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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The No. 21 Fighting Illini women's gymnastics team dropped their Friday night contest to the No. 3 Michigan Wolverines, 194.975-194.325. Three Illini earned four event titles in front of 1,373 fans at Huff Hall on Friday evening.   

Sophomore Rae Balthazor won the all-around title with a score of 39.100 and her first floor title with a mark of 9.875. Freshman Kasey Meeks won her second-consecutive vault title with a career-high 9.850 and senior Bridget Hodan hit a season-high 9.900 on beam to lead all participants on the apparatus.

Up next, the Illini travel to University Park, Pennsylvania for a 3 pm CT contest with Penn State next Saturday.  

Illinois Notes

• Illinois scored season-high team scores on vault (48.850) and floor (48.800).
• Meeks hit a career-high 9.850 on vault to lead the Illini for the second-consecutive meet. Meeks is the first freshman since Kelsey Joannides in 2009 to win back-to-back individual event titles to open her career in the Orange and Blue.
• Balthazor debuted on floor with a 9.875 and competed in the all-around competition for the first time.
• Hodan notched a season-high 9.900 on beam, the highest score for an Illini this season. With a 9.900, Hodan won her second-straight beam title.
• Freshman Nicole Biondi scored a career-best 9.775 on vault.
• Junior Haylee Roe hit season-high marks on beam (9.800) and on floor (9.750). Roe also matched her career-high mark on vault with a 9.750.
• Freshman Kylie Noonan scored a career-best 9.725 on beam and a 9.650 on floor.  

Illinois Quotes

"I think they were really excited during warmups and really invested in every single one of the girls' routines and cheering. When the meet started and they had to wait while we were alternating, I don't think they knew what to do with filling the time right away. Once they figured that out and were just kind of celebrating each other and hanging out as friends, I thought the energy just really shifted." – head coach Nadalie Walsh

"I feel like Rae (Balthazor) has decided to believe what everyone else has told her since we have arrived. We have told her she is outstanding and will be competing in the all-around. She is a great competitor and performer. She has really thrown off all the chains and been very dominant in her positive mindset. I think it has been amazing to watch and it is so fun. I am just really proud of her." – Nadalie Walsh

"It means the whole lot to me. I am some one that needs people to tell me that they believe in me. It helps me with my own confidence and she has had a huge impact in the gym. She has had a huge impact competing. It is a blessing." – sophomore Rae Balthazor on Walsh building her confidence in the all-around competition  

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