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Koshinski Earns Fifth Big 12 Award
March 15, 2016 05:39 PM | Gymnastics
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – For the fifth time this season, West Virginia University freshman Kirah Koshinski has earned the praise of the Big 12 Conference, as the gymnast was named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Week.
The honor is the second straight for the Berwick, Pennsylvania, native; she previously earned three consecutive awards in January. Koshinski has now won half the season’s newcomer awards and is tied with Oklahoma’s Nicole Lehrmann for the most honors this year.
Koshinski owns the WVU season and career record for most Big 12 weekly honors.
Today’s award follows the freshman’s stellar showing in two weekend wins against Pitt, as she tallied three event victories, set a career-high road floor score and matched a career-high vault mark. Koshinski finished on top of the podium twice in the Mountaineers’ 195.925-193.875 win against the Panthers on March 11, at the WVU Coliseum, as she matched her vault career-high score of 9.925 and tallied 9.875 on floor. She followed that performance with two more podium finishes at Pitt’s Fitzgerald Field House on March 13, tying for the vault win with a 9.85 score and placing a team-best second on floor with a 9.9 mark, her top career floor score away from Morgantown.
Ranked No. 3 in the Big 12 Conference, Koshinski has earned six vault wins this season and has yet to score below 9.825 on the event, a mark she received only once. She also has won three floor titles in the last four meets and has hit for 9.85 or better in five of the last six competitions.
Also of note, the conference revealed that FOX Sports Network will broadcast the 2016 Big 12 Gymnastics Championship live on Saturday, March 19, at 5 p.m. EST.
ROOT SPORTS Pittsburgh will carry the championship locally Saturday night. Three-time Olympian John Roethlisberger will cover the play-by-play, Kelly Funderburk will serve as the analyst and Jessica Coody will report from the sideline.
Saturday marks the second straight season the championship meet will broadcast live on TV.
“This type of coverage for the Big 12 Championship is huge for not only the conference and our team, but also for women’s gymnastics,” coach Jason Butts said. “All four teams will receive great exposure, and I know our fans will appreciate the chance to watch the championship live.”
Koshinski and the Mountaineers (10-6, 0-3) will battle No. 1-ranked Oklahoma, No. 10 Denver and Iowa State for the conference crown on Saturday evening. The Sooners have claimed the last four Big 12 titles and eight since 2004. Tickets for the championship are available for purchase now at Big12Sports.com. Tickets are $10 for adults, $7 for youth (ages 3-12) and $5 for groups of 10 or more.
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