March 10, 2004
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This Week
The No. 39 Fighting Illini (7-7, 2-0 Big Ten) will host the State of Illinois Classic at Huff Hall this Saturday afternoon. The "unofficial state title" features the state's four Division I teams: the U of I, Illinois-Chicago, Illinois State and Northern Illinois. It will be the final home meet of the season for the Orange and Blue. The meet gets underway at 2 p.m.
Scouting the Flames
UIC (4-12) is ranked 43rd in the most recent GymInfo rankings with an RQS of 194.515. The Flames finished fourth against three Top-20 teams at the Washington Quadrangular last weekend with a score of 195.175. Alyson Cacciatore led the way for the Flames with a 39.175 in the all-around to take seventh place. Back in January, Illinois topped the Flames in Chicago, 193.025-192.75. Illinois and UIC, along with Southeast Missouri State, are in a tight race for what could be the final South Central Regional spot. Illinois is seventh in the region (194.815), SEMO is eighth (194.520) and UIC is ninth (194.515). UIC is coached by Peter and Mary Jansson, who are in their 15th season with the Flames.
About the Redbirds
ISU (3-14) holds the No. 58 spot in the rankings with a 191.660 RQS. Last week, the Redbirds took third in a four-team field at the Missouri Corvette Cup with a score of 191.75. Erin Cunningham tied for first on the uneven bars at the meet with a career-high score of 9.875. Illinois and ISU have met twice already this season, with the Illini prevailing in both. The Illini topped the 'Birds 194.85-190.175 in a triangular meet at Ohio State in January and then again 194.225-192.925 at Huff Hall two-weeks ago. ISU is coached by U of I alum Kristin Montero, who is in her first season with the Redbirds.
Getting to Know the Huskies
NIU (6-7) is ranked 48th in the GymInfo rankings with a 193.770 RQS. The Huskies took second at the Missouri Corvette Cup last weekend with a score of 192.875. Katie Willett tied for first on the uneven bars (9.875) in the four team meet, while Kristina Campos took third in the all-around (38.725) and Ashlee Williams took fifth (38.450). Illinois opened the season with a 193.675-193.150 win over the Huskies in DeKalb. NIU is coached by Mark Sontag, who is in his fifth season with the Huskies.
Live Scoring On FightingIllini.com
Fans will be able to follow along as the Illini compete at the State of Illinois Classic this weekend. At the end of each rotation, live updates will be posted at www.FightingIllini.com.
Alumni Reunion
At least 35 former Illinois gymnasts are expected to be on hand to support the Fighting Illini at the State of Illinois Classic this weekend. Following the meet, there will be a reception for the alumni at the Bielfeldt Athletic Building from 5-7 p.m.
Illinois in the State of Illinois Classic
The Orange and Blue will be looking to capture their first "unofficial state title" under fifth-year head coach Bob Starkell. Illinois last won the title in 1999, when they tied for the title with Illinois-Chicago. Illinois also won the Classic in 1998 and '96 and has won seven State titles since 1985. UIC has won the last four Classic titles. Last season, the Flames put up an impressive 196.8 to top Illinois' 195.75 in DeKalb. Northern Illinois finished third (195.65) and Illinois State was fourth (194.875).
Regional Watch
One of the team's goals this year is to earn an invitation to the NCAA South Central Regional meet in April. Illinois has not gone to regionals since 1999, but with two weeks left in the season it is clinging to one of the final spots in this year's field. Figuring out the regional field is not easy. The top-18 teams in the national rankings - regardless of region - are guaranteed spots at regionals, and then the next three teams from each region get in as well. This week there are four South Central Region teams in the top-18 (No. 11 Arizona, No. 12 Oklahoma, No. 13 Nebraska and No. 17 Missouri), meaning Illinois, at No. 7 in the region would be in if the season ended today. However, SEMO and UIC are both right on Illinois' heels for that No. 7 slot, and Michigan is right on Missouri's heels for a top-18 spot. If Missouri drops out and only three South Central teams are in the top-18, only six teams from the South Central region would earn a regional bid.
Home Sweet Home
After brutal stretch in which they had three meets in an eight day span, with six of those eight days spent either on the road or traveling, the Illini will be happy to be back in the friendly confines of Huff Hall once again this weekend. Saturday's meet will be the final one at Huff Hall this season. The Illini have posted their top three scores of the year (195.700, 195.450 and 194.925) at home.
Kapernekas Clicking
Co-captain Kara Kapernekas has battled through injury to become Illinois' most consistent performer once again. Last week at No. 17 Auburn she won her team-leading ninth event title of the season by scoring a 9.850 to tie for first on the beam. Prevously the Illinois all-around record holder, Kapernekas was unable to compete on vault for much of the season due to a back injury, however that changed on 2/21 vs. Ball State. That night, the junior competed vault and all-around for the first time this season and finished second with a solid score of 39.125. Kapernekas also had a big night on floor vs. the Cardinals, tying her own school record with a 9.950 - receiving a 10 from one judge. Since then she has competed all-around three-more times. Against Illinois State on 2/27 she won the all-around with a 39.000 and also took first on the balance beam (9.800) and floor exercise (9.825). Against Auburn, she took second in the all-around with 38.950. Kapernekas is currently ranked 71st in the nation on beam (9.845).
Fabulous Freshmen
Freshmen Danye Botterman and Cara Pomeroy have made a huge impact during their rookie campaigns. Last week at No. 17 Auburn, Pomeroy won the uneven bars (9.900) to claim her seventh event title of the season, her fifth on bars. The Ottawa, Ontario native has now scored at least a 9.85 on the uneven bars in seven of the last eight meets. She currently ranks 31st in the nation on bars (9.880 RQS). She has also been solid on beam as of late, posting scores of 9.75, 9.80 and 9.725 the last three weeks.
Botterman has made a huge impact on vault, an event where the Illini needed the most help coming into the season. The New Lenox, Ill. native has won five vault titles so far this season and scored at least a 9.800 in seven of her first eight meets. She has also been one of Illinois' top floor performers and recently made the uneven bars line-up as well. Last week at Auburn, she tied her career-high by scoring a 9.700 on bars. Botterman is currently ranked 90th in the nation (9.835 RQS) on vault.
In The Rankings
The Fighting Illini remained #39 in the GymInfo rankings this week with a Regional Qualifying Score (RQS) of 194.815. RQS is computed by taking a team's top six scores, a miminum of three on the road, throws out the high and averages the other five. The Orange and Blue rank 44th on vault (48.505), 32nd on bars (48.6805), 34th on beam (48.765) and 33rd on floor (49.165).
Auburn Meet Review
Kara Kapernekas and Cara Pomeroy each tied for an event title as the Illini posted their second-best road score of the season last Friday night at Auburn. The No. 17 Tigers took the win 196.350-194.825 and avenged an upset loss to the Illini last season at Huff Hall. Freshman Cara Pomeroy turned in a beautiful 9.900 performance to tie first place on the uneven bars. Kara Kapernekas scored a 9.850 on beam to tie for first place, earning her team-leading ninth event title of the season and her fifth on beam. She also scored a 38.950 in the all-around to place second.
Bama Breaks All-Around Mark
Alabama native Ashley Williams, the 2002 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, has won two all-around titles this season for the Illini with scores 39.225 and 39.475, and recently posted a solid score of 39.025 at the prestigious Master's Classic to take sixth place against some of the best gymnasts in the nation. Her score of 39.475 against Ball State on 2/21 broke teammate Kara Kapernekas's school record of 39.375 by a full tenth. In that meet, Williams not only set the all-around mark, but also set or tied career-highs in winning the vault (9.850) and beam (9.900) and in addition to taking second on bars (9.825) and floor (9.900). She is currently ranked 69th in the nation in the all-around (38.950 RQS).
Wild Flooring The Competition
After an injury plagued freshman season, sophomore Katie Wild has been a regular on the UI beam and floor line-ups in 2004. The Mendota Heights, Minn. native has been the Orange and Blue's most consistent floor exercise performer, having scored at least a 9.725 in each competition this season. She has scored a career high of 9.875 on two occasions, once vs MSU and also vs. Iowa State. Last week she placed fourth on floor vs. Auburn (9.850) and sixth on beam (9.775). Wild is currently ranked 124th in the nation on floor with an RQS of 9.845. She opened the season with a win on beam vs. Northern Illinois.
Dann Shines in Lead-off Role
Junior Margaret Dann has been steady as a rock at the top of the beam line-up this season. She played a key role in Illinois' strong finish against Iowa State on Valentine's Day, after the team struggled for the second straight meet on bars. Dann, up first up on beam, turned in one of her best performances as an Illini (9.800) to get the team back on track. The Illini went on to post season-best scores on beam (49.050) and floor (49.275) to close out the meet. Last week at Auburn, she turned in another 9.800 performance to lift the Illini to a 48.875 beam score. Over the last two seasons, Dann has been one of Starkell's most consistent performers on beam, competing almost exclusively in the lead-off position.
Champaign Sara
Champaign native and Central HS graduate Sara Dumich has once again been one of Illinois' most consistent floor performers. The junior has scored at least a 9.750 in each of the last five meets, including a season-high 9.825 vs. No. 5 Iowa State and a 9.800 vs. three top-20 teams at the Master's Classic in Nebraska. A former walk-on, Dumich first cracked the UI floor line-up last season after two years on the squad. At 5-11, Dumich is the tallest gymnast in Illinois history.
Starkell Inks Two Recruits for 2005
In November, UI Head Coach Bob Starkell signed Michelle McGrady and Krystal Melcarek to national letters of intent for the 2004-2005 season. McGrady is a native of Buffalo Grove, Ill. where she helped lead Stevenson High School to the 2002 and 2003 Illinois State gymnastics titles while placing second individually on the uneven bars and floor exercise. She is a four-time Level 10 regional qualifier and was an alternate for the Junior Olympic National Region 5 team in 2002. Melcarek, who hails from Mukwonago, Wis., was the 2002 Wisconsin state all-around champion and was a Junior Olympic National qualifier in 2002 and 2003. She is in her fourth year as captain of the Salto Gymnastics Club and is a four-year honor roll student.
"This recruiting class is strong and both young ladies seem to have general love for the sport of gymnastics," said Starkell of the new Fighting Illini. "Krystal and Michelle will definitely make an impact as freshman and will continue to excel at the collegiate level."
Up Next
The Illini will head to Minneapolis, Minn. to compete in the 2004 Big Ten Women's Gymnastics Championships. Competition gets underway at 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 20. The Illini will try to improve on their sixth place finish at Huff Hall last season. Live scoring updates will be available during the meet at the Big Ten website (www.bigten.org).
