West Liberty, W.Va. – The West Liberty University acrobatics & tumbling team will face their third consecutive ranked opponent on Thursday afternoon as they visit No. 14 Converse in what will be their first of two match-ups during their trip to the Palmetto State. The Hilltoppers and Valkyries are set for a 6 p.m. start time inside the Weisiger Center in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

MEET DETAILS

• Location: Spartanburg, S.C. (Weisiger Center/Tom and Tracy Hannah Gym)
• Start Time: 6 P.M.

WEST LIBERTY STORYLINES

• West Liberty enters Thursday's meet with a 2-3 (2-2 MEC) record following a 251.151-248.300 loss at home to No. 9 Hawaii Pacific on Sunday afternoon.
• Through the first four meets of the year the Hilltoppers are averaging event scores of 36.488 in compulsory, 27.150 in acro, 28.213 in pyramid, 25.750 in toss, 50.456 in tumbling, 86.415 in the team event, and a total score of 254.471.
• WLU has totaled ten event wins in 24 opportunities in the first four meets. Additionally, the Black & Gold have scored a 9.0 or higher in 37 of 76 heats.
• In their season-opener at Glenville State, the Hilltoppers broke school records in heat 1 of the toss, the 450 Salto, with a score of 9.250, and tied the heat 2 program record in the synchronized toss with a score of 8.800. With a score of 92.440 the Black & Gold also rewrote the record books in the team event.
• Against Hawaii Pacific, the Hilltoppers broke the school record in the quad pass of the toss event, as Kayla Gandy, Gillian Hartz, Audrey Prater, and Avery Ray scored an 8.400.
• 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, 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 Horvath who was a Second Team All-MEC selection.
• Kelsey Kyle enters her fifth season as the head coach at West Liberty with a career record of 16-19 during her time with the Hilltoppers.

#14 CONVERSE STORYLINES

• Converse enters Thursday's meet with a 3-2 (3-2 Conference Carolinas) record following a 259.290-255.745 loss at home against Lander on Friday, March 1.

• Through four meets the Valkyries are averaging event scores of 35.950 in compulsory, 24.900 in acro, 27.475 in pyramid, 25.700 in toss, 52.444 in tumbling, 90.245 in the team event, and a 256.714 overall score.
• A year ago, CU posted a 6-4 (5-3 Conference Carolinas) record as they finished fourth in the league standings and ended their year in the conference tournament championship. In the individual event finals, the Valkyries won Conference Carolinas titles in the synchronized pyramid and aerial tumbling.
• Converse enters the season ranked No. 14 in the NCATA Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• The Valkyries were picked to finish fifth in the 2024 Conference Carolinas Preseason Acrobatics & Tumbling Coaches' Poll and are currently tied for third in the league standings.
• CU returns First Team All-Conference Carolinas selections Ayanna Manning and Ceanna Brown, while also bringing back Second Team All-Conference Carolinas honorees Chloe Cleland, Nia Jackson, and Emilee-Claire Carter.
• Eboni Jackson is in her second season as the head coach at Converse, leading the Valkyries to a 9-6 career record.

SERIES HISTORY

• Thursday will be the first-ever match-up between West Liberty and Converse.