Spartans Set To Open 2006 Season At Home

Jan. 6, 2006

East Lansing, Mich. - Michigan State women's gymnastics team opens the season on the evening of Jan. 6, with an 8:00 p.m. meet against the University of Kentucky at Jenison Field House. The Spartans hold a slight 3-2 edge in the five previous meetings between the two schools, but have dropped two straight decisions to UK. Last year the teams met in Lexington, Ky., where the Green and White placed third in a tri-meet that included Central Michigan. Meanwhile, Kentucky posted its best team-score of the season lighting up the mat for a 196.025.

OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT

The Spartans are 41-17 all-time in season openers, including last season's season-opening sweep of Denver, Louisiana State and Ball State at Jenison Field House on Jan. 7, with a score of 195.475.

COACH K

Head coach Kathie Klages returns for her 16th season at the helm of Michigan State gymnastics. Klages has compiled an all-time record of 250-123-3 and a .667 winning percentage, during her time in East Lansing and is the winningest coach in program history. Klages has led the Spartans to eight NCAA Regional appearances, two 20-win seasons and an NIT championship, while coaching 19 All-Big Ten selections, 10 NCAA Qualifiers and one All-American selection.

SMALL, BUT POWERFUL

Michigan State enters the 2006 gymnastics season with just 11 student-athletes on the roster. Last season the Spartans sported 19 gymnasts en route to a 17-11 season. Only five of those 19 return, while six newcomers, two sophomores and four freshman, round out the roster. Small in numbers, but powerful in performance, the Green and White will need to stay healthy and garner production throughout the lineup in 2006.

RETURNING LEADERSHIP

Senior Sarah Alexander and junior Chayla Hill were selected as 2006 team captains by their peers. Alexander is the first three-time captain in the history of Michigan State gymnastics, while Hill will serve as a team captain for the first time during her junior season. Alexander should serve as the Spartans top All-Around threat this season, while Hill, who qualified for Regionals on Vault and Floor Exercise last year, will also contribute on Beam in 2006.

ROUNDING OUT THE UPPERCLASS

With Alexander the only senior on the Michigan State roster, juniors Kristen Coleman and Victoria Iakounina round out the Spartan upperclass. Coleman emerged as a consistent All-Around threat last season, placing in the top-three four times, including a first-place finish vs. Ill.-Chicago and Illinois State, and finishing 14th at the Big Ten Championship. Iakounina returned from an early-season injury to become a solid contributor on Vault, Uneven Bars and Balance Beam for the Green and White down the stretch.

STATE'S SOPHS

Sophomore Bethany Little returns as one of Michigan State's most powerful vaulting options in 2006. Little competed in eight events last season posting a season high of 9.850 on the Vault. Central Michigan transfer Rhiannon Banda-Scott, a MAC freshman of the year nominee, and driven walk-on Megan McNally join Little in the sophomore class.

FRESH(MAN) FACES

A quartet of freshmen join the Spartan gymnastics program for the 2006 season, including a pair of region five champions, hailing from the state of Illinois; Briana Dicus and Katlyn Roggensack. Dani Fanning, a first-year Spartan from Glendale, Ariz., graduated high school in December 2005 to join the Green and White for the upcoming season. Fanning, a Western Champion on Floor Exercise, is the third member of her family to compete at the Division I level. Jenna Russell a local product from Okemos, Mich., finished second and third on All-Around and Floor at the Level 9 national prior to her arrival at Michigan State. With just seven upperclassman and five returnees, the freshmen class should make and immediate impact at MSU.