The No. 19 Fighting Illini (1-2, 1-1) head to University Park, Pennsylvania, to take on Penn State (0-2, 0-1) Friday Jan. 29. The meet is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT inside Rec Hall.
SCOUTING THE NITTANY LIONS
Penn State enters the weekend with a season average of 194.350 and hasn't competed since Jan. 16 against Nebraska. The Nittany Lions were schedule to compete against Maryland last weekend, but the meet was postponed due to winter storm Jonas. In last season's regular season meeting, Illinois defeated Penn State 196.400-195.600 inside Huff Hall. The Nittany Lions have performed best on bars this season, as they rank 17th in the nation (49.00). Kiera Brown ranks 8th in the event with an average of 9.887.
ILLINI NOTES
- Illinois ranks in the top-25 in the nation in two events: 13th on beam (48.908) and 11th on floor (49.033).
- Giana O'Connor ranks T-13th in the nation and second in the Big Ten on floor with an average of 9.900
- O'Connor also ranks 17th in the nation and second in the Big Ten in the all-around (39.342)
- Mary Jane Horth ranks 23rd in the nation in the all-around (39.183)
- Mary Jane Horth is the only Illini to finish in the top-3 in the all-around in every meet this season.
- In her first competitive season, Bridget Hodan has been very consistent scoring a 9.800 on beam in every meet. The sophomore also scored a 9.800 in her first competitive floor routine last weekend.
- Competing in the all-around as a freshman, Lizzy LeDuc has hit 11 of 12 routines this season.
LAST WEEK
Competing for the first time at home this season, the Illini fell to No. 3 Michigan 196.900-195.150. Illinois garnered two event titles and five (including all-around) top-three finishes. Mary Jane Horth shared an event title on bars with a 9.900 and finished third in the all-around with a season best 39.275. Giana O'Connor also won an event by tying her career high on floor (9.925).
O'CONNOR'S STRONG START
Giana O'Connor has garnered a total of eight event titles in the first three meets of the season, including at least one on every event. O'Connor has excelled on floor where she has taken the crown in every meet. At Rutgers, O'Connor claimed four titles, finishing with the best score on bars (9.825), floor (9.875) and the all-around (39.325), while also sharing the vault title with a 9.825. Her performance this season moved her into 9th on the Illinois career event title list with a total of 30Â titles.
ILLINI DEBUTS
Six Illini have made their competitive debuts for the Orange and Blue this season. Four debuted in the season opener, including freshman Lizzy LeDuc, who competed in the all-around. Fellow freshmen Rachael Donovan and Haylee Roe competed on bars and floor, respectively, while sophomore Bridget Hodan led off on beam in her first competitive routine. Freshman Brielle Nguyen made her competitive debut on beam at Rutgers and freshman Julia Hutcherson made her competitive debut on vault against Michigan.
ALL-AROUNDERS
UI has had four different gymnasts compete in the all-around this season. Giana O'Connor, Mary Jane Horth and Lizzy LeDuc have competed in the all-around in every meet. O'Connor has garnered two all-around titles, while Horth has finished in the top-3 in the all-around in every meet. LeDuc has scored a season best 39.000. Erin Buchanan also competed in the all-around in the season opener.
2016 OUTLOOK
Landrus and the women's team are coming off a record-setting 2015 season, where the Illini posted a school-record team score of 197.350 at the Big Ten Championships and turned in a second-place finish at Big Tens. The Illini return all three 2015 All-Americans (Mary Jane Horth, Sunny Kato and Giana O'Connor) in addition to adding a talented group of five freshmen. O'Connor and standout freshman Lizzy LeDuc were named to the 2016 Big Ten Gymnasts to Watch List. UI will return 20 routines from last season.
