University of Minnesota Athletics
GYMNASTS HOST ARIZONA IN FINAL HOME MEET OF THE YEAR
3/6/2001 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
No. 15 Minnesota hosts No. 20 Arizona on Saturday at 7 p.m. in the Sports Pavilion. This is the final home meet of the season for the Golden Gophers.
The National Ranking
Minnesota is ranked No. 15 in the March 5 edition of the GymInfo national ranking, based on regional qualifying score. RQS is determined by taking the top three road scores and the next three best scores, dropping the highest score, and averaging the remaining five scores. The Gophers moved up one spot this week after posting a season-high road score of 196.050 on Friday.
Saturday's opponent, Arizona, is ranked No. 20 this week. The Golden Gophers have faced top-25 teams in seven of the team's nine meets this season.
Minnesota is one of six Big Ten Conference schools listed among the nation's top 25 teams. The Gophers are listed fifth among conference teams, behind Michigan, Iowa, Penn State and Ohio State. Michigan State rounds out the conference teams. Illinois is the only Big Ten school not ranked this week, although Illinois has been ranked during the season.
Alf Moves Into Balance Beam Rankings
Sophomore Jenny Alf (Ripon, Wis./Ripon) is tied for eighth place on balance beam in this week's national rankings, her first national ranking of the season. She has an RQS of 9.885 this week, which ranks second in the Big Ten. With scores of 9.9, 9.9 and 9.925 the last three road meets, respectively, her score of 9.25 at Michigan on Jan. 19 was dropped. Alf's next three highest scores are 9.9 (1/27 vs. Iowa), 9.875 (2/10 vs. Best of Minnesota) and 9.85 (2/24 vs. Iowa State).
Kelley Ranks High In The Big Ten
Junior MaryAnne Kelley (Barrington, Ill./Fremd) is listed fourth in the Big Ten on floor exercise with an RQS of 9.905 and in the all around with an RQS of 39.245. Kelley is listed among the top 25 individuals nationally on both lists this week. She is tied for 11th in the all around and listed 18th on floor exercise.
Alf Sets Second-Highest Beam Mark
Jenny Alf's beam score of 9.925 at Boise State is the second-highest in team history. Former Golden Gopher Mindy Knaeble set the school record of 9.95 in 1997. Alf has recorded four scores of at least 9.90 in nine meets this season.
Alf also tied her career high with a 9.90 on floor exercise. She has the team's second-highest floor average, 9.844.
Gophers Record Three 49.0 Scores
Minnesota scored at least 49.0 on three of four events for the first time this season. Minnesota scored season highs for vault (49.0) and floor exercise (49.4) and added a 49.175 on uneven bars. The floor exercise score is the second-highest in Minnesota history, while the vault score is the fourth-highest in team history.
Floor Exercise
The floor exercise has traditionally been Minnesota's strongest event, and this year is no exception. The team has scored higher on floor exercise than the other three events seven of the team's nine meets.
The Gophers set a season-high 49.4 on floor exercise. Junior MaryAnne Kelley, then ranked 11th in the nation on floor exercise, scored her second straight 9.925 to place second. Jenny Alf and junior Megan Beuckens (Brandon, S.D./Brandon Valley) each scored 9.9 to tie for third place. Junior Courtney Norman (Minneapolis, Minn./Cretin- Derham Hall) scored 9.85, and newcomer Annie Laatsch (Lakeville, Minn./ Burnsville) scored 9.825 to round out the scoring.
Beam Blues
At Boise State, Minnesota had to count a fall on balance beam and scored 48.475. The Golden Gophers have had to count at least one fall on beam in all four road meets this season.
About Arizona
The Wildcats are ranked No. 20 in the nation after a school-record total of 196.9 Friday against Arizona State. The team also set an Arizona record for floor exercise with a mark of 49.475. Junior Randi Liljenquist, a 2001 second-team All-American in the all around, is ranked ninth in the nation in the all around.
Last Year Against Arizona
Minnesota faced Arizona twice during the 2000 season. The Golden Gophers placed first and Arizona placed third in a triangular at Denver on Jan. 30. On Feb. 20, Minnesota defeated Arizona in a dual meet in Tucson, Ariz.
Up Next
Minnesota competes in its final meet of the regular season at Auburn on March 17. The Big Ten Championships will be held March 24 in Ann Arbor, Mich.
