Gymnastics Competes In State Of Michigan Classic Saturday
2/5/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
Feb. 5, 2004
EAST LANSING, Mich. -
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A LOOK AT THE WEEK AHEAD
Michigan State gymnastics takes on No. 17 Michigan, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan on Friday, Feb. 6 at 8 p.m. in the 2004 State of Michigan Classic. It's the second week in a row in which MSU will travel to Ann Arbor to compete in Crisler Arena.
CHECKING OUT THE STATE OF MICHIGAN CLASSIC FIELD
CENTRAL MICHIGAN: The Spartans took second to Central Michigan in a close meet Jan. 18, 193.975-193.025. The Chippewas are 4-3 on the season, and set a school record with a 194.975 in their season opener at Stanford. Head coach Jerry Reighard is in his 20th season.
EASTERN MICHIGAN: EMU's best score of the season, 192.975, came at Bowling Green in the first meet of the year. The Eagles are 1-2 in three dual meets this season. They are coached by Steve Wilce.
MICHIGAN: MSU fell to UM Saturday, Jan. 31, 197.075-195.250. That score was UM's best of the season. Led by all-arounders Elise Ray, Calli Ryals and Lindsey Bruck, Michigan claimed the Big Ten title in 2003. Head coach Beverly Plocki is in her 14th season.
WESTERN MICHIGAN: The Broncos are 0-3 on the season, and set a season-best 193.150 on Jan. 18 against Ball State. MSU and WMU met in the teams' season opener in Jenison Field House on Jan. 9, where State scored 193.250 to the Broncos' 192.125. Head coach Terry Karwoski is in her sixth year.
A LOOK BACK AT THE 2003 STATE OF MICHIGAN CLASSIC
Michigan State won the 2003 State of Michigan Classic, held in Jenison Field House, scoring 195.075. Central Michigan was second (194.900), Michigan took third (193.900), Eastern Michigan finished fourth (192.525) and Western Michigan was fifth (192.000). Win the win against Michigan, State became the first Big Ten team to defeat Michigan in more than four years, snapping the Wolverines' streak of 40 consecutive wins against Big Ten opponents.
STRONG SHOWING AT MICHIGAN
For the second consecutive week, Michigan State posted a score above 195.00, with a 195.250 at Michigan on Jan. 31. With NCAA Regional bids based on regional qualifying scores (RQS), the Spartans have helped themselves with two 195.00-plus scores set on the road this season.
ALEXANDER: ALL-AROUND CONSISTENCY
State sophomore co-captain Sarah Alexander scored a 39.250 in the all-around at Michigan on Jan. 31, the second consecutive week in which she's scored better than 39.00. She shared a part of the event title on beam at UM, with a 9.90.
MSU BEAM NATIONALLY RANKED
The Spartans are ranked No. 18 in the country on beam and third in the region with an average team score of 48.08.
REGIONAL TEAM & INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS
MSU is ranked sixth in the Central region (Feb. 2), with a team average of 194.285. In contrast to recent years, balance beam is clearly the Spartans' current strength, as MSU is third in the region in that event. State is eighth on bars, ninth on floor and 10th on vault. Individually, MSU's Victoria Iakounina (24) and Sarah Alexander (28) are among the top 30 on bars. On beam, four Spartans are ranked among the top 30, including Jaime Miles (8), Alexander (22), Jennifer Yarbrough (T28) and Lauren Simpson (T28). Freshman Chayla HIll (24) and junior Anna Hunsinger (25) are MSU's two top 30 performers on floor, while Alexander is 11th in the regional all-around rankings.
TOUGH COMPETITION
MSU's team total average score is currently 32nd 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.
FRESHMEN CONTRIBUTING EARLY
Michigan State has three freshmen gymnasts who are stepping up early in the 2004 season, as Kristen Coleman, Chayla HIll and Victoria Iakounina have all contributed to the programs' high scores this season. Iakounina, the daughter of former Soviet National Team gymnasts, was the Spartans' top scorer in two events both at Central Michigan and Illinois. At Illinois, Iakounina's 9.800 was State's best vault, while she was MSU's top finisher on bars with a score of 9.725. Hill has recorded at least a 9.750 on vault in each of the last four meets, including a 9.825 at Illinois on Jan. 25. Additionally, she has not scored below 9.750 on floor in her four career collegiate meets. Hill posted a 9.900 at Illinois on Jan. 25, taking second to teammate Sarah Alexander, and scored 9.85 on the event at Michigan. Coleman, a member of Ontario's National Team, had the best meet of her young career at Illinois on Jan. 25, with a 9.825 on vault, a 9.775 on bars and a 9.750 on floor.
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. 14), Auburn (No. 16) and Kent State (No. 19).
SPARTAN SEASON SUPERLATIVES
Five MSU returnees have set or tied career-best scores in 2004. Sarah Alexander, Leia Langhoff, 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 MichiganLanghoff Vault 9.650 Jan. 25 at Illinois Bars 9.700 Jan. 31 at Michigan Floor 9.800 Jan. 23 at Florida (NCSU, UIC)Miles Beam 9.900 Jan. 9 LSU/ARIZONA/WESTERN MICHIGANSimpson Beam 9.875 Jan. 9 LSU/ARIZONA/WESTERN MICHIGANYarbrough Beam 9.850 Jan. 25 LSU/ARIZONA/WESTERN MICHIGAN
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
Michigan State gymnastics fell to Michigan in Ann Arbor Saturday, 197.075-195.250. Sarah Alexander recorded a 39.250 in the all-around for the second consecutive meet to lead the Spartans. MSU's team score is its second above the 195.00 mark this season. Freshman Victoria Iakounina recorded a 9.775 on vault, leading MSU in that event, good for fourth place. From there, Alexander was State's highest placewinner on bars, beam and floor. Alexander recorded a 9.800 on bars, a 9.900 on beam and a 9.875 on floor. Her beam score tied her for the event title, while her floor score was good for a tie for third place in that event. MSU junior Anna Hunsinger was MSU's second-best performer on beam with a 9.850. State posted team scores of 48.500 on vault, 48.625 on bars, 49.050 on beam and a 49.250 on floor. State's beam and floor scores are its second-highest of the season in each of those events.
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 218-109-2 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. 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 Tied for the event title with a career-best 9.825 on vault at Illinois (1/25)... Also set a career high on bars at Illinois with a 9.775 (1/25)... Scored 9.650 on vault in her second collegiate meet at Central Michigan (1/18)... Kinesiology major.
Chayla HIll - Freshman - Hudson, Ohio 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. Has competed in all five meets for the Spartans... 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. Competed in the all-around twice, with a career-best of 38.175 at Michigan (1/31)... Set 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. Has not competed in 2004... 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. Has not competed in 2004... 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 each of the last three 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. 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
