Feb. 7, 2012
Complete Release in PDF Format
This Week
The University of Iowa women’s gymnastics team will travel to Columbus, Ohio to take on No. 11 Ohio State Friday evening. The 23rd-ranked GymHawks will face the Buckeyes inside St. John Arena at 6 p.m. (CT).
Live Blog
Iowa team manager Nicole Pineau will offer interactive content live from St. John Arena via the Official Iowa Gymnastics Blog. This feature gives Hawkeye fans the opportunity to voice their opinion by submitting questions and comments, while receiving up-to-the-minute play-by-play, notes and stats about the meet and the Hawkeyes. The live blog will begin at approximately 5:45 p.m. (CT) and run throughout the meet.
Last Time Out
The GymHawks crowned three event champions in a loss to No. 10 Penn State on Feb. 3. In their first loss of the season at home and in the Big Ten, the GymHawks posted a season high team mark of 195.150. The 23rd-ranked GymHawks also set season highs on bars (49.175) and floor (49.350).
Scouting Ohio State
The Buckeyes posted a 195.575 in a losing effort to No. 19 Illinois on Feb. 4. The Buckeyes topped Illinois on vault (49.075) and beam (49.050). Junior Colleen Dean posted a score of 39.175 in the all-around to tie for first.
Head Coach Larissa Libby
In her eighth season at Iowa, Libby has a career record of 65-72-2. The Hawkeyes are searching for their fifth consecutive NCAA postseason appearance, the sixth in Libby’s tenure. She coached the 2011 GymHawks to an 11-6 record and a sixth place finish at the Big Ten Championships, this coming after a third place finish in 2010, their best finish in six years. Libby coached three All-Big Ten selections in 2011 — Rebecca Simbhudas, Houry Gebeshian and Jessa Hansen. Libby was named North Central Region Coach of the Year in 2009 for her efforts after 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.
Quoting Coach Libby
“We’re excited about the opportunity to take on such a highly ranked team on the road. We know what we’re capable of as a team and if we fire on all cylinders, we’ll be able to come home with a really high score this weekend.”
Up Next
The GymHawks will return home to host Iowa State on Feb. 17. Action is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. (CT) inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena.