Final Results | Nadalie Walsh Interview 

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The University of Illinois women's gymnastics team posted numerous program and career-best marks to secure a season-high 196.700 team score for first place in Sunday's tri-meet at Huff Hall. Illinois topped Lindenwood (195.625) and Bowling Green State University (195.325) on Senior Night. Four Illini won five individual event titles as each tallied a 9.900 or higher in their respective events.

The Orange and Blue trailed Bowling Green State through the first two rotations, 98.300-98.100, but a strong beam rotation of 49.275 from the Illini pushed UI into the tri-meet lead. Illinois finished the meet with a season-best 49.325 on floor to secure the team victory.

Freshman Nicole Biondi won her second all-around title with a career-high 39.425, while also winning a share of the floor title, tallying a 9.900. Senior Bridget Hodan won the beam title with a program and career-best 9.950. The beam title is the fourth of the season for the senior. Sophomore Rae Balthazor secured the bars title with a career-high mark of 9.950, the fifth-highest score on the apparatus in program history. Fellow-sophomore Karen Howell won a share of the floor title with a career-high 9.900.

Illinois honored seniors Jordyn Givens, Bridget Hodan, Mary Jane Horth and Sarah Lyons following the meet.

Up next, the Orange and Blue will travel to Chicago for the State of Illinois Classic next Sunday. Competition begins at 2 pm.

Illini Notes

• Illinois hit a season-high 196.700 team score, tied for the ninth-highest team score in program history.
• UI notched a season-high 49.325 on floor, also tied for the ninth-highest floor score in team history.
• The Orange and Blue tallied five scores of 9.900 or higher after only hitting seven 9.900 or higher marks entering Sunday's competition.
• Hodan scored a career-high 9.950 on beam, good for the program's highest score on beam.
  • The senior also matched her career-high score on vault with a 9.825 to lead the Illini during the rotation.  
• Balthazor hit a career-best 9.950 on bars, the program's fifth-highest score on the apparatus. The last Illini to score a 9.950 on bars was current-senior Mary Jane Horth at the 2017 Big Ten Championships.
  • Rae also tallied a career-best 39.350 in the all-around.
• Biondi hit career-high marks on beam (9.875), floor (9.900) and in the all-around (39.425).
• Howell hit a career-best 9.900 on floor and equaled her career-high score on beam with a mark of 9.900.
• Sophomore Lindsay Dwyer scored a career-best 9.850 on bars.
• Senior Jordyn Givens matched her career-high tally on bars with a 9.850.

Illini Quotes

"I just saw an unbelievable amount of trust in each other and trusting their training. I am just so proud of them for being able to compete so well on Friday and then come here and just know that they could own Huff Hall. The team had so much positive energy and I am just so proud of them." – head coach Nadalie Walsh

"It really was a great weekend for us. Coming off of a double meet weekend, we were all a little tired and a little sore, but we had a lot of momentum going. It just shows that we did our job today and we have so much more building to do. It is exciting that it is during the right time of the season as we are moving to the postseason. Such a confidence boost for us." – senior Bridget Hodan.

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