TWU sticks the landing

Texas Women's University put things together at just the right time.

The result was a surprise victory in Saturday's five-team Midwest Independent Conference women's gymnastics meet in Cape Girardeau.

TWU, which had never won an MIC title since the league was formed in 1991, entered this year's event at Houck Field House ranked third.

But the Pioneers finished first in four of the five individual events --they do not have an all-arounder --and scored 193.200 points.

Four-time defending champion Illinois-Chicago was second (192.375), followed by host Southeast Missouri State (192.300), Centenary (190.575) and Illinois State (189.025).

"I have to say this is the first time my team has hit all year," TWU coach Frank Kudlec said. "We've worked on putting it together and we did today."

Despite falling well short of the team title and having no individual champions, Southeast did not come away emtpy-handed.

Freshman Sandra Blake was named the MIC athlete of the year and also the conference's newcomer of the year, in voting by the league's coaches.

"That's the second year in a row we've won both athlete of the year and freshman of the year," said Southeast coach Tom Farden. "Sandra has had a great year."

Blake acknowledged that she did not have one of her better meets Saturday, but was still pleased to win the honors.

"I was a little off today," she said, "but it's pretty exciting to get the two awards."

Farden was also recognized, being voted by his peers as the MIC coach of the year.

The rest of the league no doubt took note of the fact the Redhawks have had a strong season despite missing some key gymnasts with injuries -- including senior Tara Boldt, the 2005 MIC athlete of the year who has been out all season -- and using a host of freshmen.

"It's no big deal," said Farden, downplaying his award. "We've had a lot of adversity and a lot of freshmen, but we've hung in there."

Southeast faced more adversity Saturday as sophomore Danyelle Aber suffered a knee injury on bars. The extent of the injury is not known.

"Hopefully it's nothing serious," Farden said.

Blake tied for second on vault (9.800) and tied for fifth on bars (9.700).

Freshman Maureen Grimaldi placed second on bars (9.750) and was third on beam (9.750).

Sophomore Alison Ezell, last season's MIC newcomer of the year, was third in all-around (38.375), with junior Brystol Powelski fourth (38.275) and Blake sixth (38.000).

Farden was hoping Southeast could score better than 193 as a team in order to have a good chance at qualifying for regionals. The Redhawks will find out early this week if they made the cut.

"It will be tough now. We needed a higher score," Farden said.

Even if the Redhawks' don't qualify the entire squad for regionals, Farden said Blake, Aber, Ezell and Powelski all are virtually guaranteed regional berths, while Grimaldi is also in the running.

"That would be the most we've had qualify since I've been here," said Farden, in his third season as Southeast's head coach after spending the previous four years as an assistant. "We've had a really good year."