Gymnastics Earns Pair of Event Wins in Regular Season Finale

YPSILANTI, Mich. - - The Ball State gymnastics team closed the 2025 regular season with a 195.475-194.550 setback to Eastern Michigan Friday evening at the Gervin GameAbove Center.

Despite the setback, the Cardinals (12-8; 3-3 Mid-American Conference) were able to produce several solid routines and earned a pair of individual event wins.

The first event victory was a tie for the top spot on vault, with sophomore Lindsay Girard and junior Zoe Middleton pacing all competitors with a 9.800.

In her first all-around appearance since Ball State's last trip to Ypsilanti for the Golden Girls Classic on Jan. 17, graduate student Hannah Ruthberg also tied for the top spot on floor with a score of 9.825. Ruthberg's day also included a third-place score of 9.775 on beam and a second-place all-around tally of 38.575.

Overall, the Cardinals tallied six scores of 9.800-or-higher on the night, including a 9.825 from sophomore Ashley Szymanski who tied for third on bars.

ROTATION 1: BARS (48.250)
- Szymanski led the way for the Cardinals in the opening rotation, earning a 9.825.
- Senior Grace Sumner followed with a 9.775, while both sophomore Ava Molina and junior Mary Rose Bellan scored 9.725.

ROTATION2: VAULT (48.850)
- Vault was Ball State's best rotation of the day, with Middleton and Girard tying for the event win at 9.800.
- Ruthberg was not far behind, earning a 9.775 to help the Cardinals take the top three spots.
- Ball State was also able to count a 9.750 from senior Carissa Martinez and a 9.725 from freshman Karli Mercer.

ROTATION 3: FLOOR (48.725)
- Ruthberg tied for the meet's top spot on floor, earning a 9.825 in her first appearance on the apparatus since January 17 at the Golden Girls Classic also hosted by EMU.
- Junior Alauna Simms added a solid score of her own, tying for fourth overall at 9.775.
- Ball State also counted a 9.750 from Molina, a 9.700 from Girard and a 9.675 from Martinez.

ROTATION 4: BEAM (48.725)
- Sumner and sophomore Lindsay Fuller paced Ball State on beam, tying for third overall with scores of 9.800.
- Ruthberg, in her first appearance in the beam lineup since Jan. 17, and Szymanski closed the rotation for BSU with scores of 9.775 to help boost the team score.

ALL-AROUND
- Ruthberg look solid in her first all-around performance in nearly two months, coming back from injury to place second overall with a score of 38.575 … The effort included tying for first on floor (9.825) and tying for third on vault (9.775).

UP NEXT
The Ball State gymnastics team heads to Mount Pleasant, Michigan, next Saturday for the 2025 Mid-American Conference Championships hosted by Central Michigan. Action in the seven-team showdown begins at 2 p.m. at McGurik Arena.

Gymnastics Earns Pair of Event Wins in Regular Season Finale

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Players Mentioned

Mary Rose Bellan

Lindsay Fuller

Lindsay Girard

Carissa Martinez

Karli Mercer

Zoe Middleton

Ava Molina

Hannah Ruthberg

Alauna Simms

Grace Sumner

Ashley Szymanski