IOWA CITY, Iowa – The University of Iowa women’s gymnastics team is ranked No. 18 for the second year in the Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association preseason poll leading into the 2023 season, it was released Friday by the WCGA. The Hawkeyes received 952 points.
Iowa is the fourth-highest Big Ten Conference team in the rankings. The defending conference champion Michigan is ranked fourth, receiving four first-place votes. Michigan State ranks 12th and Minnesota comes in at 14th. Ohio State (19), Illinois (23), Maryland (29), Nebraska (32), and Penn State (36) are also in the rankings, while Rutgers is receiving votes.
The Hawkeyes return 10 letterwinners including two All-Big Ten selections — JerQuavia Henderson and Adeline Kenlin — from a team that advanced to the NCAA Regional Final for the first time in the current format, which debuted in 2019. Kenlin finished runner-up on the balance beam at the 2022 NCAA Championships. Iowa also added nine newcomers to the roster, including Minnesota transfer Haley Tyson and Long Island transfer Ella Castellanos.
Iowa opens the season Jan. 7 with their first competition to be announced. On Jan. 14, The GymHawks are set to compete in the Wasatch Classic in Salt Lake City, Utah. Iowa will face No. 8 California, No. 14 Oregon State, and Pitt who received votes in the evening session, which starts at 9 p.m. CT.