Oshkosh, Wis. -- The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater gymnastics team opened the season at UW-Oshkosh Friday evening. The Warhawks were edged by the Titans by less than two-tenths with a final score of 191.950-191.775. 

The Warhawks kicked off the dual with their best event of the evening, the uneven bars. UWW's scoring five totaled 48.425 - a top 20 mark in program history. Elaine Copeland (Arlington, Texas/University Prep) and Paige Magel (Cary, Ill./Prairie Ridge) kicked off their 2026 season with 9.75s to tie for first in the event. Kaleigh Summers (Wentzville, Mo./North Point) posted a 9.675 in her first collegiate event while Jane Heffernan (Galway, Ireland/Jesus & Mary Secondary School) added a 9.65. Brianna Balian (Peoria, Ariz./Sunrise Mountain) rounded out the group with a 9.6. 

In the second rotation, UW-Whitewater headed to the vault to record another top 20 mark in program history -- 48.275. Juliette Rider (San Antonio, Texas/Acellus Academy) picked up the first gold of her collegiate career with the best vault of the night. She stuck the landing of a difficult vault that features a blind landing for a 9.775 to win the apparatus. Balian added a 9.675 followed by Summers' 9.65, Copeland's 9.6 and a 9.575 from Danielle Dudziak (Lorain, Ohio/Amherst Steele). 

Magel was the top Warhawk on the floor exercise with a score of 9.675. Rider registered another fantastic routine with a 9.65. Heffernan's routine scored a 9.575 with Maliyah Pound (Blaine, Minn./Spring Lake Park) (9.5) and Carleigh Moore (Oregon, Wis./Oregon) (9.45) rounding out the scoring five. 

The Titans were able to pull ahead in the final rotation pitting their best event of the evening, the floor, against UWW's beam. Magel tallied her second podium of the evening with a score of 9.65 for silver. Caroline Haynes (McLean, Va./Trinity Christian) posted a score of 9.625 in her first collegiate event to claim fourth. Also adding to the team total were Rider (9.55), Ashnaya Gupta (Carmel, Ind./Carmel) (9.45) and Sofia Spadafora (Windsor, Ontario, Canada/Saint Thomas of Villanova) (8.95). 

The Warhawks will head to Indianola, Iowa for another WIAC dual against Simpson on Saturday, January 17. The meet is set for a 2 PM start.