Jan. 7, 2008
This Week
The University of Iowa women’s gymnastics team will travel to Baton Rouge, LA to face Louisiana State University, Friday. Competition will take place at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center and begins at 7 p.m.
Last Competition
The Hawkeyes opened the 2008 season at the Cancun Classic, January 4. Iowa placed second against Oklahoma, Wisconsin-Whitewater and West Virginia with a team total 192.875. Katie Burke and Kara Pinjuv tied for Iowa’s best floor score, posting a 9.825. Jen Simbhudas posted a 9.75 on vault while freshman Arielle Sucich earned a 9.7 on bars in her first showing for the Hawkeyes. Freshman Houry Gebeshian also competed well in her first collegiate competition, posting a 9.775 on beam.
Scouting the Hawkeyes
Iowa returns nine lettermen from last year when it finished 8-11 record and a sixth-place finish at the Big Ten Championships. The Hawkeyes produced one first team all-Big Ten competitor, Katie Burke. Kara Pinjuv and Jenifer Simbhudas earned second team all-Big Ten honors. Iowa’s newcomers are; Kelly Galau, from Apple Valley, MN, Houry Gebeshian, from Newton, MA, Andrea Hurlburt, from Waterloo, IA, Dani McDaniel, from O’Fallon, IL, Arielle Sucich, from Fort Salonga, NY, and Kristen Ward, from Fort Wayne, IN. All are expected to be contributors for the Hawkeyes this season.
Head Coach Larissa Libby
In her first three years as Iowa Head Coach, Larissa Libby recorded a 20-42 record. Before becoming head coach, Libby was Iowa’s associate head coach for one year and an assistant coach the previous three seasons. While associate head coach, Libby helped lead the GymHawks to a school record 49.425 beam performance in 2004. In addition to the record breaking performance, the 2004 GymHawks recorded a 49.0 or higher seven times on beam under Libby’s guidance.
Next Competition
Iowa will compete at Central Michigan, January 18. The meet is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. (CST). The GymHawks have upcoming home meets against Illinois on Jan. 25 at 7 p.m. and Ohio State on Feb. 9 at 8 p.m. Both meets will be televised on the Big Ten Network. The Illinois meet will air Jan. 29 at 8 p.m. and the Ohio State Meet will air Feb. 14 at 6 p.m.
Click HERE for the Big Ten Network home page.