Women's Gymnastics 1998 Season-in-Review
6/21/1999 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
December 18, 1998
KLAGES NAMED REGIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR
Women's gymnastics coach Kathie Klages was named the NCAA Central Region
Coach of the Year, along with D-D Breaux of LSU and Lynn Brueckman of
Illinois. It is the third time in Klagesi career that she has received the
award, including 1993 and '96.
Klages led the Spartans to a 23-6 regular season record and a fourth-place finish at the Big Ten Championship. The team advanced to the NCAA Central Regional Championship in Alabama, finishing in seventh place. MSU's overall win total marked only the second time in school history that the Spartans had 20 or more wins.
"I am honored to be selected, along with my peers, for this award, in what I feel is the toughest gymnastics region in the nation," said head coach Kathie Klages.
ALL-BIG TEN
For only the third time in its history, the MSU gymnastics team placed
three gymnasts on the All-Big Ten team. Carolyn Hecht, Chrissy Weathersby
and Polly Kiker all got the nod after their fine performances in the
Championship meet. In 1996, Hecht, Erin Mullen and Siri Larsen were named
to the team, while in 1985, Kelly Doyle, Keiko Timmermann and Linda
Schmauder were chosen.
Michigan State placed fourth at the Big Ten Championship in 1998 for the second year in a row. MSU scored 194.050, over a point behind Big Ten Champion Minnesota (195.400). Carolyn Hecht placed third in the all-around with a season-high 38.975. Polly Kiker placed third on the floor exercise with a career-high 9.850 while Chrissy Weathersby also set a career high to take third on the uneven bars with a 9.925, tying for the second-best score in school history.
WHAT THE HECHT!
Carolyn Hecht set the balance beam school record twice in 1998. Hecht broke
her earlier record of 9.925 with a 9.950 performance on March 14 to lead
the Spartans to a team balance beam record of 49.375.
LUCKY LECKY
Senior Briony Lecky finished her career in Jenison Field House on March 14,
1998 with the kind of performance most gymnasts only dream of. Lecky set a
career high on the balance beam with a score of 9.875 to help MSU set a new
team record in that event. She went on to set a school record on the floor
exercise with a 9.975, meaning one the judges gave her a perfect score.
Lecky won the all-around with a 39.350, the third-best score in school
history.
NUMBER ONE FORSHIER
Off-season shoulder surgery limited freshman Elisabeth Forshier to only
the vault last season. Forshier persevered by becoming Stateis best in
that event. She finished first in the vault in seven of MSU's last ten
meets and 10 of the 13 meets in which she competed, and hit 9.900 routines
twice, tying her for fourth-best in school history.
23
Michigan State finished the 1998 season with the second most wins in school
history. Stateis 23-6 record was second to the teamis record in 1996, when
the Spartans amassed a 27-3 overall mark. 1998 marks only the second time
in school history that MSU surpassed the 20-win mark.
THE BEAM TEAM
Michigan State set three of the top 10 team balance beam scores in school
history in i98, including a chart-topping 49.375 on March 14 against Ohio
State and Western Michigan.
THE RECORD
The Spartans hit three of the top ten team scores in MSU history last
season, including a then-record-breaking 195.850 at the Hobieis Spartan
Invitational on Feb. 21. State eclipsed that mark versus Ohio State and
Western Michigan, breaking 196 (196.375) for the first time on March 14 in
the team's last home meet of 1998.
In 1998 State also had: the ninth-best vault score on file (48.875); five of the top 10 uneven bars scores, including a tie for the best-ever of 49.450 at the Hobieis Invitational; and two of the top 10 floor scores.
MAKING HISTORY
Individually, school records were set in two events in 1998. Carolyn Hecht
hit three of the top four balance beam scores in MSU history last season,
including a record 9.950 versus Ohio State and Western Michigan on March
14; Briony Lecky set the Spartan standard of 9.975 on the floor exercise in
the same meet, her last career home event; Chrissy Weathersby and Hecht
both hit 9.925 on the uneven bars during the season, tied for second-best;
Elisabeth Forshier scored 9.900 twice on the vault to tie for fourth-best;
Lecky hit 39.350 in the all-around to put her at third-best in the MSU annals.
1998 MSU GYMNASTICS (23-6, 4-9)
1/10 MICHIGAN STATE 189.475
W-LSU 189.000
W-Iowa State 188.875
W-Ball State 185.350
W-Illinois State 184.475
1/18 at Shakespeare's Festival (1st/5)
Michigan State 190.950
W-LSU 189.050
W-Missouri 187.675
W-Illinois State 185.875
W-Western Michigan 182.850
1/24 Michigan State 191.750
L-at Illinois 191.800
W-Northern Illinois 186.625
1/25 W-at Illinois-Chicago 192.225-190.575
1/31 MICHIGAN CLASSIC (2nd/4)
L-Michigan 194.750
Michigan State 193.350
W-Central Michigan 190.450
W-Western Michigan 185.900
2/6 W-KENT STATE UNIV. 194.525-190.350
2/14 Michigan State 193.050
W-at Iowa 191.725
W-Missouri 188.100
2/21 HOBIE'S SPARTAN INVITATIONAL (1st/4)
MICHIGAN STATE 195.850
W-New Hampshire 192.550
W-Eastern Michigan 189.375
W-Bowling Green 188.575
2/28 at Nebraska-Masters Classic (2nd/4)
MICHIGAN STATE 193.300
L-Nebraska 193.350
W-Kentucky 192.350
W-Rhode Island 190.075
3/6 L-Michigan 197.550-193.975
3/8 Michigan State 194.200
L-at Towson University 194.275
W-Yale 186.650
3/11 L-at West Virginia 195.650-194.275
3/14 OHIO STATE/W. MICHIGAN (1st/3)
Michigan State 196.375
W-Ohio State 192.075
W-Western Michigan 190.300
3/21 at Big Ten Championships at Iowa (4th/7)
L-Minnesota 195.400
L-Michigan 194.900
L-Penn State 194.725
Michigan State 194.050
W-Iowa 193.575
W-Illinois 192.850
W-Ohio State 192.625
4/4 NCAA Central Regional at Alabama (7th/7)
L-Alabama 196.550
L-Michigan 196.000
L-LSU 195.250
L-Iowa State 193.400
L-Minnesota 192.800
L-Illinois 191.575
Michigan State 190.000
1998 INDIVIDUAL SEASON BESTS
All-Around
1. 39.350, Briony Lecky (3/14)
2. 38.975, Carolyn Hecht (3/21)
3. 38.850, Carolyn Hecht (3/11)
38.850, Erin Mullen (1/24)
5. 38.775, Carolyn Hecht (3/14)
38.775, Erin Mullen (3/6)
Vault
1. 9.900, Elisabeth Forshier (3/6)
9.900, Elisabeth Forshier (2/21)
3. 9.850, Elisabeth Forshier (1/25)
4. 9.825, Elisabeth Forshier (2/14)
5. 9.800, Elisabeth Forshier (3/21)
9.800, Elisabeth Forshier (3/14)
9.800, Elisabeth Forshier (3/8)
9.800, Erin Mullen (3/6)
9.800, Elisabeth Forshier (2/28)
9.800, Elisabeth Forshier (2/6)
Uneven Bars
1. 9.925, Carolyn Hecht (2/21)
2. 9.900, Carolyn Hecht (3/8)
9.900, Carolyn Hecht (3/6)
9.900, Polly Kiker (2/21)
9.900, Erin Mullen (2/21)
9.900, Carolyn Hecht (1/24)
Balance Beam
1. 9.950, Carolyn Hecht (3/14)
2. 9.925, Chrissy Weathersby (3/21)
9.925, Carolyn Hecht (2/21)
4. 9.900, Carolyn Hecht (1/10)
5. 9.875, Kristin Peugeot (3/14)
9.875, Polly Kiker (3/14)
9.875, Briony Lecky (3/14)
9.875, Becky Robinson (2/28)
9.875, Kristin Peugeot (2/21)
9.875, Carolyn Hecht (2/6)
Floor Exercise
1. 9.975, Briony Lecky (3/14)
2. 9.925, Polly Kiker (3/14)
3. 9.900, Lori Ruane (3/14)
9.900, Polly Kiker (3/6)
9.900, Erin Mullen (3/6)
SEASON AVERAGES
TEAMAll-Around 193.157
Vault 48.122
Uneven Bars 48.548
Balance Beam 48.018
Floor Exercise 48.468
INDIVIDUAL (Minimum 6 meets)
All-Around 1. 38.539 Carolyn Hecht 2. 38.365 Erin Mullen
Vault 1. 9.802 Elisabeth Forshier 2. 9.603 Becky Robinson 3. 9.620 Melissa Green 4. 9.587 Erin Mullen 5. 9.569 Kristin Peugeot
Uneven Bars 1. 9.782 Carolyn Hecht 2. 9.719 Becky Robinson 3. 9.721 Erin Mullen 4. 9.627 Polly Kiker 5. 9.660 Chrissy Weathersby
Balance Beam 1. 9.778 Carolyn Hecht 2. 9.617 Kristin Peugeot 3. 9.517 Becky Robinson 4. 9.509 Erin Mullen 5. 9.402 Briony Lecky
Floor Exercise 1. 9.787 Polly Kiker 2. 9.657 Briony Lecky 3. 9.666 Lori Ruane 4. 9.650 Kristin Peugeot 5. 9.608 Mary Jo Schlicklin
TEAM SEASON BESTS
All-Around 1. 196.375 3/14 2. 195.850 2/21 3. 194.525 2/6 4. 194.275 3/11 5. 194.200 3/8
Vault 1. 48.875 3/6 2. 48.575 2/21 3. 48.550 3/11 4. 48.525 3/14 5. 48.500 2/6
Uneven Bars 1. 49.450 2/21 2. 49.225 3/21 3. 49.150 3/14 4. 49.100 3/6 5. 48.950 3/11
Balance Beam 1. 49.375 3/14 2. 48.775 2/6 3. 48.750 2/21 4. 48.550 2/28 48.550 3/8
Floor Exercise 1. 49.325 3/14 2. 49.075 2/21 3. 48.875 1/31 4. 48.825 3/6 5. 48.775 1/24