University of Minnesota Athletics
WOMEN'S GYMNASTICS ON THE ROAD AGAIN THIS WEEKEND
2/15/2000 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
MINNESOTA RANKED 17TH - Minnesota is ranked No. 17 in the fourth regular-season poll of the season, released Feb. 8. The ranking of 193.500 is based on the average of Minnesota's six meets this season. Minnesota was ranked fourth after the first week of the season, tying the team's highest national ranking ever (week 1, 1998).
OTHER RANKINGS - Minnesota's highest team ranking is in the floor exercise, where the Golden Gophers are ninth with an average of 48.888. Minnesota is ranked No. 17 on vault and No. 22 on uneven bars.
Sophomore Megan Beuckens (Brandon, S.D./Brandon Valley) is ranked No. 23 in the floor exercise with an average of 9.80 and is tied for 25th in the all around with an average of 39.025.
MINNESOTA RECENTLY -Minnesota is coming off a first-place finish in the annual four-team Best of Minnesota Meet. The Golden Gophers scored 193.525 points, followed by Hamline (179.775), Winona State (178.375) and Gustavus Adolphus (175.30).
Sophomore Megan Beuckens won the floor exercise, recording her second 9.90 score this season. Sophomore MaryAnne Kelley and senior Kristi Selinger (Aurora, Colo./Gateway) tied for first on the balance beam for the second straight week, each recording 9.675 score.
Junior Shanyn Lancaster (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Lahser) and newcomer Leigh Dixon (Rancho Santa Fe, Calif./The Bishop's School) tied for first on the vault at 9.775. Senior Judy Cavazos (Monterrey, Mexico/Mexicana del Noreste) won the uneven bars with a 9.875 score.
Minnesota's floor exercise score of 49.200 is the highest of the season and ties the seventh-best score in team history. All five of Minnesota's counting scores were at least 9.80: Beuckens (9.90; ties season high), sophomore Catie Christensen (Columbus, Ohio/Thomas Worthington) (9.875; season high), Kelley (9.825; ties season high), Selinger (9.80; ties career high) and senior Melissa Chang (Blue Springs, Mo./Blue Springs) (9.80).
KELLEY, SELINGER SET CAREER MARKS - Sophomore MaryAnne Kelley set a personal best on the uneven bars with a mark of 9.80. Senior Kristi Selinger recorded her fourth career 9.80 score on the floor exercise.
SEASON-BESTS AT THE BEST OF MINNESOTA MEET - In addition to MaryAnne Kelley and Kristi Selinger, six other season-high scores were set or tied at the Best of Minnesota Meet. Kelley tied a season high on the floor exercise with a 9.825, while Selinger set a season high on vault at 9.70. Sophomore Megan Beuckens recorded her second 9.90 score in the floor exercise this season, while sophomore Catie Christensen set her highest floor exercise score of the season, 9.875. Senior Judy Cavazos won the uneven bars with her best score of the season, 9.875. Junior Shanyn Lancaster recorded a season-high 9.775 on the vault.
ABOUT THIS WEEKEND'S OPPONENTS -
ALABAMA - The Crimson Tide is ranked No. 1 in the nation with a season average of 196.2833 and a high score of 197.050. The team is also ranked No. 1 on uneven bars, No. 2 on balance beam and floor exercise and No. 5 on vault. Sophomore Andreé Pickens is ranked No. 1 in the all around with an average of 39.575 and No. 1 on the floor exercise with an average of 9.9167. She is also third on the vault and eighth on both uneven bars and balance beam.
Junior Robin Hawkins has the nation's seventh-best all around average. She is also nationally ranked on vault, uneven bars and balance beam. Sophomore Natalie Barrington is ranked sixth on the balance beam and No. 12 in the all around. Led by Pickens' No. 1 ranking, five Alabama athletes are ranked in the top 25 on the floor.
Last year against Alabama: No. 8 Minnesota faced top-ranked Alabama on the road and fell to the Crimson Tide, 196.025-194.650. Minnesota's highest individual finish was a tie for third on the balance beam, where Megan Beuckens and former Gopher Cathy Keyser each recorded a 9.775. Judy Cavazos recorded 9.85 scores on both uneven bars and floor exercise.
UTAH - Utah is ranked No. 4 in the latest ranking with an average of 196.085 and a season-high score of 197.075. The team is also ranked in the top five on all four individual events. Sophomore Teresa Kulikowski, the 1999 NCAA all around champion, is out for the season after injuring her knee at LSU on Jan. 28. Utah is also missing another All-American, junior Shannon Bowles, who sustained a neck injury on Nov. 22. Utah has three athletes ranked in the top 25 in the all around.
Last time against Utah: Minnesota traveled to Utah on Jan. 21 and was defeated, 196.600-190.925. Minnesota's highest event finisher was newcomer Kelly Watson (Brampton, Ontario/Brampton Central), who tied for third on the balance beam at 9.80. The Golden Gophers scored 46.975 on uneven bars, the team's lowest total of the season on any event, and 47.300 on the balance beam.
ARIZONA STATE - The Sun Devils are ranked No. 16 with an average of 193.535. Arizona State is coming off its second consecutive score above 195.0 points, recorded in a loss Sunday at Seattle Pacific. Senior All-American Elizabeth Reid is ranked second on the uneven bars with an average of 9.925 and is tied for 21st on the floor exercise.
ARIZONA - Arizona is ranked No. 24 with an average of 193.025. The Wildcats have the 10th-best uneven bars average, 48.660. Heidi Hornbeck is tied for second place on the floor exercise with an average of 9.90.
Last time against Arizona: Minnesota faced Arizona on Jan. 30 at Denver, where Minnesota placed first in the triangular with 194.525 points, while Arizona was third at 192.900.
TWO SOPHOMORES EARN BIG TEN ATHLETE OF THE WEEK HONORS - Sophomores Megan Beuckens and MaryAnne Kelley have each earned Big Ten women's gymnastics athlete of the week honors this season.
Kelley received her honor Wednesday after winning the all around Feb. 6 at Iowa with a score of 39.175, the second-highest score in Minnesota history. In that meet, she also tied for first place on the vault and balance beam. Her score of 9.875 on the beam tied the third-best score in team history and improved her previous career- best mark of 9.775 and her 9.80 on the vault matched her career best.
Beuckens earned her honor following Minnesota's season- opening victory over Auburn. Her all around mark of 39.075 was then the second-best all-around score in school history and was the fourth-best score in the nation. It was just the second all-around competition of her career. Beuckens also won the floor exercise (9.90) and balance beam (career-high 9.85) and set a personal best on the uneven bars (9.65).
MINNESOTA TO HOST NCAA REGIONAL ACTION - The Sports Pavilion will be the site of the 2000 NCAA Regional Gymnastics Championships. The meet will take place on Saturday, April 1, at 6 p.m.
GOLDEN GOPHER CO-HEAD COACHES JIM AND MEG STEPHENSON - Jim and Meg Stephenson are in their third season as co-head coaches at Minnesota. The duo earned 1998 Big Ten Coach of the Year honors after leading the Golden Gophers to their first conference title since 1991. The pair has a 39-21-1 record as co-head coaches.
UP NEXT - Minnesota returns home for the first of three straight home meets to close out the regular season. On Saturday, Feb. 26, the Golden Gophers host Iowa. Minnesota hosts Boise State on March 4 and Iowa State on March 11. The Big Ten Championships will be held March 18 at Penn State.
