ST. CHARLES, Mo. - Lindenwood gymnastics returns home to Hyland Arena for the final time this season as they host the Midwest Independence Conference Championships on Saturday, March 23rd at 5:00 p.m. CT.

Last Meet Recap 
Lindenwood gymnastics finished with a score of 195.825 to end their regular season at Illinois State where they took on the Redbirds and the Spartans from Michigan State. It marked the Lions fourth highest score of the season.

Jaly Jones finished with the third highest all-around score on Saturday after finishing with a 39.150. Her score was Jones' third highest of the season and marked the sixth time in 2024 that she finished with at least an AA score of 39.000. Jones led the Lions on floor with a 9.875 (4th) and was tied for the team lead on bars with a 9.775 (T-6th). Her 9.800 on beam marked a season-high score.

Nya Kraus also had an excellent day for the Lions finishing with a team high score on beam with a 9.875 and was one of four Lindenwood gymnasts to finish with a 9.775 on bars. Kraus' score on beam ranked fourth at the meet, tying Jones for the highest individual ranking of any Lion on Saturday. 

Trinity Caffey led the way for the Lions on vault posting a score of 9.825 and finishing in a tie for ninth place. She has scored a 9.825 on vault in four-straight meets for the Lions. Hannah Appleget also scored a 9.800 on vault ranking 12th. She finished with an All-Around score of 38.150.

Kaylee Cooper and Hannah Moon were the last two Lions to score a 9.775 on bars putting them in a tie for sixth place during the meet. It marked the second highest score of the season on bars for Moon after coming off an impressive 9.925 score last weekend.

Lindenwood finished with a team high score on beam and vault finishing with a 49.075. They also scored a 48.850 on vault and a 48.825 on bars.

Head Coach: Catelyn Branson 
Catelyn Branson was named the gymnastics head coach in July of 2021, and will enter her third season with Lindenwood in 2023-24. Orel is just the third head coach in program history. The Lindenwood gymnastics team saw continued success in 2023, earning the top-seed at the MIC Championships, finishing in second place. Lindenwood took home the USAG National Championship for the first time since 2019.

In her first season, the Lindenwood gymnastics team had yet another successful campaign, earning third at USAG nationals and advancing a student-athlete to NCAA nationals. Griswold became the first Lion in program history to qualify for the national event, as the junior capped her season on the vault in Fort Worth, Texas.

Branson comes to Lindenwood after serving two seasons on the staff at the University of Arkansas. She competed as a student-athlete at the University of Nebraska from 2015-19. As a member of the Nebraska gymnastics program, Branson was named academic all-Big Ten twice, and earned scholar-athlete honor roll four times.

Up Next
The Lions will set their eyes on the USA Gymnastics Women's Collegiate National Championships on Friday, April 12 through Sunday, April 14. For more information go to lindenwoodlions.com.