Gymnastics Set To Open Season
1/8/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
Jan. 8, 2003
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MSU INVITATIONAL
Michigan State vs. Auburn & Oregon State
Friday, Jan. 10, 2003 - East Lansing, Mich. - 8 p.m.
MSU PREPARES TO OPEN SEASON
The Michigan State women's gymnastics team will open the 2003 season hosting the MSU Invitational on Friday, Jan. 10 at Jenison Field House. The 8 p.m. event will showcase the Spartans, along with Auburn and No. 13 Oregon State. It will be the ninth straight year that MSU has opened a season at home.
HUNTING THE TIGERS
Auburn will travel to East Lansing with a 3-1 all-time record against the Spartans and a split 1-1 mark with the visiting Oregon State Beavers. This is the Tigers first meet of the season. Auburn went 8-9 in 2002, finishing in a fifth-place tie in the Southeastern Conference and 34th at the NCAA Championships. The Tigers, who are coached by Jeff Thompson, return eight gymnasts from one year ago, while losing seven. Last season, members of the Tigers squad scored a perfect 10.0 on every event at least once, including five times on the vault.
SCOUTING THE BEAVERS
Oregon State, under the direction of head coach Tanya Chaplin, enters the MSU Invitational ranked 13th in the coaches' preseason poll. The Beavers set their best season-opening score, but fell to top-ranked UCLA, 197.600-195.675 on Jan. 2 in Hawaii. OSU returns 10 gymnastics from one year ago, including two All-Americans. In 2002, the Beavers went 14-16-1, finishing 4th at the PAC-10 championships and 12th at the NCAA Championships. OSU is in the midst of a season-opening cross-country road trip, making stops in Hawaii (Jan. 2), Michigan (Jan. 10) and Arizona (Jan. 17).
WHITE TOPS GREEN FOR INTRASQUAD TITLE
Backed by an impressive debut from Sarah Alexander, the White team edged out the Green squad at the annual Green and White Intrasquad Meet on Friday, Dec. 20. Alexander captured first-place honors on the vault (9.700) and floor (9.775) and finished second on the bars and beam. Senior Ilene Cohen won the bars event, with a 9.700, while sophomore Lauren Simpson took first on the beam (9.750).
200 AND COUNTING
Head coach Kathie Klages celebrated a personal milestone last season, as she recorded her 200th victory as the leader of the Michigan State gymnastics squad. The Spartans downed George Washington (195.350-194.650) to give Klages the landmark victory on March 9, 2002. Klages enters her 13th season of coaching with a mark of 201-95-2.
THE BRAINIACS
Perhaps even more impressive than the athletic achievements of the Spartans' 2002 squad were their academic accomplishments. The National Association of College Gymnastics Coaches named seven members of the team -Ilene Cohen, Julie Devaty, Dana Herr, Anna Hunsinger, Kristina Petersen, Lauren Simpson, and Lindsey Voth - Academic All-Americans for Women. In addition, seven members of the squad earned Academic All-Big Ten honors.
LEAPING LINDER
Senior Christy Linder looks to start this season exactly where she left off in 2002 - in the all-around competition. Linder has not missed a single event in two seasons, competing in 26 consecutive all-around competitions.
HOME SWEET HOME?
The Spartans will perform just two of their first six competitions in the familiar surroundings of Jenison Field House. After the season opening meet against Auburn and Oregon State, the Spartans will travel to Iowa (Jan. 17) and Ohio (Jan. 25). MSU will return to Michigan to host the State of Michigan Classic (Feb. 2), before hitting the road again for a return trip to Iowa (Feb. 8) and to the Fox Run Invitational in New Hampshire (Feb. 15).
IF YOU WANT TO BE THE BEST...
You have to play the best. That's the motto of Kathie Klages when she schedules the Spartans' competition. Six of Michigan State's opponents are ranked in the Top-25 in the national coaches' preseason poll. Instate rival Michigan leads the ranked competition, with a sixth-place ranking and one vote for first-place. Minnesota is 11th, while this weekend's foe, Oregon State, is ranked 13th. Iowa, Iowa State and Penn State round out the ranked opponents for MSU, finishing 14th, 18th, and 19th, respectively.
SPARTANS INK FIVE
The Michigan State gymnastics team signed five student-athletes to National Letters of Intent on Nov. 25. Kristin Coleman, Chayla Hill, Victoria Iakounina, Jaclyn O'Brien and Jenna Rivers will join the Spartans in 2004. The quintet brings a wealth of experience to the MSU lineup -an all-around champion at two Provincial Tour Selections, a nation floor champion, a Region V Athlete of the Year, a Michigan Level 10 state champion and the 2002 Empire Games all-around champion.
THE LEADERS OF THE PACK
The Michigan State women's gymnastics team announced that seniors Christy Linder and Julie Devatyhave been selected as the captains for the 2003 season.
Players Mentioned
