March 4, 2004
Complete Women's Gymnastics Notes in PDF Format
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This Week
The No. 39 Fighting Illini (7-6, 2-0 Big Ten) travel to Auburn, Ala. this Friday for a match-up against the No. 17 Auburn Tigers. The meet is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Last season the Illini upset the #13 Tigers at Huff Hall by the score of 194.925-193.975. The all-time series between the two teams is tied at 3-3.
Scouting the Tigers
Auburn (7-4) is ranked 17th in the most recent GymInfo rankings with an RQS of 196.365. The Tigers split a pair of road meets last weekend, losing to LSU 197.525-195.600 on Friday night and then topping Centenary 196.725-195.375 on Sunday. Against Centenary, the Tigers broke the school beam record with a 49.600, led by freshman Rachael Tarantino's perfect 10. Courtney Puckett is AU's leading all-arounder. Puckett was a second-team All-American last season on the uneven bars and has won two all-around titles so far this year. Freshman Shanna Somero injured her achilles tendon last weekend in the LSU meet and is out for the season.
The Tigers are coached by Jeff Thompson, who was named SEC Coach of the Year in 2003 after leading the Tigers to a 12th place finish at the NCAA Championships. He and his wife, assistant coach Rachelle Thompson, both spent had two-year stints on the Illinois coaching staff in 1992 and '93. Jeff was an assistant coach, while Rachelle served as a volunteer coach and as the team choreographer.
Live Scoring On The Web
Fans will be able to follow along as the Illini take on Auburn this weekend. The Auburn website will be posting live scoring updates at www.auburntigers.com.
Bama Returns Home
Alabama native Ashley Williams will be looking to have a big meet in the return to her home state this weekend. The 2002 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, who was recruited by Auburn, has won two all-around titles this season for the Illiniwith scores 39.225 and 39.475, and posted a solid score of 39.025 at the prestigious Master's Classic last week 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 thaat meet, Williams not only set the all-around mark, but all set or tied career-highs in winning the vault (9.850) and beam (9.900) and also took second on bars (9.825) and floor (9.900). She is currently ranked 57th in the nation in the all-around (38.950 RQS) and 92nd on beam (9.810).
ISU Meet Review
The Illinois women's gymnastics team defeated Illinois State by a score of 194.225 - 192.925 on senior night in front of 889 fans at Huff Hall last Friday night. Illinois won every event except for the balance beam, and featured the winner on all four events. Junior Kara Kapernekas won both the balance beam (9.800) and floor exercise (9.825) on her way to the all-around crown with a score of 39.000. Other winners for the Illini were Dayne Botterman on vault (9.800) and Ashley Williams on the uneven bars (9.825).
Master's Classic Review
For their second meet of the weekend, the Illini competed against three of the best teams in the nation Sunday at the prestigious Master's Classic in front of 2,040 fans in Lincoln, Neb. The Illini posted a score of 194.025 to take fourth place. No. 7 Nebraska won the Classic for the 11th year in a row with a score of 196.525, while No. 5 Florida was second (196.350) and No. 26 Arizona State was third (195.625). Cara Pomeroy was Illinois's top finisher on the day with a 9.850 to tie for fifth place on the uneven bars. Ashley Williams carded an all-around score of 39.025 to take fifth place, and also took eighth on the balance beam with a 9.825.
Kapernekas Clicking
Former Illinois' all-around record holder Kara Kapernekas had been unable to compete on vault this season due to a back injury, however that changed on 2/21 vs. Ball State. That night, the junior co-captain competed vault and all-around for the first time this season and finished second in the all-around with a solid score of 39.125. Kapernekas also had a big night on floor, tying her own school record with a 9.950 - receiving a 10 from one judge. Since then she has competed all-around two-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). Then at the Master's Classic she carded a 38.500 in the all-around after falling on her vault attempt. So far this year, Kapernekas has won eight event titles and is ranked 75th in the nation on beam (9.825) and 85th on floor (9.85).
Fabulous Freshmen
Freshmen Danye Botterman and Cara Pomeroy continued their rookie success last week vs. Illinois State and at the Master's Classic. Pomeroy took third on the uneven bars (9.775) vs. ISU and followed that up with Illinois' top performance at the Master's Classic by taking fifth place on bars (9.850) and ninth place on beam (9.800). She currently ranks 31st in the nation on bars (9.870 RQS). So far this season, Pomeroy has won six event titles, two on beam and four on bars.
Botterman won the vault for the fifth time this season with a 9.800 vs. ISU. She won the vault in her first three collegiate meets with scores of 9.825 or better and then won her fourth title two weeks ago with a 9.850 vs. Ball State. This season, Botterman has scored at least a 9.800 in seven of nine meets and is ranked 78th in the nation (9.835 RQS) on vault. The New Lenox, Ill. native has also been one of the Orange and Blues top performers on floor.
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 second on floor vs. ISU (9.800) and tied for ninth place on beam at the Master's Classic (9.800). Wild is currently ranked 104th in the nation on floor with an RQS of 9.840. She also opened the season with a win on beam vs. Northern Illinois.
In The Rankings
The Fighting Illini dripped five spots to #39 in the GymInfo rankings this week. 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. Illinois' RQS is 194.585. The Orange and Blue rank 42nd on vault (48.505), 35th on bars (48.665), 31st on beam (48.705) and 30th on floor (49.120).
Up Next
The Illini return to Huff Hall for the final time this season next weekend when they host the State of Illinois Classic on Saturday, March 13 at 2 p.m. The "unofficial state title" features the state's four Division I teams, the Fighting Illini, Illinois-Chicago, Illinois State and Northern Illinois.
