Auburn and Denver Notes (PDF)
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March 8, 2007
For Openers
The 20th-ranked Fighting Illini women's gymnastics team (6-5, 3-1) has a rare two-meet weekend coming up. First, the Illini host #16 Auburn at Huff Hall on Friday, March 9, at 7 p.m. They'll then head to Denver, Colo., on Sunday to face #14 Denver University. Last week Illinois scored a194.675 in a tri-meet at Illinois State, which gave them victories over the host Redbirds (187.825) and Wisconsin-La Crosse (184.175).
Live Coverage This Weekend
Friday vs. Auburn (7 p.m. CT) Live Video and Live Stats at fightingillini.com
Sunday at Denver (3 p.m. CT) Live Video and Live Stats at denverpioneers.com
Scouting the Tigers
Auburn fell last weekend to No. 12 Arkansas, 196.325-195.400, in an SEC matchup. AU was without freshman all -arounder, Krissy Voss, who was out due to sickness. All-American and 2006 SEC Gymnast of the Year Julie Dwyer is ranked sixth nationally in the all-around (39.335 RQS). The Tigers are ranked #16 with an RQS of 195.300, while their top event is the balance beam, where they is ranked #6 with a 48.960 RQS. The Tigers are coached by Jeff Thompson.
Scouting the Pioneers
Denver won its second road dual meet last weekend with a 195.550-195.100 win over No. 18 Ohio State. Senior Heather Huffaker won the all-around, vault and balance beam titles as the Pioneers won all four events. DU is #14 in the latest GymInfo rankings with an RQS of 195.590. The Pioneers are ranked ninth on the floor exercise (49.040 RQS) and are tied for ninth on vault (49.105 RQS). Denver is coached by Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart.
Illini in the Rankings
Illinois moved up three spots in the latest GymInfo rankings and is now up to #20 in the nation with a Regional Qualifying score of 194.470. The Illini were ranked 33rd after the first week of competition, but have moved up gradually each week since, making the top-18 and a seeded regional spot now within reach. Regionally, the Illini rank sixth in a loaded South Central Region, just behind #18 Missouri 194.985 and just ahead of #21 Arizona State (194.380). Eighth-ranked Nebraska is the top team in the region.
Regional Qualifying Score (RQS) takes each team's top six scores from the season, three of which must be away meets, throws out the high, then averages the remaining five scores.
Individual Rankings
Individually, the Illini also have a number of gymnasts who rank among the nation's elite. Nicole Cowart ranks in the top 100 nationally on four events - all-around (31st), beam (68th), vault (71st) and bars (100th). Julie Crall ranks 23rd on beam and Maijka Botterman is No. 60 in the all-around. Freshman Sarah Schmidt is the top-ranked Illini on both bars (90th) and floor (95th).
Illini Dominate Tri-Meet at Illinois State
Last week at Illinois State the Illini posted their second-highest road score of the season (194.675) in victories over the Redbirds (187.825) and UW-Lacrosse (184.175). Illinois had the top score on all four events and won every individual title. Freshmen Nicole Cowart (AA, UB) and Sarah Schmidt (UB, FX), along with sophomore Julie Crall (VT, BB), each took home two event titles. Senior Cara Pomeroy also tied the two frosh on bars to complete the Illini sweep.
Illinois Enjoys Record Day vs. Cyclones/Huskies
Illinois recorded its best performance of the season by over a full point in the tri-meet vs. Iowa State and Northern Illinois on Feb. 25. The 195.925 the Illini posted ranks as the third best team score in school history. The Illini tied the school record on vault with a 49.100 and put up a season-high 49.200 on bars, which is the third best score in UI history. Illinois also scored a season-high 48.875 on beam, and despite a few mistakes on floor, also posted its second-best performance of the season on floor with a 48.750.
Suki's Smooth
Freshmen Nicole Cowart, who goes by the nickname Suki, has shown no signs of inexperience in her first season with the Orange and Blue. Cowart is tied for the team lead with six event titles thus far, including three all-around crowns. She has posted five straight all-around scores of 39.000 or better, which are the top-five scores for any Illini this season. She's also won titles on vault, bars and floor, and her highest ranking on any individual event is on beam (68th in the nation), which shows how versitile she can be.
Schmidt Shines As Well
Cowart isn't the only freshman making noise this season for the Orange and Blue. Fellow frosh Sarah Schmidt, has been spectacular as of late, winning bars and floor titles at Illinois State on March 5, and ranking as the top Illini both events for the season. Schmidt had the best meet of her young career on Feb. 17 against Michigan State, tying her career-high on all-three events, bars (9.800), beam (9.75), floor (9.825), while winning her first career event title on floor. She's since set a new career-high on bars, with a 9.875 against Iowa State and NIU on Feb. 25.
Crall Stepping-up
After nearly qualifying for the NCAA Championships in the all-around last year, sophomore Julie Crall has become one of Illinois' go-to performers this year. Competing on vault, beam and floor, Crall has racked up six event titles, which is tied the team lead, including four on beam, all coming in the last five meets. Her national ranking of No. 23 on beam is tops for any Illini this season. The Cincinnati, Ohio, native has set a new career-high on all three events this season.
Pomeroy Returns to Form On Bars
Cara Pomeroy, the team's top gymnast over the past three years, struggled early in the season on bars, her top event, but seems to have rebounded to her usual form in recent meets. She's won the uneven bars in three straight meets, including a season-high 9.925 on Feb. 25, the highest score of the season for an Illini in any event. Pomeroy, a two-time first team All-Big Ten selection, is the only Illini gymnast to ever record a perfect 10.0. She accomplished this with her uneven bars performance at the 2004 NCAA South Central Regional Championships. The Ottawa, Ontario native, has won five event titles this season, three on bars and two on beam, and now has 36 event titles in her career.
Youth Being Served
Not only does this season have the making of a great one for Illinois, but the future also looks bright for the Orange and Blue. Only two of 24 routines (Pomeroy on bars and beam) are by seniors, and for most of the year 20 of the 24 routines have been by freshmen and sophomores. Sophomores Marijka Botterman (AA), Kim Kruk (AA), Julie Crall (VT, BB, FX) and Lindsey Smith (VT, FX), along with freshmen Nicole Cowart (AA) and Sarah Schmidt (UB, BB, FX) have accounted for 83 percent of the UI line-up in six of eight meets this season. Last week at ISU, Kruk competed only on bars, but juniors Michelle McGrady (BB) and Krystal Melcarek (VT, FX) stepped in to her spots on the remaining three events.
Tough Schedule
16th-ranked Auburn and 14th-ranked Denver will be ranked foes number eight and nine for the Illini this season. Thus far, Illinois is 2-5 against ranked opponents, beating #19 Ohio State at home and #18 Michigan State on the road, while falling to #6 Nebraksa, #8 Michigan, #10 Iowa State, #14 LSU and #18 Missouri.
Seniors Lead The Way
Seniors Danye Botterman, Cara Pomeroy and Melissa Singer are the tri-captains for this year's Illinois women's gymnastics team. Pomeroy, the only Illini to ever record a perfect 10, has won five event titles and is the only Illini to record a score of 9.900 or better this season, doing it on both bars (9.925) and beam (9.900). The Michigan State meet marked the return of Danye Botterman, who had not competed all season due to an ankle injury. Singer, meanwhile, contributed greatly during the previous three years, but have been inactive so far this year due to injury.
Injury Report
The Illini have yet to be at full strength this season as senior tri-captain Melissa Singer, and freshman Lori Hamilton have missed the first eight meets recovering from injuries. Hamilton is close to returning to action, while Singer continues her recovery. Senior Danye Botterman returned to the vault line-up at Michigan State (2/17) after missing the first five meets, but has not competed since. She hopes to once again become a regular in Illinois' vaulting lineup soon.
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 all home meets with a CSTV All-Access subscription ($6.95 per month), in addition to free archived video of select away meets. 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.
Up Next
Illinois will wrap-up its home schedule next Saturday, March 17, when it hosts Illinois-Chicago in a double-dual meet with the sixth-ranked Illini men. It will be the final home meet for seniors Cara Pomeroy, Danye Botterman and Melissa Singer.
