Michigan State Gymnastics Selected to NCAA West Regional
4/1/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
April 1, 2008
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State gymnastics team earned a selection to the NCAA West Regional on Monday night. The Spartans, the three seed in the West, will travel to Corvallis, Ore. to face Michigan, host Oregon State, Washington, San Jose State and Sacramento State. The meet is scheduled for Saturday, April 12 at 9 p.m. ET inside Gill Coliseum.
"This is the first time in MSU gymnastics history that the team has finished the regular season seeded in the top 18," said head coach Kathie Klages. "The coaching staff is very proud of the job this team has done throughout the season. With a 17th national ranking, we have been placed in the West Regional. Even though we have to cross three time zones to compete, we are looking forward to competing in a different regional. We are excited and plan to train very hard to be ready to take this program to the next level of NCAA competition."
The two teams in each regional will advance to the NCAA Championships on April 24-26 in Athens, Ga. Along with the top two teams, the top two all-around competitors, not associated with the first and second place teams, and the individual event champions, will qualify for nationals.
The Spartans will begin on vault in the first rotation. After a second rotation bye, they will move to bars and beam for the third and fourth rotations. A final bye in the fifth rotation, precedes the meet conclusion on floor.
Michigan State is currently ranked No. 17 in the country by GymInfo with a regional qualifying score of 195.620. The Spartans finished fourth at last weekend's Big Ten Championship. Three Spartans earned All-Big Ten team honors, as senior Rhiannon Banda-Scott and sophomore Nicole Curler were first team choices and sophomore Rochelle Robinson was named to the second team.
Michigan, the one-seed, is fifth in the nation with a 196.825 RQS, while the second-seeded Beavers are eighth nationally with a 196.650 RQS. Rounding out the field, Washington is 31st (194.525), San Jose State is 32nd (194.435) and Sacramento State is 35th (194.170).
For more ticket information, visit the Oregon State athletic site, www.osubeavers.com.
Players Mentioned
