Gymhawks Journey to Northern Illinois Friday Night

Meet #7 
NIU Tri-Meet
 
Meet Information: 

Date: Friday, February 20 
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Location: DeKalb, Ill. 
Venue: NIU Convocation Center
Teams: Southeast Missouri, Northern Illinois, Wilberforce
 
Head Coaches: 

SEMO: Ashley Lawson (Eighth Season)
NIU: Dawnita Teague (First Season)
Wilberforce: Dr. Morgan Byrd (First Season)
 
Follow the Gymhawks:

X: @SEMOGymnastics
Live Stats: Virtius
Watch: NIU Huskies Network
 
Media Guide (PDF)

Gymhawks Hit Road to Northern Illinois for Friday Tri-Meet

Southeast Missouri Gymnastics will probably be on the street for the second-straight week as they head to DeKalb, Illinois for the ‘Beauty and the Beast’ Meet at Northern Illinois. Competition is slated to start at 7 p.m., CT. from the NIU Convocation Center. 

 

Who’s There? 

Friday night time’s competitors will function three groups in DeKalb, Illinois because the Redhawks will tackle Northern Illinois and Wilberforce in a tri-meet format. SEMO has met Wilberforce only one time earlier this season, leading to a 193.350-176.875 victory for the Gymhawks on the ‘Windy City Invite’. Friday’s meet marks the primary assembly this season between NIU and SEMO. 

 

Last Saturday Night

The Gymhawks continued their robust performances of 2026 final weekend at Illinois State, choosing up their third victory of the season over the Midwest Independent Conference-foe with a 194.150-192.475 efficiency in Normal, Illinois. It marked the second time this season that the Gymhawks scored north of 194.000 towards Illinois State. Senior Taylor Ingle paced the best way as she competed in her 21^st-straight competitors within the all-around, scoring a 38.925 with a 9.850 on the vault to seize her first vault title of the season. Juniors Leah Parton and Jaidan Kossuth continued their distinctive performances on the beam with a 9.875 and 9.850, respectively, as Parton captured her second beam title of the season. 

 

Gymhawks of the Week

Senior Taylor Ingle and sophomore Reagan Sams picked up MIC weekly honors for the second time this season. Ingle was named the ‘Gymanst of the Week’ for the fourth time this season, whereas Sams picked up her second ‘Newcomer of the Week’ honor. 

 

Ingle’s Week

Ingle captured one other all-around title with a 38.925 in her Twenty first-straight all-around competitors. The Coppell, Texas-native captured the vault title with a 9.850 edging out ISU’s Sammie Wolff with a 9.750 for her first vault title of the season. Ingle scored a 9.575 on bars (seventh), 9.775 on beam (4th), and a 9.725 on the ground (9.725) to spherical out her night. She has now received ‘Gymnast of the Week’ honors 4 instances this season and has secured back-to-back honors for the second time in 2026.

 

Sams’ Club

Sams scored a 9.825 on the ground at Illinois State to seize her first-floor title of the season. Sams edged out ISU’s Jaly Jones (9.800) along with her highest rating of the season to date, and her second-straight week with a 9.800 or greater on the ground. She has 4 ground scores this season of 9.725 or greater and has scored a 9.800 or greater in two-straight weeks.

 

Top 50 

Southeast Missouri Gymnastics enters the seventh week of the season contained in the Top 50 within the nation. According to Road To Nationals, the Gymhawks rank 49^th in Division I Gymnastics and are at present second within the Midwest Independent Conference behind Texas Woman’s (45^th). The Gymhawks haven’t completed a season ranked contained in the Top 50 for the reason that 2021 season after they completed 47^th. 

 

Standout Beam

The Gymhawks have executed robust on the beam this season and have discovered themselves ranked 36^th within the nation on the equipment, in response to roadtonationals.com. SEMO is coming off its second-best beam efficiency of 2026 after hitting 48.975 as a crew. Their finest rating got here on the ‘Windy City Invite’ after they turned in a 49.000. The Gymhawks rank the best within the MIC on beam adopted by Texas Woman’s (47^th), Illinois State (63^rd), and Centenary (80^th). 

 

Parton Me

Junior Leah Parton has been distinctive over the past 5 weeks on the beam for the Gymhawks. The West Des Moines, Iowa-native turned in her third-straight beam rating of 9.775 or greater with a season-high 9.875 at Illinois State. Parton captured her second beam title of the season which marks back-to-back weeks with a beam title. 

 

Oh, Napolitano!

Junior Jordan Napolitano has now competed on the beam for the Gymhawks in back-to-back weeks and is coming off her finest efficiency of the season. Napolitano secured a 9.825 final Saturday night time at Illinois State and positioned third general on the meet. For Napolitano, the efficiency earned her first podium on an occasion this season. 

 

Steady Improvement

Senior Ailey Kuehn has competed in 5 meets this season in five-straight weeks on the vault, after lacking the opening meet of the 12 months. Kuehn has improved her vault rating in three-straight weeks together with a season-high 9.725 final Saturday at Illinois State. Kuehn completed tied for sixth place within the meet. 

 

Welcome Back, Syd

Senior Sydney Crouch returned to the bars lineup for the primary time this season. The Cape Coral, Florida-native spent most of 2025 within the bars lineup and competed at Illinois State within the two spot. Crouch secured a 9.400 for her highest recorded rating this season. 

 

The Entertainer

Graduate pupil Nyah Reader put in an unbelievable efficiency on the ground final Saturday night time. Reader soared to a 9.800 on the ground which marked her second-highest rating of the season and completed tied for second on the ground with ISU’s Leah Davis and Jaly Jones. Reader has two scores of 9.800 or greater this season on the ground. 

 

Match & Elevate

Junior Jaidan Kossuth has been within the vault and beam lineup all season lengthy in 2026. Kossuth is coming off every week the place she matched her highest vault rating of the season and soared to a brand new season-high on the beam. Kossuth turned in her second 9.750 in three weeks after recording the primary one on February 1 in Cape Girardeau. She completed tied for second on the vault earlier than turning to the beam. Kossuth then turned in a 9.850 on the beam and secured one other second-place end for the Gymhawks. Kossuth has matched or improved her beam rating in four-straight weeks.