WEST CHESTER, Pa. - The USA Gymnastics National Championships got underway on Friday afternoon, and the Talladega College Tornadoes were among 12 teams represented - an incredible finish to their inaugural campaign. The Tornadoes had three individuals who qualified for event finals and who will have a chance to win individual titles on Sunday afternoon.

'Dega started with a terrific performance on the vault, where they had two of the top-5 individual scores. Kyrstin Johnson posted the highest qualifying score in the event, as she scored a 9.925 with her vault, and teammate Kiora Peart-Williams was close behind - tied for fourth at 9.825. Jamilia Duffus (9.650), Landyn Williams (9.625), and Alexa Chuy (9.600) also competed on the vault as the Tornadoes posted a score of 48.625 which was good enough for third on the apparatus. Johnson's vault set a new record not just for 'Dega, but also for any HBCU, and she did it by performing a stuck Yurchenko - a move only attempted by a few division I level athletes.

In the other three rotations, the Tornadoes did not compete with a full compliment of five gymnasts, but they still performed well. Duffus posted the team's highest score on the Uneven Bars with a 9.625, Peart-Williams posted a 9.600, Chuy scored a 9.475, and Johnson rounded out the Tornadoes' entries with a 9.425. On the Balance Beam, Johnson bounced back with a 9.825, while teammate Alondra Maldonado was close on her heels with a 9.800 as both qualified for Sunday's action. Chuy had a 9.500 on the Beam as well, and on the Floor Exercise, Johnson (9.875), Chuy (9.825), and Williams (9.800) all eclipsed the 9.8 threshold.

Johnson qualified for Sunday's competition in three of the four rotations, and she finished third in the All-Around with a mark of 39.050. On the Vault, Johnson was given a perfect 10 by the second judge, and she was just 0.2 points behind the individual All-Around Champion - Morgan Price from Fisk University. Chuy also finished in the top-10 in the All-Around, where she posted a mark of 38.400.

Peart-Williams (vault), Chuy (floor), and Johnson (floor/vault) all posted career-high marks in the event as well.

Johnson will be joined on Sunday by Peart-Williams on the vault, and by Maldonado on the Balance Beam.

Sunday's competition will begin at 12 p.m. CDT with live scoring and live video available for the competition. 

Talladega Results
*Individual Season-High Scores

All-Around
3. Kyrstin Johnson, 39.050*
8. Alexa Chuy, 38.400

Vault
1. Kyrstin Johnson, 9.925*
T4. Kiora Peart-Williams, 9.825*
T26. Jamilia Duffus, 9.650
T30. Landyn Williams, 9.625
T34. Alexa Chuy, 9.600

Uneven Bars
T24. Jamilia Duffus, 9.625
T28. Kiora Peart-Williams, 9.600
T40. Alexa Chuy, 9.475
42. Kyrstin Johnson, 9.425

Balance Beam
T3. Kyrstin Johnson, 9.825*
T8. Alondra Maldonado, 9.800
43. Alexa Chuy, 9.500

Floor Exercise
T3. Kyrstin Johnson, 9.875*
T13. Alexa Chuy, 9.825*
T20. Landyn Williams, 9.800*
48. Alondra Maldonado, 9.150