Gymnastics Hosts Pittsburgh In Saturday Afternoon Meet
2/19/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
Feb. 19, 2004
EAST LANSING, Mich. -
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THIS WEEK'S ACTION
Michigan State gymnastics (7-9) hosts Pittsburgh Saturday, Feb. 21 at 4 p.m. in Jenison Field House. This contest marks the second of three consecutive home meets for State, as the Spartans hosted New Hampshire and George Washington on Feb. 14 and match up against Ohio State and West Virginia on Feb. 28 at 7 p.m.
PEAK PERFORMANCE AT SPARTAN INVITATIONAL
MSU registered an impressive 195.725 victory over New Hampshire and George Washington, which totaled out at 195.125 and 193.550, respectively. The Spartan finish marks the fourth consecutive meet in which MSU has posted a score above 195.00. State dominated its opponents, earning top scores on bars (49.200), beam (48.475) and floor (49.475). Standout Spartans on the floor included Sarah Alexander, whose 9.95 career-best performance tied the MSU all-time best, Chayla HIll (9.925) and Lauren Simpson (9.9). Not only did MSU defeat both opponents on the floor, but the Spartans sealed a State victory for the meet with the second-best floor score in Michigan State history. MSU posts a 194.668 average this season, and with its season-high 195.725 at the Spartan Invitational, has an RQS of 194.785.
CHECKING OUT PITTSBURGH
Pittsburgh (7-3-1) travels to East Lansing after having recorded the ninth-best score in Panther history, posting 194.65 in a loss to Kent State on Feb. 13.
STANDOUT PANTHERS: Sophomore April Pearson earned Pittsburgh's highest score of the meet, recording a career-best 9.85 on the vault. Senior Diandra O'Connor, whose 39.100 all-around average-score ranks her 56th in the nation, led the team with a 9.825 on bars against Kent State. Pittsburgh posts a 194.2792 average this season. The Panthers' season-high total stands at 195.3 and they have an RQS (regional qualifying score) of 194.075. Head coach Debbie Yohman is in her 18th season at Pittsburgh.
MICHIGAN STATE-PITTSBURGH ALL-TIME SERIES INFORMATION
MSU leads the all-time series against Pittsburgh 10-3. State is 4-1 in the last five meetings.
NATIONAL RANKINGS
State is currently 30th in the nation in the overall team rankings, which are currently based on average team score (194.668).
REGIONAL TEAM & INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS
As a team, MSU is ranked fifth in the Central region (Feb. 16), with an average of 194.668. Regionally, State is ranked fifth on beam, sixth on bars, seventh on floor and ninth on vault. Individually, State's Jaime Miles is ranked 26th on vault, while Kristin Merritt (11) and Victoria Iakounina (23) are among the top 30 on bars. On beam, three Spartans are ranked among the top 30, including Jaime Miles (8), Sarah Alexander (16), and Lauren Simpson (26). Freshman Chayla HIll (24) and junior Anna Hunsinger (T27) are MSU's two top 30 performers on floor, while Alexander is 13th in the regional all-around rankings.
TOUGH COMPETITION
MSU's team total average score is currently 30th in the nation; this year, the Spartans face nine teams ranked in this week's top 25, and 13 teams that are currently ranked higher than State.
REGIONAL STRENGTH
State competes in one of the toughest regions in the country in the Central Region, with regional teams from Alabama (No. 1), LSU (No. 10), Auburn (No. 14) and Kent State (No. 19).
SPARTAN SEASON SUPERLATIVES
Seven MSU returnees have set or tied career-best scores in 2004. Sarah Alexander, Julianna Karall, Leia Langhoff, Kristin Merritt, Jaime Miles, Lauren Simpson and Jennifer Yarbrough either bested or tied the following career marks:
Name Event Score Date OpponentAlexander Beam 9.900 Jan. 31 at MichiganKarall Beam 9.700 Feb. 6 at State of Michigan Classic (CMU, EMU, WMU)Langhoff Vault 9.650 Jan. 25 at Illinois Bars 9.700 Jan. 31 at Michigan Floor 9.850 Jan. 23 NEW HAMPSHIRE/GEORGE WASHINGTONMerritt Bars 9.800 Feb. 6 at State of Michigan Classic (CMU, EMU, WMU)Miles Beam 9.900 Jan. 9 LSU/ARIZONA/WESTERN MICHIGANSimpson Bars 9.850 Feb. 14 NEW HAMPSHIRE/GEORGE WASHINGTON Beam 9.875 Jan. 9 LSU/ARIZONA/WESTERN MICHIGAN Floor 9.900 Feb. 14 NEW HAMPSHIRE/GEORGE WASHINGTONYarbrough Beam 9.850 Jan. 25 LSU/ARIZONA/WESTERN MICHIGAN Floor 9.850 Feb. 1 NEW HAMPSHIRE/GEORGE WASHINGTON
QUALIFIED RETURNEES
The Spartans return eight letterwinners from last year's squad, including 2003 All-Big Ten selections Sarah Alexander (first team) and Lauren Simpson (second team).
SMART OUTSIDE THE GYM, TOO
The Spartans' team grade-point average of 3.469 was the 10th best in the nation, and seven gymnasts earned National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches/Women (NACGC/W) Academic All-American honors in 2003. 2003 senior Ilene Cohen became just the second Spartan to earn NACGC/W academic honors in each of her four years at State. Teammates Julie Devaty, Anna Hunsinger, Lauren Simpson and Lindsey Voth were all repeat honorees, while Diana Crea and Leia Langhoff made the list for the first time in their careers. Additionally, eight Spartans - Cohen, Devaty, Hunsinger, Kristin Merritt, Kristina Peterson, Simpson, Voth and Jennifer Yarbrough - were named to the 2003 Academic All-Big Ten team.
RECAPPING LAST WEEK
The 15th annual Spartan Invitational came down to the final rotation as Michigan State fed off its home crowd to post a 195.725, claiming the Invitational crown. New Hampshire registered 195.125 while George Washington rounded out team scoring with a 193.550. Michigan State has now posted scores above 195.00 four consecutive weeks and moves to 7-9 for the season.
Sarah Alexander led the Spartans in the event, registering a 9.95 performance, a season-high. In addition to the event title, Alexander was honored with the Pam Poe Award, bestowed upon the gymnast with the best artistry at the Invitational.
Michigan State produced a team vault score of 48.575 to open the Invitational as Miles and Hill led the Spartans in the event with scores of 9.75, respectively. The Spartans posted a team bars score of 49.200, also a season-high. Individually, three different gymnasts posted marks of 9.85 as Iakounina, Kristin Merritt and Lauren Simpson led Michigan State.
Alexander led the Spartans - and all competitors - on beam with a 9.875 as Michigan State posted a team score of 48.475. Miles registered a 9.8 while Iakounina and Simpson posted 9.75s, respectively. Yarbrough rounded out MSU scorers with a 9.3.
HEAD COACH Kathie Klages
Head coach Kathie Klages (Central Michigan '77) is in her 14th season at the helm of Michigan State gymnastics. In that time, she has posted a 222-111-2 record, good for a .667 winning percentage. Her teams have participated in seven NCAA Regional Championships in her time at State, including 2002 and 2003. In 2003, MSU finished fifth at the regional. Klages was named NCAA Central Region Coach of the Year in 2000, 1998, 1996 and 1993. She earned Big Ten Coach of the Year honors in 1996. She is a member of the National Association of Women's Gymnastics Judges and holds a National ranking.
**THE SPARTANS** Sarah Alexander - Sophomore - Co-Captain - Kernersville, N.C.
Won floor and beam titles at the Spartan Invitational (2/14)... Was MSU's only finisher in the top three of any event against Michigan (1/31), where she tied for the beam title (9.900), and tied for third on both floor and in the all-around... Won the floor (9.925) and all-around (39.250) titles at Illinois (1/25)... Had a 9.825 on floor at Florida (1/23)... Took second on the beam with a score of 9.875 in the season opener (1/9)... Named first-team All-Big Ten in 2003... MSU's leading all-arounder in 2003, she earned a first-place finish in the all-around with a 39.425, a new career best and the second-highest score in school history (2/22/03), and tied the score on March 1... Set career highs at Pittsburgh (3/15/03) on vault with a 9.900 and tied her career high on bars (9.875) at the same meet... Matched the school record and won the event title on floor against Michigan and Pittsburgh on (3/22/03)... Earned a 9.825 in her debut vault against Oregon State and Auburn (1/10/03)... Kinesiology major.
Nicole Anderson - Junior - Kenosha, Wis.
Tied her career-best floor score with a 9.875 at Illinois (1/25)... Has recorded at least a 9.650 on vault in four meets, and has four 9.675s to her name... Had a 9.800 on floor at Michigan (1/31)... In 2003, she posted a career-best score of 9.800 on the vault at Ohio State (1/25/03)... Also claimed third place on the vault (9.800) and second place on the floor exercise (9.850) at Ohio State (1/25/03)... Tied for second and set a career best on the floor exercise (9.875) in the State of Michigan Classic (2/2/03)... Scored a 9.875 on floor to tie her career best against Ball State and Central Michigan (3/1/03)... Family community services major.
Kristen Coleman - Freshman - Cornwall, Ontario
Career-best 9.825 on bars came in the Spartan Invitational (2/14), topping her previous career high of 9.775, which she set at Illinois (1/25)... Tied for the event title with a career-best 9.825 on vault at Illinois (1/25)... Scored 9.650 on vault in her second collegiate meet at Central Michigan (1/18)... Kinesiology major.
Chayla HIll - Freshman - Hudson, Ohio
Recorded her career high of 9.925 on floor at the Spartan Invitational (2/14)... Career-best 9.825 on vault came at Illinois (1/25), where she earned a share of the event title with teammate Kristen Coleman... Recorded a 9.90 on floor at Illinois (1/25)... 9.850 on floor at Michigan (1/31)... Posted 9.750 on vault and 9.825 on floor at Florida (1/23)... Recorded a 9.750 on floor exercise in her collegiate debut (1/9)... No-preference major.
Anna Hunsinger - Junior - Co-Captain - Elizabethtown, Ky.
Competed in five meets for the Spartans before suffering a season-ending injury... Season-high 9.850 on beam came against Michigan (1/31)... Recorded a season-best 9.850 on floor at Illinois (1/25) to go along with a 9.800 on beam... Posted a 9.725 on beam and 9.800 on floor exercise at Central Michigan (1/18)... In 2003 she tied for third on floor with a career-high score of 9.900 against Michigan and Pittsburgh (3/22/03)... Earned a career-best 9.800 on vault at the State of Michigan Classic (2/2/03)... Posted a 9.875 on floor to claim a share of the event title against Illinois (2/22/03)... Finished third in the all-around with a season-high 38.900 at Ohio State (1/25/03)... NACGC/W Academic All-America in 2002 and 2003... Academic All-Big Ten in 2003... Kinesiology major.
Victoria Iakounina - Freshman - Woodbridge, Va.
Recorded a 9.850 on bars in the Spartan Invitational (2/14)... Competed in the all-around twice, with a career-best of 38.175 at Michigan (1/31)... Set then-career bests of 9.800 on vault and 9.800 on bars at Florida (1/23) and Illinois (1/25), respectively... Season and career bests on beam (9.800) and floor (9.225) came at Central Michigan (1/18)... No-preference major.
Julianna Karall - Sophomore - Chicago, Ill.
Competed on beam at Michigan, posting a career-best 9.700... Did not compete in 2003... Business administration and pre-law major.
Leia Langhoff - Sophomore - Midland, Mich.
Set three career bests in 2004, with a 9.700 on bars at Michigan (1/31) and a 9.650 on vault and 9.800 on floor at Florida (1/23)... Set a then-career high on vault with a 9.625 at the Fox Run Invitational (2/15/03)... NACGC/W Academic All-America honoree... ...No-preference major with plans to major in geology.
Kelli Maxwell - Freshman - Grand Ledge, Mich.
Has not competed in 2004.. .Kinesiology major.
Kristin Merritt - Junior - Racine, Wis.
Competed on bars at the State of Michigan Classic (2/6) and the following week in the Spartan Invitational, recording a 9.800 and a 9.850, respectively... Tied for fourth with a career-best 9.850 on the bars in the State of Michigan Classic (2/2/03)... Finished in a tie for fourth on the bars (9.800) at Iowa (2/8/03).. .Set a season high of 9.700 on beam against Illinois (2/22/03)... Academic All-Big Ten in 2003... Has not competed in 2004... Kinesiology major.
Jaime Miles - Sophomore - Sterling Heights, Mich.
Has recorded at least a 9.800 on beam in five of Michigan State's seven meets... Set a career-best 9.900 on beam in MSU's first meet of 2004 (1/9)... Posted a 9.800 on beam at Florida (1/23) and 9.875 at Illinois (1/25)... Competed as an all-around performer several times in 2003... Posted a then-career-best 9.775 on the balance beam at the Rutgers Quad Meet (3/8/03... Kinesiology major.
Jaclyn O'Brien - Freshman - Hartland, Mich.
Freshman from Hartland, Mich.. Has not competed in 2004... Kinesiology major.
Jenna Rivers - Freshman - Hauppauge, N.Y.
Has not competed in 2004... General business/pre-law major.
Lauren Simpson - Junior - Linden, Mich.
Tied her career-best bars score in the Spartan Invitational (2/14) with a 9.850... Also set her career floor score with a 9.900, good for third place in that event... Set a career-high score of 9.875 on beam in the season opener to go along with a 9.800 on bars (1/9)... Posted a 9.8 on beam and a 9.725 on bars at Michigan (1/31)... Earned second-team All-Big Ten honors in 2003... Competed in the all-around in nine meets... Set career-best scores on every event in 2003... Posted a new career-high all-around score of 39.250 and balance beam 9.825 against Michigan and Pittsburgh (3/22/03)... Set career-best floor against Ball State and Central Michigan (3/1/03)... Won vault title with a career-high 9.850 at the Rutgers Quad meet (3/8/03)... Career-best bars score (9.850) earned second place against Illinois (2/22/03)... Took second in the all-around at the Rutgers Quad Meet with a 39.050 (3/8/03) and with a 38.825 at Pittsburgh (3/15/03)... Academic All-Big Ten in 2003... NACGC/W Academic All-America honoree in 2002 and 2003... .Lyman Briggs School zoology major.
Lindsey Voth - Senior - Sarasota, Fla.
Has not competed in 2004... Competed on vault seven times in 2003, and beam once... Also saw action as an exhibition performer on vault, beam and floor several times... Earned a season-best score of 9.725 on vault against Central Michigan and Ball State (3/1/03)... Twice honored as an NACGC/W Academic All-America selection (2002 & 2003)... Earned Academic All-Big Ten accolades in 2002 and 2003... Has not competed in 2004... Kinesiology major.
Jennifer Yarbrough - Junior - Williamston, Mich.
Set a career best on beam at Illinois (1/25) with a 9.850... Had a 9.825 on bars at Illinois (1/25)... Recorded a 9.725 on floor exercise at Central Michigan (1/18)... Posted a 9.825 on beam against LSU, Arizona & Western Michigan (1/9)... Scored 9.800 on the uneven bars against Illinois (2/22/03), Ball State and Central Michigan (3/1/03) and Pittsburgh (3/15/03)... Set a career-high score of 9.900 on the uneven bars to tie for second place against Michigan and Pittsburgh (3/22/03)... NACGC/W Academic All-America honors in 2003... 2003 Academic All-Big Ten accolades... Business/pre-law major.
Players Mentioned
