Oct. 14, 2009

2009-10 Women's Gymnastics Schedule

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The 2010 Fighting Illini women's gymnastics schedule was announced on Wednesday by head coach Bob Starkell. The schedule includes six home meets and 10 opponents who finished the 2009 season in the top 25. Illinois, which reached the NCAA Championships for the first time in school history last season, will face a challenging non-conference slate and square off against every Big Ten team on this year's docket.

The Illini will once again begin the season by joining the men's squad in the annual Mixed Pairs Exhibition on December 6 before heading west for the first regular season meet. The Orange and Blue will travel to Corvallis, Ore., to begin the regular season at the Salbasgeon Suites Invitational against Oregon State, Air Force and Alaska on Friday, January 8, before heading to Lincoln, Neb., on Friday, January 15 to square off against Nebraska and Minnesota at the Bob Devaney Sports Center, the site where Illinois made its first appearance at the NCAA Championships last year.

Illinois returns to Champaign a week later for its first home meet against Oklahoma on Saturday, January 23 at Huff Hall, before beginning Big Ten competition with two road meets on Saturday, January 30 at Iowa and Saturday, February 6 at Penn State.

The Illini will once again host the IGI "Chicago Style" Invitational at Navy Pier on Friday, February 12. 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 third annual collegiate meet will feature the Fighting Illini along with Nebraska and Denver, who both ended last year with top-20 rankings, and Iowa.

Two days later, the Orange and Blue begin a month stretch with four of the five meets at home. Illinois hosts Michigan State for its annual "Pink Meet" on Sunday, February 14 and travels to Minnesota on February 20 followed by three straight Saturday home meets. The Illini welcome Michigan on February 27, Ohio State on March 6 and Missouri on March 13 for senior day and a double-dual with the Illini men's gymnastics team.

Illinois will conclude the regular season schedule in Normal, Ill., on March 20 for the State of Illinois Classic, where the Illini will try to defend their unofficial state crown for the third consecutive season.

Illinois will begin its postseason in Columbus, Ohio, at the 2010 Big Ten Championships, hosted by Ohio State on March 27. Last season, the Illini hosted the conference meet and finished runner-up to Michigan, before placing second at the NCAA West Regional to earn the program's first-ever bid to the NCAA Championships. This year, the Illini look to capture their first conference championship since 1990, before trying to make a repeat run in the NCAA championships.

The six sites hosting the 2010 NCAA Women's Gymnastics Regionals on April 10 are Kentucky, Utah, Missouri, West Virginia, UCLA and Penn State. The NCAA National Championship will be held at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center April 22-24 on the campus of the University of Florida.