Gymnastics Introduces Victory Plank with Meet at Illinois
2/12/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
Feb. 12, 2010
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State gymnastics team (8-3, 3-2 Big Ten) will travel to Illinois this weekend for a dual against the Fighting Illini on Sunday, Feb. 14, at 3 p.m. ET. An interesting twist added to this year's competition is the debut of "The Victory Plank". "The Victory Plank" is a trophy that will be awarded to the yearly winner between the two teams. Both schools will also don pink leotards Sunday to help raise awareness to cancer.
On the season, MSU has an average team score of 194.146, which ranks fourth in the conference and 22nd in the nation. The Spartans are currently tops within the conference, and 16th in the nation, on the beam with an average score of 48.521. MSU currently is third in the conference on the vault with an average score of 48.838, a score that is 21st-best in the nation. The Green and White are currently ranked fifth in the conference on both the bars (48.263) and the floor (48.525).
Individually, there are several Spartans who rank in the top-10 within the conference. Senior Nicole Curler is currently seventh in the all-around with a 38.796 average score. Curler also ranks fourth on the beam with an average score of 9.817, which is also the 20th-best score in the nation. Joining Curler is fellow senior Rochelle Robinson. Robinson is third in the conference, and 12th in the nation, on vault with a 9.865 average score.
Last weekend the Spartans traveled to Kalamazoo, Mich. for the Michigan Classic hosted by Western Michigan. MSU battled strong, placing second behind Central Michigan with a score of 194.550. Leading the Green and White on the uneven bars was Robinson, who posted a first-place score of 9.800. Curler once again found her way to the podium when she placed second in the all-around with a score of 39.075.
The Fighting Illini enter the weekend with an average team score of 194.430, third within the conference. Illinois is led on the vault by Allison Buckley who is currently second in the conference with an average score of 9.780, a score that is also 11th-best in the nation. As a team on the vault, UI has an average score of 48.825, ranking fourth in the conference and 22nd in the nation. Illinois currently boasts the fourth-best average bars score in the conference (48.535) and second-best beam score (48.415). The Fighting Illini is also third on the floor with a 48.655 average score. Also leading Illinois on the floor is Buckley who is sixth in the conference, and 22nd in the nation with a 9.805 average. Buckley is also fifth in the all-around in the conference with a 38.910 average.
The Spartans will return next weekend, Feb. 20, to East Lansing for a meet against New Hampshire. Action is scheduled to begin against the Wildcats in Jenison Field House at 1 p.m.
Players Mentioned
