University of Illinois
Big Ten Championships
Illinois Finishes Second at Big Ten Championships
March 23, 2019 | Women's Gymnastics
The Illini recorded a season-high 196.650 with its highest finish since 2017.
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The University of Illinois women's gymnastics team scored a season-high 196.650 at the 2019 Big Ten Women's Gymnastics Championships at Rec Hall in University Park, Pa. Illinois placed second behind Big Ten Champion, Michigan (197.400) and finished ahead of Super Six finalist and Big Ten powerhouse, Nebraska (196.550). This marks the program's 11th top three finish and the sixth time Illinois has finished first or second at the Big Ten Championships.
"I am just so proud how they stayed together like a family and were positive through the adversity we went through," said head coach Nadalie Walsh. "It was an opportunity for them to let the joy of their hearts to be shared with the whole room. They did a fabulous job and I am so proud."
Peaking at the right time, the Orange and Blue hit their third 196.000+ this season. The squad also recorded 49.000+ on three or more events for the fourth-time this season.
"We definitely talked about rolling the dice hard and leaving it all on the floor," noted Walsh. "This week we had ten people with the stomach flu. The girls came to realize wherever our ceiling was, we closed that gap this year. Anybody that felt they were not as valuable, they had to step up for this team."=
Leading the effort was redshirt senior and sixth year gymnast Mary Jane Otto. Otto earned her second Big Ten bars title, matching a career-high 9.975. She also received two perfect 10s from a pair of judges, marking a season first. Otto is also the fourth gymnast in Illinois history to win multiple Big Ten individual titles during her career. She joins the company of Kelsey Joannides (V, BB), Heather Singalewitch (FX, AA), and Illinois Athletics Hall of Famer Nancy Thies (two on vault, bars, floor, and all-around; one on beam).
Otto was also in a four-way tie for second place with an impressive 9.900 on beam. The Akron, Ohio native capped off her evening tying a season-high 39.500 in the all-around. Based on Otto's performances, she earned a place on the Big Ten All-Championship Team on bars and beam.
In her first Big Ten Championships, freshman Shaylah Scott tied for sixth on beam with a 9.875. All-Big Ten honoree, Kasey Meeks, tied for fourth on vault with a 9.850. This marks her ninth top-three finish on the event this season. Junior Karen Howell also impressed, tying for seventh (39.375) with Penn State's Lauren Bridgens.
First Rotation – Bars | 49.250
The Illini swung into third place following this evening's first rotation, recording a 49.250 on bars. Courtesy of the tally, this marks the second-highest bars score of the season for the Orange and Blue. Illinois has also past the 49.000+ mark six times this season. Spearheading the effort was sixth-year gymnast and redshirt senior Mary Jane Otto, who received a pair of 10.000s from two judges to post a career-high 9.975. All-Big Ten honoree Karen Howell stuck her blind-full to double tuck dismount for a season-high 9.900. Sophomore Kylie Noonan also added a solid 9.850.
Second Rotation – Beam | 49.275
Less than a tenth behind reigning Big Ten champions, Michigan, the Illini beam squad stepped up huge with a 49.275. This marks the seventh consecutive 49.000+ for the Orange and Blue this season. Former team manager Rachel Borden led off the beam team with a 9.800. Otto recorded an impressive 9.900, while freshman Shaylah Scott was close behind with a 9.875. Noonan and Howell recorded a pair of 9.825s. Senior Haylee Roe closed out the beam rotation with a unique dismount for a 9.850.
Third Rotation – Floor: 49.175
Maintaining their second-place finish, the Illini impressed with their fifth consecutive 49.000+ of the season with a 49.175 on floor. Spearheading the effort was Howell, who recorded a 9.875. Noonan and Scott posted a pair of solid 9.850s for the Orange and Blue. First team All-Big ten honoree, Otto, was steady with a 9.825. Senior Haylee Roe comes back strong from last week to anchor floor with a 9.775.
Fourth Rotation – Vault: 48.950
With clean vaults, the Orange and Blue posted a 48.950 on vault to close the session. With a 9.950 start value, sophomore Kasey Meeks was a tenth away from perfect with a 9.850. Otto and junior Lindsay Dwyer added a pair of 9.800s. This marked the fourth time this season that Dwyer matched her career-high on the event. Junior Brittany Jones closed out the rotation with a solid 9.725.
"Our coaching staff – Kaitlyn (Betts), Jessie (DeZiel), and Chris (Bogantes) – did a great job of coaching the athletes of doing their absolute best," said Walsh.
Up next, the Illini will await their postseason regional assignment. The NCAA Women's Gymnastics selection show is slated for Monday, March 25 at 4 p.m. CT and will stream on NCAA.com.
"My mind set on regionals is it is a new format and new situation where there are three rounds of regionals," noted Walsh. "We are the team that is prepared for anything and everything. Our lineups are deeper than they were before with girls that can step up wherever they are needed."
The journey to the NCAA Championships will have a new format for the 2019 season as regional qualifiers will compete at one of the four regional sites with each featuring nine teams, three all-around competitors, and four individual specialists per event. The four regional sites in 2019 include Athens, Ga. (Georgia), Baton Rouge, La. (LSU), Ann Arbor, Mich. (Michigan), and Corvallis, Ore. (Oregon State).
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 Center in Fort Worth, Texas on April 19-20.
"We are going to walk into regionals knowing it is a clean slate like today and roll big again," said Walsh.
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