ITHACA, N.Y. -- With championship season just around the corner, the Cornell gymnastics team will be looking for a strong finish to claim a team spot at the 2012 USAG Collegiate Nationals. They will attempt to start climbining the standings when they visit Kent State on Sunday, March 18 at 1 p.m. at the M.A.C. Center.

Cornell is 0-4 all-time against Kent State in competition, but will really only be competing with itself. The Big Red dropped a dual meet last weekend in Providence with a season-low score of 187.200 to put the team in a precarious position to claim one of eight sports for the nationals in mid-April at Bridgeport. Though several individuals are well on their way to qualifying, Cornell has sent a full team every year since 2001.

Seniors Tiffany Chen (vault) and Melanie Standridge (beam) were individual event winners, but Brown was able to take down Cornell with a 189.300-187.200 dual meet victory at the Pizzitola Sports Center. That came on the heels of consecutive meets scoring above 191.275, including a season-best 191.875 at the Ivy Classic.

With just two weekends remaining in the regular season, the Big Red ranks 10th in the USAG Collegiate Rankings with a RQS score of 189.615. The Bears currently sit in eighth with a 190.565. The Big Red will need to upgrade a pair of scores still figuring into the RQS and will need to better scores of 188.850 and 188.950 from the first two weeks to have a chance to earn a spot in the team championships.