Feb. 4, 2015 By Connor Moore

All right fellow Warhawks, let’s just cut straight to the chase, shall we? I think it’s about time we show our women’s gymnastics team a little bit more love. By a little bit, a mean “a lot.”

That’s not saying that the team gets no love at all. I mean, when every team here wins National Championships, they all kind of merge together in a way.

But despite that, it’s high time the gymnastics squad is put in the “upper echelon” category of sports with which we tend to associate football, basketball and baseball with.

Too bold of a statement? Not quite, and allow me to explain why.

Let’s take the Jan. 24 meet for example. In its home opener against Hamline University, the team set a school record on the vault with a total of 48.175.

In the first event of the entire meet, three Warhawks vaulted to a 9.7, with senior Cici Talcott receiving the highest score of the night and tying the fourth-highest vault score in school history (9.775).

Later on, Stephanie Cross won the uneven bars and posted the ninth-best scoring routine in school history with a 9.7.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, the team won 191.600 to 185.675. Shocker, right?

Let’s also not forget that the team, coming off its third straight NCGA Division III Gymnastics championship last year, holds the first three-time individual national champion in school history (Allyse Dieringer), the reigning NACGC/W West Region Gymnast of the year (Katie Fiorilli) and a coaching staff that took Coach of the Year honors in both head and assistant roles.

Still not enough proof?

Well, earlier in the month, the Warhawks placed third in an invitational that had predominantly Division I schools.

Yes, you read that correctly. Division I schools. The “big leagues” of the NCAA. And our gymnastics team finished third in a meet full of them.

Our Warhawks, a D-III school, finished third among D-I schools. Third!

Oh, and remember Katie Fiorilli?

Last year, she was the only Division III gymnast to compete at the NCAA Gymnastics Regional.

Which Division III school has the right to say it sent the only gymnast in its division to the biggest gymnastics tournament in college?

That’s right, us.

Do they have your attention now?

This team is the real deal, and the accolades continue to prove it.

With every passing meet, the Warhawk gymnasts are making it increasingly hard for anyone to sleep on them, as if that’s even possible to do anymore.

Whether it’s D-III or D-I, the gymnastics team continues earn the respect and admiration of plenty.

With that said, it’s about high time a lot of us display that same respect and admiration here at UW-Whitewater.