March 13-19, 2023

Mia Takekawa | SR., Women's Gymnastics  | Major: Bioengineering

Illinois women's gymnastics secured a fifth-place finish at the Big Ten Championships last Saturday at Xtream Arena in Coralville, Iowa, led by a title-winning performance from senior Mia Takekawa. 

Takekawa was selected to the All-B1G Championships Team after capturing a share of the individual Big Ten Championship on the un-even bars, and finishing tied for second on the balance beam.

"Mia Takekawa never fails to deliver," head coach Nadalie Walsh said. "I felt like when I watched her during this conference championship meet as a senior, I saw such maturity all over her. She just looked beautiful and happy. She 100 percent deserves to be the bar champion and runner-up on beam. I couldn't be prouder of her and the legacy she's leaving."

Takekawa led the Illini with a 9.95 on the bars, matching her career-high score on the apparatus and helping the Illini to a season-high team score with a 49.325. On beam, Takekawa once again led the way for Illinois, posting another 9.95 to finish second overall in the event. 

Takekawa, from Sacramento, Calif., is a senior at Illinois studying bioengineering

º2022-23 Scholar Athlete of the Week Winners