Feb. 13, 2008
ILL vs. MSU in PDF Format
Illinois vs #22 Michigan State
Saturday, Feb. 16, 2008 // Huff Hall // Champaign, Ill. // 7 p.m.
TV: Big Ten Network-HD (Steve Schlanger and Rob Brown)
Tape Delayed on Feb. 21 at 5 p.m. CT
The Meet
The Fighting Illini return home this Saturday, Feb. 16, as they take on No. 22 Michigan State at 7 p.m. at Huff Hall. The meet will be a double-dual meet, with the #5 Illinois men's team taking on #1 Penn State at the same time. The Illini topped the Spartans in both meetings last season, once head-to-head in East Lansing, Mich. (194.700-193.925), and again at the Big Ten Championships in University Park, Pa. (195.250-192.650).
On the Tube
Saturday's Illinois-Michigan State meet will be broadcast nationally on the Big Ten Network (HD). It will mark the second BTN gymnastics broadcast for the Illini. The meet will air tape-delayed on Thursday, Feb. 21 at 5 p.m. with Steve Schlanger and Rob Brown calling the action. The Big Ten Network is available on DirecTV Ch. 220 and Dish Network Ch. 439. The Illini's next meet on the network will be the Big Ten Championships on Saturday, March 29 in Ann Arbor, Mich, which will air tape-delayed on Thursday, April 3 at 7 p.m. CT.
In the Rankings
The Illini are currently ranked just outside the top-25, at No. 26 in this week's GymInfo rankings, down two spots from last week, and are seventh in the South Central Region. Illinois ranks 22nd in nation and 4th in the South Central Region on bars (48.465) and 25th in the nation on vault (48.615). Freshman Allison Buckley is currently ranked 24th in the nation on floor exercise (9.845), 49th on vault (9.820) and 61st in the all-around (38.765), while sophomore Nicole Cowart is ranked 76th in the all-around (38.675) and 82nd on bars (9.755). The Illini have been ranked as high as No. 19 this season (after week one).
About the Spartans
Michigan State comes into this Saturday's meeting as the 22nd-ranked team in the nation with a 194.155 team average. Last weekend, the Spartans defeated Maryland at home by a score of 195.925-192.925, marking the 12th highest score in program history. Michigan State is led by sophomores Nicole Curler, a first team All-Big Ten selection last year, who currently ranks among the nation's top-100 on beam (t-19th), floor (t-63rd) and all-around (79th), and Rochelle Robinson, an 2007 NCAA Championships qualifier on vault and first team All-Big Ten selection.
Looking Back
Last weekend, the Illini turned in their second highest score of the season while placing third in a loaded field at the first IGI "Chicago Style" College Invitational at Navy Pier in Chicago. Illinois posted season-high scores on the balance beam and floor exercise to finish with a total of 194.775 behind No. 9 UCLA (196.875) and No. 11 Stanford (196.700). Washington placed fourth in the competition with 194.250. Freshman Allison Buckley posted the team's top scores on three events en route to a season-high 39.200 all-around score. Buckley posted a career-high score of 9.875 on beam to tie for second place on the event behind four-time All-American Anna Li of UCLA. Buckley also earned a 9.875 on floor to tie for fifth overall, while placing seventh in the all-around and tying for ninth on vault (9.800). Junior Marijka Botterman led the Illini on uneven bars with a score of 9.775.
Crall-ing Back
Junior Julie Crall returned this year after suffering a season-ending Achilles' tear on March 9 of last season. Crall had been a top performer for the Illini in each of her first two seasons earning her second team All-Big Ten honors in both her freshman and sophomore campaigns. Last week, she ranked sixth in the nation on beam before suffering a fall over the weekend in Chicago. Crall has also been competing bars for the Illini, earning a career-high 9.725 this past weekend in Chicago.
Buckley Off to Blazing Start
Freshman Allison Buckley has wasted no time making a name for herself in the Illini program. The Schaumburg, Ill. native has competed in the all-around competition in every meet this year, capturing eight individual titles and 12 top-3 finishes. Last week in the Chicago Style meet, she posted a personal best all-around score of 39.200, earning second place on beam (9.875), fifth on floor (9.875), and ninth on vault (9.800).
Other Fresh Faces
Three other talented freshman joined the 2008 Fighting Illini squad, with two of them seeing action in the first half of the season. Melissa Fernandez has been an early contributor on the vault, beam, and floor, while Lashlee Morris has been in the beam line-up in every meet, and has seen action the past two weeks on bars and floor in the absence of sophomore Sarah Schmidt. Samantha Perino competed exhibition the last two meets on beam and floor and is pushing to crack the line-up on both.
BIG TEN NETWORK women's gymnastics broadcast schedule
Feb. 14, 5 pm - Ohio State at Iowa from Feb. 9
Feb. 18, 5:30 pm - Minnesota at Michigan from Feb. 16
Feb. 21, 5 pm - Michigan State at Illinois from Feb. 16
Feb. 28, 5 pm and March 2, 3 pm - Penn St. at Ohio St. from Feb. 24
March 27, 6 pm - Maryland, Rutgers, Nebraska at Penn St. from March 21
About the Big Ten Network:
The Big Ten Network is dedicated to covering the Big Ten Conference and its 11 member institutions. The Big Ten Network provides unprecedented access to an extensive schedule of conference sports events and shows; original programs in academics, the arts and sciences; campus activities; and associated personalities. Sports programming includes live coverage of more major men's and women's events than ever before, along with news, highlights and analysis, all complemented by hours of university-produced campus programming. For more information regarding the Big Ten Network, visit www.BigTenNetwork.com.
