Meet 8: Illinois at Elevate the Stage: Augusta    

The Fighting Illini women's gymnastics team begins a two-meet weekend on Friday night in Augusta, Georgia, at Elevate the Stage. The Orange and Blue will compete against Georgia, Stanford and Nebraska on podium beginning at 6:30 pm CT. Illinois will return to Huff Hall on Sunday afternoon to host the Lindenwood Lions and Bowling Green State University Falcons for Senior Day at 4 pm CT.  

Meet Facts 

• Elevate the Stage is a new event in 2018 where collegiate gymnastics programs have a chance to compete on podium prior to the postseason. There are four locations (Reno, Nevada; Toledo, Ohio; Augusta, Georgia; Huntsville, Alabama) in 2018. 
• The Illini have not competed against the Georgia Bulldogs since the 2013 NCAA Women's Gymnastics Semifinals on April 19, 2013. Stanford also participated in the same session. 
• Illinois competed against Stanford during the 2015 West Virginia NCAA Regional on April 4, 2015. 
• UI took on the Cornhuskers in the 2017 Big Ten Championships where the Illini earned a second-place finish behind Michigan. 

Illinois Notes 

• The Orange and Blue tallied a season-high 196.350 team score at Michigan State. 
• At Michigan State, Illinois scored a season-best 49.300 on beam, good for the program's seventh-highest team score on the apparatus. The Illini also tallied a season-best 49.075 team score on vault.
• The Illini tallied season-best team scores on bars (49.225) and floor (49.175) against Missouri and UIC. 
• Sophomore Karen Howell has won two-straight bars titles. Howell hit a career-best 9.900 on Sunday to earn the title. 
• Junior Haylee Roe won her second floor title of the season against Missouri and UIC with a career-best mark of 9.900. Roe won the first individual event title of her career against Iowa. Roe secured the floor title with a career-best 9.875. Roe also hit a career-best 9.775 on vault in the meet.  
• Freshman Kylie Noonan scored a career-best 9.825 on beam against Michigan State. Noonan won the first individual event title of her career on floor with a 9.825. 
• Freshman Nicole Biondi won the first event titles of her career against Iowa on February 2. Biondi scored career-high marks on bars (9.900), beam (9.850), floor (9.825) and in the all-around (39.325), winning the bars and all-around titles. 
• Sophomore Rae Balthazor made her floor (9.875) and all-around (39.100) debut against the Wolverines on January 19, winning both event titles.
• Freshman Kasey Meeks won her fourth individual event title of the season on February 17 at MSU. Meeks matched her career-best score on vault with a 9.850. Meeks was the first Illinois freshman to win an event title in her first two meets since Kelsey Joannides in 2009. 
• Senior Bridget Hodan hit a career-high 9.925 on beam to win her third beam title of the season. Hodan debuted on vault at Rutgers and hit a 9.800, Hodan has since hit a career-best 9.825 on the apparatus. 
• Graduate student Sarah Lyons debuted on bars at Minnesota and hit a 9.850 to lead the Illini on the apparatus. 
• Sophomore Lindsay Dwyer hit a career-high 9.825 on bars against Missouri and UIC. 
• Junior Rachael Donovan scored a career-high 9.825 on bars against RU.

Illini Retain Victory Plank at Michigan State 

The University of Illinois women's gymnastics team defeated the Michigan State Spartans, 196.350-194.550 on February 17 at the Jenison Fieldhouse. Illinois's 196.350 team score is a season-best mark for the Orange and Blue. Five Illini won six individual event titles to help Illinois retain the Victory Plank. Meeks won the vault title by matching her career-best mark of 9.825. Howell won the bars and floor titles with a 9.825 on each apparatus. Balthazor also earned a share of the bars title. Noonan earned her first individual event title on floor and senior Bridget Hodan secured the beam title with a career-best 9.925

Illinois to Host 2018 Big Ten Championships

On March 24, ten Big Ten gymnastics teams will compete on podium 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 is available on FightingIllini.com

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