WHITEWATER, Wis. -- Members of the Ithaca College gymnastics team participated Friday in the event preliminaries and all-around finals of the 2013 National Collegiate Gymnastics Association Championships. A group of 10 Bomber gymnasts participated in 15 event entries.

Graduate student Christine Niles advanced to Saturday's event finals on uneven bars as she placed tied for 13th in the preliminaries with a score of 9.3. Niles is a returning all-American on this event and will vie for those honors again on Saturday. Event finals begin at 5 p.m.

Katie Sampson was entered in the all-around competition and placed 12th with a score of 35.675. She scored 9.5 on vault, 8.3 on uneven bars, 8.55 on balance beam and 9.325 on floor exercise.

Valerie Cohen and Tiffany Grube turned in strong performances on floor exercise as they tied with a score of 9.45, which ranked 24th in the overall standings. Emma Duncan and Megan Harrington also performed on floor where Duncan was 50th with a score of 8.825 and Harrington scored 8.05.

Three other Bombers joined Niles in the uneven bars preliminaries. Kate Woodward was 24th with a score of 9.075, Chelsea Robie was 38th with an 8.775 and Shilanna Gallo scored 8.6 to place 44th.

Four Bombers were entered on vault where Cohen scored 9.525 to place 29th. Niles scored 9.375, Rani Jacobson scored 9.15 and Tiffany Grube had a 9.1.

On balance beam, Kate Woodward led Ithaca's entries with an 8.85 to place 34th. Grube scored 8.35.

The team championships were also conducted in Friday's session, and host school Wisconsin-Whitewater claimed the team title with a total of 189.750, more than three full points higher than second-place Wisconsin-LaCrosse at 186.575. Cortland (185.900) was third and Brockport (185.300) was fourth. Ithaca College will host the NCGA Championships next year at Ben Light Gymnasium.

Complete Day 1 Results

NCGA Championships Website