Perfect Senior Day Highlighted by McMillan’s 10.0

Saturday, March 11

Corvallis, Ore.

2:00 PM

Oregon State

197.475

193.550

Illinois-Chicago

Photo by: Dave Nishitani/Oregon State Athletics

March 11, 2017 | Women's Gymnastics

Results Results

By: Oregon State Communications

CORVALLIS, Ore. – The ninth-ranked Oregon State gymnastics team entered Saturday's meet knowing it was a special day. The Beavers planned to celebrate the final home meet for six seniors, but the day proved to be pretty perfect when senior Kaytianna McMillan achieved perfection scoring a 10.0 on the uneven bars leading OSU to a 197.475-193.550 win over Illinois-Chicago.

The Beavers (9-2) scored 197 or higher in three consecutive meets for the first time since the 2013 season, bringing the Gill Coliseum crowd of 2,752 to its feet repeatedly. For the third straight meet, they raised their season-best score, this time making it the fifth-highest team score in school history with a 197.475.

"I don't think we really look at the scores so much, (scoring so high) was just the cherry on top for this meet," Madeline Gardiner said. "This day was a celebration for sure … all of the hard work we have done and the hours we've put in, I'm proud of us and how far we have come."

For McMillan, the perfect 10, was the first by an Oregon State gymnast since Feb. 22, 2008 when Tasha Smith accomplished the feat on the floor exercise. It is the first perfect score for an OSU athlete on the uneven bars since March 29, 2003 when Elizabeth Jillson nailed her routine. McMillan became just the 12th gymnast in OSU history to score a 10.0.

"It is absolutely incredible. I don't think there are any words to describe the feeling you have when you see that score being flashed," McMillan said. "That is what we work for everyday in the gym, that perfect 10 … the perfection. I think it is incredible, senior day is already such a special day. To get that score, I don't even have words."

Oregon State swept the individual events and McMillan earned the all-around title with a career-best 39.650, tying for the third-highest all-around score in OSU history. She took first on bars (10.0) and floor (9.950); tied for second on vault (9.850) and was fourth on beam (9.850). Her previous all-around best was 39.625 which she set last week.

Junior Dani Dessaints tied her season and career-high with a 9.950 on the vault to take top honors while Gardiner took first on beam with a 9.925 and finished second in the all-around with a score of 39.350.

Setting personal-bests on Saturday were sophomore McKenna Singley on bars (9.90) and senior Erika Aufiero on floor (9.875). In addition, senior Silvia Colussi-Pelaez and freshman Isis Lowery received scores of 9.90 to tie their personal-marks.

The Beavers hit 23 of 24 routines but did not count a fall. They posted a season-high on the bars for the second straight week, this time with an impressive set that totaled 49.500. They also tallied their No. 2 score on floor (49.450), and the third-highest on beam (49.325) and vault (49.200).

"The seniors really showed a solid performance across the board," head coach Tanya Chaplin said. "It's great to have your last meet in Gill and come away with some great performances for them because that leaves some last memories. I know it was very emotional especially as floor got over with, it hit a lot more of them at that moment."

The Beavers are right back in action next Saturday at Pac-12 Championships hosted by Stanford. Both sessions of the conference meet will air live on Pac-12 Network.

Team Scores: No. 9 Oregon State 197.475; Illinois-Chicago 193.550.
All-Around: 1. Kaytianna McMillan (OSU) 39.650; 2. Madeline Gardiner (OSU) 39.350; 3. Mikailla Northern (UIC) 39.125.
Vault (49.200): 1. Dani Dessaints (OSU) 9.950; T2. Mary Jacobsen (OSU), Kaytianna McMillan (OSU) 9.850. Other OSU Scores: Sabrina Gill 9.775; Madeline Gardiner 9.775; Erika Aufiero 9.250 (Exhibition – McKenna Singley 9.775; Taylor Ricci 9.625).
Uneven Bars (49.500): 1. Kaytianna McMillan (OSU) 10.0; T2. McKenna Singley (OSU), Erika Aufiero (OSU) 9.900. Other OSU Scores: Shireen Khamedoost 9.850; Mary Jacobsen 9.850; Madeline Gardiner 9.825 (Exhibition – Mariana Colussi-Pelaez 9.925).
Balance Beam (49.325): 1. Madeline Gardiner (OSU) 9.925; 2. Dani Dessaints (OSU) 9.900; 3. Silvia Colussi-Pelaez (OSU) 9.875. Other OSU Scores: Kaytianna McMillan 9.850; Megan Jimenez 9.775; Sabrina Gill 9.775 (Exhibition – Destinee Davis 9.725; Maela Lazaro 9.800).
Floor Exercise (49.450): 1. Kaytianna McMillan (OSU) 9.950; T2. Silvia Colussi-Pelaez 9.900; Isis Lowery 9.900. Other OSU Scores: Erika Aufiero 9.875; Taylor Ricci 9.825; Madeline Gardiner 9.825 (Exhibition – Sabrina Gill 9.725; Mary Jacobsen 9.850).