East Michigan News

Eastern Michigan University gymnasts Alana Fisher and Keeley Kohler have been named Mid-American Conference Gymnasts to Watch, as announced by the conference on Friday, January 3. The Eagles are predicted to finish fifth in the MAC Preseason Poll.

Fisher, from Athens, Alabama, qualified for the 2024 NCAA Regionals in vault. Kohler, a freshman from Davison, Michigan, is one of three freshmen on the list and aims to make an impact in her debut season with Eastern Michigan.

Ball State was chosen as the regular season champions with four first-place votes. Kent State received one first-place vote and ranked second in the poll, while Central Michigan secured third place with two first-place votes.

The Eastern Michigan gymnastics team will compete for another conference championship at the 2025 MAC Championships in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, on March 22. The Eagles will begin their season with a home meet against Bowling Green on Sunday, January 12, at 1 p.m. inside the George Gervin GameAbove Center.

The results of the 2025 MAC Gymnastics Preseason Coaches' Poll are as follows:

1. Ball State – 33 points (4)

2. Kent State – 29 points (1)

3. Central Michigan – 28 points (2)

4. Western Michigan – 24 points

5. Eastern Michigan – 14 points

6. Bowling Green – 12 points

7. Northern Illinois – 7 points

For the MAC Tournament Champion prediction: Central Michigan received three votes; Ball State and Kent State each received two votes.

Gymnasts to watch this season include Zoe Middleton and Hannah Ruthberg from Ball State; Love Apkan and Megan Bingham from Bowling Green; Luciana Alvarado-Reid and Hannah Appleget from Central Michigan; Keeley Kohler and Alana Fisher from Eastern Michigan; Nastia Rudnitskaya and Dani Fuertez from Kent State; Kiera O'Shea and Aliyah Kelly from Northern Illinois; Halle Faulkner and Reilan Garvey from Western Michigan.

For updates on EMU gymnastics, visit EMUEagles.com or follow @EMUGym on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.