University of Minnesota Athletics
Friday, February 23
State College, PA
5:00 PM
University of Minnesota
196.900
vs
197.275
Michigan State
Players Mentioned
/ Gymnastics
/ Gymnastics
/ Gymnastics
/ Gymnastics
/ Gymnastics
/ Gymnastics
/ Gymnastics
/ Gymnastics
/ Gymnastics
/ Gymnastics
/ Gymnastics
No. 15 Minnesota Finishes Third at Big Fives
2/23/2024 5:35:00 PM | Gymnastics
Mya Hooten won the floor title with a 9.975
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- The No. 15 University of Minnesota women's gymnastics team (10-3, 6-3 B1G) finished in third place on Friday evening at the Big Five meet inside Rec Hall on the campus of Penn State University. No. 8 Michigan State (197.275) took first while No. 14 Ohio State (197.000) placed second. Minnesota (196.900) preceded No. 23 Nebraska (195.725), who was fourth, and Rutgers (195.275) placed fifth.
"We're proud of the team and the way they finished strong all the way to the end," said head coach Jenny Hansen. "It was probably our best bars performance all year. Obviously, it stings a little bit coming up short and knowing we could have done better. Hopefully this really motivates us for the rest of the season."
Minnesota's floor score led the way with a 49.450. The Gophers tallied a 49.250 on the uneven bars, 49.175 on beam and a 49.025 on vault. The Gophers won the best bars and beam team scores and finished third on floor. Ohio State and Michigan State (49.475) took floor while Michigan State (49.450) took the vault title.
Mya Hooten took home another event title on the floor with a 9.975, her sixth of the year on the event. She holds 12Â total event titles in 2024.
The meet's all-around champion was Payton Harris from Ohio State with a 39.500. Michigan State's Nikki Smith won the vault with a 9.975 while Ohio State's Harris won the bars title with a 9.925. Rutgers' Stephanie Zannella won the beam crown with a 9.900 in one of the final performances of the night.
Gophers senior Gianna Gerdes posted a 38.775 in the all-around to finish sixth. Her best event was a 9.900 on floor. She earned a 9.850 on bars, 9.800 on vault and a 9.225 on beam.Â
"We were really good on bars and strong on the floor, per usual," Hansen said. "We felt good about those two events. Beam was really good as well, we just didn't stick some of our landings and lost a few tenths there. At this point of the year when everyone is so close, those points can make a big difference."
EVENT BREAKDOWN:
FLOOR
Minnesota started the meet extremely strong, going for a 49.450 to tie for the lead after the first rotation. Mya Hooten anchored with a sensational 9.975 to lead the group while Gianna Gerdes nailed a 9.900. Emily Koch totaled a 9.875 while Seria Johnson and Lauren Pearl tallied 9.850s.
VAULT
The 'U' earned a 49.025Â on vault for the second straight week. Sarah Moraw paced the group with a 9.850 while Mya Hooten followed behind at 9.825. Gianna Gerdes kept her all-around title hopes alive with a 9.800 while Marissa Jencks and Sophia Nguyen rounded out the top five with 9.775s. After two rotations, Minnesota stood in second place with a score of 98.475 to MSU's 98.675.
BARS
Minnesota scored a 49.250 as a team on bars, the top team score of the meet. Ella Sirjord and Mya Hooten paced the Gophers with 9.900s while freshman Jordyn Lyden was right on their heels with a 9.875. Gianna Gerdes continued her successful all-around meet with a 9.850 while Sophia Nguyen rounded out the top five with a 9.725. After three rotations, Minnesota trailed only Michigan State, 147.800-147.725.
BEAM
Trailing MSU by .750 heading into the final rotation, Minnesota had to rely on its beam team to make up the final ground. The Gophers finished off with a 49.175, paced by seniors Katie Horak and Ella Sirjord (9.875). Sarah Moraw continued a very strong meet with a 9.850 while Lauren Pearl (9.800) and Emily Koch (9.775) rounded out the top five. Minnesota finished with a team score of 196.900.
UP NEXT
Minnesota goes to Boise State for a quad meet next Friday, March 1. The meet starts at 8 p.m. CT on the Mountain West Network.
"We're proud of the team and the way they finished strong all the way to the end," said head coach Jenny Hansen. "It was probably our best bars performance all year. Obviously, it stings a little bit coming up short and knowing we could have done better. Hopefully this really motivates us for the rest of the season."
Minnesota's floor score led the way with a 49.450. The Gophers tallied a 49.250 on the uneven bars, 49.175 on beam and a 49.025 on vault. The Gophers won the best bars and beam team scores and finished third on floor. Ohio State and Michigan State (49.475) took floor while Michigan State (49.450) took the vault title.
Mya Hooten took home another event title on the floor with a 9.975, her sixth of the year on the event. She holds 12Â total event titles in 2024.
The meet's all-around champion was Payton Harris from Ohio State with a 39.500. Michigan State's Nikki Smith won the vault with a 9.975 while Ohio State's Harris won the bars title with a 9.925. Rutgers' Stephanie Zannella won the beam crown with a 9.900 in one of the final performances of the night.
Gophers senior Gianna Gerdes posted a 38.775 in the all-around to finish sixth. Her best event was a 9.900 on floor. She earned a 9.850 on bars, 9.800 on vault and a 9.225 on beam.Â
"We were really good on bars and strong on the floor, per usual," Hansen said. "We felt good about those two events. Beam was really good as well, we just didn't stick some of our landings and lost a few tenths there. At this point of the year when everyone is so close, those points can make a big difference."
EVENT BREAKDOWN:
FLOOR
Minnesota started the meet extremely strong, going for a 49.450 to tie for the lead after the first rotation. Mya Hooten anchored with a sensational 9.975 to lead the group while Gianna Gerdes nailed a 9.900. Emily Koch totaled a 9.875 while Seria Johnson and Lauren Pearl tallied 9.850s.
VAULT
The 'U' earned a 49.025Â on vault for the second straight week. Sarah Moraw paced the group with a 9.850 while Mya Hooten followed behind at 9.825. Gianna Gerdes kept her all-around title hopes alive with a 9.800 while Marissa Jencks and Sophia Nguyen rounded out the top five with 9.775s. After two rotations, Minnesota stood in second place with a score of 98.475 to MSU's 98.675.
BARS
Minnesota scored a 49.250 as a team on bars, the top team score of the meet. Ella Sirjord and Mya Hooten paced the Gophers with 9.900s while freshman Jordyn Lyden was right on their heels with a 9.875. Gianna Gerdes continued her successful all-around meet with a 9.850 while Sophia Nguyen rounded out the top five with a 9.725. After three rotations, Minnesota trailed only Michigan State, 147.800-147.725.
BEAM
Trailing MSU by .750 heading into the final rotation, Minnesota had to rely on its beam team to make up the final ground. The Gophers finished off with a 49.175, paced by seniors Katie Horak and Ella Sirjord (9.875). Sarah Moraw continued a very strong meet with a 9.850 while Lauren Pearl (9.800) and Emily Koch (9.775) rounded out the top five. Minnesota finished with a team score of 196.900.
UP NEXT
Minnesota goes to Boise State for a quad meet next Friday, March 1. The meet starts at 8 p.m. CT on the Mountain West Network.
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