Ithaca gymnast wins National Championship
Posted: 03.26.2011 at 9:44 PM

Eau Claire, Wis. - Ithaca junior Jessica Bolduc (Darien/Darien, Conn.) won the National Collegiate Gymnastics Association title on the floor exercise by scoring 9.75 to claim first in that event. Bolduc is the first Ithaca individual to earn a national title in gymnastics since Lindsey Mazer won the all-around and vault championships in 1998. Bolduc is the sixth Bomber gymnast all-time to earn an individual national championship, and Ithaca has claimed a total of 10 event titles in its program history. It was the third individual national championship by an Ithaca student-athlete this year, joining wrestler Seth Ecker (133 pounds) and women's indoor track & field athlete Emma Dewart (pentathlon). A total of 19 Bombers have won 25 individual national titles. The floor title was part of three all-American finishes for Bolduc on the day. Senior Kailee Spusta  (Palmyra-Macedon/Macedon) earned all-America honors on floor exercise and freshman Shilanna Gallo (Catholic Central/Windham, N.H.) did the same on uneven bars. Bolduc's score of 9.75 on floor exercise was a career-best score. She also finished fourth on vault with a score of 9.6 and seventh on uneven bars with a score of 9.425. Including her third-place finish in the all-around event Friday, Bolduc totaled four all-American honors in the championship meet and is the most decorated Ithaca gymnast with 11 career all-American honors. Spusta earned her third-career all-American finish on floor exercise at the NCGA championships by placing 12th in the event finals with a score of 9.425. Gallo was eighth on uneven bars with a score of 9.4. It was her first all-American finish. Ithaca seniors Caitlin Cleary (Pinkerton Academy/Derry, N.H.), Lauren Marcoux (Glastonbury/South Glastonbury, Conn.), Justine Picciano (Rush-Henrietta/Rochester) and Spusta earned the NCGA Senior All-Academic Team.

Courtesy: Ithaca College Athletics