Southeast Missouri State's Vanderpool qualifies for NCAA regional gymnastics meet

Southeast Missouri State gymnast Taryn Vanderpool's impressive junior season is not over yet.

It was announced Monday that Vanderpool has qualified for the NCAA South Central Regional and will compete in the all-around competition April 6 in Norman, Okla.

Vanderpool ranks second out of the five gymnasts selected for the all-around competition in the meet, which will be hosted by Oklahoma University. She finished the regular season with an all-around regional qualifying score of 38.955, which ranks 13th among all gymnasts in the South Central Region.

The Lenexa, Kan., native is coming off her best meet, scoring a career-high 39.200 in the all-round at Saturday's Midwest Independent Conference Championships to earn first-team all-MIC honors with her second-place finish.

"This is a very deserving honor for Taryn," Southeast coach Kristi Ewasko said in a release. "She has been a very consistent competitor on every event and for her to be ranked second as an individual competitor in the all-around just shows where her training has taken her this season.

"I have no doubts that she will arrive in Norman ready to represent Southeast with nothing but her best on the competition floor. I'm excited for her to have this experience and be able to head into her senior year with a regional appearance under her belt."

To qualify as an individual for an NCAA regional, a gymnast must rank in the top five in her region in the all-around or lead the region as an event specialist among all gymnasts who aren't on regional-qualifying teams.