Women's Gymnastics Breaks Into Top 20
1/12/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
Jan. 12, 2000
East Lansing, Mich. - After receiving votes in the preseason coaches poll, the Michigan State women's gymnastics team moved into the top 20 this week in a poll based on high score. Alabama is No. 1 at 195.750. MSU's 190.625 last weekend places it 20th. Other Big Ten teams in the top 25 include No. 3 Michigan (194.925), No. 4 Minnesota (194.800), No. 19 Ohio State (190.650) and Illinois (190.450).
In individual events, Michigan State is ranked No. 10 on the floor exercise (48.375), No. 13 on the uneven bars (48.100) and No. 23 on the vault (47.475).
For a complete list of rankings visit www.troester.com.
NEXT MEET - Michigan State travels to Columbia, Mo., for the Mizzou Gymnastics Xtreme, featuring Missouri, Illinois, Kent, Western Michigan and MSU, on January 16 at 2 p.m. CT.
SERIES RECORDS - MSU is 12-5 against Missouri and won the last meeting, 190.925-188.725 on Jan. 10, 1999 in East Lansing, the season opener for both squads.
Michigan State is 20-6 against Illinois. The Illinois beat Illinois the last time the teams met, 193.800-191.600 at the 1999 Big Ten Championships.
The Spartans are 21-2 over Kent and have won the last two meetings. The teams last met in 1998.
MSU brings an undefeated 32-0 series record into this meet against Western Michigan. MSU won 193.075-189.550 at last year?s Michigan Classic on Feb. 6, 1999.
LAST MEET - The Spartans fell to three top-20 opponents in the season opener for all four teams at The Summit in Lansing on Saturday, January 8. No. 10 LSU won the meet with a score of 192.600. No. 12 Oregon State placed second at 191.100, followed by No. 20 Ohio State (190.650) and Michigan State (190.625).
The Spartans were cruising along in second place after two rotations but had a tough balance beam outing, scoring just 46.675. The team rebounded on the floor, posting a 48.375, the highest event total of the night.
?We looked awesome but then struggled on our nemesis, the balance beam,? said MSU head coach Kathie Klages. ?It was a total team effort with kids stepping up and getting the job done all around. The freshmen did a very nice job in their collegiate debuts.?
Jane McIntosh placed fourth on the floor exercise with a 9.800 while freshman Christy Linder the only Spartan all-arounder, scored a 37.675 to finish third. Senior Polly Kiker notched a second-place finish on the uneven bars with a 9.800, while Elisabeth Forshier took fifth on the vault with a 9.700. Toni Duce was the highest-placing Spartan on the balance beam at 9.625, finishing 11th.
FRESHMAN GOES ALL-AROUND - Rookie Christy Linder finished third in the all-around in her first collegiate meet, scoring 37.675 against Ohio State, Oregon State and LSU on Jan. 8. She was MSU?s only all-arounder in the meet.
DEBUTS - Five of MSU's seven freshmen counted scores in the Spartans' first meet. One, Kristina Petersen, is injured, and the other, Ilene Cohen, performed as an exhibitionist.
IN THE RANKINGS - The Spartans received votes in the preseason coaches poll, on January 1, 2000. Illinois and Missouri also received votes in the poll.
COMPETITIVE SCHEDULE - Ten teams MSU faces in 2000 are included in the top 25 this week. Three of the teams: LSU (No. 13), Oregon State (No. 18) and Ohio State (No. 19) the Spartans competed against last week. MSU will also go up against No. 3 Michigan, No. 9 Denver, No. 12 New Hampshire, No. 17 Central Michigan, No. 21 Illinois and No. 25 Southeast MIssouri State in the regular season. At the Big Ten Championships, Michigan State will face No. 4 Minnesota as well.