Coming into the season, Winona State University gymnastics coach Beckie Rolbiecki said this year’s incoming freshmen are the best she has seen since being at WSU.
Two of those freshmen are putting up huge numbers for the Warriors, as they continue to show the nation’s best teams that WSU is right in the mix.
Melissa Baudhuin and Amanda Cotter have proven Rolbiecki’s statement true so far this season, winning several events and doing so against some stiff competition.
When Baudhuin and Cotter got a whiff of Rolbiecki’s comment, they didn’t pat themselves on the back. Instead, they insisted they need to continue to work hard and get better.
“It means you’re doing something right,” Baudhuin said. “It motivates you to keep doing the right things.”
“When you hear something like that, it makes you try harder and do your best,” Cotter said. “It means something when you come in here and make an immediate impact on the team.”
Cotter believes that Rolbiecki puts the right pressure on the freshman class, saying that some people need pressure.
“I think it’s a positive pressure that we have,” Cotter said. “I think Rolbiecki does it right by telling us what we need to do to be able to be out there and do well.”
Pressure has not been the problem with Baudhuin this season. She’s had to battle with tendonitis, which can only be healed with rest.
“That has not been an option for me,” Baudhuin said.
Baudhuin missed her first meet of the season at the Gustavus Adolphus Triangular, where WSU took second with a score of 176.450.
Gustavus won the meet with a score of 176.700.
Even with the injuries, Baudhuin said this season has been incredible so far.
“Everyone has been competing so hard and people are stepping up,” Baudhuin said. “It’s been awesome.”
Rolbiecki doesn’t have to lean on Alexandra Nugent, a two-time national qualifier, as much as she used to.
Katie Goldeman, another freshman, has caught the eye of Rolbiecki as of late with second-place finishes in the vault and the parallel bars at Gustavus.
“Goldeman has been a newfound treasure for us this year,” Rolbiecki said.
WSU finished second in the Gershon Invitational on Friday, scoring 183.625 and finishing behind only UW-La Crosse, which posted a 185.425 at the four-team meet.
Defending national champion UW-Oshkosh took third with a score of 177.800, and Hamline rounded out the scoring with 174.575.
Rolbiecki did not see scores this high coming so quickly from her team.
“I didn’t see success coming so soon,” Rolbiecki said. “My biggest dream was to have our team in the 180s, so this has been impressive.”
Baudhuin made her way back into the lineup for the Gershon Invite and won the vault, scoring 9.600, while Nugent was right behind her with a 9.525.
Nugent did not come away empty-handed. The junior won the floor for the third time this season and placed third in the all-around.
With scores as high as they are right now, Rolbiecki believes that they will be higher even with the team exceeding her dreams.
“I think the bar is rising now, and I expect to see them get better as we go on,” Rolbiecki said.