Illinois State University gymnasts received recognition from the Midwest Independent Conference (MIC) after strong performances last week. Three athletes were honored: freshman Mia LeBlanc, junior Ally Lau, and Courtney Woods.
LeBlanc was named MIC Newcomer of the Week for the third time this season. She had two top-three finishes in a win on Monday and placed second in the all-around at Eastern Michigan on Friday. In Illinois State’s home victory over Northern Illinois, LeBlanc tied for second on floor and third on beam, contributing to the team’s success. On Friday, she competed in the all-around for the first time in her career and finished second overall with a score of 38.675, achieving her best result on vault.
Lau earned MIC Performance of the Week honors for the second time this season after notable routines on beam. On Friday at Eastern Michigan, she scored 9.850 to place second overall. Her standout performance came earlier in the week against Northern Illinois when she scored a career-high 9.900 on beam to win the event and help secure a team victory. This score is also the highest individual event score by any Redbird gymnast this season.
Woods received the MIC Coaches Choice Award, which recognizes student-athletes who show leadership, team spirit, and significant contributions to their team’s culture or overcome adversity. She delivered strong performances against both Northern Illinois and at Eastern Michigan’s tri-meet last week, posting a season-high 9.850 on beam.
The Redbirds are scheduled to compete again on Friday, March 6, facing Western Michigan in Kalamazoo at 4 p.m. CT.
Illinois State Redbirds benefit from initiatives such as the Redbird Athletics Excellence Fund that support competitiveness and recruitment efforts (https://goredbirds.com/). The program utilizes facilities like the OSF HealthCare Athletics Training Center for athlete preparation (https://goredbirds.com/) and competes in NCAA Division I events across various regions (https://goredbirds.com/). As part of Illinois State University (https://goredbirds.com/), news updates, schedules, rosters and fan resources are available through their official website (https://goredbirds.com/).
“LeBlanc continues to impress in her first season with the Redbirds. She had a pair of strong performances last week, with a pair of Top 3 finishes in a win on Monday and a second-place finish in the all-around on Friday at Eastern Michigan.”
“Lau put together a pair of masterful performances for the Redbirds on beam last week, with a pair of top two finishes.”
“Woods was selected for Coaches Choice Award, which is awarded weekly to student-athletes who demonstrate exceptional leadership, team spirit, and performance.”
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