University of Minnesota Athletics
GOPHER GYMNASTS TO OPEN SEASON AT HOME AGAINST AUBURN
1/4/2000 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
MINNESOTA RANKED 14TH IN PRESEASON POLL - Minnesota enters the 2000 season ranked 14th with 345 points in the preseason coaches poll. Saturday's opponent, Auburn, is 24th with 97 points.
Defending national champion Georgia is listed first with 854 points, followed by Alabama at 825 and UCLA with 816. Defending Big Ten champion Michigan is the highest-ranked conference school, listed fourth with 806 points. Penn State is eighth, Minnesota is 14th and Ohio State is 20th.
2000 SEASON PREVIEW - Minnesota lost only two letterwinners from last year's team that earned a fourth consecutive trip to NCAA regional competition. Leading the team in 2000 are three All-Big Ten performers from a year ago: senior Judy Cavazos (Monterrey, Mexico/ Mexicana del Noreste) and sophomores Megan Beuckens (Brandon, S.D./Brandon) and Catie Christensen (Columbus, Ohio/Thomas Worthington). Cavazos, one of four seniors on this year's roster, earned All-America honors on uneven bars in her first season and holds the school records for uneven bars, floor exercise and all around. Senior Melissa Chang (Blue Springs, Mo./Blue Springs) is the team's captain in 2000.
The Golden Gophers add three new student-athletes this season: Jenny Alf (Ripon, Wis./Ripon) and Leigh Dixon (Rancho Santa Fe, Calif./The Bishop's School), both members of the Junior Olympic national team; and Kelly Watson (Brampton, Ontario/Brampton Centennial), who competed at the Canadian national championships.
ABOUT AUBURN - Auburn enters the 2000 season listed 24th in the preseason coaches poll. The Tigers placed fifth at the 1999 NCAA Region 4 meet with a score of 193.300, finishing the season 24th in the final rankings. Senior Sarah Wentworth won the all around with a score of 39.150 and qualified for the NCAA Championships, where she placed 43rd. Wentworth is the school record holder on the uneven bars (9.95) and all around (39.425). Head coach Jeff Thompson enters his first season at Auburn.
MINNESOTA TO HOST NCAA REGIONAL ACTION - The Sports Pavilion will be the site of 2000 NCAA regional gymnastics action. The meet will take place on Saturday, April 1, at 6 p.m.
UP NEXT - Minnesota continues its homestand with a meet against fourth-ranked Michigan, the defending Big Ten champion, on Jan. 15.
