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Synchronized skaters take sixth in international match

Feb. 22, 2010

KALAMAZOO--Western Michigan University's senior women's synchronized skating team placed sixth out of 10 teams during an international synchronized skating competition in Milan, Italy, this month.

WMU's team was one of just two from the United States competing in the 2010 Spring Cup Feb. 13-14. The second team was a private club team from Minnesota that competed in the junior division. The senior competition consisted of 10 teams from six countries: Austria, Canada, Germany, Italy, Russia and the United States.

WMU skated its short program to "Rhythm of the Night" by Valeria and its free skate to a William Joseph medley. The team finished sixth despite having a team member who suffered a serious injury during free skate practice and was unable to compete in this event.

The team secured a spot in the international match by finishing sixth at the 2009 U.S. Synchronized Skating Championship in Portland, Maine. The WMU team also won its 2009 international assignment, the Jegvirag Cup in Miskolc, Hungary.

Exhibition event Saturday, Feb. 27

The WMU senior synchronized skating team will be taking part in an exhibition event at 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 27, at Wings Stadium in Kalamazoo. Tickets are $7, $6 for seniors, and no charge for children three years old and younger.

The team's head coach is Leslie Graham, a 2006 WMU alumna who skated for four years on the WMU team. This year's team members include:

• Margaret Anderson, a freshman from North St. Paul, Minn., studying psychology
• Rebecca Billings, a freshman from Jefferson City, Miss., studying biomedicine and chemistry
• Jennifer DeMarco, a junior from North Canton, Ohio, studying elementary education
• Ashtynn Edenhofer, a freshman from Elmhurst, Ill., studying psychology
• Jori Erlander, a freshman from Northboork, Ill., studying elementary education
• Amanda France, a senior from Plymouth, Minn., studying secondary education and psychology
• Victoria Helmus, a sophomore from Naperville, Ill., studying exercise science
• Lindsey Huryn, a junior from Rocky River, Ohio, studying criminal justice
• Bobbi Lipke, a sophomore from Darien, Ill., studying elementary education
• Aynna Lloyd, a senior from Kalamazoo studying speech language pathology and audiology
• Courtney Mannes, a senior from Kalamazoo studying public relations
• Laura Mapes, a junior from Fairfax Station, Va., studying early childhood education
• Sarah Schweitzer, a senior from Saline, Mich., studying psychology
• Amy Signer, a sophomore from Bartlett, Ill., studying film, video and media studies
• Laura Smith, a junior from Kalamazoo studying communication
• Amanda Strzalkowski, a junior from Royal Oak, Mich., studying criminal justice
• Chelsea Wipfler, a sophomore from St. Charles, Miss., studying psychology
• Katrina Wright, a sophomore from Harrisburg, Pa., studying fashion merchandising

For more information, contact Leslie Graham at lpgraham02@aol.com or (508) 740-1167.

Media contact: Deanne Puca, (269) 387-8400, deanne.puca@wmich.edu

WMU News
Office of University Relations
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5433 USA
(269) 387-8400
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