Two Spartan Gymnasts Named To All-Big Ten Team
3/29/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
March 29, 2003
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The Michigan State women's gymnastics team placed two on the All-Big Ten Conference teams, the league announced at the banquet prior to the 2003 Big Ten Championships in Champaign, Ill. Freshman Sarah Alexander (Kernersville, N.C.) was selected to the first team by the conference coaches, while sophomore Lauren Simpson (Fenton, Mich.) was named to the second-team.
This is the first year in which the all-conference members were determined by a vote of the head coaches. In years' past, the all-conference spots were given to gymnasts who finished within the top six on an event or as one of the top three all-around performers at the championships.
Alexander has had an outstanding freshman campaign at Michigan State. Leading the Spartans with 15 individual event titles, she has won the all-around title five times. Alexander tied the school record on the floor exercise with a 9.975 on March 8 and promptly matched it again on March 22. She also holds the second-best all-around total in program history (39.425) - a feat she has matched twice.
Simpson has also been a major contributor for the Spartans this season, competing in the all-around title in nine meets this season - including the last eight consecutive competitions. Simpson won the vault at Rutgers with a 9.850 - her highest score of the season on that event. Simpson has posted new career-best scores on every event this season.
The Spartans (14-7) will compete tomorrow night at the 2003 Big Ten Championships at Huff Hall on the campus of the University of Illinois. The seven team meet is slated to begin at 6 p.m. CST.
All-Big Ten First Team:
Alexis Maday, Iowa
Annie Rue, Iowa
Jenny Deiley, Michigan
Janessa Grieco, Michigan
Calli Ryals, Michigan
Sarah Alexander, Michigan State
Mary Skokut, Minnesota
Tiffanie Janke, Ohio State
Jill Weber, Ohio State
Katie Rowland, Penn State
All-Big Ten Second Team:
Kara Kapernekas, Illinois
Ashley Williams, Illinois
Stephanie Gran, Iowa
Becca Clauson, Michigan
Lauren Mirkovich, Michigan
Lauren Simpson, Michigan State
Laura Johnson, Minnesota
Carolyn Yernberg, Minnesota
Elizabeth Meaney, Ohio State
Kaylin Schlecht, Ohio State
Players Mentioned
