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THIS WEEK
The University of Iowa women’s gymnastics team competes in the night session at the Big Ten Championships on Saturday, March 23, at 4 p.m. (CT) in University Park, Pennsylvania.
WATCH/FOLLOW LIVE
- Both sessions of the Big Ten Championships will be on the Big Ten Network. Session one will be at 11 a.m. (CT), and session two, Iowa’s session, is at 4 p.m. (CT).
- Live stats can be found on hawkeyesports.com/wgymlive.
BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS
- There are two sessions in the Big Ten Championships, session one includes Rutgers, Ohio State, Maryland, and Michigan State.
- The night session includes Michigan, Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, and Penn State.
- The sessions were decided at the Big Five Meet. The top three in each session earned a berth to the preferred night session.
SCOUTING THE BIG TEN
- The Big Ten Conference has eight teams in the top 36 Road to Nationals Poll, Michigan (7), Minnesota (11), Nebraska (17), Ohio State (23), Penn State (25), Maryland (27), Illinois (32), and Iowa (34).
- The rankings are based on each teams Regional Qualifying Score (RQS).
- The top 36 RQS’s in the country, will qualify for NCAA Regionals.
- Michigan has the highest RQS in the Big Ten of 197.200. Following Michigan is Minnesota (196.885), Nebraska (196.520), Ohio State (195.985), Penn State (195.950), Maryland (195.840), Illinois (195.605), and Iowa (195.550).
- Michigan won the regular-season Big Ten Women’s Gymnastics Championships on Saturday, Feb. 23. The Wolverines finished the conference schedule 9-0 and finished first in session two at the Big Five Meet with a team score of 197.750.
- Following the Wolverines in session two was Minnesota (196.700), Illinois (195.525), Rutgers (194.650), and Ohio State (194.600).
- The GymHawks won session one of the Big Five Meet with a score of 196.450.
- Following Iowa was Nebraska (195.900), Penn State (195.700), Maryland (195.500), and Michigan State (194.525).
THREE GYMHAWKS NAMED TO ALL-BIG TEN TEAMS
- Junior Clair Kaji was named first team All-Big Ten.
- Freshman Lauren Guerin and senior Nicole Chow were named second team All-Big Ten.
- It’s Kaji’s second time making the list, but it’s her first time making first team.
- Kaji scored season highs of 9.900s in every event she competed in this season, beam, floor, and bars.
- This is the second time Chow has 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 was at the Big Five Meet on Feb. 22.
- This is a first time honor for freshman Guerin. Guerin competes on floor and vault for the GymHawks and 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, 49.400, on floor vs. Illinois (Feb. 16).
GYMHAWKS TAKE SECOND AT OREGON QUAD MEET
- The GymHawks scored a 195.425, finishing second following No. 14 Oregon State (196.550) and defeating North Carolina (191.750) and Seattle Pacific (190.625).
- Freshman Lauren Guerin scored a career-high (9.875) on vault.
- Senior Misty-Jade Carlson tied a season best on vault (9.800), to help the GymHawks to a score of 49.025.
- Junior Clair Kaji and Guerin both scored 9.850s to help the GymHawks to a score of 49.025 on floor.
- Senior Nicole Chow contributed a 9.825 on bars, and junior Charlotte Sullivan earned a 9.775.
- Kaji scored a 9.850 on beam, and freshman Bridget Killian notched a 9.750.
GYMHAWKS WIN SESSION 1 OF BIG FIVE MEET
- The GymHawks won session one of the Big Five Meet, which guarantees them a spot in the night session at the Big Ten Championships on Feb. 22.
- Iowa earned a season high score of 196.450.
- Junior Clair Kaji set a career high and senior Nicole Chow tied a career high on bars, both with a 9.900s, sharing the event title.
- Junior Charlotte Sullivan competed in the all-around for Iowa and finished fourth with a score of 39.100.
- Junior Clair Kaji earned three event titles on beam (9.875), floor (9.900), and bars (9.900).
- Freshman Lauren Guerin earned a 9.900 on floor, sharing the title with Kaji.
- Sophomore Emma Hartzler tied a career high (9.725), freshman Bridget Killian set a career high (9.825), and Sullivan (9.825) earned a season best on vault.
HEAD GYMHAWK
- Head Coach Larissa Libby is finishing her 15th season as head coach and 19th year overall.
- In 2018, Libby led the GymHawks to their 18th NCAA appearance with a No.33 national ranking and a 13-win season.
- Libby coached All-Championship honoree Charlotte Sullivan.
- During the regular season, Libby coached three GymHawks–Lanie Snyder, Nikki Youd, and Nicole Chow– to second team All-Big Ten honors.
- Libby takes pride in her GymHawks outside the gym as well. In 2018, a record 11 gymnasts received Academic All-Big Ten honors.
GYMHAWK HIGHLIGHTS
- The GymHawks are ranked 34th overall in the latest Road to Nationals Poll (3/18).
- Iowa is ranked 29th on bars, 38th on beam, 35th on vault, and 20th on floor in the latest Road to Nationals Poll (3/18).
- Iowa scored a 196.250 vs. Iowa State, its second-highest score of the season on March 1.
- Junior Clair Kaji and freshman Lauren Guerin each earned a 9.900 on floor to share the event title vs. Iowa State. Kaji tied a season best and Guerin tied a career high.
- Sullivan earned a season best in the all-around competition with a 39.200 vs. Iowa State.
- The GymHawks scored a 195.400 vs. Illinois on Feb. 16, scoring a 49.200 on bars and a season high of 49.400 on floor.
- Three GymHawks earned 9.900s on floor — Erin Castle, Clair Kaji, and Lauren Guerin — while the other three GymHawks earned 9.850s — Charlotte Sullivan, Bridget Killian, and Allie Gilchrist vs. Illinois.
- The GymHawks earned two 9.900’s on bars from Jax Kranitz, a career best, and Nicole Chow tied a career best vs. Illinois.
- Sophomore Erin Castle scored a career best of 9.750 on vault vs. Illinois.
- Iowa earned a score of 195.375 vs. No. 10 Michigan.
- Freshman Lauren Guerin won floor against Rutgers with a 9.875.
- Freshman Bridget Killian won two events against Rutgers – beam (9.725) and vault (9.750).
FABULOUS FRESHMEN
- Lauren Guerin earned her fifth 9.900 in a row on floor to tie a career high vs. Washington with Sacramento State on March 8, to help the GymHawks earn a floor score of 49.275.
- Guerin scored a career high on vault of 9.875 to help Iowa earn a score of 49.025 at No.14 Oregon State with North Carolina and Seattle Pacific.
- Alex Greenwald (9.900), Carina Tolan (9.800) all earned career highs, while Bridget Killian tied her career high (9.825) on vault to help the GymHawks earn a season high score of 49.200 at Washington with Sacramento State on March 8.
- Mackenzie Vance scored a career high on bars of 9.725 vs. Iowa State.
- Jax Kranitz earned a career high of 9.900, on bars vs. Illinois on Feb. 16.
FOLLOW THE HAWKEYES
For an inside look at the Iowa gymnastics program and access to exclusive coverage, “like” Iowa Women’s Gymnastics on Facebook and follow @IowaGymnastics on Twitter, and Instagram.
UP NEXT
- The GymHawks look to earn a berth to the post season, at the NCAA Regionals. The top 36 RQS’s will qualify to Regionals on April 4-6, the location is TBA.
- Live results will be available at hawkeyesports.com/wgymlive.