March 22, 2008
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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The 24th-ranked Fighting Illini claimed state bragging rights by winning the four-team State of Illinois Classic Saturday afternoon at Huff Hall. Illinois posted a score of 194.825 to place first in the competition, which featured all four Division I teams in the state - Illinois, Illinois-Chicago, Illinois State and Northern Illinois. UIC took second with a season-high 194.550 and was followed by NIU (193.725) and ISU (191.950).
"This is always a great meet because it has that championship feel to it," said Illini head coach Bob Starkell. "It's good preparation for Big Tens and Regionals coming up, and of course it's always great come out on top. We certainly take pride in being tops in the state."
Freshman Allison Buckley, the reigning Big Ten Gymnast of the Week, won three individual titles and now has 19 on the season. That total ranks as the third-highest total in school history behind only former Olympian Nancy Thies' totals of 34 and 24 in 1976 and '77, respectively.
"Allison has gotten all of the kinks from early in the season worked out and has been extremely consistent for us," said Starkell. "She has tremendous mental focus, and with her physical talents she's shown that she'll be a force in the Big Ten for years to come."
Illinois started off strong on vault, posting the fourth-highest score of the season on the event (48.850). Junior Marijka Botterman led the way with a season-high 9.825 on her Yurchenko full to take second overall. Buckley and sophomore Nicole Cowart tied for fourth place with 9.775s, while senior Michelle McGrady (9.750) and freshman Melissa Fernandez (9.725) also turned in solid vaults, but Orange and Blue trailed UIC, who scored a 48.900 on floor, after one rotation.
The Fighting Illini turned in a season-high 49.050 on the uneven bars to jump in front of the Flames, 97.900-97.400, after two rotations. Led by junior Julie Crall's career-high and first place score of 9.850, the Illini took five of the top six places on the event. Cowart placed third with a 9.825 and was followed by Botterman and Buckley in fourth (9.800), and senior Krystal Melcarek in sixth (9.775).
The Orange and Blue then headed to the balance beam, where Buckley turned in a beautiful performance and scored a 9.900 to win her first of three individual titles on the day. Freshman Lashlee Morris also had a big day, tying her career-high with a 9.800 to place third, however the other four Illini competitors all suffered major mistakes to continue the team's woes on the beam this season. The overall beam score of 47.825 dropped the Illini into second place heading into the final rotation with a total of 145.725, just behind UIC's 145.825.
Illinois responded to the struggles on beam with a season-high 49.100 on floor to come-from-behind and claim the state title. Buckley again led the way with a 9.875 and was followed closely by junior Lindsey Smith and Cowart, who tied for second with 9.825s. Sophomore Sarah Schmidt (9.800), Fernandez (9.775) and Botterman (9.750) also turned in solid performances on floor to close out the competition.
"The biggest positive we can take from today is the way we finished," Starkell said. "After struggling on beam, we huddled up and put it in our minds that we would finish strong, and we did that with a season-high on floor."
Buckley's all-around score of 39.350 gave the freshman her fifth all-around crown of the season. Coming off last week's near-school record performance (39.450), the Schaumburg, Ill., native now has three of the top five all-around scores in school history.
Illinois next heads to the Big Ten Championships in Ann Arbor, Mich., next Saturday, March 29. Competition at Michigan's Crisler Arena is set to begin at 2 p.m. ET/1 CT. The meet will be televised on the Big Ten Network on a tape-delayed basis. It is scheduled to air on April 3 at 7 p.m. CT.
"We're extremely excited about Big Ten's coming up next weekend," said Starkell. "It's what we train for all year and I think we're ready for it. Our mentality is to hit all of our events and then we'll see where we stand."
