University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers to Celebrate Senior Night This Saturday
3/10/2009 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
Minnesota will compete in its final home meet of the 2009 season when it hosts Big Ten rival Iowa this weekend. The competition between the Gophers and the Hawkeyes will begin at 6 p.m. on Saturday, March 14 at the Sports Pavilion. The team’s three senior gymnasts, Jade Beattie, Carmelina Carabajal and Angela Walker, will be honored during a Senior Night presentation at the end of the competition.
The meet against Iowa will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network on a tape-delay basis. The meet will air on Wednesday, March 18 at 7 p.m.
Eden Prairie Community Day
In addition to Senior Night, the women’s gymnastics team will honor Jamie Bullock and her hometown of Eden Prairie, Minn., at the team’s final home competition of the 2009 season. Eden Prairie Community Day will take place at the Golden Gophers’ meet against Iowa on Saturday, March 14. Fans from Eden Prairie may purchase discounted tickets to the event for just $4. Simply mention the Eden Prairie Community Day at the ticket window to receive the discounted price.
National Rankings
Minnesota moved up one spot to No. 17 in the national rankings, coming in with an RQS of 195.370 this week. In the event rankings, the Gophers are listed among the top 25 in two events. Minnesota is listed at No. 14 on the uneven bars (48.935) and No. 11 on balance beam (48.990). Individually, Carmelina Carabajal is ranked among the nation’s top 25 on two lists, coming in tied for No. 20 on the balance beam (9.860) and tied for 22nd in the all around (39.250).
In the Big Ten
As a team, Minnesota is currently ranked fourth in the Big Ten, and is the top-ranked beam team in the conference. Four Gopher gymnasts are listed among the top 10 in the Big Ten individual rankings this week. Full rankings are available at www.troester.com/gym
Winning Ways
Minnesota gymnasts have won 20 individual event titles this season, and eight all around titles. Carmelina Carabajal leads the way, with 10 event titles and five all around wins. Alexis Russell has seven event wins and two all around titles to her name this year. Sophomore Kristin Furukawa owns five event titles, four on bars and one on beam. Seniors Jade Beattie and Angela Walker each have a beam title this year.
All Around Competitors
Minnesota’s three all around competitors, Carmelina Carabajal, Alexis Russell and Kendra Elm, have all achieved success this season. Last weekend marked the first time this season that all three competed in the all around in the same meet. The trio provided half of Minnesota’s 24 routines, and contributed 60 percent of the team’s scoring, earning 117.10 points for the Gophers. Between Carabajal and Russell, Gopher gymnasts have claimed seven all around titles in 10 meets so far this season.
Super Sophomores
With six sophomores on the roster, the sophomore class makes up nearly half of the 13-member Gopher team. Last week at Arkansas, the class accounted for 13 of 24 routines, and 126.60 points, or 65 percent of the scoring.
Bullock Back on Vault
Sophomore Jamie Bullock returned to the vault line up in the team’s last competition, and came back in grand fashion as she matched her personal best score with a 9.825 and helped Minnesota to their best vault score of the season with a 48.85. Bullock vaulted four times during the 2008 season, but hadn’t competed on vault in more than a year.
About Iowa
The Hawkeyes are currently ranked No. 25, and have a 10-4 record on the season. They are coming off a win over Kentucky, where they scored a 196.525, their best score of the season. The Iowa score from last weekend was their second of 195 or better this season.
Last Time vs. Iowa
Minnesota’s last competition against Iowa was the 2008 NCAA North Central Region Championship at the Sports Pavilion. Minnesota finished third in that meet with a score of 195.275, while Iowa finished in sixth place, scoring 193.875.
Last Meet Recap: at Arkansas
The 18th-ranked Golden Gopher women’s gymnastics team lost to No. 10 Arkansas in Fayetteville, Ark., by a score of 195.250-196.350.
The Gophers were up on uneven bars first, and were led by sophomore Kristin Furukawa. Furukawa earned a 9.85 to tie for first place, marking her fourth bars win of the season. Alexis Russell was the second-best scorer for the Gophers, earning a 9.825 to tie for third place. As a team, Minnesota compiled a score of 48.625 on bars, the lowest bars score of the 2009 season.
Minnesota competed on vault in the second rotation, and were led by senior captain Carmelina Carabajal, who tied for third place overall with a score of 9.875. Sophomore Jamie Bullock competed on vault for the first time this season, and earned a 9.825 to tie her career-best score. Sophomore Yuri Nagai also tied her career-best mark, earning a 9.7. Kendra Elm earned a 9.75, setting a new personal-best score on vault. Minnesota team score on vault was 48.85, the best for the Gophers this season.
Carmelina Carabajal was the top performer for Minnesota on floor, where she tied her best score of the season with a 9.85, placing fifth overall. As a team, Minnesota tallied a 48.825 on floor.
On balance beam, Minnesota was again led by Carmelina Carabajal, who earned a 9.85 to tie for first place. Carabajal has now won five event titles on beam this season. Coming in second for the Gophers and third overall was Kristin Furukawa, with a score of 9.825. The team score for the Gophers on beam was 48.900.
Carmelina Carabajal finished in third place in the all around competition with a total score of 39.200. Alexis Russell was fourth with a score of 39.075. Kendra Elm had the second-best all around total of her career with a 38.825.
It’s Been Awhile
Minnesota’s scores from the Northern Illinois meet (2/28) on bars, as well as the total team score, were the best for the Gopher program in several seasons. The team total of 195.85 was the highest for the program since Minnesota tallied a 195.875 at Iowa on March 3, 2006. Minnesota’s bars score of 49.225 was the best for the team in over five years, since the Gophers earned a school-record 49.40 at the Best of Minnesota meet on Feb. 7, 2004.
Coming Up Next Week: the Big Ten Championships
The Gophers will travel to Champaign, Ill., to compete in the 2009 Big Ten Championships, hosted by the University of Illinois. The meet will begin at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 21, and will be broadcast live on the Big Ten Network.
Players Mentioned
