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ROSEMONT, Ill. – Three University of Iowa women’s gymnasts were named to the All-Big Ten teams, the conference announced Monday.
Junior Clair Kaji was named first team. Senior Nicole Chow and freshman Lauren Guerin were named second team.
The selections were determined by calculating each individual’s regional qualifying score (RQS). These are comprised of taking the six best performances in an event, dropping the highest score, and averaging the remaining five. Three of these scores must be from away meets.
It’s Kaji’s second time making the list, but it’s her first time making first team. The Vancouver, Canada, native made second team her freshman year. Kaji scored season highs of 9.900s in every event she competed in this season, beam, floor, and bars. The 9.900 on bars set a career high at the Big Five Meet. Kaji scored three 9.900s in a row on floor, elevating the GymHawks’ ranking on floor to No. 20, according to the latest Road to Nationals Poll (3/18). Kaji’s 9.900s helped Iowa to a season high score on floor of 49.400 vs. Illinois (Feb.16) and win session one of the Big Five Meet (Feb.22).
This is the second time Chow, from Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, made second team. She earned second team honors in the 2018 season as a junior. Chow scored three 9.900s on bars this season, her last 9.900 being at the Big Five Meet on Feb. 22. She also competed on beam and vault. On beam, Chow scored a season high of 9.875. Chow earned a season high score of 9.825 on vault at Washington (March 8), to help the GymHawks to a season high score of 49.200 on vault.
This is a first time honor for freshman Guerin, an Austin, Texas, native. Guerin competes in two events for the GymHawks, but is a high scorer in each of those events. On floor, Guerin had a streak of five 9.900s in a row starting at Michigan (Feb. 10), stretching to March 8, at Washington. During the streak, Guerin’s career bests of 9.900 helped the GymHawks win session one of the Big Five Meet, and help Iowa earn a season best of 49.400 on floor vs. Illinois (Feb. 16). Guerin scored a career best on vault of 9.875 at Oregon State (March 15). She also scored a 9.850 at Washington (March 8), to help the GymHawks to a season high score on vault of 49.200.
The GymHawks compete at the Big Ten Championships on Saturday, March 23 at 4 p.m. (CT) in University Park, Pennsylvania. The Championships will be aired on the Big Ten Network.
