Mikailla Northern and Serena Baker won individual event championships, and UIC fired out to an extremely strong start at the MIC Championships Friday night at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Mo.  Northern claimed the floor exercise championship with a career high-tying score of 9.900.  Baker likewise tied her career high on bars, scoring 9.850 to tie for the title.  It was the first MIC championship for each gymnast.

After two rotations, UIC was in the lead on the strength of six All-Conference performances.  Ultimately, the Flames took third place with a team score of 194.375.  The host Lions won their fourth straight team title, scoring 195.225.  Texas Woman's University edged UIC for second place by 0.275.

"I really thought we were going to pull it off," co-head coach Peter Jansson said.  "They did a fantastic job.  Nerves go to us a little at the end, but this bodes so well for the future and of course putting six kids on the all-conference team, more than any other school, is really exciting and a huge step forward!"
 
Rotation 1 – Vault

• The MIC held a blind draw to determine the rotation order at its awards banquet Thursday night.  UIC was drawn first, and chose to perform in Olympic order, starting on vault.
• Kayla Baddeley had a team high 9.800, tying for third and taking first team All-Conference honors.
• Alli Broad scored 9.725 to set a season high.
• Miki Northern, Riley Mahoney, and Katie Snyder all scored 9.725 or higher to round out the team total.  Northern's 9.775 placed her in a tie for seventh place.

Rotation 2 – Bars

• Serena Baker's 9.850 was the Flames' high score.  She tied with Lindenwood's Andy Alexander for the event championship.

  

• Four gymnasts scored 9.825, including Toni Alicke, Riley Cholod, Northern, and Katie Snyder.  That was the second highest score of the meet and placed them in a tie for third.
• All five Flames who counted toward the team total earned first team All-Conference status.
• Snyder tied her career high with her 9.825.
• The team total of 49.150 was a season high.  It was the only time any team scored over 49 on any apparatus the entire meet.
• After each team completed two rotations, UIC was in the lead by 0.375 over Lindenwood.

Rotation 3 – Beam

• Dani Maciel scored a 9.800 in the leadoff spot.  She ultimately finished fifth in the conference.
• Baddeley posted a 9.775, good for a top-10 finish, and Ashley Albrecht scored 9.725.
• The Flames had to count a fall and had a team total of 48.100.

Rotation 4 – Floor

• Northern scored 9.900, tying her career high, for the second straight meet.  She bested

  

  Illinois State's Gabrielle Cooke by 0.025 for the conference crown.
• Ashley Albrecht's 9.800 was a season high.  It was the second straight meet she set a new personal standard.  She tied for seventh place.
• Abby Hasanov was right behind Albrecht with a 9.750, and Maciel scored 9.700.

All-Around

• Northern was the Flames' lone all-around competitor.
• She scored 38.625 and took third place.

Up Next

• The NCAA Regional tournament will take place April 7.
• Following conference tournaments across the country, final regional qualifying scores will be calculated and the Flames will wait to see if the team or any individuals qualify for the regional meet.