University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers To Take On Penn State & Alabama Saturday
1/27/2010 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
The No. 23 Gophers hot the road to take on No. 19 Penn State and No. 1 Alabama in State College, Pa. The meet will begin at 6 p.m. central.
Minnesota on the Big Ten Network
Minnesota will appear on the Big Ten Network three times this season. The home meet against Michigan State on Jan. 23 and the meet at Penn State on Jan. 30 will be telecast on a tape-delay basis. The Big Ten Championship will once again be televised live.
National Rankings
Minnesota moved back into top 25 in the GymInfo National Rankings this week. Minnesota is listed at No. 23 this week after being listed No. 26 last week. Minnesota is ranked in the top 25 on uneven bars, beam and floor. On bars, Minnesota is ranked No. 21 with an average score of 48.633, No. 25 on beam with an average of 48.100 and No.21 on floor with a 48.550 average.
Minnesota’s opponents this weekend, Alabama and Penn State, are ranked No. 1 and No. 19, respectively.
Minnesota has two individuals listed in the national rankings this week. Alexis Russell is ranked 23rd on floor with a 9.842 average, and is tied for No. 14 on bars with an average of 9.850. Jamie Bullock is also tied for No. 14 on bars with a 9.850 average, and is tied for No. 7 on beam with a 9.850 average.
All Around Success
Minnesota’s top returning all around competitor, Alexis Russell, has been the all around champion at two of the first three meets this season. Russell’s top score this season was her winning tally of 39.25 against Michigan State last weekend.
Topping 195 Early
Minnesota earned its first score over 195 last weekend against Michigan State, the team’s third meet of the season. The last time the Gophers topped 195 so early in the season was in 2004, when Minnesota scored 195.325 against UCLA at the Sports Pavilion on Jan. 25.
Our First 49 of the Season
Minnesota earned a team score of 49.025 on uneven bars last weekend, the team’s first score over 49 this year. Last season, the Gophers had three marks of 49 or better on bars, six on beam, two on floor and one on vault.
Triple Threat on Bars
Three Gopher gymnasts tied for first place on bars in last weekend’s competition. Alexis Russell, Kendra Elm and Jamie Bullock each earned scores of 9.85. Russell has been Minnesota’s highest scorer (or tied for the top score) in all three competitions this season. Elm tied her career-best mark with the 9.85 against Michigan State. Bullock competed on bars for the first time since early in the 2008 season, and set a personal best with her 9.85. Bullock has a new bars routine this season.
Last Meet Recap: Michigan State
Minnesota earned a season-best 195.125 in a win over Michigan State, who scored 193.35. The Gophers had their top scores of the season on every event.
Minnesota started the meet on vault, where the team earned a 48.70. Junior Kendra Elm was the top scorer for the Gophers, earning a 9.80 to mark her career high score. Elm finished in second place overall. Sophomore Lucy Ennis and junior Yuri Nagai tied for third place overall with scores of 9.75. The Gophers went into the second rotation with a .575 lead as Michigan State earned a 48.125 on bars.
The Gophers had their highest score of the competition on bars, where the team tallied a 49.025. Three Gopher gymnasts, Alexis Russell, Kendra Elm and Jamie Bullock, tied for first place with scores of 9.85. Elm matched her career high score, while Bullock set a new career best. Bullock was competing on bars for the first time in two seasons. After two rotations, the Gophers held a .95 lead after the Spartans scored a 48.65 on vault.
On balance beam, Minnesota compiled a 48.65. Jamie Bullock scored her second 9.85 of the night, and tied for first place. Kristin Furukawa and Alexis Russell tied for third place on beam, each scoring 9.80. Russell’s score was her best this season. Freshman Shannon Golich made her Gopher debut, earning a 9.60 in her first beam performance. The Gophers widened their lead to over two points after three rotations at 146.375-144.35.
Minnesota rounded out the meet on floor, where the team earned a 48.975, led by Alexis Russell. Russell took first place with a 9.90, her best floor score this season. Kendra Elm tied her personal best score with a 9.825 to place second. Freshman Janell Campbell tallied a 9.80 to place fourth overall.
In the all around, Alexis Russell took the title with a 39.25. The closest competitor was Michigan State’s Kelsey Morley, who earned a total of 38.40.
Coming Up Next Week: Best of Minnesota
The Gophers return home for the annual Best of Minnesota meet. The competition features Minnesota, Winona State, Gustavus and Hamline.
Gopher Gymnastics on the Internet
Five of Minnesota’s regular-season home meets will have a live webcast on the Gophers’ website at www.gophersports.com. Audio and video coverage of each regular-season home meet will be available to Gold Zone subscribers, with audio commentary by Gopher gymnastics alum Carmelina Carabajal.
Live scoring for all home meets will be available on www.gophersports.com, free of charge.
Players Mentioned
