GymHawks Aim for 2nd-Straight at Home

Feb. 21, 2012

Complete Release in PDF Format

This Week
The University of Iowa women’s gymnastics team is set to host Big Ten rival Minnesota on Friday evening beginning at 7 p.m. (CT). The GymHawks look to make it two-straight home wins inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena, site of the 2012 Big Ten Women’s Gymnastics Championships.

Live Blog
Iowa team manager Nicole Pineau will offer interactive content live from Carver-Hawkeye 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 6:45 p.m. (CT) and run throughout the meet.

Elementary School Day
Friday’s meet will celebrate Elementary School Day. A pre-meet face painter and clown will be along the concourse in Carver-Hawkeye Arena, along with the pre-meet Kids’ Zone. Fans can also register to win a pair Big Ten Women’s Gymnastics Championship tickets as the GymHawks sign autographs after the meet. Tickets are $3 for adults and free to youth under 18 and UI students.

Last Time Out
The Hawkeyes topped Iowa State, 194.150-192.750, on Feb. 17 as junior Emma Stevenson won a pair of event titles for the Black and Gold. After a first place finish on bars (9.825) for the second-consecutive meet, Stevenson posted a 9.850 on floor to bring home her third title in eight days. Senior Jessa Hansen won the all-around competition (39.025) after remaining out of the event since the first week in January.

Scouting the Golden Gophers
Minnesota, ranked 22nd in the country, was defeated by No. 9 Nebraska, 196.850.196.150, on Feb. 18. The Golden Gopher’s lone event champion came from junior Janell Campbell who posted a 9.900 on floor exercise. Sophomore Dusti Russell was Minnesota’s highest all-around finisher with a fourth place mark of 39.325.

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.

Up Next
The GymHawks will return to the road for a four-team meet hosted by Texas Women’s University on March 3 in Denton, Texas. Along with TWU, the GymHawk’s will see Brigham Young and Southeast Missouri State. Action is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. (CT).