West Liberty, W.Va. – The West Liberty University acrobatics & tumbling team will end a stretch of five consecutive ranked opponents as they return home to the hilltop and welcome No. 6 Frostburg State to town on Thursday, March 14. The Hilltoppers and Bobcats are slated for a 6 p.m. start time inside the ASRC.

MEET DETAILS

• Location: West Liberty, W.Va. (Academic Sports & Recreation Complex "ASRC")
• Start Time: 6 P.M.

WEST LIBERTY STORYLINES

• West Liberty enters Thursday's meet with a 3-4 (2-2 MEC) record following a 274.020-263.440 loss at No. 7 Limestone on Saturday, March 9.
• Through six meets this year the Hilltoppers are averaging event scores of 36.208 in compulsory, 27.558 in acro, 28.383 in pyramid, 25.550 in toss, 50.700 in tumbling, 88.790 in the team event, and a total score of 257.190.
• WLU has totaled 13 event wins in 36 opportunities through six meets. Additionally, the Black & Gold has scored a 9.0 or higher in 57 of 114 heats.
• West Liberty has broken school records in the compulsory pyramid (9.950), 7-element heat of acro (9.900), 450 Salto heat of toss (9.250), the quad pass of tumbling (8.400), and the team event (94.340). The Hilltoppers also tied the school record of the synchronized toss (8.800).
• Kayla Gandy has played a key role in the Hilltoppers' early success as she was a top for both of the school record toss heats, the compulsory pyramid, and the quad pass, while also in the team event she tops one acro, one pyramid, two tosses, does one standing pass, and two running passes. Kallie Moses was the other athlete on top for WLU in the heat two synchronized toss that broke the record.
• On Monday, February 19, Gandy was named the MEC Acrobatics & Tumbling Athlete of the Week.
• Another athlete to watch is Abbey Horvath who is a base and back spot. She bases all of compulsory acro, is a tosser for compulsory pyramid, and back for compulsory pyramid. She is the main base in acro heat 3 completing a 1-1 180 ground to extension. In the pyramid event she is a mid in heat 1 (1-1 extended handstand) and 3 (1-1 extended press) and a tosser in heat 2 (270 up straddle flip to cradle). She is a back in the toss event (back full toss). In the team event she bases two acros, one pyramid, and two tosses.
• The Hilltoppers were tied for third with Glenville State in the MEC Preseason Acrobatics & Tumbling Coaches' Poll, accumulating 15 points in the vote. WLU is currently alone in third place in the league standings.
• The Black & Gold return a trio of First Team All-MEC selections from 2023 in Gandy, Gillian Hartz, and Abbey Swinderman, while also returning Abbey Horvath who was a Second Team All-MEC selection.
• Kelsey Kyle is in her fifth season as the head coach at West Liberty with a career record of 17-20 during her time with the Hilltoppers.

#6 FROSTBURG STATE STORYLINES

• Frostburg State enters Thursday's meet with a 3-1 (2-0 MEC) record following a 266.970-258.035 win at home over No. 9 Hawaii Pacific on Saturday, March 9.

• Through four meets the Bobcats are averaging event scores of 37.288 in compulsory, 27.650 in acro, 28.900 in pyramid, 27.900 in toss, 53.100 in tumbling, 88.415 in the team event, and a 263.254 overall score.
• A year ago FSU posted a 10-3 (5-0 MEC) record as they won the regular season and conference tournament championship before falling in the national quarterfinals of the NCATA National Championships to No. 2 Oregon (265.060-257.200). They won the 2023 NCATA Individual Event title in the open pyramid heat (9.825).
• Frostburg State entered the season No. 6 in the NCATA Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• The Bobcats were picked to defend their conference title in the 2024 MEC Preseason Acrobatics & Tumbling Coaches' Poll and are currently second in the league standings.
• FSU returns NCATA All-American and MEC Athlete of the Year, Abbie Baker, as well as other First Team All-MEC selections Navah Marierose, Isabella Mongelluzzo, and Laiken Spahr. Also back in the lineup in 2024 is Second Team All-MEC honoree, Kaitlin Bolton.
• This season Baker and Spahr have each been recognized once with MEC Acrobatics & Tumbling Athlete of the Week honors on March 11 and February 12 respectively.
• Katie Amedure, the 2023 NCATA Coach of the Year, is in her fourth season as the head coach at Frostburg State with a career record of 21-13 during her time with the Bobcats.

SERIES HISTORY

• Frostburg State leads the all-time series 2-0.
• In the last match-up, the Bobcats won all six events as they defeated the Hilltoppers 255.785-238.465 on March 3, 2023 inside Bobcat Arena in Frostburg, Maryland.