IOWA CITY, Iowa – For a second consecutive week, University of Iowa senior Clair Kaji has been named the Big Ten Specialist of the Week, it was announced Monday by the league office. It is Kaji’s fourth career Big Ten honor.
The Vancouver, Canada, native earned the distinction after winning floor and finishing in the top two in three total events in the Hawkeyes’ road victory at Illinois.
Kaji won floor with a 9.900 and she finished as the runner-up on beam (9.875) and bars (9.725) in helping Iowa to its second straight win and its first road victory of the season. Kaji currently is tied for fifth nationally on floor with a 9.917 average and the Hawkeyes rank fifth nationally as a team in the event.
As a team, Iowa is ranked 10th overall with a 196.442 average. Along with ranking fifth on floor, the Hawkeyes are eighth on beam (49.083) and 12th on bars (49.100).
The Gymhawks have earned Big Ten weekly recognition in each of the first three weeks of the season, including all three Specialist of the Week honors. Junior Lauren Guerin was honored Jan. 18 and Kaji on Jan. 25, while Adeline Kenlin was the league’s Freshman of the Week on Jan. 25.
Iowa returns to action Saturday, hosting No. 11 Minnesota at 3 p.m. (CT) inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The meet will be televised on ESPNU.