Final Results
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The University of Illinois women's gymnastics team tallied a 196.425 team score at the NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional inside Coleman Coliseum on Saturday night. The Illini finished behind Alabama (197.225) and Georgia (196.500) who advance to the NCAA Team Championships in two weeks.
Sophomore Rae Balthazor became the 13th Illini gymnast to qualify individually in the all-around competition for the NCAA Championships. Balthazor scored a 39.250 to punch her ticket to St. Louis.
The Illini were consistent throughout the competition, hitting a 49.000 or higher on every apparatus for just the second time this season.
Illinois will return 13 members of the 2018 squad in 2019 after the departure of graduate student Sarah Lyons and seniors Jordyn Givens, Bridget Hodan and Mary Jane Horth.
Illini Notes
- Illinois made the program's 30th NCAA Regional appearance. The Illini have qualified for 15-straight NCAA Regionals.
- 2018 marked the fifth-straight season a Nadalie Walsh-led squad competed in an NCAA Regional.
- The Illini defeated Michigan for the first time since the 1990 season after the Wolverines had won 51-straight meetings between the two programs.
- Balthazor is the first Illini to qualify for the NCAA Championships as an all-arounder since current-senior Mary Jane Horth and former Illini Giana O'Connor qualified in 2015.
- Balthazor hit a career-high 9.850 on vault.
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