McLean County Times

A long offseason of hard work will finally pay off for the Illinois State gymnastics team this weekend, as the Redbirds open the 2023 slate on the road against Western Michigan and Wisconsin-Oshkosh Western Michigan at Read Fieldhouse for a Noon CT meet.

"We are excited to finally be able to compete after all the hard work the team has put in during preseason," ISU head coach Bob Conkling said. "The team has looked strong in all the workouts since coming back from winter break and they are ready to go out for our first competition and show off their routines." The Redbirds return a talented roster, full of proven performers and exciting newcomers. Two-time Midwest Independent Conference Gymnast of the Year and NCAA Regional qualifier Angelica Labat leads the way for the Redbirds, as she looks to continue her dominant streak of performances once again in 2023. 

Labat is joined by a pair of talented sophomores in Jaye Mack and Alana Laster, who each competed in the NCAA Regional as freshmen in 2022 and were MIC event champions. Mack would go on to punch her ticket to the NCAA Championship on floor and Laster will look to join Labat and Mack and recent NCAA individual qualifiers. All-conference performers Madison Kipp, J'Chelle Heard and Isabella DeCroo also return to form a talented rotation for the Redbirds.

In addition, six exciting newcomers join the roster in 2023 looking to make an immediate impact for the Redbirds. Nirel Bart-Williams, Leah Davis, Mackenzie Flutman, Mia Oh, Berta Pujadas-Rusiñol and Joe Ziegenfelder have all joined the flock and will look to lead the Redbirds back to the top of the MIC and continue to break records this season. 

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Original source can be found here