Lady Bulldog Gymnasts Host End of Season Awards Banquet

Team and individual accomplishments were featured at the end of the season awards banquet hosted by the Milbank gymnastics team on Tuesday, March 3. 

Kelly Wollschlager, head coach for Milbank, commented, “Varsity had a great season with many accomplishments and lessons learned. 

Wollschlager went on to say, “Although it was a shorter season with only five meets, the JV team started their season with a 105.7 and reached a high team score of 113.65.” Together they increased their routine values by gaining new skills and confidence to perform skills by themselves. This reduced deductions they would normally receive from being spotted.”  Wollschlager concluded by saying, “These girls’ futures are bright and all of us as coaches are excited to see them continue to grow in life and the sport!”

Letter Winners and Awards along with Comments from Coach Wollschlager:

Junior Macyn Dunnihoo competed and lettered as a varsity gymnast. Macyn competed in the All-Around, upgraded her vault to a handspring full, switched up her bar routine to decrease execution deductions. She added new jumps and tumbling dismounts on the beam. She also cleaned up her floor routine throughout the season.

Eleven of 13 of her vault scores were state qualifying scores (8.7 or above). Thirteen of 13 of her floor scores were also state qualifying scores (8.8 or above). Macyn received a score of 9.6 at both the Sisseton Invitational and the Hendricks Quadrangular to break  the school Floor record of 9.55 set by Courtney Trapp during the 2011-2012 season.  Macyn competed in the All-Around on Team Day at the state meet. She qualified on the Vault, Beam, and Floor for Individual Day, and she placed in Vault (16th), Beam (25th), and Floor (11th). 

Macyn received the top score on the Vault (9.1), Bars (8.2), Floor (9.6), and All-Around (35.3). She also made the most points on the Vault (114.775), Bars (89.3417), Floor (119.6917), and All-Around (400.8751). The coaches voted Macyn the winner of the Coaches Award.

Sophomore Raina Untalan competed and lettered as a varsity gymnast. Although Raina is not usually a Bar competitor, she still worked hard during bar practice and gained her low bar and high bar kips. She also upgraded her Vault to a handspring full and cleaned up her dance and tumbling on Floor. Raina was known as our go-to Beam Queen with her solid jumps and flight tumbling pass. Riana competed on Team and Individual Day at State on the Vault, Beam, and Floor. During Individual Day, she placed Vault (12th), Beam (33rd), and Floor (23rd). Raina received the top score and most points on the Beam – her top score at  8.9 and her total points at 108.175.

Freshman  Aria Prasnicki competed and lettered as a varsity gymnast. Aria competed in the All-Around last year for about half the season and then became our Bar girl. She worked hard in the off season and became an All-Arounder this whole season. She gained many new skills, cleaned up her current skills, gained confidence, and  increased her All-Around by over three points. 

Aria competed in the All-Around for the team at the state tournament, and she qualified individually on the Vault (29th place), Bars (personal best of 7.9167 for 23rd place), and Floor (34th place). Aria was voted Most Improved by her teammates. She also received  the Rookie of the Year award from the coaches.

Freshman Jada Leigh Wellnitz competed and lettered as a varsity gymnast. Jada Leigh worked hard and added new skills to her routines. She cleaned up her floor dance and tumbling, and  increased her All-Around score from last year by 2.5 points. Jada Leigh competed at the state meet on Vault, Bars, and Floor on Team Day. She qualified individually on the Vault  and finished by placing 42nd.

Eighth- grader Marley Pinkert competed and lettered as a varsity gymnast. Marley has improved a lot throughout the season with Beam as her main event. She increased her jump values with more difficult jumps and cleaned up her tumbling pass of  cartwheel-cartwheel. Marley competed on the Beam at the state tournament onTeam Day.

Eighth-grader Nuria Rodriquez competed and lettered as a varsity gymnast. Nuria competed in the All-Around throughout the season, increased her score from the beginning by almost two points, and gained many new skills. Nuria is known for her beautiful and unique dance passage on the Floor, that includes a switch leap-straddle-ring jump. Nuria competed in the All-Around at the state tournament on  Team Day. She qualified individually in the Floor Exercise and finished 39th.

Eighth-grader Timbree Spors competed and lettered as a varsity gymnast. Timbree fought through many injuries, but was always at practice cheering on her teammates, helping out with tasks, or working on her strength to stay in shape. Timbree became one of our top Bar girls. She gained a new skill – an overshoot superior release– to increase her starting value and improve her personal best score by over .45 since last year. She also competed on Bars at the state tournament on Team Day. She finished 31st on Individual Day. Timbree’s teammates voted her Most Dedicated and Hardest Worker.

Eighth-grader Abigail Benike competed and lettered as a JV gymnast. Abigail was recognized for having the most points per event in all events: Vault-38.85, Bars-28.8, Beam-32.65, Floor-36.75, and All-Around-137.05. Abigail was also honored for receiving the top score on the Beam at 7.45.

Eighth-grader Tenley Bohn competed in JV and varsity, and she received a Varsity Major M Letter. Tenley earned the top scores for the JV:  Vault-8.4, Bars-7.6, Floor-8.55, and All-Around-30.8. Tenley became our “back-up” girl for varsity and did a great job being thrown in where she was needed due to sickness or injuries.

Eighth-grader Elise Graham competed and lettered as a JV gymnast. Elise gained many new skills, especially in the Floor Exercise. She completed her round-off back handspring- back handspring by herself for the first time. Elise also increased her All-Around score by over five points from last season.

Eighth-grader Alesana Olson was recognized for completing her first year in gymnastics. She competed and lettered as a middle school gymnast. Alesana started the season knowing very little about gymnastics, but she worked hard, learned, and improved.

Seventh-grader Isabelle Karels competed and lettered as a JV gymnast. Isabelle was able to increase her All-Around score by over three points throughout the season. Isabelle worked hard at each practice and gained many new skills.

Seventh-grader Khloe Barnett competed and lettered as a JV gymnast. Khloe cleaned up her skills, gained more skills, and increased her All-Around score by over two points throughout the season.

Seventh-grader Kinleigh Brandenburger competed and lettered as a JV gymnast. Kinleigh gained many new skills and enough confidence in her skills to perform them by herself and take away the spotting deduction in her scores.

Seventh-grader Ariana Prisinger  was also recognized for completing her first year in gymnastics. Ariana was able to be a part of the middle school and the JV team to letter as a JV gymnast. Her determination and hard work helped her gain many new skills and stick with the other girls who have been performing gymnastics for a few years.

Coaches for the 2025-26 season included Wollschlager, Michele Benike, Miranda Dunnihoo, and Amber Fraasch.

“With no seniors graduating on the team this season, we look forward to working hard during the off season upgrading and increasing our skills,” said Wollschlager.

Submitted photos: Top-V Back, Left–>Right: (Asst. Coach) Michelle Benike, (Asst. Coach) Amber Fraasch, Aria Prasniki, Raina Untalan, Jada Leigh Wellnitz, Macyn Dunnihoo, (Head Coach) Kelly Wollschlager, (Asst. Coach) Miranda Dunnihoo. Front, Left–>Right: Marley Pinkert, Nuria Rodriguez, Timbree Spors, Tenley Bohn.
Second- JV Left–>Right: Abigail Benike, Isabelle Karels, Kinleigh Brandenburger, Khloe Barnett, Elise Graham, Alesana Olson, Ariana Prisinger.
Third- V Left–>Right: Timbree Spors, Aria Prasnicki, Raina Untalan, Macyn Dunnihoo.
Fourth-JV: Abigail Benike and Tenley Bohn.
Bottom-V & JV -Back, Left–>Right: Timbree Spors, Aria Prasnicki, Raina Untalan, Macyn Dunnihoo, Nuria Rodriguez, Tenley Bohn, Jada Leigh Wellnitz.
Front, Left–>Right: Abigail Benike, Isabelle Karels, Kinleigh Brandenburger, Khloe Barnett, Elsie Graham, Marley Pinkert, Alesana Olson, Ariana Prisinger.