MT. PLEASANT, Mich. — The tears were well-earned.

Seneca Valley graduate Jessica Suder, a former member of the Butler Gymnastics Club and a senior gymnast at Central Michigan University, recently won the Mid-American Conference balance beam championship.

"When I finished my beam routine, when I landed ... I knew that I won inside," Suder said. "It was such an incredible feeling. I started crying.

"I had just completed the best routine of my life. That was everything I wanted for the past four years. My emotions just came out," she added.

Suder scored a 9.875 on the beam, helping the 24th-ranked Chippewas capture their first MAC team title since 2004.

CMU coach Jerry Reighard wasn't as certain Suder won the MAC balance beam title as his gymnast was at the time of her performance two weeks ago.

"There's 16 competitors in an event and it's hard to calculate places while it's going on," he said. "I knew she stuck it, though. I knew she was close.

"When she won it, I was elated," the coach added. "What a rewarding moment for a deserving competitor."

Suder finished sixth in the nation on the balance beam as a Level 10 gymnast her senior year with the Butler Gymnastics Club.

When she accepted a scholarship to Central Michigan, she was primed for a great collegiate career.

Then the injuries set in.

"I've been in gymnastics since I was 4," Suder said. "I don't recall ever being injured until I got to college."

She suffered a stress fracture in a foot the summer before her freshman year at CMU. She fractured a heel the summer before her sophomore season, then broke a finger in December of that year.

Suder competed in only four meets as a sophomore because of those injuries. She competed in all 13 meets as a freshman — twice in the all-around — and scored a 9.700 or higher on both balance beam and floor exercise in each of the final three meets.

Suder placed sixth on the balance beam at the MAC Championships as a freshman.

"Jessica had a great freshman year and I envisioned her as an all-around gymnast in our program," Reighard said. "But as her injuries mounted, she seemed to lose an event per year.

"The beam was a good event for her and that's what we wound up focusing on. She's overcome a very stressful career here."

Suder underwent surgery on her left ankle after her sophomore season. After rehabbing from that, she had an injury-free junior campaign, winning first place on the beam in five meets and placing eighth in the event at the MAC Championships.

"I didn't learn any new skills," Suder said. "After all these years, what I have is what I have. It was just hard rehabbing to the point I could get back on the beam and perform at a high level."

With high expectations for herself entering her senior season, Suder was greeted by more setbacks. She suffered a severely sprained right ankle in September and missed eight weeks.

Her first week back, she broke her right foot and missed another eight weeks. Suder's final season didn't get started until late January.

"Gymnastics is such a demanding sport," Reighard said. "Feet and ankle injuries are commonplace, unfortunately. Once injuries like that occur, they soften the bones

"Jessica is such a dedicated and committed athlete. She was determined to make something of her season."

Suder admitted she almost gave up along the way. Her best friend dropped out of school her sophomore year. Coupled with the injuries, she lost some of her drive as a result."It was hard on me," she said. "Sitting around watching my teammates practicing and getting better and better. ... I told my coach I wasn't happy, that I was thinking of getting out."To this day, I'm not sure why I stayed with it. I just love it so much deep down, I guess," Suder added.Suder and her Chippewas teammates aren't done. Central Michigan is competing in the NCAA Regional in Lexington, Ky., Saturday with five other teams: No. 1 Alabama, No. 12 Nebraska, No. 13 Illinois, No. 20 Kentucky and Michigan State.The top two teams from that regional advance to the NCAA Championships — a place Central Michigan has never been."I like our chances. We can get through this," Reighard said."It's exciting," Suder said of the regional. "Our team keeps getting better. This is a chance for another big moment before I'm done."Suder is majoring in public relations with a minor in advertising. She hopes to get into public relations work with a professional sports team and is pursuing an internship with the Pittsburgh Penguins.Gymnastics will be viewed through her rear-view mirror."It's time to move on," she said. "I may wind up coaching part time, on the side or something, but gymnastics won't be a huge part of my life anymore."I've loved it, I'll remember it and I'm going to cherish that (MAC) title. But it's time."