The No. 24 Fighting Illini (3-4, 3-3) hosts Iowa State Friday, Feb. 26, inside Huff Hall for Senior Night and Fan Appreciation Night. The meet is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT.
SCOUTING THE CYCLONES
Iowa State enters the weekend with a regional qualifying score of 194.665. Last weekend, Iowa State finished third in a quad-meet with Nebraska, NC State and UW-La Crosse with a 194.900. The Cyclones sport a floor lineup that ranks 19th in that nation (49.030 RQS). Individually, Haylee Young ranks 23rd on floor (9.875).
ILLINI NOTES
- Illinois ranks in the top-15 in the nation in two events: 14th on beam (48.975 regional qualifying score) and 15th on floor (49.055 RQS).
- Giana O'Connor ranks 15th in the nation and fifth in the Big Ten in the all-around with an RQS of 39.240.
- O'Connor ranks 23rd in the nation on floor (9.875 RQS).
- Illinois broke the school-record beam total at Michigan State with a 49.425.
- Sunny Kato tied her own school-record on beam with a 9.950 at Michigan State.
- Two Illini earned honors from the Big Ten on Feb. 22, as the conference announced Sunny Kato as Big Ten Event Specialist of the Week and Lizzy LeDuc as the Freshman Gymnast of the Week.
- Erin Buchanan has achieved her season-best all-around total of 39.200 twice this season.
- In her first competitive season, Bridget Hodan is averaging above a 9.750 on beam and floor.
- Sarah Lyons has a team-best average of 9.780 on bars.
- Heather Foley is averaging above a 9.700 on vault, beam and floor.
- O'Connor has garnered a team-high 13 event titles on the season.
- UI sports a deep lineup with 13 of 14 gymnasts seeing competitive action this season.
LAST WEEK
The Illini produced a record-breaking beam total (49.425) to defeat Michigan State Friday night in East Lansing. Illinois totaled a season-best team score in the 196.300-195.575 victory. With the win, Illinois maintained control of the Victory Plank for the seventh straight year. Illinois garnered four titles Friday night. Sunny Kato produced a 9.950 on beam to tie the all-time school record on the event, a record she previously held. Giana O'Connor produced a 39.325 to take home the all-around crown. O'Connor also finished first on vault (9.900) and floor (9.900).
O'CONNOR'S STRONG START
Giana O'Connor has garnered a total of 13 event titles in the first seven meets of the season. O'Connor has claimed three of more event titles in a meet twice this season, including earning four crowns at Rutgers. Her performance this season moved her into sixth on the Illinois career event title list with a total of 35 titles.
ALL-AROUNDERS
UI has had four different gymnasts compete in the all-around this season. Giana O'Connor has competed in the all-around in every meet. O'Connor has garnered three all-around titles, while Mary Jane Horth earned her first all-around title of the season at Penn State and has finished in the top-3 in every meet she has competed in. Erin Buchanan and Lizzy LeDuc have also competed in the all-around in multiple meets.
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.
