SEATTLE (April 7, 2017) - Texas Woman's University gymnastics finished in second place with an overall team score of 194.250 in the evening semifinal session of the USAG Championships Friday night inside Brougham Pavilion on the campus of Seattle Pacific University to advance to Saturday's team finals and compete for a national championship.
 
The Pioneers set a program record on vault during their second rotation by scoring a 49.175, besting the prior record of 49.075 set in 2003 by a team that went on to win a USAG national title that season. Five career-highs were set on the event, beginning with a 9.850 by Mallory Moredock to set the standard for TWU. Erin Alderman followed with a career-best 9.725, and Megan Gentry made an entrance in her season debut by earning a career-high score of 9.850. Katie Simpson tallied her best score in four seasons as a Pioneer with a 9.825 before Schyler Jones posted the highest score of the night on all events with a career-high 9.925. Bria Northrop rounded out the rotation with a 9.700.
 
Kaitlyn Holley led off the evening for the Pioneers with her performance on floor exercise, and in just her second competition of 2017, posted a career-high 9.775. Simpson recorded a 9.750, Moredock scored a 9.125 and Alderman registered a 9.750. Jones logged a 9.225, and Northrup concluded the event with a career-best 9.875 as the Pioneers totaled a 48.375.
 
Following a bye in the third rotation, TWU returned to contend on the uneven bars. Hunter Vincent was first up with a 9.075 before Jones registered a 9.650. Alyssa Kelly looked strong in just her second competition of the season by scoring a 9.800. Jenna Cashmore matched her season-high with a 9.825, and Northrop wrapped up the event with a 9.200 for a team score of 48.250.
 
Simpson led off the final rotation on balance beam with a 9.330, and Moredock tied a career-best score of 9.850. Kelly tallied a 9.875 for a meet and career-high, while Jones registered a 9.750, and Vincent finished off the meet with a 9.275 as TWU  totaled a 48.525.
 
The Pioneers finished second to Lindenwood (195.100) in the session, and bested host Seattle Pacific (193.775), Yale (192. 975) and Brown (192.225). In the morning semifinal, Bridgeport took first place (195.575), followed by Cornell (194. 200), West Chester (193.525) and Air Force (192.800).
 
The team finals will be held Saturday at 9 p.m. CST as Bridgeport, Lindenwood, TWU and Cornell vie for a national championship.
 
Individual event finals will take place Sunday at 3 p.m. CST. The Pioneers had several gymnasts qualify: vault (Simpson, Jones, Moredock and Gentry), bars (Simpson, Kelly and Cashmore, beam (Jones and Kelly), and floor (Northrop).