March 19, 2007
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This Week
The University of Iowa women’s gymnastics team will travel to Ames, IA, for competition against 17th-ranked Iowa State and 16th-ranked Denver, Friday. The Hawkeyes are ranked 31st. The meet will be part of the Hy-Vee Cy-Hawk Series.
Iowa currently leads the third annual Hy-Vee Cy-Hawk Series, 11-6, with only two events remaining. Iowa was victorious in women’s soccer (1-0, OT), football (27-17), wrestling (24-6) men’s basketball (77-59) and women’s swimming (181.5-117.5). Iowa State won volleyball (3-2), women’s basketball (80-74) and women’s gymnastics (195.325-194.525).
The nine-sport series awards two points (except football, which is worth three) to the winning school in each head-to-head match-up between the two institutions. Additionally, two points are awarded to an institution if the graduation rate of its student-athletes is greater than the national average as reported each fall by the NCAA.
The Hawkeyes
Iowa has a number of individuals ranked high in the Big Ten. Freshman Katie Turcotte is ranked third in the Big Ten and 30th nationally on vault. Katie Burke is ranked sixth on bars and 14th on beam in the conference. Burke is also ranked sixth in the conference and 38th nationally in the all-around. Jen Simbhudas is ranked fifth in Big Ten floor exercise.
Last Competition
The Hawkeyes traveled to 9th-ranked Oklahoma on March 18, and lost, 195.475-193.825. Top competitors for Iowa included Danielle Legeai, who placed second on beam with a 9.85, and Turcotte, who earned a tie for third on vault, scoring 9.8.
Iowa In Action
Iowa has posted several top scores this season. Freshmen Turcotte and Jenny Donar, and sophomore Simbhudas, have Iowa’s top vault score at 9.9, while Burke holds Iowa’s top uneven bars mark of 9.875. Burke also posted Iowa’s top beam performance (9.825). Simbhudas holds Iowa’s top floor score of 9.9, and Burke has Iowa’s top all-around score at 39.25.
Head Coach Larissa Libby
Iowa Head Coach Larissa Libby is in her third season as head coach of the Hawkeyes. In her first two years, Libby recorded a 12-31 overall record. Before becoming head coach, Libby was Iowa’s associate head coach for one year and an assistant coach for three seasons. While associate head coach, Libby led the GymHawks to a school record 49.425 beam performance in 2004. In addition, in 2004 the GymHawks recorded a 49.0 or higher seven times on beam under Libby’s guidance.
Next Competition
The Hawkeyes will compete at the Big Ten Championships, March 31st, hosted by Penn State University.
Click HERE to learn more about the Big Ten Network.