March 2, 2006

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - (Thursday, March 2, 2006) Sophomore Danyelle Aber (Gurnee, Ill./ Ultimate Gymnastics) was named Midwest Independent Conference (MIC) Gymnast of the Week for her performance last week in a quadrangular meet at Texas Woman's University in Denton, Texas. It is the first honor for Aber and she is the second Redhawk to receive the honor this season.

Aber led the Redhawks (6-4, 2-2 MIC) to an impressive second place finish at the meet as she set three new career-highs and helped the Redhawks to a season-best score of 193.050.

She had the best meet of her young career as she won her first all-around title with a new career-high 38.875.

She finished with three top-five finishes in individual events. On the bars she finished fourth with a score of 9.750. She followed that with a fifth place showing on the beam with a new career-high 9.775. She capped off the night with another fourth place finish and yet another career high on the floor with a score 9.725.

Aber joins teammate Sandra Blake (Tri-Cities, Wash./Mid-Columbia) as Redhawks who have won MIC Gymnast of the Week honors. Blake won consecutive awards on February 2 and February 9.

The MIC is made up of five schools; Southeast Missouri State, Illinois State, Illinois-Chicago, Centenary and Texas Women's University, who's sports information directors vote on the weekly award.

Aber and the Redhawks return to the gym this weekend when they host No. 9 Missouri, Ball State and MIC rival Centenary College in the Redhawks Outback Invitational on Sunday, March 5 in the Show Me Center. Start time for the meet is 1:00 p.m.