GymHawks To Host Northern Illinois

March 1, 2011

Iowa Women’s Gymnastics on YouTube

Complete Release in PDF Format

This Week
The University of Iowa women’s gymnastics team will host the Northern Illinois Huskies inside the UI Field House March 5. The No. 16 Hawkeyes will look to remain unbeaten at home in their final home meet of the season. Competition is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. (CT).

Senior Night
Saturday’s meet will be Senior Night for the Hawkeyes. The GymHawks will honor seniors Houry Gebeshian, Andrea Hurlburt, Rebecca Simbhudas and Arielle Sucich for their dedication to the program.

Scouting The Huskies
Northern Illinois holds a season record of 1-7, 1-5 in the Mid-American Conference. Most recently, the Huskies posted their second-highest mark of the season but fell to Ball State on the road. Senior Holly Reichard led the charge with a share of the individual titles on uneven bars (9.725) and balance beam (9.725). The Huskies are coached by Mark Sontag.

Last Time Out
The GymHawks topped Iowa State at home (195.450-195.200) Feb. 25 before placing second (195.500) at Nebraska’s Master’s Classic Feb. 27. Senior Rebecca Simbhudas won the all-around title in both events, marking her fourth and fifth-consecutive titles and sixth and seventh of the season, respectively. Junior Jessa Hansen lifted Iowa to a win over Iowa State with a career performance on floor (9.950). The win clinched the coveted Hy-Vee Cy-Hawk Series for the University of Iowa.

Head Coach Larissa Libby
In her seventh season at Iowa, Larissa Libby has a career record of 55-64-1. Libby coached the 2010 GymHawks to a third place finish at the Big Ten Championships, their best finish in six years, as well as their fourth regional appearance in six seasons. She was named North Central Region Coach of the Year in 2009 for her efforts in guiding the GymHawks to a 10-5 record and a sixth-place finish at the NCAA Regionals. She was also named co-Big Ten Coach of the Year in 2008. Libby served as associate head coach in 2004 and assistant coach from 2001-03 at Iowa before being named head coach in 2005.

Next Competition
Iowa will travel to Southern Utah March 12 for one final tune-up before the Big Ten Championships. Competition is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. (CT).