Feb. 18, 2015 By Connor Moore

The Warhawk gymnastics team hosted and won the Harley Davidson Meet Feb. 13 in Milwaukee against Winona State University and Division I Anchorage-Alaska. The team recorded its fifth-best total, posting a 190.575 to Alaska-Anchorage’s 189.050 and Winona State’s 183.975.

Along with winning the entire meet, last Friday saw the Warhawks placing higher than D-I Alaska-Anchorage in a meet for the second time, both instances coming in the same season.

“We’re about taking every meet at a time,” said senior Cici Talcott about the team’s mindset before the meet. “We just wanted to lay everything on the line and show people what we got. That was the main theme.”

The meet started for the Warhawks on the vault, where sophomore Katie Fiorilli placed second with a score of 9.65. Freshman Chloe Rehberg and Talcott both scored a 9.575, tying for third and adding on the team’s total of 47.725. That total was also the 10th best vault score in school history.

The Warhawks then moved on to the uneven bars, recording its fifth-best total with a score of 47.825. Sophomore Courtney Pickett led the team with an event-winning 9.675. Sophomore Grayson Esslinger, Talcott and Fiorilli scored a 9.575, 9.575, and 9.525, cementing four Warhawks in the Top-5 of the event. Junior Steffi Heuer later on tied for first place on the balance beams with a 9.6. The Warhawks scored a total 47.700, giving them the fifth-best score in school history on the balance beams.

It was during the floor routines where the Warhawks secured the meet. Talcott, with a 9.625, tied for first in the event. Afterwards, it was freshman Lewa Evans and Pickett who both scored a 9.5, thus tying for fifth in the event and adding on to the Warhawks team total of 47.325.

When talking about her performance on the floor routine, Talcott recalled the moments leading up to the event.

“It’s kind of funny. Before we competed, they (Alaska-Anchorage) were competing before us. So I just happened to glance over and see their routine, Talcott said. “I just wanted to show them that we’re just as good as them.”

In regards to the Warhawks beating D-I Alaska-Anchorage twice, and the team’s ability consistently compete at a high level against other D-I schools, Talcott spoke about the program UW-W has.

“It just shows that we have such a strong program here,” Talcott said. “It basically comes from hard work and having passion and loving this sport just as much, and even more, than the girls who are D-I.”

Despite her showing in the meet, Talcott still believes that there are things that she needs to improve upon.

“On my vault, I can always be more confident and aggressive on it,” Talcott said. “On the bars, I can be a little bit tighter on my handstands.”

Throughout the entire meet, Talcott said the team was having a lot of fun.

“It was awesome,” Talcott said. “When we were sitting in a circle for awards and they announced us, we all just screamed and jumped hugged each other. We’re like a big family.”

The Warhawks next meet is Feb. 20 at UW-La Crosse.