Story Links CLEVELAND – – With the start of the 2025 season upon us, the Mid-American Conference has announced its annual preseason coaches’ poll with Ball State gymnastics selected to earn its third consecutive regular season championship. The Cardinals, who shared the title with Western Michigan in each of the past two seasons, received 33 points […]
CLEVELAND – – With the start of the 2025 season upon us, the Mid-American Conference has announced its annual preseason coaches’ poll with Ball State gymnastics selected to earn its third consecutive regular season championship.
The Cardinals, who shared the title with Western Michigan in each of the past two seasons, received 33 points and four of seven first-place votes to capture the league’s regular season title. Kent State was picked second with 29 points and one first-place vote, followed by Central Michigan with 28 points and a pair of first-place tallies.
In addition, Ball State received two of seven votes to win the MAC Championships which will be held Saturday, March 22 at CMU’s McGuirk Arena.
Along with the team prognostications, two Cardinals were selected to the 2025 MAC Gymnasts to Watch list. Representing Ball State on the list were junior Zoe Middleton and graduate student Hannah Ruthberg.
Middleton turned in a dominating performance at the 2024 MAC Championships, turned in a dominating performance at the 2024 MAC Championships, winning titles in the all-around (39.525), beam (9.900) and floor (9.900). Just the second all-around champion in program history, she became the first Ball State gymnast to capture three MAC individual titles in one season.
A 2024 Second Team All-MAC selection, Middleton would go on to compete as an individual in the second round of the Ann Arbor regional, placing 15th among the two sessions in the all-around with a score of 39.025. Over her first two seasons, Middleton has seen 86 of her 91 total routines count in the final team score.
Ruthberg is taking advantage of her COVID year of eligibility and will be competing in her fifth and final season for the Cardinals. A Second Team All-MAC selection last season, Ruthberg has been a staple in the Ball State lineup over her career, including competing in the all-around in each of the last 26 meets. In fact, Ruthberg has competed all-around in 37 of her 48 collegiate meets and owns four of the top 20 all-around scores in program history.
Her best effort was a 39.425 last season at George Washington (Feb. 23), which is the sixth-best score in program history. In addition, Ruthberg turned in career-best scores on all four apparatuses last season, including a 9.925 on floor, a pair of 9.925s on bars, a 9.900 on beam and a 9.875 on vault.
The Cardinals open the 2025 season tonight at Beauty and the Beast night hosted by Missouri. In addition to the Cardinals and host Tigers, Illinois State and Southern Missouri will compete in the quad meet which starts at 7 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. CT.
The Ball State gymnastics team opens the home portion of its 2025 campaign next Sunday (Jan. 12) when it hosts Illinois, SEMO and Wisconsin-Eau Claire for the Ball State Quad. Fans can purchase season tickets to see the Cardinals in all four home meets during the 2025 season for just $32 for adults and $16 for youth (3-18) at BallStateSports.com/GymTickets
2025 MAC Gymnastics Preseason Coaches’ Poll
(First Place Votes)
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
MAC Tournament Champion: Central Michigan (3), Ball State (2), Kent State (2)
2025 MAC Gymnasts to Watch
Zoe Middleton, Junior, Ball State
Hannah Ruthberg, Graduate Student, Ball State
Love Apkan, Sophomore, Bowling Green
Megan Bingham, Junior, Bowling Green
Luciana Alvarado-Reid, Junior, Central Michigan
Hannah Appleget, Senior, Central Michigan
Keeley Kohler, Freshman, Eastern Michigan
Alana Fisher, Senior, Eastern Michigan
Nastia Rudnitskaya, Junior, Kent State
Dani Fuertez, Sophomore, Kent State
Kiera O’Shea, Junior, Northern Illinois
Aliyah Kelly, Freshman, Northern Illinois
Halle Faulkner, Senior, Western Michigan
Reilan Garvey, Freshman, Western Michigan
