Kristina Campos and the NIU gymnastics team both finished fifth this weekend at the MAC championships.

NIU (7-9 overall, 2-4 MAC) went into the meet tied for fourth in the conference with Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan, but it was Central Michigan that stole the show. By posting a new MAC record overall score of 197.525, the Chippewas finished their season undefeated and took home the 10th championship in the school’s history.

NIU finished with a score of 194.600.

Kent State finished second with a 196.850, while Eastern Michigan and Bowling Green followed. Western Michigan and Ball State finished sixth and seventh, respectively.

Coming off her State of Illinois Classic title, Campos tied her season-high with a 39.400 overall performance, earning her a spot on the All-MAC Second-Team.

The Huskies went into the final event in fourth place ahead of Bowling Green, but miscues on the uneven bars allowed the Falcons to jump ahead and claim the fourth spot.

Campos tied her season-best with a 9.900 on the floor exercise, ending in a tie for fifth place with teammate Ashlee Williams.

The fifth place showing for NIU was a one-spot improvement over last season.

“The whole team really did well tonight,” NIU assistant coach Andy Morreale said. “I have no complaints, except I wish we could have finished ahead of Bowling Green.”

CMU’s Sara Burtinsky and Jules Passy took the top two spots in the individual all-around. KSU’s Jessie James took third; and MAC Gymnast of the Year, Bowling Green’s Melissa Popovich, took fourth.

Despite the award, Popovich’s performance at the championship relegated her to the Second-Team with Campos. As for the First-Team, CMU girls made up three-fifths of it.