Jan. 30, 2013
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This Week
The GymHawks travel to Ann Arbor, Mich. to take on No. 3 Michigan on Saturday. Action is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. (CT) inside Crisler Arena.
Last Time Out
In the quad meet vs. Penn State, Pittsburgh and Rutgers, Iowa finished second with a season high 195.325. The Hawkeyes took down Rutgers (193.225), upset No. 22 Pittsburgh (193.575) and were just 0.175 behind the Nittany Lions (195.500). The Hawkeyes improved their team score by 1.125 from last weekend (1/19/13), and by 1.95 from the first meet (1/11/13).
Sophomore Emma Willis earned a career-high 39.200 in the all-around, placing second behind the Big Ten Gymnast of the Week, Penn State senior Sharaya Musser (39.575). Freshman Alie Glover scored a career-high 38.825 for fifth.
Iowa also collected season highs on the beam (48.750) and the floor (48.950). Senior Emma Stevenson led the way on the floor, tying for first with Pittsburgh’s senior Alyssa Adrian with a 9.875.
Scouting The Wolverines
Michigan (6-1, 2-1 Big Ten) is ranked No. 1 in the Big Ten and No. 3 nationally. Last weekend, the Wolverines fell to No. 10 Minnesota 196.800-196.775. The .025 defeat was Michigan’s first loss of the season. In the all-around competition, captains senior Katie Zurales (39.375) and junior Joanna Sampson (39.325) paced the Wolverines with second and third place finishes. Michigan ranks No. 1 in the conference on bars, beam and floor and No. 2 on the vault.
Big Ten Conference Rankings
Five of the eight Big Ten teams (No. 3 Michigan, No. 7 Nebraska, No. 10 Minnesota, No. 18 Ohio State and No. 19 Illinois) are nationally ranked in the top 25. Minnesota moved up to No. 4 on the vault (49.275) and No. 5 on the floor (49.233). Michigan ranks No. 2 on the beam (49.194) and No. 4 on the bars (49.213), while Nebraska is No. 3 on the beam (49.167).
In The National Rankings
Iowa ranks No. 17 on the bars with a 48.808 average. The Hawkeyes moved up to No. 19 on the floor (48.800), with Stevenson and freshman Kyra Trowbridge tied for 50th.
The rankings, which are determined by season scoring average, are released every Monday. The rankings will switch over to Regional Qualifying Score (RQS) on Monday, Feb. 25.
Roster Breakdown
The majority of GymHawks are underclassmen, with six freshmen, four sophomores and three seniors. There are no juniors.
Long-Time Teammates
Freshman Alyssa Lopez and sophomore Jessica Morreale trained together at Energym in Dekalb, Ill. Both were coached by Morreale’s father, Andy Morreale.
Young Contributors
Seventeen of Iowa’s 24 routines are contributed by underclassmen (nine by sophomores and eight by freshmen). Sophomore Sydney Hoerr, Willis and Glover compete in the all-around and are all ranked in the top 100 nationally.
Head Coach Larissa Libby
Entering her ninth year as head coach of the Hawkeyes, Libby has her eyes set on a sixth-consecutive NCAA postseason appearance, the seventh in her tenure. In 2012, the Hawkeyes finished the season ranked 26th nationally, the highest finish since 2004. Libby coached Tesla Cox to second team All-Big Ten honors and Emma Stevenson to the Big Ten All-Championship Team. The Hawkeyes hosted the Big Ten Championships, drawing a season-high attendance figure of 1,661. Stevenson scored a 9.875 on the floor exercise, and Iowa finished seventh as a team. Libby led the Hawkeyes to a fifth-consecutive NCAA postseason appearance. Iowa posted 194.600 and finished fifth at the Seattle Regional.
Next Week
The GymHawks will return home to take on Michigan State and Illinois-Chicago on Friday, Feb. 8. Action is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. (CT) inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
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