Sept. 5, 2008

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. ¬- The Fighting Illini women's gymnastics team has announced its 2009 schedule, which includes 12 match-ups against teams that finished the 2008 season in the top-25. The Illini will play host to the 2009 Big Ten Championships on March 21 and the second annual IGI "Chicago Style" Invitational at Navy Pier in Chicago on February 6.

The Orange and Blue will once again begin the season by joining the men's squad in the annual Mixed Pairs Exhibition on December 5. The Illini will then hit the road to begin the regular season with a quad meet at Michigan State on Friday, January 9, before returning to Huff Hall to host Penn State on January 17 and then a double-dual meet with the Illini men against Iowa on January 24.

The Illini will once again host the IGI "Chicago Style" Invitational at Navy Pier on Friday, February 6. The meet is part of the Illinois Gymnastics Institute (IGI) "Chicago Style" Club Gymnastics Meet, which is one of the largest women's gymnastics invitationals in the world. The second annual collegiate meet will feature the Fighting Illini along with Boise State, Illinois-Chicago and Michigan State.

Illinois will then travel three of the next four weeks, including a trip out west for a quad meet at Washington and then back to the heartland for a five-team meet at Kentucky, before heading home for senior day and another double-dual meet with the Illini men against Illinois-Chicago on March 7.

Illinois will conclude the regular season schedule by returning to the Windy City on March 14 for the State of Illinois Classic, where the Illini will try to defend their unofficial state crown.

Illinois will begin its postseason by hosting the 2009 Big Ten Championships on March 21 at Huff Hall. Last season, the Illini finished runner-up to host Michigan at the championships, before going on to place third at the NCAA South Central Regional, the highest finish in Illinois history. This year, the Illini look to capture their first conference championship since 1990 on their home turf, before trying to make a run in the NCAA championships. It will be the first time Illinois has hosted the Big Ten Championships since 2003.

The Big Ten Network will televise the Big Ten Championships from Huff Hall. The remaining television schedule will be determined at a later date.

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