Bowling Green State University Athletics
Photo by: BGSU Strategic Communications
Falcons Land Five on Academic All-MAC Team
March 31, 2017 | Gymnastics
CLEVELAND, Ohio – Five members of the Bowling Green State University gymnastics squad have been named to the 2017 Academic All-MAC gymnastics team, as announced by the conference office on Friday morning. This marks the third consecutive year in which five Falcons have been honored.
A total of 57 student-athletes earned a spot on the 2017 Academic All-MAC team, which is an increase from 51 in 2017. To be eligible, a gymnast must participate in at least 50 percent of their team's meets and carry at least a 3.2 grade point average (GPA). Freshmen and first-year transfers are not eligible.
"Academics is a major priority of our program, along with athletic success. I am proud of our honorees, who clearly demonstrate the balance of student and athlete," said BGSU gymnastics head coach Kerrie Turner. "Their focus, time management and hard work is truly at the core of this achievement."
Lauren Feely, a senior from Gurnee, Ill., has been named to the Academic All-MAC team for the third consecutive season. She continues to maintain a 4.0 GPA in Inclusive Early Childhood Education. Feely recovered from an injury in the fall to post a 9.870 Regional Qualifying Score (RQS) on vault. That mark tied with teammate Jovannah East for best in the MAC and earned an invitation to compete at the NCAA Regional in Champaign, Ill. on Saturday. Feely won the vault competition at four meets and posted a 9.900 or better three times, including a career-best 9.925 against Western Michigan. Her 9.850 on the apparatus at the MAC Championships earned a second-place tie. Feely returned to all-around competition for the final five meets of the season and won twice, at Central Michigan and Eastern Michigan.
Rachel Reis, a senior from Ponte Vedra, Fla., also holds a perfect 4.0 GPA in her pursuit of a degree in Exercise Science. She is a member of the Academic All-MAC team for the third consecutive year. Reis was named the MAC Female Scholar Athlete of the Week on March 1 after recording a personal-record 9.875 on the uneven bars at Central Michigan. That mark helped BGSU win at CMU for the first time since 1987 and was ultimately the team's best individual bars score for 2017. Reis added a 9.800 in a tri-meet at Utah State, then closed the season with a 9.825 and a 14th-place finish at the MAC Championships.
Feely and Reis are two of only three student-athletes across the MAC to record perfect GPAs; Western Michigan's Rachael Underwood is the other.
Rachel Creagh, a sophomore from Clinton Township, Mich., currently owns a 3.710 GPA in Pre-Exercise Science. She was able to compete in the first seven meets of the season as part of the floor exercise lineup. Her season-best routine occurred at the Metroplex Invitational, where she earned a 9.700 and a 17th-place finish. Creagh posted a season-best seventh-place finish following a 9.650 in the Falcons' home opener against Illinois State.
Lauren DeMeno, a sophomore from Staten Island, N.Y., is pursuing a degree in Communication Disorders and carries a 3.575 GPA. DeMeno competed throughout the season on the vault and uneven bars and ended 2017 with the team's third-best RQS on vault (9.780). She tied for second with a personal record 9.800 on the bars during BGSU's victory over Ball State. At Michigan State, she tied her personal record and placed fourth with a 9.825 on vault, then set a personal record with a 9.775 in her only balance beam routine of the season. DeMeno added a 9.800 on the vault at the MAC Championships, which earned a 12th place result.
Kayla Rose, a sophomore from Hamilton, Ohio, is also a Pre-Exercise Science student and holds a 3.352 GPA. Rose is a floor exercise specialist, and she converted her skill into a co-MAC championship in 2017. Her floor routine at the MAC meet earned a career-best 9.950 and capped a team performance that gave BGSU its second-best score in school history (196.400) and first second-place finish at the MACs in 30 years. That score also gave Rose an RQS of 9.850 and alternate status for the NCAA Regionals.
Three Falcons, including Feely and Rose, will compete in Champaign, Ill. at 5:00 p.m. ET on Saturday at the 2017 NCAA Regionals. Feely and teammate Jovannah East will participate in the vault competition, with East additionally qualified for the balance beam. Rose will serve as an alternate for the floor exercise. Should any of the gymnasts finish the meet in first place, they will advance to the national championship meet, which will be held in St. Louis, Mo. in two weeks.
2017 Gymnastics Academic All-MAC Team – Bowling
Rachel Creagh, Bowling Green, Sophomore, 3.710, Pre-Exercise Science
Lauren DeMeno, Bowling Green, Sophomore, 3.575, Communication Disorders
Lauren Feely, Bowling Green, Senior, 4.000, Inclusive Early Childhood Education
Rachel Reis, Bowling Green, Senior, 4.000, Exercise Science
Kayla Rose, Bowling Green, Sophomore, 3.352, Pre-Exercise Science
A total of 57 student-athletes earned a spot on the 2017 Academic All-MAC team, which is an increase from 51 in 2017. To be eligible, a gymnast must participate in at least 50 percent of their team's meets and carry at least a 3.2 grade point average (GPA). Freshmen and first-year transfers are not eligible.
"Academics is a major priority of our program, along with athletic success. I am proud of our honorees, who clearly demonstrate the balance of student and athlete," said BGSU gymnastics head coach Kerrie Turner. "Their focus, time management and hard work is truly at the core of this achievement."
Lauren Feely, a senior from Gurnee, Ill., has been named to the Academic All-MAC team for the third consecutive season. She continues to maintain a 4.0 GPA in Inclusive Early Childhood Education. Feely recovered from an injury in the fall to post a 9.870 Regional Qualifying Score (RQS) on vault. That mark tied with teammate Jovannah East for best in the MAC and earned an invitation to compete at the NCAA Regional in Champaign, Ill. on Saturday. Feely won the vault competition at four meets and posted a 9.900 or better three times, including a career-best 9.925 against Western Michigan. Her 9.850 on the apparatus at the MAC Championships earned a second-place tie. Feely returned to all-around competition for the final five meets of the season and won twice, at Central Michigan and Eastern Michigan.
Rachel Reis, a senior from Ponte Vedra, Fla., also holds a perfect 4.0 GPA in her pursuit of a degree in Exercise Science. She is a member of the Academic All-MAC team for the third consecutive year. Reis was named the MAC Female Scholar Athlete of the Week on March 1 after recording a personal-record 9.875 on the uneven bars at Central Michigan. That mark helped BGSU win at CMU for the first time since 1987 and was ultimately the team's best individual bars score for 2017. Reis added a 9.800 in a tri-meet at Utah State, then closed the season with a 9.825 and a 14th-place finish at the MAC Championships.
Feely and Reis are two of only three student-athletes across the MAC to record perfect GPAs; Western Michigan's Rachael Underwood is the other.
Rachel Creagh, a sophomore from Clinton Township, Mich., currently owns a 3.710 GPA in Pre-Exercise Science. She was able to compete in the first seven meets of the season as part of the floor exercise lineup. Her season-best routine occurred at the Metroplex Invitational, where she earned a 9.700 and a 17th-place finish. Creagh posted a season-best seventh-place finish following a 9.650 in the Falcons' home opener against Illinois State.
Lauren DeMeno, a sophomore from Staten Island, N.Y., is pursuing a degree in Communication Disorders and carries a 3.575 GPA. DeMeno competed throughout the season on the vault and uneven bars and ended 2017 with the team's third-best RQS on vault (9.780). She tied for second with a personal record 9.800 on the bars during BGSU's victory over Ball State. At Michigan State, she tied her personal record and placed fourth with a 9.825 on vault, then set a personal record with a 9.775 in her only balance beam routine of the season. DeMeno added a 9.800 on the vault at the MAC Championships, which earned a 12th place result.
Kayla Rose, a sophomore from Hamilton, Ohio, is also a Pre-Exercise Science student and holds a 3.352 GPA. Rose is a floor exercise specialist, and she converted her skill into a co-MAC championship in 2017. Her floor routine at the MAC meet earned a career-best 9.950 and capped a team performance that gave BGSU its second-best score in school history (196.400) and first second-place finish at the MACs in 30 years. That score also gave Rose an RQS of 9.850 and alternate status for the NCAA Regionals.
Three Falcons, including Feely and Rose, will compete in Champaign, Ill. at 5:00 p.m. ET on Saturday at the 2017 NCAA Regionals. Feely and teammate Jovannah East will participate in the vault competition, with East additionally qualified for the balance beam. Rose will serve as an alternate for the floor exercise. Should any of the gymnasts finish the meet in first place, they will advance to the national championship meet, which will be held in St. Louis, Mo. in two weeks.
2017 Gymnastics Academic All-MAC Team – Bowling
Rachel Creagh, Bowling Green, Sophomore, 3.710, Pre-Exercise Science
Lauren DeMeno, Bowling Green, Sophomore, 3.575, Communication Disorders
Lauren Feely, Bowling Green, Senior, 4.000, Inclusive Early Childhood Education
Rachel Reis, Bowling Green, Senior, 4.000, Exercise Science
Kayla Rose, Bowling Green, Sophomore, 3.352, Pre-Exercise Science
Players Mentioned
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