The Ithaca College gymnastics team opened its season at home against the Ursinus College Bears in a dual matchup 189.950-188.475 Jan. 18 in the Ben Light Gymnasium. The Bombers had their strongest performance on floor exercise, totaling an impressive score of 48.700 and averaging 9.740.
Senior Grace Murray concluded the afternoon with the highest score by either squad, with a 9.850 on floor. Murray also tied her personal best score on floor, set Jan. 27 2024 at the West Chester Invitational.
Two routines before, junior Taylor Arias surpassed her personal floor record by 0.225 points with a 9.775. Arias began her routine with upbeat choreography, then transitioned into her first tumble pass, a front layout full to a front layout, which she landed almost perfectly. She performed leaps and jumps, then executed a roundoff back layout step out. She finished her routine off with a one and half twist layout.
Arias, who did not compete in the 2024-25 season due to a broken toe suffered in preseason, was visibly emotional after the score was announced. The filled bleachers and her teammates erupted in excitement on her behalf.
“It’s just really nice to have my team behind me, and finally put all my hard work out there,” Arias said.
Arias, Murray, first-year gymnast Lucy Kaupp, first-year gymnast Sh’Nai Thompson and graduate student Jillian Freyman all scored at least a 9.625 on the mat.
The Bombers also had a very productive day on balance beam, totaling a 48.125 and averaging a 9.625. Sophomore Mya John scored a 9.700 in a routine that featured a back handspring into a back layout step out, an aerial and a front tuck with a full twist dismount.
John also competed on uneven bars, scoring a 9.600, and on vault, scoring a 9.400. Last season, she was one of the Bombers’ highest scorers and was named NCGA East All-Region Champion. She said she was proud of her entire team for earning the win.
“I think our team held it down today,” John said. “We worked really hard this whole week, hitting routines all week, and … all of our hard work paid off today.”
The Bombers had a solid afternoon on vault, totaling a 47.425 and averaging a 9.485.
Similarly to the Bombers, the Bears thrived on the floor, totaling a 48.125. Ursinus’ Erin Roe, the only all-around competitor of the day, scored a 9.425 and above in all of her routines.
After securing the first win of the season, head coach Rick Suddaby said the bond and the support the gymnasts have for each other is strong.
“We teach it and encourage it that they’re supporting each other,” Suddaby said. “[Assistant coach Kim Suddaby] and I are husband and wife, of course, so [we’ve] very much coached like family. So it’s a really good thing. We encourage [rallying around each other], we teach it, we reinforce it. There’s support for each other and they thrive on it.”
On Jan. 25 the Bombers will travel to Providence, Rhode Island for another dual meet against Rhode Island College.
