Kent State’s 2024 season has been nothing short of historic. The Golden Flash finished the regular season ranked 23rd in the country, which earned them a spot in the second round of the Ann Arbor regional, byp[assing the tricky play-in. To fans accustomed to watching the SEC every weekend, a spot at regionals may not seem special, but to a team that finished No. 41 in 2023, it’s kind of a big deal.
“It’s huge for us,” senior Karlie Franz said. “To be in that [top 23] spot and just make it here and not have to play in, it just shows how special we are and how hard we’ve worked.”
But gymnasts on every team work hard every day of every season, so what made this year’s edition of the Golden Flashes different? Head coach Brice Biggin attributes it to their excellent senior class and its ongoing leadership. “They have done an amazing job of setting up the team with expectations,” Biggin said. “They truly respect each other and work hard for each other, and when you can get a team to buy into being unselfish, I think it really helps set you up to be successful.”
The way the gymnasts feel about each other goes beyond respect. They’re great friends in and out of the gym,, and that connection makes a difference when meet day rolls…
