University of Minnesota Athletics
Friday, March 8
Birmingham, Ala.
6:30 PM
University of Minnesota
197.025
vs
197.350
Georgia
Players Mentioned
/ Gymnastics
/ Gymnastics
/ Gymnastics
/ Gymnastics
/ Gymnastics
/ Gymnastics
/ Gymnastics
Photo by: Bruce Kluckhohn
Paige Williams Ties School Record on Floor Exercise
3/8/2019 10:38:00 PM | Gymnastics
The No. 10 University of Minnesota women's gymnastics team finished in second place with an overall team score of 197.025 at tonight's quad meet against No. 8 Georgia (197.350), No. 20 Arkansas (197.000) and No. 39 Michigan State (195.025), hosted by Elevate The Stage at the Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Ala. The team now holds an overall record of 15-4 and a conference record of 9-1 thus far into the 2019 season.
The Gophers narrowly eclipsed the Razorbacks in the overall standings thanks to junior Paige Williams who anchored the Minnesota floor rotation and earned a career-high and school-record-tying 9.975 to boost the team past Arkansas by .025. The Wylie, Texas native, who was named the Big Ten Event Specialist earlier this week, won the event title with this performance, beating out two 9.950s from the Bulldogs.
"I'm really proud of the team tonight," said head coach Jenny Hansen. "Paige had a great night on both events, but her floor was just spectacular! The team continues to improve in different areas each week, and we are excited about our progress as we head into the postseason."
The Maroon and Gold have earned a score in the 197 range for the second time in as many weeks, keeping them in the national mix of top-tier teams in 2019. The Gophers gymnasts also collected to earn team event scores of 49.000 or higher for the fifth time this season. The team floor score of 49.475 is a season-high for this Gophers squad. Tonight's score is also strong enough to go down in the record books as tying the fourth-best team floor score in school history.
Lexy Ramler and Ona Loper finished second and third in the all-around competition with their respective scores of 39.475 and 39.450. Loper's 39.450 ties her career-high, which she earned for the first time last weekend during the meet against Pittsburgh. The all-around crown went to Georgia's Sydney Snead who recorded an all-around score of 39.600.
Vault
Loper posted the best vault score of the meet for the Gophers, a 9.875. Ramler and Williams recorded a pair of 9.850s, and freshmen Tiarre Sales and Ali Sonier rounded out the rotation with their respective scores of 9.800 and 9.775. Minnesota finished vault with a team event score of 49.150.
Bars
Ramler earned the top Minnesota score of the uneven bars as she pulled in a 9.900 from the judges. Ivy Lu followed in the score order with a 9.875 while Ona Loper recorded a 9.850 for the Gophers. Kristen Quaglia and Sonier posted matching 9.775s to bring the Maroon and Gold to a team event total of 49.175.
Beam
Four Minnesota gymnasts notched scores of 9.850 as Lu, Ramler, Sales and Sonier all received the same score from the judges. Loper's 9.825 finished out the top five scores for the team, giving the Gophers a team beam event score of 49.225.
Floor
The Gophers put together a season-high team score of 49.475 on floor exercise, led by Williams whose career-high 9.975 tied the school record and pushed the team into second place in the overall standings. Loper posted the next highest score for Minnesota with her second 9.900 on floor in as many weeks. Ramler and Sonier contributed a pair of 9.875s, and Higgins added a 9.850 to round out the rotation.
The Golden Gophers head to Columbia, Mo. to compete in a quad meet against Missouri, Michigan and Centenary. The competition kicks off at 7:00 p.m. CT and gives Minnesota a chance at redemption against Michigan and Missouri.
The Gophers narrowly eclipsed the Razorbacks in the overall standings thanks to junior Paige Williams who anchored the Minnesota floor rotation and earned a career-high and school-record-tying 9.975 to boost the team past Arkansas by .025. The Wylie, Texas native, who was named the Big Ten Event Specialist earlier this week, won the event title with this performance, beating out two 9.950s from the Bulldogs.
"I'm really proud of the team tonight," said head coach Jenny Hansen. "Paige had a great night on both events, but her floor was just spectacular! The team continues to improve in different areas each week, and we are excited about our progress as we head into the postseason."
The Maroon and Gold have earned a score in the 197 range for the second time in as many weeks, keeping them in the national mix of top-tier teams in 2019. The Gophers gymnasts also collected to earn team event scores of 49.000 or higher for the fifth time this season. The team floor score of 49.475 is a season-high for this Gophers squad. Tonight's score is also strong enough to go down in the record books as tying the fourth-best team floor score in school history.
Lexy Ramler and Ona Loper finished second and third in the all-around competition with their respective scores of 39.475 and 39.450. Loper's 39.450 ties her career-high, which she earned for the first time last weekend during the meet against Pittsburgh. The all-around crown went to Georgia's Sydney Snead who recorded an all-around score of 39.600.
Vault
Loper posted the best vault score of the meet for the Gophers, a 9.875. Ramler and Williams recorded a pair of 9.850s, and freshmen Tiarre Sales and Ali Sonier rounded out the rotation with their respective scores of 9.800 and 9.775. Minnesota finished vault with a team event score of 49.150.
Bars
Ramler earned the top Minnesota score of the uneven bars as she pulled in a 9.900 from the judges. Ivy Lu followed in the score order with a 9.875 while Ona Loper recorded a 9.850 for the Gophers. Kristen Quaglia and Sonier posted matching 9.775s to bring the Maroon and Gold to a team event total of 49.175.
Beam
Four Minnesota gymnasts notched scores of 9.850 as Lu, Ramler, Sales and Sonier all received the same score from the judges. Loper's 9.825 finished out the top five scores for the team, giving the Gophers a team beam event score of 49.225.
Floor
The Gophers put together a season-high team score of 49.475 on floor exercise, led by Williams whose career-high 9.975 tied the school record and pushed the team into second place in the overall standings. Loper posted the next highest score for Minnesota with her second 9.900 on floor in as many weeks. Ramler and Sonier contributed a pair of 9.875s, and Higgins added a 9.850 to round out the rotation.
The Golden Gophers head to Columbia, Mo. to compete in a quad meet against Missouri, Michigan and Centenary. The competition kicks off at 7:00 p.m. CT and gives Minnesota a chance at redemption against Michigan and Missouri.
Signing the Block M
Tuesday, May 20
Mya Hooten: NCAA Floor Final
Friday, April 18
Mya Hooten Previews NCAA Championships
Monday, April 14
NCAA Qualifier Mya Hooten
Monday, April 07