Chasing Perfection: Freshman and MAC Gymnast of the Week eyes 13 year-old record
The role of a freshman in collegiate athletics is often to sit back and learn. They are rarely a team’s workhorse, as the freshman year can be used to gain experience while transitioning to the collegiate stage.
For freshman Kasey Janowicz, this is not the case.
In Janowicz's first season as a Chippewa, her impact on the team has been immediate. The Bay City native has won the all-around competition in all eight meets this season entering Sunday while closing on Central Michigan’s all-around record, which has stood for 13 years.
"I'm very proud of her," said Head Coach Jerry Reighard. "She's as focused, as determined as the person who's on that record board right now as a freshman and I love that."
Janowicz’s 39.4 combined score against Western Michigan University for the four events was .225 points short from the CMU record — 39.625. The score puts her firmly atop the MAC all-around rankings, while also being the fourth-ranked freshman in the nation.
During CMU’s Feb. 21 meet with WMU, Janowicz tied her career best on the floor exercise and balance beam with a 9.9 in both.
Her efforts in that meet were rewarded last week, when the Mid-American Conference named her the gymnast of the week.
The record is held by Reighard's daughter, Kara Reighard, a record the Chippewa coach wants to see beaten.
"I took Kasey in four months ago and I showed her that record board and I said, ‘See that score? I'm tired of seeing that name,’" Reighard said. "(Thirteen) years for a record is long enough. She will have that record, and it could happen this year."
Starting early
For Janowicz, gymnastics came to her naturally at an early age. Her parents began to take notice of her talent when she used furniture in her home for practice.
"I first got into gymnastics when I was 2-years-old," Janowicz said. "My parents put me in because I was walking on a piano."
From then until high school graduation, Janowicz trained at Bay Valley Academy in Bay City alongside current CMU teammate sophomore Macey Hilliker where the two became inseparable.
“Me and Macey grew up with each other, we were best friends, she knows how I do gymnastics and how I work,” Janowicz said.
Hilliker mainly competes on floor with a season high of 9.875, but also occasionally competes on vault and beam.
"I’m not so shy anymore with her around, so it’s nice having (my) best friend here,” Hilliker said. “She’s like my sister, I always have someone to talk to."
READ MORE: Rival Kent State tops CMU gymnastics on senior night
Prior to signing with CMU, Janowicz was no stranger to high-profile competition. In 2013, she competed in the Junior Olympic Level 9 nationals and was crowned national champion.
In 2014 Janowicz was a member of the USA Junior Olympic National Team. As a member, Janowicz was able to train with the elite at the USA Gymnastics National Team Training Center in Huntsville, Texas.
Gold medal winners Jordyn Wieber and Kyla Ross from the United States’ 2012 Olympic team — dubbed the "Fierce Five" — both competed for the same National team in 2006 and 2007 respectively.
"It was exciting," Janowicz said. "Being on the national team gave me the opportunities to go to the Dominican Republic and Texas to the the Olympic training center."
When it was time to decide which college to attend, Janowicz said CMU was the obvious choice, having been surrounded by people involved in the program throughout her career.
Besides CMU, Janowicz garnered 12 other offers from schools including Michigan, Michigan State, Utah, Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan and Kent State.
"Growing up, my club gym, my coach’s family, generations over generations came here," Janowicz said. "Coming on a visit here, I really enjoyed the coaches and the team. They all made it like family and its close to home. I just love it here."
