Gymnastics Ranked 24th in Preseason GymInfo Poll
11/22/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
Nov. 22, 2009
EAST LANSING, Mich. - As announced by GymInfo on Monday, Nov. 16, the Michigan State gymnastics team has been tabbed as the 24th-ranked team in the preseason national poll. The Spartans, who are coming off an 11-win season a year ago, are one of six Big Ten schools ranked in the top-25. Joining MSU is Penn State (11th), Michigan (12th), Illinois (13th), Ohio State (18th) and Minnesota (22nd), while Iowa sits outside of the top-25 in 29th.
MSU returns 12 members from the 2008-09 season, and welcome three newcomers to the lineup in 2009-10. Joining Michigan State this season is transfer Daneen Haba (Germantown, Tenn.), as well as freshman Taira Neal (Normal, Ill.) and Shanthi Teike (Columbus, Ind.).
Michigan State will rely on the senior leadership of Nicole Curler (Bay City, Mich.) and Rochelle Robinson (Chesapeake, Va.), who are both three-time All-Big Ten honorees. Robinson, who tallied 10 top-three finishes, including six first place marks, ended the 2009 campaign ranked 21st nationally and fifth in the region on the uneven bars. Curler concluded the 2009 season ranking 29th nationally and 10th in the region on the balance beam.
The Spartans will host their annual Green and White Meet on Saturday, Dec. 12, at Jenison Field House. The first regular season meet will be a tri-meet with Penn State, West Virginia and Western Michigan on Friday, Jan. 8, 2010, at 6 p.m. in Jenison.
Players Mentioned
