CS
Christina Slack
  • chemistry
  • Class of 2018
  • Albrightsville, Pa.

Albrightsville's Slack Part of UW-Whitewater Gymnastics National Title

2017 Apr 3

Christina Slack, a native of Albrightsville, PA, and graduate of Jim Thorpe High School, is a member of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater gymnastics team, which claimed the fourth team national title in program history Friday night at the National Collegiate Gymnastics Association Team Championship at UW-Stout.

The Warhawks tallied a team score of 191.000 to claim its first championship since 2014, when the team completed a three-peat.

Sophomore Lisa O'Donnell (Berwyn, Ill./Morton West) earned the national championship in the all-around with a final score of 38.225, her sixth mark above the 38-point plateau this season and good for a place among the program's top 25 scores of all time. She is now a three-time All-American.

O'Donnell was also named the 2017 National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches/Women West Region Gymnast of the Year. She was joined among NACGC/W award winners by assistant coach Ryan Bendixen, who was tabbed Assistant Coach of the Year.

Senior Katie Fiorilli (Solon, OH/Solon) registered a 37.350 in the all-around to place fifth and earn the 11th All-America accolade of her career.

UW-Whitewater started the meet with a team score of 47.975 on the uneven bars, good for a top 10 mark in school history. O'Donnell earned a spot in the program record book with a 9.725 to place first in the event. Senior Mackenzie Smith (Milwaukee, Wis./Martin Luther) placed second with a 9.675, and junior McKenzie Foster (Manitou Beach, MI/Addison) tied for third with a 9.600. Sophomore Bailey Fitzpatrick (Burlington, Wis./Burlington) tied for ninth with a 9.525, and Fiorilli rounded out Warhawk scoring with a 9.450, good for 14th.

The Warhawks tallied their highest score of the night on the balance beam with a school record result of 48.250. The team posted four top 10 scores in the event, including a 9.775 from Foster, who won the event and etched her name among the program's all time top 10 in the event. Senior Courtney Pickett (Brentwood, TN/Brentwood) tied for second with a 9.725, sophomore Franchesca Hutton (Shakopee, Minn./Main Street School of Performing Arts) collected a 9.675 to tie for seventh and O'Donnell tied for 10th with a 9.600. Smith tallied a 9.475, good for a tie for 17th.

UW-Whitewater continued the meet with the floor exercise, tallying a 47.550. Junior Kate Mierow (Brookfield, WI/Brookfield Central) tied for first with a 9.700. O'Donnell finished 14th with a 9.525, while Evans and Pickett tied for 19th after each registering a 9.450. Fiorilli tied for 22nd with a 9.425.

The Warhawks concluded the meet on the vault and scored a 47.225. Fiorilli placed first overall with a 9.550. Pickett tied for sixth with a 9.450, and junior Lewa Evans (Milwaukee, WI/Whitefish Bay) and freshman Lauren Marshall (Winthrop Harbor, Ill./Zion-Benton Township) tied for eighth with matching scores of 9.425. O'Donnell tied for 12th with a 9.375.