Gymnastics Tabbed Fifth in Inaugural Big Ten Preseason Poll
12/8/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
Dec. 8, 2009
EAST LANSING, Mich. - As announced by the Big Ten Conference office today, Tuesday, Dec. 8, the Michigan State gymnastics team was tabbed to finish fifth by the coaches in 2010 in the inaugural Big Ten Preseason poll. Also, senior Nicole Curler (Bay City, Mich.) and junior Kelsey Morley (Elkhart, Ind.) were named to the 2010 Gymnasts To Watch List, as selected by head coach Kathie Klages.
The Spartans, who were ranked 24th in the GymInfo preseason poll, are coming off their 19th-consecutive winning season and return 12 members from a season ago.
Curler, who placed seventh in the all-around competition at the NCAA Central Regional Championships in 2009, is a three-time All-Big Ten honoree and concluded the 2009 season ranking 29th nationally and 10th in the region on the balance beam.
Morley, who was named to the All-Big Ten second team in 2009, set a program record on balance beam with a 9.975 vs. Florida on Feb. 14. She ended the season third nationally, and first in the region and Big Ten on the balance beam.
Penn State, who finished third in the conference in 2009, was picked first for this upcoming season. Illinois follows the Nittany Lions in second, while Michigan and Ohio State are third and fourth place, respectively.
The Spartans will host their annual Green and White Meet on Saturday, Dec. 12, at Jenison Field House at 2 p.m. 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
