Schedule | Video
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois women's gymnastics head coach Nadalie Walsh and the Fighting Illini women's gymnastics program have announced the 2019 schedule on Tuesday afternoon. The Orange and Blue will host six regular season meets inside Huff Hall, including three Big Ten rivals – Maryland, Michigan State, and Penn State. National powerhouses Kentucky, Denver, and Oregon State will also make trips to Champaign for non-conference meets.
"For the 2019 competitive season, I wanted the program to make a statement with having a strong schedule," said Walsh.
With a tough road ahead, the Illini are not shying away from a challenge this upcoming season. The Orange and Blue will compete against three teams that advanced to the 2018 NCAA National Championships – Nebraska, Kentucky, and California. Also, 10 additional opponents competed in NCAA Regionals, including six Big Ten foes – Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio State, and Penn State.
"We are opening the season with a bang in our first two non-conference meets, especially with hosting Kentucky and Oregon State right away in January," noted Walsh. "Both those teams have recently taken the national stage, so the Fighting Illini are well aware that starting off the year strong will be extremely important."
The Illini will open the 2019 season on the road to Mount Pleasant, Mich. for a quad meet with Central Michigan, Arizona, and Bridgeport on Sunday, Jan. 6. The squad will return to Champaign to open their home slate with a quad meet on Sunday, Jan. 13 with Kentucky, Lindenwood, and Oregon State. The following week Illinois will play host to Maryland on Saturday, Jan. 19, marking the first meet against Big Ten opponents and the first of three at home. The team will finish the month of January at Nebraska on Saturday, Jan. 26, competing against the sixth-place finisher at the Super Six.
The Orange and Blue have four meets in February, starting with consecutive home meets, hosting Big Ten opponents Penn State on Saturday, Feb. 2 and Michigan State on Friday, Feb. 8. Staying in Big Ten country, Illinois will travel to Iowa City, Iowa on Saturday, Feb. 16 to compete against Iowa. The squad will close out the month competing on podium in the Big Five Meet at Huntington Center in Toledo, Ohio on Saturday, Feb. 23. Serving as one of two Elevate the Stage events this season, the Illini will be competing in coveted evening session against Minnesota, Michigan, Ohio State, and Rutgers.
"I expect each of our Big Ten meets to build momentum, so we can finish strong against Big 12 and Pac-12 opponents Denver and California in March," said Walsh.
March begins with two-straight meets at home. Illinois will host non-conference powerhouse Denver on Friday, March 1. The Orange and Blue's home finale will be on Saturday, March 9, hosting the State of Illinois Classic. Along with the Illini, the quad meet features top teams in the Land of Lincoln – Northern Illinois, Illinois State, and UIC. Illinois will make the trek to the west coast to close out the regular season. The team will travel to Davis, Calif. on Friday, March 15 to compete against Washington, UC-Davis, and Yale. With a quick turnaround, the squad will travel south to the Bay Area to face California, San Jose State, and Sacramento State on Sunday, March 17 in Berkeley, Calif.
Postseason competition begins in Happy Valley on Saturday, March 23 at the Big Ten Championships. Penn State will play host with the meet held at Rec Hall in University Park, Pa. The afternoon session will begin at 11 a.m. CT/12 p.m. ET, while the night session starts at 4 p.m. CT/5 p.m. ET.
The journey to the NCAA Championships will have a new format for the 2019 season, starting with four nine-team regionals hosted by Georgia, LSU, Michigan, and Oregon State from April 4-6. Over three days, seven teams will automatically advance to day two, while teams on the first day will compete in a "play-in" meet.
On the second day, eight teams will compete in two sessions of four, and the top two in each of those sessions will advance to the final day. During "Super Regionals," four teams will compete in one session and the top two teams will advance to the NCAA Championships held at the Fort Worth Convention in Fort Worth, Texas on April 19-20.
The NCAA Championships is replacing the "Super Six" format with "Four on the Floor." The new format will eliminate bye rotations and reduce the number of teams at from 12 to eight. On Friday, April 19, there will be four teams competing in each semifinal, with the top two in each semifinal advancing to the championship final on Saturday, April 20.
"The ultimate vision this year is to reappear at NCAA postseason with even more unity, energy, and confidence, so the Fighting Illini can rise further up in the rankings," noted Walsh.
In two months, the Illini will join forces with the men's gymnastics team for their annual Orange and Blue Exhibition. The exhibition will be held Saturday, Dec. 8 or Wednesday, Dec. 12 inside Huff Hall. The date will be finalized by Dec. 3, pending the announcement of the NCAA women's volleyball regional host sites. If Illinois hosts NCAA women's volleyball regionals, the exhibition will be pushed back to Wednesday, Dec. 12.
The Orange and Blue return 13 competitors, including sixth-year Mary Jane Otto, All-American Rae Balthazor, and Big-Ten Second Team honoree, Nicole Biondi. Among the newcomers to the squad are Maryland transfer Morgan Bixler and freshmen Mallory Mizuki, Shaylah Scott, Torie Stotz, and Erin Weisel.
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