OSHKOSH (NBC 26) — The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh has now totaled 52 national titles in school history, with the gymnastics team accounting for four of those in the last five years after winning a NGAC title March 20th in New York.
“We told ourselves all year our story is already written how it's going to be, so we're going to go out there and be us and if we're meant to win we're meant to win. If we aren't, then we aren't,” said sophomore Averie Evans, who took home a national title in the uneven bars.
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When the program beat two NCAA Division I teams in February — the first time it had defeated an NCAA Division I team in program history — head coach Lauren Karnitz, who just wrapped her 19th season at the helm, knew they could win a title. But she emphasized the need to get back to work and refine some small details.
“We were pushing them harder than they had ever been pushed before,” Karnitz said. “Our practices were longer than what we normally would have because we were trying to get all the little stuff done because we knew if that happened, we would be unbeatable.”
She says her gymnasts were always bought in, which helped them win a title. For her to check off a couple of her personal goals — those were to beat a division 1 team like I mentioned and get a score of 195 in a meet.
“Some of those goals were just being realized and I knew that they could, and so it's really cool when you think they can and then they actually meet those expectations,” said Karnitz. “It was really special for me.”
As for why the program has been so successful under Karnitz, her gymnasts say she’s like their second mom. She cares about who they are as individuals.
“Which makes us more comfortable to go to her and talk to her and just figure things out and I think that's why our gymnastics gets better is because she understands the athlete that she's coaching,” said senior Reanna McGibboney, who was an eight-time all-American.
“We're like strangers when we come in,” said Evans. “She reads us and she knows how to interact with each of us as different athletes in the best way possible. All around she's just an amazing human and she wants us to be amazing humans too, so that shows a lot.”
And after winning their fourth title in five years, Karnitz said the team is doing a pretty good job at stating their case to be labeled a dynasty.
“I would say that we're doing a pretty good job in the 2020s,” she said.
