Southeast Missouri State gymnasts land dual win on Senior Night

Southeast Missouri State's senior gymnasts couldn't have envisioned a better way to end their home careers.

Emma Garrett, Margaret O'Neal and Taylor Westrick all were strong Friday as they celebrated Senior Night with a 194.225-193.875 win over visiting Texas Woman's University in front of about 500 fans at Houck Field House.

"It was a good thing to go out on definitely," O'Neal said.

Westrick said it was an emotional evening for all four Southeast seniors, a group that includes Angela Serafini, who has missed her final season due to injury.

All four were comforted not only by their teammates and the enthusiastic crowd but also by their parents and other family members, who in most cases made long trips to support their loved ones in their final home meet.

Southeast Missouri State’s Taryn Vanderpool competes in the floor exercise. Vanderpool won the individual title in the event with a career-best 9.850.

"It's emotional ... happy and sad," Westrick said. "It's just sad to have us the last time competing in this building."

Garrett, O'Neal, Westrick and Serafini entered Friday having combined for 151 scores of 9.700 or higher in their four years with the Redhawks. They also are standouts in the classroom, helping Southeast finish first or second nationally in team grade-point average every season, with each earning NACGC/W All-Academic honors in each campaign.

"This is a great way to send the seniors out," fourth-year Southeast coach Kristi Ewasko said. "Senior groups are always special. I think this group is a little extra special.

"They were freshmen when I got here. We've had our ups and downs through the years, and I'm pleased with the young women they have become."

Westrick is the most decorated of the quartet as the two-time regional qualifier became the first Southeast gymnast to qualify for nationals since the program moved up to the Division I level in 1992 when she shared a regional title on beam last season.

The native of Waterford, Wis., has a top beam score of 9.900, fifth on the program's all-time list.

"It's been a great four years. I wouldn't change anything," said Westrick, a health management major with a perfect 4.0 GPA for her career.

Garrett, a native of Jacksonville, Fla., owns the team's highest floor score (9.925) this year, which ranks sixth in program history.

"It's kind of an emotional night, knowing this was our last meet here," said Garrett, who has a perfect 4.0 GPA in dietetics. "But I think we did awesome."

O'Neal, from Highland Ranch, Colo., also has a perfect 4.0 GPA, in pre-med.

"I really couldn't ask for more," O'Neal said about her career in general. "I met a lot of awesome people, made a lot of friends."

Serafini, from Glencoe, Mo., has not gotten to compete this year due to a concussion but she has remained a part of the program.

"My last year, I tried hard and worked really hard in the preseason," said Serafini, who carries a 3.53 GPA in dietetics.

All three healthy seniors played prominent roles in Friday's victory that featured the Redhawks' second-best score of the season -- behind only the 194.775 during a home win over Eastern Michigan in their previous meet March 3 -- as Southeast finished first in all four individual events.

Westrick won bars (9.825) and beam (9.850).

Garrett tied for second on floor (9.825) while O'Neal was third on bars (9.775) and fifth on vault (9.725).

"I'm glad it went well for our seniors. It was really exciting," junior Megan Fosnow said.

Fosnow was among Friday's stars for the Redhawks. She won the all-around title with a season-best 39.025 after tying for first on vault (9.825) and finishing second on bars (9.800).

"Megan had a great meet," Ewasko said. "She's been getting more confident and more consistent in practice."

Southeast's other event winner was junior Taryn Vanderpool, who was first on floor (career-best 9.850).

Junior Kimberly Pickerl was third on beam (career-best 9.775) and fifth on floor (9.750). Also finishing in the top five for Southeast were junior Samantha Marrero (fourth on beam, 9.750) and freshman Taylor Penzien (fifth on bars, 9.725).

Pickerl (38.775) and Vanderpool (37.575) were third and fourth, respectively, in the all-around.

The Redhawks are trying to make a late push for a team regional berth. They entered the weekend with a regional qualifying score of 193.125, which ranks 51st nationally. The top 36 squads in the final ranking qualify for an NCAA regional.

Southeast returns to action Friday with a quad meet at Kent State. Other participants will be Cornell and New Hampshire.

The Redhawks then end the regular season March 23 at the Midwest Independent Conference Championships in Shreveport, La.