Feb. 8, 2007
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The Fighting Illini women's gymnastics team (2-2) travels to Ann Arbor, Mich. this Friday, Feb. 9, to face #8 Michigan and #6 Nebraska at the Crisler Arena . The meet marks the third Big Ten opponent the Illini will face this season. Illinois is ranked #28 in the latest GymInfo rankings with a 193.500 average, while the Wolverines are #8 with an average of 195.381, and the Cornhuskers are #6 with an average of 195.694.
Scouting the Wolverines
Michigan posted a 195.775 to place second in a five-team meet in East Lansing, Mich. including Michigan State, Western Michigan, Central Michigan and Eastern Michigan. The Wolverines are coached Bev Plocki, who is in her 18th season as head coach.
Scouting the Cornhuskers
Nebraska posted a score of 195.050 Friday, Feb. 2 in Lincoln, Neb., but it was not enough to beat Oklahoma who posted a 195.075. The Cornhuskers are coached Dan Kendig, who is in his 14th season as head coach.
Last Week vs. Ohio State
Last Saturday the Illini captured their second team victory of the year, 194.950-194.000, over the Ohio State Buckeys at Huff Hall. As a team, the Illini won two of four events. Nicole Cowart led the Orange and Blue by winning both the floor exercise (9.800) and the all-around (39.125). Julie Crall claimed the title on the beam with a 9.825. Meanwhile, Sarah Schmidt had a personal-best and placed second on beam with a 9.750.
Cowart Leads Team to Victory
In last Saturday's win over Ohio State, freshman Nicole Cowart paced the Illini by winning two events in front of the home crowd at Huff Hall. She surpassed her previous highs in both the floor and the bars with scores of 9.800 and 9.775, respectively. Her floor score was enough to carry her to her first event title of the night. She also won the all-around with a score of 39.125.
Pommie Bounces Back
After struggling in her first meet of the year, senior tri-captain Cara Pomeroy bounced back at LSU by claiming a first place finish on the balance beam (9.825), as well as a second place finish on the uneven bars (9.825). Pomeroy then won the balance beam with a career-high tying score of 9.900 against Iowa last week. Pomeroy is a two-time first team All-Big Ten selection and is the only Illini gymnast to ever record a perfect 10.0 with her uneven bars performance at the 2004 NCAA South Central Regional Championships. She now has 33 career event titles in her illustrious career after winning the beam against Iowa.
Freshmen Catching on Fast
Freshmen Nicole Cowart and Sarah Schmidt have shown no signs of inexperience in their first four performances of the season. Against Missouri in her first collegiate competition, Cowart took home the vault title (9.850) and also placed third in the all-around (38.250). Then against Iowa she posted her highest all-around score of the season with a 38.825 before winning the all-around (39.125) and floor (9.800). Schmidt had the best meet of her young career on Jan. 17 against Iowa, finishing second on floor with a 9.825 while competing on three events. Then last weekend against Ohio State, Schmidt tied for second on both bars (9.800) and beam (9.750).
Illini in the National Rankings
Balance beam had been Illinois' strongest event so far this season. In the Feb. 5 GymInfo rankings, the Illini rank 15th in the nation with an event average of 48.531. Illinois posted its top score of the season against Iowa with a 48.850. Cara Pomeroy and Julie Crall have led the way, posting season-high scores of 9.900 and 9.875, respectively.
Injury Report
The Illini have yet to be at full strength this season as senior tri-captains Danye Botterman and Melissa Singer, and freshman Lori Hamilton have missed the first three meets recovering from injuries. Botterman and Hamilton are close to returning to action, while Singer continues her recovery.
Keep up with the Orange and Blue at fightingillini.com
Gymnastics fans can get the latest on the Illini at fightingillini.com, the official website of Illinois athletics. Live scoring will be available for all home meets at fightingillini.com, and Live streaming video will be available for the four remaining home meets of the season with a CSTV All-Access subscription ($6.95 per month). Be sure to check out what life is like outside the gym for the Fighting Illini by reading "Illini Ink", the weekly blog that is written by a different UI gymnast each week. Also, photo galleries are added to the site on a weekly basis, making it easy to follow the Orange and Blue.
Up Next
After Saturday's meet against Nebraska and Michigan, the Illini will remain on the road as they battle Michigan State in East Lansing, Mich., Saturday, Feb. 17. The meet will be the fourth Big Ten test for Illinois.
