No. 6 Minnesota Set for Home Opener Against Eastern Michigan

MINNEAPOLIS -- The No. 6 University of Minnesota women's gymnastics team (3-0, 0-0 B1G) is getting set for its home opener. The Gophers host Eastern Michigan (0-1, 0-0 MAC) on Saturday, Jan. 13 at 4 p.m. B1G+ will provide streaming while fans can follow along with stats at Gophersports.com.

MEET INFORMATION
No. 6 Minnesota vs. Eastern Michigan
Saturday, Jan. 13
4 p.m. CT
Maturi Pavilion
Minneapolis, Minn.
TV/Stream: B1G+
Stats: Gophersports.com

SCOUTING MINNESOTA

The Minnesota women's gymnastics team started the 2024 season on Saturday, January 6 at the 'Mean Girls' Super 16 Gymnastics Championships in Las Vegas, Nev. (Orleans Arena). The Gophers defeated No. 13 Oregon State, No. 24 Southern Utah and No. 31 BYU. Minnesota tallied a season-opening score of 196.850, which was a program record for a season-opening road meet.
The Gophers roster 19 student-athletes in the 2024 season, led by three-time All-American and 2023 Big Ten Champion Mya Hooten and First Team All-Big Ten selection Gianna Gerdes. The Gophers added eight newcomers to the fray this season, including seven freshmen and a transfer from Pittsburgh University. Notable departures from 2023 include two-time All-American and three-time Second Team All-Big Ten selection Maddie Quarles. Two-time All-Big Ten honoree Halle Remlinger also departed after earning second team honors last season as a senior.
The 'U' had contributions from 12 of 19 athletes last Saturday. Four made their Gophers regular season debuts, including seniors Katie Horak (beam) and Ella Sirjord (bars). True freshmen Jordyn Lyden (bars) and Sophia Nguyen (vault and bars) also took part in their first meets.
A senior from Woodbury, Minn., Hooten was a 2022 NCAA All-American in floor (first team, 9.500) and vault (second team, 9.9000) and 2023 WCGA Regular Season All-American in floor (first team) and vault (second team). She earned her first NCAA All-America honors in 2021 in floor (first team, 9.950) and vault (second team, 9.8750).

SCOUTING EASTERN MICHIGAN

EMU opened up its 2024 season at Western Michigan on Sunday, where the Eagles finished with a 193.575 team score, falling to Western Michigan. Raisa Boris was named the top all-around gymnast in the meet with an overall score of 39.425. Kyrie Lowe led the bars event, scoring a 9.850 for first place overall in the event.
In 2024, eight seniors remain on the 2024 roster in Raisa Boris, Katie Butler, Jordan Jankowski, Trinity Macy, Anna-Grace McCullough, Sophia Rios, Molly Parris, and Mayleigh Vanderbeek. EMU added four freshmen for this season.
Katie Minasola is the head coach at EMU and the 2024 season marks Minasola's seventh at the helm of the Eagles.
EMU finished the 2023 season placing sixth at the 2023 Mid-American Conference Championship with a team score of 195.175. Minasola led the Eagles to its highest event total, a 49.025, on bars during the championship.
A two-time First Team All-MAC honor, junior Ella Chemotti qualified for the 2023 NCAA Pittsburgh Regional on beam and scored 9.900 at the meet.

LAST SEASON

The 'U' is coming off a 2023 season that saw it post a 10-6-1 (4-4-1 Big Ten) meet record, finishing fifth in the regular season standings. The Gophers went on to finish third at the Big Ten Championships (197.250) and fifth at the NCAA Regionals (197.200). They will be looking to qualify for nationals for the third time in the last four seasons in 2024.

GOPHERS IN HOME OPENERS

Since 1989, Minnesota is 27-8 in home openers at the Pav. Under Jenny Hansen, the Gophers are 8-1, with the only loss coming in 2017. The 'U' has won six straight home opening meets.

COACHING STAFF

Head coach Jenny Hansen is in her 10th season at the helm of the program. Associate head coach Rich Stenger and assistant coach Geralen Stack-Eaton also enter their 10th years with the team. Fellow assistant Kiki Parenteau was promoted to assistant coach this summer after serving as a volunteer assistant for the past two years. She will be entering year three in 2024.
In the 10 years since Hansen has been in charge, the team has posted a 115-48-1 meet record (55-26-1 Big Ten).
They've made eight regional appearances and three nationals trips, including a program-record sixth place finish (197.1125) in 2022. Hansen and the Gophers took home the 2021 Big Ten title, the program's sixth all-time.

WEEK ONE STANDOUTS IN VEGAS

Gophers senior Gianna Gerdes, a First Team All-Big Ten selection in 2023, took home the all-around crown with a 39.425. She delivered a 9.900 on bars, 9.875's on beam and floor and a 9.775 on vault.
In her first ever meet as a senior, Ella Sirjord delivered a 9.875 for Minnesota on bars. Fellow senior Katie Horak competed in her first regular season event, tallying a 9.850 on beam.
Sophomore Brooklyn Rowray was phenomenal as Minnesota's beam anchor, tallying a dazzling 9.975 in her 2024 debut. She had the third highest score in the entire country for the event.
Gianna Gerdes and Mya Hooten paced the 'U' with scores of 9.875 on floor, followed by Emily Koch (9.850).
Rookie Jordyn Lyden was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week after going for a 9.825 on bars in her first collegiate meet.

WCGA AND ROAD TO NATIONALS RANKINGS

Minnesota began the 2024 season ranked No. 18 in the WCGA Preseason poll. The 'U' is coming off a 2023 season that saw it post a 10-6-1 (4-4-1 Big Ten) meet record, finishing fifth in the regular season standings. The Gophers went on to finish third at the Big Ten Championships (197.250) and fifth at the NCAA Regionals (197.200). They will be looking to qualify for nationals for the third time in the last four seasons in 2024.
The Gophers ended 2023 ranked No. 18 in the nation as a team, including a No. 12 rank in floor, 14th in vault, 19th in bars and 40th on beam.
Entering week two, the Golden Gophers moved up to No. 6 in the Road to Nationals rankings. The 'U' ranks third in the country in beam, 12th in floor, 14th in bars and 16th in vault.

FOUR GOPHERS EARN BIG TEN HONORS IN 2023

Minnesota had four gymnasts named to All-Big Ten teams in 2023, with then-juniors Gianna Gerdes and Mya Hooten being named to First Team and seniors Halle Remlinger and Maddie Quarles being named to Second Team.
It was the first time Gerdes and Remlinger had been named to an All-Big Ten team, while Hooten has now been named to an all-conference team three times and Quarles twice.

B1G WEEKLY AWARDS

Minnesota had a gymnast recognized by the Big Ten eight different times in 2023. Mya Hooten earned weekly awards three times, including Gymnast of the Week and Event Specialist twice.
Gianna Gerdes was named Gymnast of the Week once, also the first of her career. Then-freshman Seria Johnson was named Freshman of the Week after her performance at the Wasatch Classic.
Jordyn Lyden was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week on Jan. 8, 2024. She posted a 9.825 score on bars in her first collegiate meet. She's the first Gopher to earn Big Ten Freshman of the Week since Seria Johnson on Jan. 16, 2023.

MARKETING/PROMOTIONS

Club day is Saturday! The club who brings the most attendees will win a pizza party after the meet! Clubs interested in tickets can complete the club day & group experiences form to learn more.
Post-Meet Autographs will occur after the meet and be limited to the first 150 fans who check-in at the marketing table and receive a wristband to enter the autograph line following the end of the meet.

UP NEXT
Minnesota opens its Big Ten season on Monday, Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. against Iowa. BTN will provide television coverage.

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Players Mentioned

Gianna Gerdes

Gianna Gerdes

Mya Hooten

Mya Hooten

Katie Horak

Seria Johnson

Seria Johnson

Emily Koch

Jordyn Lyden

Sophia Nguyen

Maddie Quarles

Halle Remlinger

Brooklyn Rowray

Ella Sirjord