SHREVEPORT, La. - For the first time in program history, the Talladega College Gymnastics team claimed a meet victory on Friday night at the Sylvia Keiter Memorial Meet, hosted by Centenary College Of Louisiana. The Tornadoes had previously defeated Winona State University as a part of a second place finish at the Southeast Missouri State Tri-meet, but this marked the first time they claimed the overall win in a meet. The win also marked the first time ever an HBCU has won a gymnastics meet. The Tornadoes were consistent in each of the four rotations, and they defeated the University of Alaska Anchorage and Centenary in the first of two meets for the Tornadoes at Centenary this weekend.

'Dega posted a season-best team score of 192.200, and Kyrstin Johnson and Alexa Chuy posted a 1-2 finish in the All-Around. Johnson also claimed victory in the Vault and Uneven Bars, while Alondra Maldonado earned the win in Floor Exercise. The Tornadoes beat Alaska (191.525) by just more than half a point, and they bested the hosts from Centenary (189.150) by better than three points.

"I am beyond proud of this team," said Head Coach Aja Sims-Fletcher after the meet on Friday evening. "We went into this meet dedicating our performance to Sylvia and something bigger than us while focusing on getting one tenth better. I teared up after our last rotation on bars as I saw so much of our hard work and fight for this inaugural program come together in one moment. I'm absolutely ecstatic to do it again Sunday."

The Tornadoes opened their evening on the Balance Beam, where Maldonado, Chuy, and Johnson set the tone. Maldonado posted a score of 9.800 in her routine, a mark which was good enough to tie for third in the event overall. Chuy (9.750) tied for sixth in the Beam, Johnson (9.725) tied for eighth, and Kiora Peat-Williams (9.625) finished 10th as the Tornadoes racked up a score of 48.450 to take a sizable lead after one rotation.

'Dega then moved on to the Floor Exercise, where they posted a team score of 48.175. Maldonado was the star on the floor once again. The 5th-year senior from Bayamon, Puerto Rico tied for first in the event with a score of 9.825, and three of her teammates joined her in the top-10 - Johnson (T-3; 9.750), Landyn Williams (T-8; 9.575), and Chuy (9.550). The score kept the Tornadoes in front at the halfway point with a score through two rotations of 96.625, with Alaska (96.000) and Centenary (94.125) trailing behind.

Next up for 'Dega was the vault, where Johnson surged to the forefront. Johnson - a freshman from Baltimore, Maryland - won the event outright with a vault of 9.650. Jamilia Duffus cracked the top-10 in the event with a score of 9.550 which tied for fourth, and Peart-Williams tied for sixth at 9.475. The Tornadoes tallied a score of 47.325 on the vault, a mark which added a tenth of a point to their lead over Alaska heading into the final rotation on the Bars - and that is where the Tornadoes put the exclamation point on the evening.

Talladega put the victory away decisively with a performance on the Bars that saw the Tornadoes claim four of the top-five spots in the apparatus. Johnson won the event with a score of 9.825, and Peart-Williams was second at 9.750. Chuy and Duffus tied for fourth at 9.625 as 'Dega posted a team score of 48.250 - nearly a full point better than either other team on the Bars - as the Tornadoes wrapped up the meet victory.

In the All-Around, Johnson claimed the win with a score of 38.950, while Chuy was second with a mark of 38.275.

The Tornadoes will be back in action at Centenary again on Sunday when Greenville College (Ill.) joins 'Dega, Centenary, and Alaska to wrap up the weekend. The meet is scheduled to begin at 12:30 p.m., and Tornado fans can find live updates and video here.

Talladega Results
*Individual Season-High Scores

All-Around
1. Kyrstin Johnson, 38.950*
2. Alexa Chuy, 38.275*

Vault
1. Krystin Johnson, 9.650
T4. Jamilia Duffus, 9.550
T6. Kiora Peart-Williams, 9.475
12. Jaidyn Bryant, 9.350
T14. Alexa Chuy, 9.300
T14. Mackenzie Butler, 9.300*

Uneven Bars
1. Krystin Johnson, 9.825*
2. Kiora Peart-Williams, 9.750*
T4. Alexa Chuy, 9.675*
T4. Jamilia Duffus, 9.675*
12. Promise Jean-Marie, 9.325*
T17. Morgan Swaby, 8.200

Balance Beam
T3. Alondra Maldonado, 9.800*
T6. Alexa Chuy, 9.750*
T8. Krystin Johnson, 9.725*
10. Kiora Peart-Williams, 9.625*
12. Sidnei Heubach, 9.550*
15. Morgan Swaby, 9.275

Floor Exercise
T1. Alondra Maldonado, 9.825*
T3. Krystin Johnson, 9.750*
T8. Landyn Williams, 9.575
10. Alexa Chuy, 9.550
T11. Jaidyn Bryant, 9.475
18. Diamond Cook, 8.600