March 31, 2014
THIS WEEK:
Six University of Iowa women’s gymnasts have been selected to compete at NCAA Regional competition on Saturday, April 5. Sophomore Alie Glover, freshman Angel Metcalf, and junior Sydney Hoerr have been selected as all-around competitors, while freshman Jordyn Doherty was chosen to compete on vault and freshman Mollie Drenth will compete on floor. Sophomore Maryah Huntley has been selected as the alternate behind Drenth on floor. Competition is set to begin at 6 p.m. (CT) on Saturday at the Sports Pavilion in Minneapolis.
NCAA REGIONAL FORMAT:
Six teams, five all-around competitions (not on a qualifying team) and one individual event specialist per event – who has a minimum Regional Qualifying Score of 9.4 — were named to each of the six predetermined host sites. All-around competitions and event specialists are assigned to their respective geographic region. The top two teams and top two all-around competitors (not on an advancing team) from each regional will receive an automatic berth to the national championships in Birmingham, Ala., April 18-10. The event winners at each regional site will advance to the national championships (in that event only) if they are not part of a qualifying team or an all-around qualifier. Minnesota (host), California, Illinois, Oklahoma, San Jose State, and Southern Utah are the teams competing at the regional.
A LOOK AT THE COMPETITORS:
Sophomore Alie Glover, a native of Destin, Fla., was named to the 2014 Big Ten Gymnasts to Watch List in December. Her career best all-around score of 39.125 was achieved this season at Illinois on Jan. 31. In the twelve meets this season, Glover competed for nine all-around titles. Glover has tallied one first place finish (at Michigan State 2/7), two second place finishes (at Illinois 1/31 and against UIC 2/23), and two third place finishes (at Boise State 2/28 and at Iowa State 3/7).
Angel Metcalf is a freshman from Swansboro, N.C. She holds the individual season bests on floor (9.925 at Big Ten Championships 3/22), beam (9.875 against UIC 2/23), and all-around (39.325 at Big Ten Championships) for the Hawkeyes. She has posted her best all-around score two times this season, first against Ohio State on Feb. 14 in the annual Pink Meet, and the most recent time at the Big Ten Championships on March 22. Metcalf has competed for nine all-around titles out of the 12 meets she has competed in. She has collected three first place finishes (against Utah State 1/11, at Ball State 1/17, and against Ohio State 2/14), one second place finish (at Georgia 1/20), and one third place finish (against UIC 2/23).
Sydney Hoerr is a junior second team All-Big Ten honoree from Bloomington, Ill. Hoerr was named to the 2014 Big Ten Gymnasts to Watch List in December along with Glover. She currently holds the individual season-best on bars with a 9.900 that was tallied at Iowa State on March 7. Her career best all-around score stands at a 39.400 that she collected against Iowa State on March 8, 2013 and her season-best all-around score is 39.250 (at Boise State 2/28). Of the 12 competitions this season, Hoerr has competed for six all-around titles. She has collected two second place finishes (at Ball State 1/17 and at Boise State 2/28) and one fourth place finish (at Iowa State 3/7).
Doherty is from Kansas City, Mo. and currently holds the individual season-best on vault with a 9.875 (at Boise State 2/28) for the GymHawks. She has competed in 10 regular season meets and at the Big Ten Championships. Of those 11 meets, Doherty competed on the vault in 10 of the meetings.
Drenth is from Riverview, Fla. and tallied her season-best score of 9.850 on floor twice this season, most recently at the Big Ten Championships on March 22. Drenth has competed in all 11 regular season meets and the Big Ten Championships in University Park, Pa. Of those 12 competitions, Drenth has competed on the floor 10 times. She is one of seven freshmen on the Iowa women’s gymnastics team and one of three selected to compete at Regionals.
Huntley is from Van Meter, Iowa and has competed in all 11 of the regular season meetings as well as the Big Ten Championships. Her season best on floor is a 9.850 that she posted against Ohio State during Iowa’s annual Pink Meet on Feb. 14.
HOERR NAMED ALL-BIG TEN:
Junior Sydney Hoerr was named second team All-Big Ten on March 18. All-conference teams are determined by regional qualifying scores. Hoerr, an Academic All-Big Ten honoree, is a junior from Bloomington, Ill. She was named to the 2014 Big Ten Gymnasts to Watch List in December. Hoerr has registered Iowa’s individual season bests on the uneven bars (9.900 at Iowa State, March 7) and floor exercise (9.875 at Georgia, Jan. 20) this season. She has competed in all 11 meets, while competing in the all-around in six competitions. Hoerr leads Iowa on the bars with a regional qualifying score of 9.855, tying for 54th nationally.
METCALF CAPTURES THIRD ALL-AROUND TITLE:
Freshman Angel Metcalf captured her third all-around title of the season against No. 20 Ohio State on Feb. 14 in Iowa’s annual Pink Meet. Metcalf improved her all-around score to 39.325. She previously posted a season-best at Georgia (39.100). Metcalf finished ahead of two Buckeyes and two fellow teammates in the contest.
HEAD COACH Larissa Libby:
Entering her 10th year as head coach of the Hawkeyes, Libby has her eyes set on a seventh-consecutive NCAA postseason appearance, the eighth in her tenure. During the 2013 regular season, Iowa clinched the Cy-Hawk Series, defeating Iowa State with a season-best, 196.375-194.575. Iowa was the only Big Ten team to down Minnesota, the regular season Big Ten Co-Champions. The Hawkeyes beat the Gophers, 195.725-195.550. Iowa found success off the floor as well, as four GymHawks — Sydney Hoerr, Emma Stevenson, Kaitlynn Urano and Emma Willis — received Academic All-Big Ten honors. In 2012, the Hawkeyes finished the season ranked 26th nationally, the team’s highest finish since 2004.
HAWKEYE NEWCOMERS:
The Hawkeyes welcome seven newcomers to the 2014 squad: Jordyn Doherty, Mollie Drenth, Ashleigh Edlin, Amanda Kowalski, Caroline McCrady, Angel Metcalf, and Lexi Mura. At Georgia, the vault line-up featured all freshmen. In total, 17 of the 24 routines were completed by freshmen. Doherty currently holds the team high-score on vault posting a 9.850 against Ohio State and Metcalf is tied for best on beam (9.825) and holds the team high all-around score of 39.325.
ROSTER BREAKDOWN:
The majority of GymHawks are underclassmen, with seven freshmen, four sophomores and three juniors. There are no seniors on the roster.
IOWA SELECTED TO HOST 2016 NCAA REGIONAL:
The University of Iowa and Carver-Hawkeye Arena have been selected to host a 2016 NCAA Regional (April 2, 2016) in women’s gymnastics. Iowa last hosted an NCAA Regional in 2009.
FOLLOW THE HAWKEYES:
Web Address: hawkeyesports.com (check the schedule page for live stats and live streams)
Facebook: facebook.com/iowagymnastics
Twitter: twitter.com/iowagymnastics
YouTube: youtube.com/iowagymnastics