Gophers Look for Fourth B1G Regular Season Title at Big Five Meet

STATE COLLEGE, PA. -- The No. 15 Minnesota women's gymnastics team (7-1, 3-1 B1G) is getting set for the Big Five meet this weekend at Penn State. The meet is set for Friday, Feb. 23 at 6 p.m. ET/5 p.m. CT on BTN. In Minnesota's session will be No. 8 Michigan State, No. 14 Ohio State, No. 23 Nebraska and Rutgers.

MEET INFORMATION
No. 15 Minnesota vs. No. 8 Michigan St., No. 14 Ohio St., No. 23 Nebraska and Rutgers
Friday, Feb. 23
5 p.m. CT
Rec Hall
State College, Pa.
TV/Stream: BTN
Announcers: Dean Linke (Play-By-Play), Olivia Karas (Analyst)
Stats: GopherSports.com.

B1G REGULAR SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP RACE

Michigan State enters the weekend at 5-0 in the conference, followed by Minnesota, Ohio State and Michigan at 4-1.
In order for Minnesota to win the title outright, they will have to win their session (4-0), Michigan State would have to finish third and Michigan would have to finish second or worse in the Saturday session.
There are multiple scenarios that would allow there to be a tie for the regular season title. All of them involve having Michigan State finishing second or worse in the Friday session.
Minnesota has won the Big Ten Regular Season title three times, in 2013, 2014 and 2016.

SCOUTING MINNESOTA

The No. 15 Minnesota women's gymnastics team enters the Big Five meet with an 8-1 (4-1 B1G) record. The Gophers only defeat was against No. 11 Michigan on Feb. 10. They hold a season average of 196.911 and rank in the top-20 nationally in all four events.
The Gophers roster 19 student-athletes in the 2024 season, led by five-time WCGA All-American and 2023 Big Ten Champion Mya Hooten and First Team All-Big Ten selection Gianna Gerdes. Of those 19, 13 have competed in at least one event this season.
The Gophers added eight newcomers to the fray this season, including seven freshmen and a transfer.
A senior from Woodbury, Minn., Hooten was a 2021/2022 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).
In 2024, Hooten has posted two perfect 10's on floor (vs. EMU, Jan. 13; vs. Michigan, Feb. 10). She's done so eight times in her career. Also this season, she's earned Big Ten Event Specialist of the Week three times (nine times in her career), and has won 11 event titles (five floor, four vault, two uneven bars). She made SportCenter's top-10 plays for her floor performance on Jan. 13 vs. Eastern Michigan. She ranks first in the Big Ten and third in the country on floor this season.
Minnesota earned its road-opening season-best score in program history when it tallied a 196.850 on Jan. 6 at the Mean Girls Super 16 in Las Vegas, Nev. Its best performance of the season came on Feb. 3 at Penn State, with a dazzling score of 197.525.
The Gophers started their season 3-0 with wins in the Super 16 against Oregon State, BYU and Southern Utah. They also hold wins over Eastern Michigan, Iowa, Maryland, Penn State and Illinois.

SCOUTING MICHIGAN ST.

The No. 8 Michigan State Spartans (8-3, 5-0 B1G) are having a banner year under head coach Mike Rowe. MSU's 5-0 start matches its best start to conference action since 1996. MSU is looking to capture its second-straight Big Ten regular season title at the Big Five Meet
The Spartans posted a season-best score of 198.050 in a win over Michigan on Feb. 4. Their lowest tally of conference action was 197.400. Their three defeats this season came to then No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 9 Kentucky and No. 6 California.
MSU is led by sophomore Sage Kellerman, who's been named Big Ten Event Specialist of the Week three times this year. She ranks first in the Big Ten and NCAA on vault this season and seventh in the conference on bars.

SCOUTING OHIO ST.

The No. 14 Ohio State Buckeyes (5-2, 4-1 B1G) head into the Big Five meet on a four-meet winning streak. Their lone losses of the season came to No. 2 LSU and No. 11 Michigan. They've outlasted Illinois, Maryland, Penn State and Iowa in B1G competition this season.
They're led by eighth-year head coach Meredith Paulicivic, who became the fifth coach in the program's history in 2017. Last year, Ohio State earned a program-record 197.750 at the NCAA Regional Final.
Senior Nicole Riccardi was the Big Ten's Specialist of the Week on Feb. 20 after earning a 9.900 on vault and bars. OSU's Payton Harris and Tory Vetter were named Big Ten Gymnasts to Watch and OSU was picked to finish third in the conference's preseason poll.

SCOUTING NEBRASKA

No. 23 Nebraska Cornhuskers (5-4, 3-2 B1G) are led by fifth-year head coach Heather Brink. She has been with the Huskers for 13 years total, including her stints as an assistant coach and interim head coach. She was an 11-time All-American gymnast at NU as well.
Emma Spence and Csenge Backsay were the Huskers' gymnasts to watch heading into the season. Spence was First Team All-Big Ten last year and was Co-Regional Gymnast of the Year. NU was picked to finish ninth in the Big Ten Preseason Poll.
NU's Kinsey Davis was nominated for the AAI Award as a nominee for the top senior gymnast in the country award. As a team, Nebraska has defeated Iowa State, UNC, Illinois, Iowa and Penn State. Their losses are to Arizona, Boise State, Michigan and Maryland.

SCOUTING RUTGERS

Led by sixth-year head coach Umme Salim-Beasley, Rutgers enters the Big Five Meet at 5-9 (0-5 B1G). Their non-conference wins came against Utah State, Southern Connecticut, Utica, New Hampshire and Brown. Their B1G defeats came to Iowa, Michigan, Illinois, Penn State and Maryland.
The Scarlet Knights were projected to finish 10th in the Big Ten Preseason Poll, Senior Emily Leese and junior Elia Aird were named 2024 Big Ten Gymnasts to Watch heading into the season. Leese was named an AAI award nominee this week as well. She's the program's vault record holder.
Last year, Rutgers went 7-17 (0-10 B1G). They scored 195.225 at the Big Five meet in Lincoln, Neb., in 2023. Their last B1G meet victory came in 2022, where it took a 195.550-194.925 win at Maryland.

WEEK SEVEN STANDOUTS; LAST TIME OUT

The No. 15 University of Minnesota women's gymnastics team (8-1, 4-1 B1G) outlasted Illinois (6-5, 1-4 B1G) on Sunday afternoon at Huff Hall, 196.950 to 196.800. It was Minnesota's final meet before Big Five's.
Minnesota's floor score led the way with a 49.500. The Gophers tallied a 49.350 on beam, 49.075 on the uneven bars and a 49.025 on vault. The Gophers trailed 98.400-98.100 after two events, but turned it on to earn the win after stellar floor and beam performances. Minnesota's floor score was its third highest this season while the team score tied for second-highest.
Mya Hooten took home another event title on the floor with a 9.975, her fifth of the year on the event. She holds 11 total event titles in 2024. Gianna Gerdes (39.300) took home her fifth all-around title of the season. Her best event came on the floor, where she earned a 9.875.
Sarah Moraw and Ella Sirjord tied for an event title in the balance beam with a 9.900. It was Sirjord's third beam title and Moraw's first this season.
When her team needed her most, freshman Jordyn Lyden filled in admirably for Katie Horak, tallying a career-best performance with a 9.875. Her previous high this season was 9.775 in just two appearances.

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 HISTORY AT BIG FIVE

In the nine years since the Big Ten has been using Big Five's as the Big Ten Championships qualifier, Minnesota has finished first twice, second twice, third three times and fourth twice. Their best ever score was 197.425 in 2016, clinching their third ever Big Ten regular season title.
2023: 4th (195.800): Senior Maddie Quarles received a perfect 10 on vault, the first of her career and 6th Gopher to record a 10 on vault.
2022: 3rd (196.500): Lexy Ramler won the all-around (39.575) and T-1st on beam (9.950). Mya Hooten claimed the top spot on the floor (9.975).
2021: 1st (197.375): Lexy Ramler broke her own Gophers all-around record with a 39.850. Her previous record was 39.725. The new program-best score was highlighted by her first career perfect 10 on vault. Shhe scored a 9.925 or higher on each event and won every event title.
2020: 2nd (196.650): Lexy Ramler took home the balance beam title for Minnesota.
2019: 2nd (196.700): Lexy Ramler took third in the all-around competition with her score of 39.450.
2018: 3rd (195.150): Ramler won a share of the all-around title with a 39.450. Ivy Lu won the bars title and Williams won a share of the floor title.
2017: 4th (194.825): Bailey Holst earned gold in the all-around competition, posting a 39.425. The score marked a personal record as well.
2016: 1st (197.425): Senior Hanna Nordquist notched a perfect 10.00 on the balance beam to earn the event title. Fellow senior Lindsay Mable tied for first for the floor exercise and finished second in the all-around with a final tally of 39.500.

SENIOR STARS LEADING MAROON AND GOLD

Minnesota's class of five seniors has been leading the way for the team's success so far this season. The Gophers group of Gianna Gerdes (all-around), Mya Hooten (vault, beam, floor), Katie Horak (beam), Emily Koch (beam, floor) and Ella Sirjord (bars, beam) have combined for 23 event titles in 2024. Hooten leads the way with 11 while Gerdes has tallied nine (five all-around titles).
Seniors Katie Horak and Ella Sirjord, who have both battled through injuries in their careers, have been healthy and extremely effective in their fourth seasons as Gophers. Horak and Sirjord both tallied career-best 9.950 scores on beam at Penn State in the Gophers meet win.
Emily Koch earned an event title on floor Jan. 27 against Maryland. She's gone 9.900-or-better on floor in each of the past three meets.

WCGA AND ROAD TO NATIONALS RANKINGS

Entering week eight, the Golden Gophers held steady at No. 15 in the Road to Nationals rankings. The 'U' ranks 11th in the nation in beam, 11th on floor, 19th on bars and 19th in vault.
Minnesota's Gianna Gerdes ranks 27th in the nation in all-around. Mya Hooten ranks 3rd in floor and 18th in vault while Brooklyn Rowray ranks No. 1 in the country on beam after posting a 9.975 on Jan. 6. She hasn't competed since then after suffering an achilles injury on Jan. 13.
Senior Ella Sirjord ranks 30th in the country on the balance beam with a 9.871 average.
Minnesota began the 2024 season ranked No. 18 in the WCGA Preseason poll. The 'U' is coming off a 2023 season that saw it go 10-6-1 (4-4-1 Big Ten), finishing fifth in the conference standings. The 'U' finished 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, including a No. 12 rank in floor, 14th in vault, 19th in bars and 40th on beam.

LYDEN LOOKING LIKE A FUTURE STAR

True freshman Jordyn Lyden has been outstanding in her rookie year in the Maroon and Gold. The Stillwater, Minn., native competes on both bars and beam. Her 9.861 bars average is second on the team, behind only senior Gianna Gerdes.
Lyden has been named Big Ten Freshman of the Week twice this season, including on Feb. 6 after tallying a career-best 9.975 on bars at Penn State. Her score tied a program-record. No Minnesota Golden Gopher has ever earned a perfect 10 on bars.
She has not been a mainstay on beam for the team, but stepped in last week and delivered a career-best 9.875 outing for the team at Illinois.

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UP NEXT
Minnesota travels to Boise State for a quad meet on Friday, March 1 at 8 p.m. CT. Mountain West Network will provide streaming.

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Players Mentioned

Gianna Gerdes

Mya Hooten

Katie Horak

Emily Koch

Jordyn Lyden

Sarah Moraw

Maddie Quarles

Brooklyn Rowray

Ella Sirjord