ML
Megan Love
  • elementary education
  • Henrico, Va.

Henrico Native Love to Compete for UW-Whitewater Gymnastics in 2015

2015 Jan 7

Megan Love, a graduate of Godwin High School and native of Henrico, VA, will compete for the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater gymnastics team in 2015 as the program announced its roster prior to its first meet this weekend.

The Warhawks, who have won three consecutive National Collegiate Gymnastics Association Division III national championships, will travel to Menomonie, Wis., to take on UW-Stout this Friday at 6 p.m. to begin the 2015 campaign.

Love is majoring in elementary education at UW-Whitewater.

View the team's complete 2015 season preview below.

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater gymnastics team is focused on continuing the program's success in 2015, one meet at a time.

The Warhawks took possession of the national championship banner for the third straight season with a Division III record score a year ago and nearly swept the individual awards at the finals. Then freshman Katie Fiorilli (Solon, OH/Solon) won the all-around title for the first time in school history. Senior Allyse Dieringer (Germantown, WI/Germantown) made UW-Whitewater history winning her second and third individual national championship on the bars and beam in 2014. Courtney Pickett (Brentwood, TN/Brentwood) added the vault title to the championship tally in her first collegiate season. Still, the focus is set on the present season instead of past successes.

"There is no talk about conference or national championships," said head coach Jennifer Regan. "Our focus is set on improving week-by-week individually in order to make the team better."

According to Coach Regan, the current team has raised the bar higher than ever before in the preseason. "Expectations are high. It's a new team with new skills. We're returning a lot of athletes that now have experience and we've added more talent. We are deeper in every event than we've ever been before and the women continue to push each other to improve on every performance."

Some of those new skills will be showcased by returning gymnasts in the line-up. Senior Cici Talcott (Kentwood, MI/East Kentwood) will be twisting her vault. Pickett, the returning national champion, and Fiorilli also return with twisting vaults and Chloe Rehberg (Cary, IL/Cary-Grove) is back from two injuries and looking to make her way into the vault rotation.

On the uneven bars, the Warhawks graduated last year's national champion but Talcott, the 2013 champion, returns to the line-up. UW-Whitewater has a number of gymnasts back on the event that have continued to work hard and stepped up in the off season including senior Jen McKiernan (Tinley Park, IL/Victor J. Andrew). Stephanie Cross (Arizona City, AZ/Casa Grande Union), a senior transfer from Seattle Pacific University will be a new face on the event.

Senior Alexis Williams (Marietta, GA/Blessed Trinity Catholic) has continued to perfect her beam routine and will look to be a consistent part of the line-up in 2015 along with junior Kristen Shackleton (New Lenox, IL/Lincoln Way Central), both specialists in the event.

Talcott, a mainstay in the floor line-up for the last three seasons, returns and will be joined by a host of all-arounders in the event.

The majority of the Warhawks' roster features all-arounders including Fiorilli, Pickett, Hannah Lee (Clarksville, TN/Clarksville), Megan Love(Henrico, VA/Godwin), Steffi Heuer (Clarksville, TN/Middle College at APSU), Kelsea Fischer (Grandville, MI/Grandville), Ginny Ebker (Fenton, MO/Rockwood Summit), Grayson Esslinger (Oshkosh, WI/Oshkosh West) and Francesca Smith (Richland, WA/Richland). New possible entries into the all-around competition this season include Lewa Evans (Milwaukee, WI/Whitefish Bay), Caroline Holverson (Kenosha, WI/Westosha Central), Kate Mierow (Brookfield, WI/Brookfield Central) and Christina Slack (Albrightsville, PA/Jim Thorpe).

Fiorilli's consistent performances in the all-around a year ago led to entry into the NCAA Gymnastics Regional hosted by the University of Minnesota where she competed mainly against Division I athletes, a feat never accomplished by a UW-Whitewater gymnast in program history.

"That was huge for her," said Coach Regan. "Just being there, the experience and the support she saw from her teammates was incredible, but she doesn't want to be there by herself and that's what she has brought back to the team."

UW-Whitewater topped a Division II program a season ago and the Warhawks continue to perform and add skills at the highest level of competition. Coach Regan noted that this mentality was aided by Fiorilli's experience in the NCAA regional.

Still, the focus remains locked into the team, on UW-Whitewater gymnastics as a whole, and success one meet at a time.

When asked what the biggest challenge will be for the season, Coach Regan responded: ourselves.

"We need to focus on what we can control, us. We can't control the other teams but we can control what we do on a daily basis. We need to stay focused on what is needed to get to the winning point, not just on winning. If we do that, we will be fine and then everything else, [the individual and team success at nationals], is just icing on the cake, a reward for all of the hard work."

This season, the "one meet at a time" mentality may be more important than ever as changes have been made to the format of the team and individual finals.

"This year will be interesting because consistency is key to qualify for the finals individually," said Coach Regan. "Instead of sticking a routine at the regional and advancing, individuals will need to be consistent throughout the year and perform well at regionals to qualify in an event."

For now, the Warhawks have their sights set on their first meet of the season at UW-Stout Friday, January 9 beginning at 6 p.m.

UW-Whitewater will then head to Knoxville, Tenn. to compete in the Ozone Invitational featuring DI's Alaska, Bowling Green and Brigham Young January 17 before returning to Whitewater for their first home meet against Hamline University January 24 at 4 p.m.

"We are excited to get this season going to see what our gymnasts are capable of because they are very talented," added Coach Regan. "The sky is the limit. We control our own destiny."