University of Minnesota Athletics
GOPHER GYMNASTS TRAVEL TO DENVER FOR TRIANGULAR MEET
1/25/2000 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
LAST YEAR AGAINST DENVER - No. 16 Minnesota hosted No. 19 Denver in the last regular-season dual meet of the 1999 season on March 21, 1999. The Gophers set a school record on uneven bars en route to a 196.125-194.700 victory. The total score was Minnesota's highest of the season and the second-best in school history. Judy Cavazos (Monterrey, Mexico/Mexicana del Noreste) won her ninth uneven bars title of the season, tying her season- high with a 9.925. Megan Skokut (Carmel, Ind./Carmel) set a personal best of 9.90 to place second. Cavazos also won the floor exercise for the eighth time of the season, scoring 9.90.
MINNESOTA RANKED SEVENTH - Minnesota is ranked No. 7 in the second national ranking of the season, released Tuesday. Last week, Minnesota was ranked No. 4, matching the team's highest ranking ever. The first two rankings are based on a team's highest team score of the season. Minnesota opened the season with a 194.800 score. Beginning Tuesday, the ranking will be determined by total season average.
This week's opponent, Denver, is listed 18th with a season-high of 193.300.
Minnesota was ranked 14th with 345 points in the preseason coaches poll. Georgia was listed first with 854 points, followed by Alabama at 825 and UCLA with 816. Michigan was the highest-ranked conference school, listed fourth with 806 points. Penn State was eighth, Minnesota 14th and Ohio State 20th. Utah was ranked No. 5 in the preseason poll with 770 points.
TOUGH SCHEDULE - Minnesota will face five teams ranked in the top 25 in the preseason coaches poll in six dual meets this season. The Golden Gophers defeated No. 24 Auburn and fell to No. 4 Michigan, both at the Sports Pavilion. Minnesota will also host No. 22 Iowa State this season. Minnesota competes at No. 5 Utah, No. 16 Arizona and No. 22 Iowa State.
Minnesota will also face top competition in invitational meets. On Feb. 18, the Golden Gophers compete in the Arizona State Uno's Classic against No. 2 Alabama, No. 5 Utah and No. 7 Arizona State. Minnesota will compete in a triangular meet at No. 15 Denver with No. 16 Arizona. Minnesota will be one of four preseason top-25 teams competing at the Big Ten Championships at Penn State on March 18.
MINNESOTA RECENTLY -No. 3 Utah defeated seventh-ranked Minnesota, 196.600-190.925, Friday in Salt Lake City. Utah swept the top three spots on all four events.
The Golden Gophers scored highest on floor exercise (48.400), led by sophomore Megan Beuckens (Brandon, S.D./Brandon Valley), who scored a 9.80. Beuckens tied for fifth place, while sophomore Catie Christensen (Columbus, Ohio/Thomas Worthington) was eighth at 9.70.
Minnesota's highest event finisher was newcomer Kelly Watson (Brampton, Ontario/Brampton Centennial), who tied for third on the balance beam with a personal- best score of 9.80. As a team, however, the Gophers did not fare well on the balance beam for the second consecutive meet. Minnesota had to count an 8.95 score and a 9.175 to finish with a 47.300 team score.
Minnesota also struggled on the uneven bars at Utah, with four falls leading to a score of 46.975, the team's lowest total of the season on any event. The Gophers' highest finisher was senior Judy Cavazos, who was sixth with a 9.725 score.
Sophomore MaryAnne Kelley (Barrington, Ill./Fremd) scored a season-high 9.75 on vault to place fourth. Beuckens tied for seventh with a 9.70. The Gophers scored 48.25 on vault.
Utah sophomore Theresa Kulikowski, the defending NCAA all around and balance beam champion, won the uneven bars (9.95), balance beam (9.95), floor exercise (9.925) and all around (39.525).
ABOUT DENVER - The No. 18 Pioneers scored a season-high 194.300 in placing second in a four-team meet at Air Force on Saturday. Denver scored a season-high 49.075 points on uneven bars. Junior Jenny Ebdon broke the school record in the all around (39.400) in the season- opening meet, a loss at Boise State. Coach Melissa Kutcher is in her second season at Denver.
ABOUT ARIZONA - No. 23 Arizona fell to No. 19 Stanford, 194.275-191.275, on Saturday. Newcomer Nikki Beyschan recorded a 9.90 on uneven bars. Sophomore Randi Liljenquist scored a 38.825 in the all around. The Wildcats opened the season placing second with 192.675 points in a four-team meet, defeating Central Michigan and Iowa but falling to No. 3 UCLA. Head coach Bill Ryden is in his first season at Arizona.
UP NEXT - Minnesota competes on the road for the third straight week. The Golden Gophers travel to Iowa State on Friday, Feb. 4, and to Iowa on Sunday, Feb. 6.
