CHICAGO – The UIC women's gymnastics team hosted the 2017 Midwest Independent Conference Championships on Saturday afternoon at the UIC Pavilion. The Flames compiled a 192.750 team score to take fourth place overall.

Lindenwood took home the Conference title for the third-straight year (194.675), followed by Texas Woman's (194.00) and Illinois State (193.575). S.E. Missouri took fifth behind the Flames (192.500), while Centenary placed sixth (190.350).

Mikailla Northern paced the Flames all afternoon, earning the top score for UIC on all four events. The sophomore took home second place all-around (39.075) and was named First Team All-Conference for her performance on floor as well as all-around. Northern was also named Second Team All-Conference for her efforts on vault.

Serena Baker joined Northern on the Second Team All-Conference for her performance on bars.

The Flames started strong on vault, earning a season-best 48.825. Northern placed sixth with a 9.800, while Riley Mahoney grabbed eighth with a career-high 9.775. Nikki Woodruff, Allison Broad, Jenna Squillo and Katie Snyder all notched a 9.750 on the event to land in a tie for 15th.

Following a second rotation bye, UIC moved on to bars, where Northern tied for third place with a 9.800. Serena Baker followed in sixth with a 9.750, and Riley Cholod landed in a four-way-tie for eighth alongside Squillo with a 9.725. The Flames closed out the third rotation with a 48.700.

UIC faltered on beam, gathering a 47.150 after a rocky start at the beginning of the lineup. Northern was the top finisher with a 9.575, followed by Daniela Maciel with a 9.550.

The Flames had another bye for rotation five, before gathering a 48.075 on floor. Northern tied her personal-best on the event with a 9.900 to take second. Abby Hasanov was the next finisher for UIC, earning a 9.825 to tie for ninth, while Nikki Woodruff brought in a season-high 9.800 to place 12th.  

"After an exciting start on both vault and bars, we were super excited," co-head coach Peter Jansson said. "But moving on to beam, we've shown our youth in the past couple weeks. But it was uncharacteristic of us to not finish strong on floor."

"Overall this was a year of us getting back to knowing what we're capable of," Jansson continued. "I think we have a lot to look forward to next year, knowing what we have coming in and what we have here. Right now we're so proud of Miki for being named Athlete of the Year, and this was a great competition amongst a lot of solid teams."
 
UIC will now await postseason selections for the NCAA Regionals, which will take place on Saturday, April 1.

MIC First Team All-Conference
Alexis Brawner (SEMO)-Vault, Bars, All-Around
Gabrielle Cooke (ISU)-Vault, Floor
Katey Oswalt (Lindenwood)-Vault, Beam, Floor
Kiersten Sokolowski (Lindenwood)-Vault, Beam
Aubree Horn (Linenwood)-Bars
Schyler Jones (TWU)-Vault
Bria Northrop (TWU)-Bars
Mallory Moredock (TWU)-Floor, Beam
Anna Marema (ISU)-Bars
Demi Pas (ISU)-Beam
Meredith LaRoche (ISU) Floor, All-Around
Mikailla Northern (UIC)-Bars, Floor, All-Around

MIC Second Team All-Conference
Ashley White (Centenary)-Vault
Andy Alexander (Lindenwood)-Bars
Hannah Rector (Lindenwood)-Beam
Alexis Brawner (SEMO)-Beam
Madison Solka (ISU)-Floor
Erin Alderman (TWU)-Floor
Bria Northrop (TWU)-Floor, All-Around
Gabrielle Cooke (ISU)-All-Around
Katie Simpson (TWU)-All-Around
Mikailla Northern (UIC)-Vault
Serena Baker (UIC)-Bars