550
2	University of Bridgeport	194.675
3	Seattle Pacific University	194.225
4	Texas Woman's University	193.775

 

Lindenwood 
Head Coach:  Jen Kesler

Gymnast	Vault	Bars	Beam	Floor	Total
Lauren Cartmell			9.675	9.675
Trystien Charles		9.825	9.625
Daniela Fumagalli	9.425
Shaylyn Garay		9.575
Courtney Heise	9.725	9.900
Aubree Horn	9.675	9.775
Valeri Ingui	9.750	9.725	9.875	9.600
Olivia Oswalt				9.750
Hannah Rector			9.825	9.775
Kierstin Sokolowski	9.800	9.675	9.800	9.825
Rachel Zabawa	9.750		9.900	9.850
Team Totals	48.700	48.900	49.075	48.875	195.550

 

Seattle Pacific University 
Head Coach:  Laurel Tindall

Gymnast	Vault	Bars	Beam	Floor	Total
Brittany Atchison				9.750
Breanna Beltran	9.625	9.700
Paige Blaney	9.675
Sydney Clark	9.300	9.700	9.675	9.825
Shannon Escarra				9.725
Lauren Glover	9.600
Ariana Harger	9.675		9.550	9.850
Kristi Hayashida			9.850	9.475
Maria Hundley	9.800	9.825	9.775
Cara Lord		9.700
Alexa Okamura			9.525
Tracie Villanueva		9.725	9.125
Amanda Willingham				9.675
Renee Zografos		9.700
Team Totals	48.375	48.650	48.375	48.825	194.225

 

Texas Woman's University
Head Coach:  Lisa Bowerman

Gymnast	Vault	Bars	Beam	Floor	Total
Courtney Cochefski		9.875
Kayla Jones				9.850
Schyler Jones	9.800	9.725	9.100	9.750
Spencer Jones	9.550	9.775	9.225	9.625
Alyssa Kelly		9.800	9.825
Mallory Moredock	9.675		9.075	9.625
Madison Nettles	9.825	9.600		9.675
Stephanie Repp	9.575		9.800	8.875
Katie Simpson	9.725	9.750	9.775
Team Totals	48.600	48.925	47.725	48.525	193.775

 

University of Bridgeport 
Head Coach:  Byron Knox

Gymnast	Vault	Bars	Beam	Floor	Total
Kelsey Campbell	9.675	9.800	9.675	9.550
Carol Chiles			9.675
Brianna Comport			9.775	9.850
Randi Cutolo				9.800
Rachel DiCarlo		9.400	9.750
Amber Hill		9.725
Cheyenne Keller	9.525
Christine Liautaud		9.650	8.050
Caitlin Perry	9.775			9.900
Brianna Quinn				9.500
Kaila Schaeffer	9.650
Kimberly Stewart	9.775	9.700
Sasha Tsikhanovich	9.825	9.200	9.800	9.925
Team Totals	48.700	48.275	48.675	49.025	194.675

 

This meet does not have event winners. Scores are presented here for comparison.

Vault Results 

Place	Gymnast	Team	Score
	Madison Nettles	Texas Woman's University	9.825
	Sasha Tsikhanovich	University of Bridgeport	9.825
	Kierstin Sokolowski	Lindenwood	9.800
	Maria Hundley	Seattle Pacific University	9.800
	Schyler Jones	Texas Woman's University	9.800
	Caitlin Perry	University of Bridgeport	9.775
	Kimberly Stewart	University of Bridgeport	9.775
	Rachel Zabawa	Lindenwood	9.750
	Valeri Ingui	Lindenwood	9.750
	Courtney Heise	Lindenwood	9.725
	Katie Simpson	Texas Woman's University	9.725
	Aubree Horn	Lindenwood	9.675
	Ariana Harger	Seattle Pacific University	9.675
	Paige Blaney	Seattle Pacific University	9.675
	Mallory Moredock	Texas Woman's University	9.675
	Kelsey Campbell	University of Bridgeport	9.675
	Kaila Schaeffer	University of Bridgeport	9.650
	Breanna Beltran	Seattle Pacific University	9.625
	Lauren Glover	Seattle Pacific University	9.600
	Stephanie Repp	Texas Woman's University	9.575
	Spencer Jones	Texas Woman's University	9.550
	Cheyenne Keller	University of Bridgeport	9.525
	Daniela Fumagalli	Lindenwood	9.425
	Sydney Clark	Seattle Pacific University	9.300

 

Uneven Parallel Bars Results

Place	Gymnast	Team	Score
	Courtney Heise	Lindenwood	9.900
	Courtney Cochefski	Texas Woman's University	9.875
	Trystien Charles	Lindenwood	9.825
	Maria Hundley	Seattle Pacific University	9.825
	Alyssa Kelly	Texas Woman's University	9.800
	Kelsey Campbell	University of Bridgeport	9.800
	Aubree Horn	Lindenwood	9.775
	Spencer Jones	Texas Woman's University	9.775
	Katie Simpson	Texas Woman's University	9.750
	Valeri Ingui	Lindenwood	9.725
	Tracie Villanueva	Seattle Pacific University	9.725
	Schyler Jones	Texas Woman's University	9.725
	Amber Hill	University of Bridgeport	9.725
	Cara Lord	Seattle Pacific University	9.700
	Breanna Beltran	Seattle Pacific University	9.700
	Sydney Clark	Seattle Pacific University	9.700
	Renee Zografos	Seattle Pacific University	9.700
	Kimberly Stewart	University of Bridgeport	9.700
	Kierstin Sokolowski	Lindenwood	9.675
	Christine Liautaud	University of Bridgeport	9.650
	Madison Nettles	Texas Woman's University	9.600
	Shaylyn Garay	Lindenwood	9.575
	Rachel DiCarlo	University of Bridgeport	9.400
	Sasha Tsikhanovich	University of Bridgeport	9.200

 

Balance Beam Results 

Place	Gymnast	Team	Score
	Rachel Zabawa	Lindenwood	9.900
	Valeri Ingui	Lindenwood	9.875
	Kristi Hayashida	Seattle Pacific University	9.850
	Hannah Rector	Lindenwood	9.825
	Alyssa Kelly	Texas Woman's University	9.825
	Kierstin Sokolowski	Lindenwood	9.800
	Stephanie Repp	Texas Woman's University	9.800
	Sasha Tsikhanovich	University of Bridgeport	9.800
	Maria Hundley	Seattle Pacific University	9.775
	Katie Simpson	Texas Woman's University	9.775
	Brianna Comport	University of Bridgeport	9.775
	Rachel DiCarlo	University of Bridgeport	9.750
	Lauren Cartmell	Lindenwood	9.675
	Sydney Clark	Seattle Pacific University	9.675
	Kelsey Campbell	University of Bridgeport	9.675
	Carol Chiles	University of Bridgeport	9.675
	Trystien Charles	Lindenwood	9.625
	Ariana Harger	Seattle Pacific University	9.550
	Alexa Okamura	Seattle Pacific University	9.525
	Spencer Jones	Texas Woman's University	9.225
	Tracie Villanueva	Seattle Pacific University	9.125
	Schyler Jones	Texas Woman's University	9.100
	Mallory Moredock	Texas Woman's University	9.075
	Christine Liautaud	University of Bridgeport	8.050

 

Floor Exercise Results

Place	Gymnast	Team	Score
	Sasha Tsikhanovich	University of Bridgeport	9.925
	Caitlin Perry	University of Bridgeport	9.900
	Rachel Zabawa	Lindenwood	9.850
	Ariana Harger	Seattle Pacific University	9.850
	Kayla Jones	Texas Woman's University	9.850
	Brianna Comport	University of Bridgeport	9.850
	Kierstin Sokolowski	Lindenwood	9.825
	Sydney Clark	Seattle Pacific University	9.825
	Randi Cutolo	University of Bridgeport	9.800
	Hannah Rector	Lindenwood	9.775
	Olivia Oswalt	Lindenwood	9.750
	Brittany Atchison	Seattle Pacific University	9.750
	Schyler Jones	Texas Woman's University	9.750
	Shannon Escarra	Seattle Pacific University	9.725
	Lauren Cartmell	Lindenwood	9.675
	Amanda Willingham	Seattle Pacific University	9.675
	Madison Nettles	Texas Woman's University	9.675
	Mallory Moredock	Texas Woman's University	9.625
	Spencer Jones	Texas Woman's University	9.625
	Valeri Ingui	Lindenwood	9.600
	Kelsey Campbell	University of Bridgeport	9.550
	Brianna Quinn	University of Bridgeport	9.500
	Kristi Hayashida	Seattle Pacific University	9.475
	Stephanie Repp	Texas Woman's University	8.875

Related:
The Rise of Lindenwood Gymnastics