Gymnastics Ready For Fox Run Invite
2/10/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
Feb. 10, 2005
EAST LANSING, Mich. - No. 24 Michigan State heads to Durham, N.H., to compete in the Fox Run Invitational. The Spartans will face No. 2 Michigan, New Hampshire and Northern Illinois.
RECAPPING LAST WEEK...
No. 24 Michigan State had an impressive showing at the State of Michigan Classic, posting a team total of 195.275 to claim second place of five schools. Michigan (196.750) took first, Central Michigan (194.800) finished third, while host-school Western Michigan (192.050) and Eastern Michigan (191.325) finished fourth and fifth, respectively.
COACH'S CORNER...
"I am really pleased with our performance at the State of Michigan Classic. Even though we counted a fall on beam early-on, we really worked to finish as well as we did. We had a rough start, but we came back and made up for it. I'm really looking forward to seeing what we can do at the Fox Run Invitational."
THEY DON'T WASTE ANY TIME!
After breaking the all-time best school record for a team-total score not once, but twice (and in less than two weeks) in 2004, everyone knew that MSU would have to be inventive in order to continue to enjoy unprecedented success. But in the Spartans' season-opening effort of 2005, they did just that. MSU claimed the Spartan Invitational meet title with wins over Denver, Ball State and the ever-threatening LSU squad. In its victory, MSU posted a record-breaking 195.475, the all-time high season-opening score in Green and White gymnastics history.
REVAMPED JUDGING...
After extensive meetings between coaches and members of the National Association of Womens Gymnastics Judges, a serious overhaul of the way judges are selected for meets has taken place, beginning this season. The new system, which is not mandatory but happily embraced by MSU head coach Kathie Klages and staff, assigns judges to meets, rather than having coaches select them. The vision behind this change is one that hopes:
· To eliminate bias;· To eliminate the intimidation factor;· To develop consistency in officiating across the country;· To control costs;· To discontinue selection of judges by coaches and meet sites and events· To create a system for impartial assignments for meets and events; and· To lay the groundwork for future development of an educational component.MSU head coach Kathie Klages on the new system...
"I am very pleased to see the NCAA move to the national assigning system for women's gymnastics. I think that some judges around the nation feel obligated to the home team when the coaching staff does the hiring. I believe assigning the judges through the national system will take the pressure off the judges to `score' for the team that hired them. I also believe that, in time, we can develop more consistency and create more credibility for our sport."
HITTING THE 195 MARK...
With the implementation of a new judging system, scores across the country are, on-average, lower than they have been in recent years. Still, MSU has worked to keep its team total up. The Spartans opened the season with an impressive 195.475 team total and have worked ever since to get back to the 195 mark. MSU successfully achieved that goal, posting 195.275 at the State of Michigan Classic, on Feb. 6, 2005.
SPARTAN LEADERSHIP...
Senior Anna Hunsinger and Junior Sarah Alexander return as team captains in 2005, joined by senior Nicole (Anderson) June. All three are seasoned Spartan gymnasts and proven leaders, sure to contribute to team success in 2005.
HEAD COACH Kathie Klages...
Klages, named 2004 Big Ten co-coach of the year, has become a fixture in Spartan athletics over the course of her 14-year tenure at Michigan State. Entering her 15th season in 2005, Klages celebrates one of the most successful seasons in the history of her program and looks to extend last season's victories into another season of high scores and near-perfect performances.
A YOUNG COACHING STAFF...
Under the leadership of veteran head coach Kathie Klages and with support from second-year assistant coach Sam Buchalter, Michigan State gymnastics features a host of fresh faces on its 2005 coaching staff.
Katie Teft joined the Spartans as an assistant coach in August, 2004 and has brought a wealth of domestic and international experience to the team in helping MSU prepare for a spectacular 2005 season. Teft graduated from Massachusetts in 2003.
Also joining the program is volunteer assistant coach Duane Haring, a nine-year coach at the club level and three-year head coach at Grand Ledge High School in Grand Ledge, Mich.
SETTING THEIR SIGHTS HIGH...
There is one feat in particular that MSU has yet to accomplish in head coach Kathie Klages' tenure; a trip to the NCAA National Championship. MSU came close last year and posted a fifth-place finish at NCAA Regionals against a tough slate of competition. The Spartans hope that this year's squad will make Green and White history by earning a bid to the Big Show in 2005.
THEY'RE ALL BACK!
The 2005 Michigan State squad is characterized by depth in 2005. The one senior on State's 2004 team, Lindsey Voth, did not compete due to injury, so MSU returns all of its active competitors from last year. In addition, five Spartan freshmen join the team in 2005.
A QUICK LOOK AT THE MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS
Season-High Team Score: 195.475
National Ranking: No. 24
2004 Record: 18-10-1
2004 Big Ten Finish: Fifth
Letterwinners returning/lost: 13/0
Newcomers: 5
Head coach Kathie Klages is 233-112-3 in 14 years at Michigan State.
SCOUTING THE COMPETITION...
No. 2 Michigan Wolverines Season-High Team Score: 196.750
National Ranking: No. 2
2004 Big Ten finish: first
Newcomers: four
Head coach Beverly Plocki is in her 16th season at U-M.
SCOUTING THE COMPETITION... New Hampshire Wildcats Season-High Team Score: 193.925 National Ranking: Not ranked 2004 Record: 12-10-1 Newcomers: seven Head coach Gail Goodspeed is in her 26th season coaching at UNH.
SCOUTING THE COMPETITION... Northern Illinois Huskies Season-High Team Score: 191.925 National Ranking: Not ranked Letterwinners returning/lost: 17/3 Newcomers: nine Head coach Mark Sontag is in his third year at NIU.
NATIONAL RANKINGS
Michigan State's performance at the Spartan Invitational propelled State to a No. 6 national ranking, after entering competition at No. 27. Since then, they have slipped to No. 11, still an impressive spot. Only Michigan is higher ranked than MSU in the Big Ten. The Wolverines' season-high score of 196.025 earned them a No. 3 ranking. Comprised of veteran gymnasts and energetic freshmen, the Spartan squad promises continued success throughout 2005.
SPARTAN HIGHLIGHTS
Senior Nicole June
Posted 9.825 on the floor at the State of Michigan Classic (2/6)... Had 9.825 on the floor against Northern Illinois (1/30)... Posted 9.850 on the floor against Ohio State (1/22)... Recorded 9.825 on the floor, a meet-best for the Spartans, at Arizona (1/14)... Posted 9.825 on the floor at the Spartan Invitational (1/7).
Junior Sarah Alexander
Had 9.850 on the floor and 9.825 on the beam at the State of Michigan Classic (2/6)... Posted 9.850 on the beam against Northern Illinois (1/30)... Registered 9.875 on the beam against Ohio State (1/22)... Recorded 9.775 on both floor and beam at Arizona (1/14)... Beam score of 9.775 good for third of four schools at Arizona (1/14)... Named Big Ten Gymnast of the Week for the first time in her career (1/10)... Captured the meet title for her all-around performance (39.150) at the Spartan Invitational (1/7)... Recorded 9.825 on the floor at the Spartan Invitational (1/7).
Sophomore Kristen Coleman
Recorded an all-around score of 38.775 at the State of Michigan Classic (2/6)... Posted 9.850 on the vault and 9.825 on the bars at the State of Michigan Classic (2/6)... Had 9.700 on the vault and 9.775 on the floor against Northern Illinois (1/30)... Had 9.825 on the bars against Ohio State (1/22)... Recorded 9.800 on the beam against OSU (1/22)... Captured the meet title for her all-around performance at Arizona (1/14)... Registered 9.750 on the floor at Arizona (1/14)... Recorded 9.800 on the vault at the Spartan Invitational (1/7).
Sophomore Chayla Hill
Had 9.825 on the floor at the State of Michigan Classic (2/6)... Registered 9.800 on the vault and 9.850 on the floor against Northern Illinois (1/30)... Recorded 9.850 on the vault and 9.875 on the floor against Ohio State (1/22)... Had 9.800 on the floor at Arizona (/14)... Earned 9.825 on the vault at the Spartan Invitational (1/7).
Sophomore Victoria Iakounina
Posted 9.750 on both the vault and bars at the State of Michigan Classic (2/6).
Junior Julianna Karall
Had 9.650 on the beam at the State of Michigan Classic (2/6)... Had 9.700 on the beam against Northern Illinois (1/30)... Recorded 9.700 on the floor against Ohio State (1/22).
Sophomore Leia Langhoff
Posted 9.775 on the vault and 9.725 on the bars at the State of Michigan Classic (2/6)... Recorded 9.725 on the bars against Ohio State (1/22)... Registered 9.625 on the vault at Arizona (1/14).
Freshman Bethany Little
Posted 9.750 on the vault against Northern Illinois (1/30)... Had 9.800 on the bars against Ohio State (1/22)... Recorded 9.850 on vault to tie for the meet title in that event at Arizona (1/14)... Posted 9.800 on the vault in her collegiate debut (1/7).
Senior Kristin Merritt
Had 9.725 on both the bars and floor against Northern Illinois (1/30)... Recorded 9.725 on the bars against Ohio State (1/22)... Posted 9.650 on beam at Arizona (1/14)... Had 9.775 on bars at the Spartan invitational (1/7).
Junior Jaime Miles
Recorded 9.875 on beam at the Spartan Invitational (1/7).
Sophomore Jenna Rivers
Had 9.725 on the floor at the State of Michigan Classic (2/6)... Posted 9.600 on the vault against Northern Illinois (1/30)... Had 9.125 on the floor against Ohio State (1/22)... Had 9.625 on the floor at the Spartan Invitational (1/7).
Senior Lauren Simpson
Registered 9.800 on both the bars and beam at the State of Michigan Classic (2/6)... Had 9.750 on the bars against Northern Illinois (1/30)... Recorded 9.775 on the bars against Ohio State (1/22)... Had 9.675 on bars, good for second place of four teams at Arizona (1/14)... Posted 9.825 on the beam at the Spartan Invitational (1/7).
Senior Jennifer Yarbrough
Posted 9.825 on the bars and 9.800 on the floor at the State of Michigan Classic (2/6)... Had 38.175 in the all-around at LSU (1/28)... Posted 9.700 on the bars against Northern Illinois (1/30)... Recorded 9.800 on the bars againts Ohio State (1/22)... Posted 9.750 on the floor at Arizona (1/14)... Recorded 9.775 and 9.750 on the beam and floor, respectively, at the Spartan Invitational (1/7).
Players Mentioned
