PREVIEW
The No. 6 Illinois women's gymnastics team looks to continue to build momentum early in the 2020 season as it hosts Temple and Lindenwood in its first home meet of the year. The Illini are coming off a victory in a tri meet at then-No. 16 Missouri with Southeast Missouri State in which they posted a score of 195.850.
Freshman Mia Takekawa led the Orange and Blue in Columbia with three event titles, including the all-around crown, in her first collegiate meet. Her score of 39.325 was the ninth-highest in the country and best by a freshman in the first week of competition. The Sacramento, California, native also earned titles on bars and beam and was named the Big Ten Gymnast of the Week and Freshman of the Week for her efforts.
Thursday's competition will be the first meet of the season for both Lindenwood and Temple. The Lions have won five straight Midwest Inependent Conference championships and are coming off their third USA Gymnastics Women's Collegiate National Championship in the last five years. Jen Lewellyn's squad returns 16 members of the 2019 squad, including 2019 WCGA Regional Gymnast of the Year Courtney Mitchell.
The Owls are the defending Eastern College Athletic Conference champions and the top vote-getters in the ECAC Preseason Poll. Josh Nilson's team returns 12 of 14 letterwinners from 2019, including NCAA regional qualifiers Ariana Castrence (vault) and Monica Servidio (beam).
ILLINI IN THE RANKINGS
Illinois enters the second week of the season at No. 6 in the Road to Nationals standings, based on average team score. The Illini are ranked fifth in the country on floor, seventh on bars, ninth on beam, and 13th on vault.
Individually, freshman Mia Takekawa is tied for ninth in the all-around with an average score of 39.325. Senior Karen Howell is 29th at 38.375. Takekawa is tied for seventh on beam (9.900), tied for 22nd on bars (9.825), and tied for 23rd on floor (9.850). Howell is also tied for 22nd on bars (9.825). Freshman Arayah Simons is tied for sixth on floor (9.900), sophomore Shaylah Scott is tied for 19th on beam (9.850), and junior Nicole Biondi is tied for 23rd on floor (9.850).
NOTES
- Illinois' 195.850 total score was its highest ever in a season-opening meet.
- The Illini have opened the season with a win in a meet with two or more opponents twice in Nadalie Walsh's first three seasons.
- Takekawa is the first Illini to be named Big Ten Gymnast of the Week since Rae Balthazor on March 19, 2018 and the first Illini to be named Big Ten Freshman of the Week since Nicole Biondi on March 6, 2018. Takekawa is the first Illini to ever win both awards in the same week.
- Takekawa is the first Illini freshman to win an all-around title since Nicole Biondi on March 4, 2018.
- Six Illini freshmen made their career debuts at Missouri - Olivia O'Donnell, Lexi Powe, Arayah Simons, Mia Takekawa, Mia Townes, and Julia Waight.
- Four freshmen cracked the Illinois vault lineup Saturday - Waight, Takekawa, Simons, and Townes - marking the first time since February 24, 2008 that four Illini freshmen competed officially on the same apparatus in one meet.
- 2020 is just the third season since 2008 in which four or more freshmen have competed officially for the Illini.
TranSPORT Shuttle to Run for All Women's Gymnastics Home Meets
The Champaign Urbana Mass Transit District will be operating the same TranSPORT shuttle route used during the volleyball season for all home women's gymnastics meets in 2020. The shuttle will run between Bielfeldt Athletics Administration Building (1700 S. 4th Street) and Huff Hall 60 minutes before and after each home meet, allowing fans to park at State Farm Center. The service is free for all fans.
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