January 12, 1999
Tigers Begin Month-Long Homestand on Sunday The Missouri Tigers (1-2) open the home portion of the 1999 season on Sunday, when they host the ninth annual Shakespeare's Festival. Visiting teams will be the Centenary Ladies (0-1), Illinois State Redbirds (0-2) and Southeast Missouri State Otahkians (0-1). This year's event will take a new twist. While the gymnastics portion of the event will continue the Shakespearean them of old, with the all-around winner receiving the "Juliet Award" and the rotations being dubbed "Acts I-II-III-IV", the other events surrounding the meet will focus on X-treme sports. Exhibits and interactive games will be set up on the Hearnes Center main concourse. Doors open for the competition at 12:30 p.m., with the gymnastics meet beginning at 2 p.m. Last year's Shakespeare's Festival drew a record crowd of 2,623. Tickets are available at the MU Athletic Ticket Office (Adults $5/Students $3) 1-800-CAT-PAWS or 884-PAWS (locally). The MU homestand continues with dual meets on Jan. 22 and 29 vs. Iowa State and Nebraska, respectively, and the 19th annual Cat Classic, Feb. 5-6.
Tigers Place Third in Season-Opener at Michigan State Led by seniors Jessica Haag and Amanda Peterson, the Tigers opened their season in fine fashion on Saturday, placing third in a four-team meet at Michigan State with the second highest season-opening road score (188.725) in school history. The host Spartans, ranked 24th in the nation, won the meet with a score of 190.925, and were followed by Ball State (188.95), Mizzou, and Iowa (188.275). Haag won the vault with a career-high tying mark of 9.825. She was fourth on the uneven bars (9.55) and placed third in the all-around (38.55). Her all-around score was the second highest of her career. Michigan State's Melissa Green and Carolyn Hecht went 1-2 in the all-around (38.6 and 38.575, respectively). Peterson took second on bars (9.675) and competed as an all-arounder for the first time since 1997. Mizzou's only other place-winner was junior Shannon Brown, who took fifth on the balance beam (9.7). "We had a pretty good meet," Coach Jake Jacobson said. "I was very pleased with how well we competed. We put up a pretty good score for our first meet of the year on the road." Junior Alison Akers, still bothered by a sore elbow, did not compete. Junior Chandra Harlow split her chin, requiring three stitches, on bars but should compete this week.
Series Records Missouri has a cumulative record of 20-6 against the three teams that come to the Hearnes Center this weekend. MU leads Centenary, 2-0, Illinois State, 9-2, and Southeast Missouri State, 9-4.
About the Competition Like the Tigers, Centenary, Illinois State and Southeast Missouri State opened their seasons on the road over the weekend. Centenary was beaten on Sunday, 191.175-180.475, by Oklahoma, in Norman. Illinois State (186.475) lost to Central Michigan (191.425) and Western Michigan (187.325) in Kalamazoo. Southeast Missouri lost in the Maui Invitational, 188.45-184.95, to West Virginia.
ILLINOIS STATE REDBIRDS - Coach Jill Hollembeak Illinois State, coached by Jill Hollembeak, is in the Shakespeare's field for the fifth straight year. The Redbirds have placed third three times and were fourth last year. In ISU's opening meet, junior Beth Larson took third in the all-around (38.175). She was fifth on balance beam at last year's Shakespeare's Festival. Teammate Maria Pfarr, a senior, was the Shakespeare's fourth-place finisher on beam last year.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE OTAHKIANS - Coach Kris Buchheister Former MU assistant coach Kris Buchheister makes her second trip back to Columbia this weekend. She brought her Otahkians to the Hearnes Center for a dual meet last year that was won by Mizzou, 193.4-191.05. It was the highest score ever recorded by the Tigers at home. SEMO qualifed two all-arounders to the NCAA Central Region last year, and both return - senior Erin Chenier and junior Malia Roberts. They placed 14th and 16th, respectively, at the regional while Mizzou's Shannon Brown was 10th.
Roberts won the floor exercise (9.825) in SEMO's opening meet against West Virginia, and took second in the all-around (37.5). Chenier was second on bars (9.625) and sophomore Kathy Smith was third on vault (9.575) and fourth on beam (9.5).
Missouri will face SE Missouri again this season. The Tigers travel to Cape Girardeau on Feb. 21, to meet the Otahkians and the Illinois Fighting Illini at SEMO's Show-Me Center.
CENTENARY LADIES - Coach Jill Hirsch Centenary was just 1-15 last year in Jill Hirsch's first year as the Ladies' coach, and its highest score of the season was 180.5. The Ladies approached that on Sunday, at Oklahoma, scoring 180.475. Senior Dayspring Conley placed third in vaulting (9.6) and scored 36.125 in the all-around. Senior Meredith Sholars went 36.175 in the all-around.
Missouri Coach Jake Jacobson The only gymnastics coach in school history, head coach Charles "Jake" Jacobson began MU's gymnastics program in 1979. Now in his 33rd season overall, he has a career record of 353-213-1. He's in his 20th season with the Tigers where his mark is 221-188-1. In his career at MU, Jacobson has guided the Tigers to one Big Eight Conference championships (1992), three second-place conference finishes (1981-82-90) and a NCAA Central Region championship (1981). In addition, he has coached 29 all-conference gymnasts and five regional champions. In 1981, his team placed 16th at the national championships.
Opening Meet Summary Here's an event-by-event look at how this weekend's teams fared in their opening meets:
TEAM VAULT BARS BEAM FLOOR TOTAL Missouri 46.85 46.875 47.65 47.35 188.725 Illinois State 46.925 46.35 46.3 46.9 186.475 SE Missouri 46.125 45.625 46.05 47.15 184.95 Centenary 45.5 45.35 43.975 45.65 180.475
Tigers Quickly Missouri season gymnastics tickets remain on sale at the MU Athletic Ticket Office ($30 adults/$18 students). Tickets are also on sale for all future meets at $5 for adults and $3 for students. Cat Classic prices are $10 and $6 for two-day passes, and $6 and $4 for single-session tickets Missouri signed two gymnasts in the early signing period - Leah Gremaud from St. Peters and Alina Hamm from Springfield Mizzou's next action is on Fri., Jan. 22, when the Tigers will host Big 12 Conference rival Iowa State. The meet begins at 7:30 p.m. MU will be out to snap a eight-meet losing streak against the Cyclones.