Meet 1: Illinois vs. Rutgers, Southern Connecticut State, Yale 

The Fighting Illini women's gymnastics team, led by first-year head coach Nadalie Walsh opens the 2018 season in a quad meet with Rutgers, Southern Connecticut State and Yale in Piscataway, New Jersey. The quad meet will take place on Saturday at 12 pm CT. Illinois begins the season on the road for the 10th time in the past 11 seasons. 

New Coaching Staff 

The 2017 offseason saw a new regime take over the Illinois women's gymnastics program. On June 12, 2017, former Utah State Aggies head coach, Nadalie Walsh was named the seventh head coach of the Illini women's gymnastics team. Walsh added Chris Bogantes and Ashley Priess-Johnston to complete her staff in August. Bogantes was an assistant under Walsh at Utah State and Johnston came to Champaign from the Cincinnati Gymnastics Academy. Walsh retained volunteer assistant coach, Maci Sump. Sump enters her third season with the UI program. 

2018 Outlook  

Illinois returns 13 routines from the 2017 squad. Graduate student, Sarah Lyons, along with seniors, Bridget Hodan, Jordyn Givens and Mary Jane Horth return to lead the Illini this season. Horth was the 2017 Big Ten Bars Champion. Hodan joined Horth on the Big Ten All-Championships Team after a Top-5 performance on the balance beam. UI's roster boasts the third-most freshmen in the Big Ten with six first-year competitors. The Michigan State and Nebraska rosters each feature seven freshmen. 

Illini Newcomers 

The Orange and Blue welcomed six freshmen to the Illinois gymnastics team this season. Nicole Biondi, Grace Gough, Kasey Meeks, Kylie Noonan, Tessa Phillips and Jaylen Spence look to make an immediate impact in the Illinois lineup after successful junior careers. 

2017 In Review  

UI completed the 2017 season at the NCAA Champaign Regional with a fourth-place finish. The team's 195.825 stemmed from a strong showing from current seniors, Mary Jane Horth and Bridget Hodan. The highlight of the season came at the Big Ten Championships, where a season-best 196.875 propelled the Illini to a second-place finish behind Michigan. Illinois also posted season-high team scores on vault and bars. 

Illinois vs. Rutgers, Southern Connecticut State, Yale   

Illinois has won three-straight regular season contests against the Scarlet Knights. Last season, the Illini topped Rutgers, 195.900-191.125 in a quad meet on January 14. Two Illini posted career-best performances in the quad meet with Eastern Michigan and UIC. Lindsay Dwyer scored a 9.775 on bars and Haylee Roe hit a 9.875 on beam. The team victory was the first for the Orange and Blue in 2017. Illinois has never competed against Southern Connecticut State or Yale in the regular season. 

Illinois to Host 2018 Big Ten Championships 

On March 24, ten Big Ten gymnastics teams will compete at the State Farm Center for the 2018 Big Ten Championship. The meet will be televised live on the BIg Ten Network. The contest consists of two sessions. A quad meet beginning at 2 pm and then a six-team meet at 7 pm. Placement in the first or second session is based on the team's performance at the two B1G Five Meets the preceding Saturday (March 17). Illinois will compete in the Michigan State B1G Five Meet in East Lansing. Ticket information has not been released for the Big Ten Championships. 

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