Ten gymnasts named to the Academic All-MAC team

By Maddie Barrett

The Mid-American Conference announced Wednesday the gymnastics team placed 10 gymnasts, the most in school history, to the Academic All-MAC team.

To be named to the Academic team student-athletes must have at least a 3.20 GPA and have participated in at least 50 percent of competitions. First-year students and transfers in their first year at NIU are not eligible.

The 10 Huskies earning this honor are:

  • Junior kinesiology major Amanda Bartemio
  • Senior journalism major Emily Basara
  • Sophomore health sciences/pre-physical therapy major Catherine Biddle
  • Senior biological sciences major Ally Ferber
  • Junior journalism major Cinny Lamberti
  • Sophomore psychology major Mia Lord
  • Senior marketing major Anna Martucci
  • Junior undecided major Nina Martucci
  • Senior psychology major Paige Nicholas
  • Junior nursing major Allison Richardson.

NCAA qualifier and MAC balance beam specialist, Lord was named to the list for the first time in her career. Other first timers on the list included Basara, Biddle, Nicholas and Nina.

Head Coach Sam Morreale said he is impressed with the athletes’ dedication to the sport and academics.

“I’m just super proud of the whole group,” said Morreale to NIU Athletics. “To be an athlete at a Division I program is hard enough, then to hold yourself accountable and be a top-notch student-athlete puts these kids at another level.

Bartemio, Lamberti, Nicholas and Richardson earned the honor for the second consecutive year. MAC specialist of the year, Anna, made the list for the third time in the career. Ferber was one of the 55 gymnasts on the All-MAC team to record a 4.0 GPA

Members of the Academic All-MAC are also eligible to be named MAC Distinguished Scholar-Athletes.