Illinois Hosts Big Five Meet at State Farm Center
The No. 19 Fighting Illini women's gymnastics team will host the Big Five Meet on Saturday, March 11 at 2 p.m. CT at the newly-renovated State Farm Center. Joining Illinois at the Big Five Meet will be Maryland, Michigan State, Nebraska and Ohio State. The five-rotation meet will determine the seeding for the Big Ten Gymnastics meet next Saturday (March 18) in Piscataway, N.J. Illinois placed fourth last season with a 195.950 team score, but in 2015, the team earned a first-place finish with a 196.050.
Illinois Notes
• Illinois is ranked 8th in the nation on the balance beam with an RQS of 49.270, 19th on floor with an RQS of 49.135 and tied for 21st on bars with an RQS of 49.040.
• The Illini reset their season-best team score for the fifth-consecutive meet at the Kentucky quad meet with a 196.625. The 196.625 is the Orange and Blue's season-high mark as a team.
• After only eclipsing the 196.000 mark twice last season, Illinois has reached that mark five times this season and holds an RQS above 196 at 196.135. A major improvement comes from the bars apparatus. UI contributed two team scores in 2016 over 49.000 on bars. This season, Illinois has produced scores above 49.000 on bars five times already.
• The Orange and Blue produced a season-high 48.975 on vault at Kentucky. In the next meet, sophomore Lizzy LeDuc recorded a career-high 9.875 on the apparatus at Denver.
• LeDuc earned her 16th and 17th individual event titles at Kentucky. The Dallas, Texas native is now in a tie for eighth place in the Illinois record books with 17 individual event titles in a single season.
• Illinois also reset their season-high team scores on bars (49.225), beam (49.375) and floor (49.250) against Michigan State. The beam score is the third-highest score in program history on the apparatus against the Spartans.
• The Orange and Blue have marked scores of 49.000 or above on the balance beam in all 10 meets this season. Illinois only hit 49.000 in six meets last season, finishing the 2016 campaign with a season average of 49.052.
• Freshman Rae Balthazor earned her first individual event title against Michigan State with a career-best 9.900 on bars. The freshman's score is highest by an Illini on bars this season.
• Junior Bridget Hodan earned her first individual event title against Michigan State after scoring a career-high 9.925 on beam. Hodan also recorded a career-high 9.875 on floor.
• LeDuc earned four event titles (vault, beam, floor, all-around) against Minnesota on Feb. 4. The four-title performance is the second for the Illini this season.
• Sophomore Brielle Nguyen matched a career-high 9.90 on beam for the Illini at Denver. The mark is the second at or above 9.90 during her career in the Orange and Blue. The first 9.90 came against Minnesota.
• Freshman Karen Howell earned the first individual event title of her career against Penn State with a career-
high 9.850 on bars. The freshman also hit career-high marks in the all-around (39.000) and on floor (9.800).
• Sophomore Rachael Donovan recorded a career-high 9.725 on bars in her first competitive routine of 2017 against Penn State.
• LeDuc is currently ranked 19th on the balance beam and 22nd on floor, nationally.
• Nguyen earned her first career individual event title at Missouri on Jan. 6. Nguyen posted a career-high 9.875 on the balance beam.
Last Time Out-State of Illinois Classic
The Illinois women's gymnastics team took home their tenth straight State of Illinois Classic title on Sunday afternoon at Horton Field House. The Orange and Blue scored a 196.150 team score, led by redshirt-junior Mary Jane Horth, who won two event titles on vault and beam. UI earned the first place finish over Illinois State (193.550), Northern Illinois (193.550) and UIC (193.525).
Illini are Comeback Kids in Kentucky
The Illinois women's gymnastics team scored a season-high 196.625 to tie the Kentucky Wildcats for first place on Feb. 24. The Illini trailed through three rotations, but a 49.300 team score on the beam in the final rotation pushed Illinois past Washington (196.450) to earn share of first place. Illinois also took home three individual titles as LeDuc won the beam (9.925) and floor (9.250) titles and Horth earned the bars title with a 9.900. Also competing in the quad-meet, Northern Illinois took fourth with a team score 193.800.
NCAA Regional Tickets on Sale Now
Admission to the women's Big Five Meet is free to the general public. The NCAA Champaign Regional and Big Ten Championships tickets are on sale now. All seating is general admission. Order fees do apply to online and phone orders. Tickets are sold online at www.fightingillini.com, over the phone at 1-866-ILLINI-1 or 217-333-3470, or in person at the Illinois Ticket Office at the State Farm Center, 1800 S First Street, Champaign, IL 61820. In addition to tickets, State Farm Center suites will be available for purchase, please contact premiumseating@illinois.edu for details.
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