COMEBACK OF THE SEASON
Iowa entered the final rotation against Penn State, trailing by .600 points. The Hawkeyes rallied, scoring a program-record 49.650 on floor to improve to 3-0 in the Big Ten. Five gymnasts scored a 9.900 or higher with senior Lauren Guerin and junior JerQauvia Henderson posting a 9.975 to share the event title and tie for the highest score in program history. The Hawkeyes outscored the Nittany Lions on floor, vault, and beam.
NIGHT FULL OF FLOOR RECORDS
No. 17 Iowa broke the school floor record and had two gymnasts tie the top floor score in its 196.125-195.325 victory over No. 29 Penn State on Feb. 4.
• The previous floor record was 49.600, which was set against Minnesota/ Maryland in 2021.
• Senior Lauren Guerin posted a career-high 9.975 as the anchor to seal the comeback victory. The Texas native received one perfect 10.0 to tie for the highest score in program history.
• Junior JerQuavia Henderson posted a 9.975 for the second time in her career, tying her own school record. The Illinois native, who had a 10.0 from one judge, also posted a 9.975 last season against Maryland/Minnesota.
FLOOR QUEENS
Senior Lauren Guerin and junior JerQuavia Henderson have been consistently consistent on floor this season. The two gymnasts both rank in the top 20 in the Road to Nationals rankings with Guerin coming in at No. 12 with a 9.925 average score, while Henderson is 16th with a 9.921 average score.
• Guerin has scored 9.900 or higher in five of six meets this season, including a career-best 9.975 against Penn State.
• Henderson has scored 9.900 or higher in all six competitions, including her season-best 9.975 against the Nittany Lions.
• As a team, Iowa has scored 49.225 or higher in all six meets this season.
AAJH
JerQuavia Henderson has won the all-around in both competitions she has competed in this season. She had a career-high 39.475 in her all-around debut against Nebraska on Jan. 29 before scoring a 39.425 against Penn State. The junior has 10 event titles this season.
• Henderson is tied for 18th nationally in the all-around this season.
• In six meets, Henderson has tallied 16 top-three finishes to lead the team.
B1G HONORS
• Junior JerQuavia Henderson was named Big Ten Specialist of the Week on Jan. 10 after scoring a 9.925 on vault and floor in the Hawkeyes’ win over Eastern Michigan. It was her first career honor.
• Freshman Marissa Rojas earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors on Jan. 25 after winning her first career event title in the road win at Michigan State. The Michigan native posted an anchor score of 9.925 to take the title and she also made her floor debut, scoring a 9.800.
IN THE RANKINGS
Iowa is one of four Big Ten teams in the top 20 of the Road to Nationals rankings along with No. 1 Michigan, No. 6 Minnesota and No. 15 Michigan State. The Hawkeyes, who are ranked 17th, was ninth following Week 1, which was the second-highest ranking in program history.
BIG TEN CHAMPIONS
The Hawkeyes clinched their first Big Ten Conference championship, claiming the 2021 regular season title, when they won the Big Five Meet in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on Feb. 27. Iowa finished the Big Ten regular season with an 8-0 record.
• Lauren Guerin and JerQuavia Henderson earned a share of the Big Ten floor titles during the 2021 Big Ten Championships. They were the third and fourth floor champions in school history and the first since 2004.
KENLIN: 2021 B1G FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Sophomore Adeline Kenlin earned Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors in 2021, becoming the fourth Hawkeye in school history to earn the conference’s top freshman honor and the first in 20 years.
• Kenlin earned the distinction after winning five event titles during the regular season. The Iowa City native tied the school record on beam, posting a 9.975 score on March 14 at Nebraska. Kenlin earned four Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors.
HENDERSON — CGA COMEBACK GYMNAST OF THE YEAR
Junior JerQuavia Henderson was selected as College Gym News Comeback Gymnast of the Year in 2021. The Peoria, Illinois, native missed the 2020 season after rupturing her Achilles before returning to earn All-America honors in 2021.
• Henderson also earned a share of the Big Ten floor title with a 9.950 and she tied for first on floor at NCAA Regionals with a 9.925. She also was a second-team WCGA All-America honoree on floor after posting a 9.944 national qualifying score during the regular season.
• The first-team All-Big Ten selection tied the Iowa school record during a tri-meet against Minnesota and Maryland on Feb. 13 with a score of 9.975. She received a 10.00 from one judge to tie the record last set in 2004.
IN THE RECORD BOOKS
Seven Hawkeyes are in the Iowa record books for the 2022 season. They are as follows:
• JerQuavia Henderson – t1st – 9.975 – Floor
• Lauren Guerin – t1st -9.975 – Floor
• Adeline Kenlin -t1st- 9.975- Beam
• Clair Kaji – t3rd – 9.950 – Beam
• Lauren Guerin – t4th – 9.950 – Floor
• Allyson Steffensmeier – t6th – 9.925 – Uneven Bars
• Clair Kaji – t6th – 9.925 – Uneven Bars
• JerQuavia Henderson – t6th – 9.925 – Uneven Bars
• Marissa Rojas – t8 – 9.925 – Beam
• Lauren Guerin – t9th – 9.925 – Vault
• JerQuavia Henderson -t9th- 9.925- vault
• Lauren Guerin – t12- 9.925 – Floor
• Clair Kaji – t12 – 9.925 – Floor
• Alex Greenwald – t12 – 9.925 – Floor
• Alex Greenwald – t15 – 9.900 – Uneven Bars
• Adeline Kenlin – t15th – 9.900 – Uneven Bars
• Adeline Kenlin – t17 – 39.500 – All-Around
KAJI X 6
Senior Clair Kaji returns for her sixth season with the Gymhawks after earning first-team All-Big Ten honors in 2021. It was Kaji’s third All-Big Ten recognition as she was the first Hawkeye since Houry Gebeshian to earn three All-Big Ten honors. Kaji is the ninth Iowa gymnast to earn multiple first-team honors.
HAYDEN JOINS IOWA COACHING STAFF
Quest Hayden is in his first season as an assistant coach, joining the Hawkeyes following stints at North Carolina, Michigan and Penn State. Hadyen was a member of the United States’ 2013 Junior National Team and he competed collegiately at Penn State from 2015-18.
20 & COUNTING
Head coach Larissa Libby has led the GymHawks to 20 straight NCAA Regional appearances (either as a team or individually). The 2022 season is Libby’s 18th as Iowa’s head coach and 21st overall with the program. She is a three-time Big Ten Coach of the Year.
FOLLOW THE HAWKEYES
For a behind the scenes look at the program, follow the GymHawks via social media at Facebook/IowaGymnastics, Twitter/@IowaGymnastics, and Instagram (@IowaGymnastics).
UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes will travel to Toledo, Ohio, for the annual Big Five Meet. Iowa will compete against Illinois, Maryland, Michigan and Ohio State on Feb. 18 at 6 p.m. (CT).
