Two NIU women gymnasts will be leaving a lifetime of gymnastics behind them when they board the plane for Auburn, Ala., Thursday.

The NCAA Central Regional Championships Saturday at Auburn University is the last time seniors Martha Unger and Laurie Vitallo will compete in gymnastics. With 27 years of gymnastics experience between them, their final meet will certainly be difficult.

“Physically, I’m ready to retire but mentally I could do this until I died,” Unger said. “I’m losing a major portion of my identity by leaving gymnastics. Whenever people talk to me the first thing I say is ‘I’m a gymnast.'”

Although both seniors hate to see their careers end, regionals is the perfect setting for a finale.

“I’m kind of scared to have it all ending,” Vitallo said. “But having regionals as my last meet is the best way to go. It makes Martha and I feel like we really did a lot for the team.”

Whether or not Unger and Vitallo have the meet of their life Saturday is unimportant to both of them. The seniors’ primary goal is to do whatever it takes to help the team.

“Of course anyone would like to have their best meet when it is their last meet,” Unger said. “But going in and doing something out-of-bounds would only screw me up. It’s important that I just do my job and do what the team needs me to do.”

Vitallo felt the same way. “All I can do is give 110% and hope my body doesn’t let me down.”