Gymnastics | 2/26/2023 5:33:00 PM

DENTON, Texas (Feb. 26, 2023) – Another Sunday meet in Kitty Magee Arena means another season-high score for the Texas Woman's gymnastics team.

TWU hosted West Virginia at home on Sunday, Feb. 26. At the meet, the Pioneers honored a faculty or staff member who has positively impacted them prior to the meet. Additionally, the Pioneers celebrated Black History Month by honoring notable African American gymnasts and athletes.

The Pioneers crushed their former high score of a 195.075 last week with a 195.375 today to take second behind the Mountaineers, who finished with a 196.625.

Donning their Black Widow leotards, the Pioneers started the meet out on vault, which proved to be a tone-setter for the rest of the meet. TWU opened the day with a season-high 49.050.

Steelie King led the way for the Pioneers, soaring and sticking, to match her career-high of 9.850. Daisy Woodring, who competed in the anchor spot for the Pioneers, brought the house down and matched King's score of a 9.850. Having only competed vault two previous times this season, Kami Zarlengo stepped up to the challenge and soared to a new career-high of a 9.800. In the fourth spot, Madeline Gose kept the high scores rolling for the Pioneers, hitting a 9.775. Emily Six proved to be the true tone-setter for the Pioneers, as she made the sticks contagious. In the leadoff position, Six scored a career-high 9.775. Mara Johnson rounded out the scores for the Pioneers on the vault, scoring a season-high 9.750. All six Pioneers scored a 9.750 or higher to lead the Pioneers to their season-high vault score.

Moving onto the uneven bars, the Pioneers held steady with a 48.450 in their second rotation. Earning the top score for the Pioneers and event title was Maddie Griffith with a season-high 9.850. Zarlengo led off on bars with a 9.6750, while Johnson and King added a pair of 9.650s. In the anchor spot, Alix Pierce recorded the final counted score for TWU of a 9.625.

Then, the Pioneers rotated onto the balance beam for their third rotation. Their balance proved to be on point and their series immaculate. The top five scores for TWU were 9.750 or higher, which guided the Pioneers to a season-high score of 49.025 on beam. Their former season-high, a 48.975, was set last week against Oklahoma.

Pierce proved to be the stronghold once again for the Pioneers in the anchor position, scoring a team-high 9.850 and placing second overall in the event. Six once again was the momentum and tone-setter for TWU. In the leadoff position, she matched her season-high and career-high of a 9.825. Kyla Podges electrified the crowd with a 9.800, along with Woodring who performed beautifully to score a season-high 9.800. MacKenzie Kunzman, a staple in the beam lineup last season, returned from injury and started right where she left off with high scores, hitting a 9.750 today.

In their final rotation, the Pioneers rode the momentum from beam and scored a 48.850 to close the meet on a high note. Johnson brought the fans to their feet and topped the leader board for the Pioneers with a season-high 9.850. Not far behind, Gose joyously performed and matched her season-high of a 9.800. Pierce anchored the Pioneers with a great performance, scoring a 9.750. A floor queen, Podges narrowly missed her career-high, scoring a 9.725, and Woodring showcased a great performance to score a 9.725.

King competed all-around this afternoon for the Pioneers, marking her first time to compete in all four events in her career. She finished the day with a 37.625.

"It was an honor to celebrate our faculty and staff prior to the meet," TWU Head Coach Lisa Bowerman said. "They do so much daily to make TWU the best place for our student-athletes. It was also great to take the time today to celebrate Black History Month today by honoring notable African-American gymnasts and athletes who have paved the way for continual growth within our sport. It was great to get another season-high today in front of our home crowd. I am so proud of how our athletes continue to improve, and we look forward to taking this momentum forward and closing the season strong to prepare for the postseason."

The Pioneers will be on the road next week in Tyler, Texas at the Rose City Classic. The meet will feature TWU and Centenary on Saturday, March 4 at 7 p.m.