Feb. 6, 2002
Up this week
The University of Missouri women's gymnastics team host travels to Ames, Iowa, where it faces No. 8 ranked Iowa State on Fri., Feb. 8 at 7:00 p.m. The Cyclones are the second Big 12 Conference opponent the Tigers take-on during the 2002 season before returning home to host Ball State on Sun., Feb. 18 at 8:00 p.m.
Tickets for Mizzou gymnastics are available by calling 1-800-CAT-PAWS (884-PAWS in Columbia), or at the Hearnes Center Ticket Office. Group rates and season tickets are also available. Please contact the ticket office for more information.
New Arrival
The Missouri Tigers would like to welcome a new member to the Mizzou gymnastics family: Molly Katherine Drass was born on February 3, 2002, weighing six pounds and eight ounces. Both Joy and Molly are doing fine at University Hospital.
Congratulations Coach Drass!
Iowa State Cyclones
Iowa State is currently ranked eighth in GymInfo standings with a 195.375 meet average. The Cyclones topped their season high with a 195.700-196.025 loss to No. 5 ranked Nebraska. ISU is 4-1 on the season with a 0-1 record in the Big 12 Conference.
Tanya Huey leads the Cyclones in the all-around averaging a 39.033 to rank 24th in the nation. She specializes in the floor exercise where she averages a 9.908 to tie for eighth in the NCAA Division I and lead the league in the event. She is also ranked 14th on the uneven bars with a 9.850 average. Also topping the charts for ISU, Shelly Kringen is ranked third in GymInfo standings averaging a 9.908 on the vault to lead the Big 12 Conference. She is also ranked 17th on the floor exercise (9.892).
Iowa State is led by second-year Head Coach K.J. Kindler, who recorded a 14-8 record last season. The Cyclones finished 5-3 in the Big 12 Conference and advanced to the NCAA Region II finals where they finished third. The Cyclones rounded out the 2001 season ranked 25th by GymInfo.
Missouri leads the MU-ISU series 22-17. Mizzou returns eight letterwinners and adds seven newcomers while Iowa State returns 11 letterwinners and adds two newcomers to the 2002 squad.
Tigers vs. the Nation
Missouri made a little history starting 2002 with its highest season opening score (193.275) in program history. The mark ranked Mizzou 20th in the NCAA GymInfo standings-MU's highest opening position to date. After a solid 194.750 performance to top Southeast Missouri State, a 194.700 effort against No. 4 ranked Nebraska and a tremendous 194.475 performance in the 2002 State Farm Cat Classic, the Tigers move up four spots and slip into 15th-place with a 194.300 meet average.
In addition, the Tigers top the field in three events. Missouri is ranked 11th in the country on the balance beam averaging 48.550-including Mizzou's season high 48.900 against Bowling Green. Mizzou is ranked 17th on the floor (48.806) highlighted by a new MU floor score when the Tigers recorded a 49.250 at the Cat Classic. Rounding out its top-20 rankings, Missouri ranks 20th on the uneven bars (48.600).
Mizzou in the South Central Region
After rounding out the 2001 season ranked 10th overall in the GymInfo South Central Region, Missouri has opened the new season taking a dramatic step in the standings. Following its first meet against Bowling Green, MU slipped into the in fifth-place spot before advancing into fourth-place with a 194.300 average for the third straight week. Mizzou sits behind Oklahoma, Nebraska and Arizona in the regional rankings.
In event rankings, the Tigers rank third in the region on the balance beam, fourth on the floor exercise and fifth on the uneven bars and vault.
Robinson Rewrites the Records
Freshman Alisha Robinson exploded onto the college scene tearing down all five Mizzou freshman records in her first meet against Bowling Green. The 2001 U.S. power tumbling champion led the Tigers with a 9.900 on bars, a 9.925 on vault and posted a 9.875 on both the floor exercise and balance beam. The freshman rounded out her inaugural showing leading Missouri with a 39.575 all-around score-the mark tops the MU record book as both the highest individual all-around score and the highest score by a freshman in school history. Robinson topped the podium winning all events except the floor exercise, which was captured by BGSU's Marny Ostreneg, the 1999 NCAA floor exercise champion.
In addition to setting a new Mizzou all-around record, her vault score ties Robinson for the program's meet record. She shares the title with Jessica Haag who also hit a 9.925 at the Big 12 Championships in 1999.
Robinson was named Big 12 Gymnast of the Week for her performance. She is the first gymnast under Head Coach Rob Drass to receive the award.
Robinson Rocks the Classic
In her inaugural State Farm Cat Classic, Robinson showed spectators why gymnastics is an awe-inspiring sport. After rounding out her first three events in grand fashion, throwing a 9.825 on vault, a 9.875 on bars and a 9.850 on beam, Robinson stunned the crowd with a nearly flawless floor routine. The freshman nailed a 9.925 routine to tie the Missouri and Cat Classic floor record and set a new freshman record in the event for the third time this season. The routine pushed Robinson to top the all-around podium with a 39.250-the Cat Classic's second-highest all-around score to date.
Advancing to the individual championships on the second night of competition, Robinson once again came out with fire. She finished second in the vault championship scoring a 9.825 and third on the balance beam recording a 9.850. As the last competitor of the night, all eyes were on the freshman as she took the floor. Not about to disappoint nearly 3,000 fans, Robinson once again dished out a nearly perfect routine, including a flawless double back layout. A panel of four judges unanimously scored the routine a 9.950 setting new Missouri and Cat Classic marks for the second time in two days.
Robinson in the Rankings
Robinson tops 2002 tied as the nation's eighth finest all-arounder with a 39.312 average. The freshman is ranked 12th in the NCAA Division I on the uneven bars averaging a 9.850. She is also ranked 18th on the vault averaging a 9.850.
In the South Central Region, Robinson leads the field as the second all-around competitor. She is just .082 points from Oklahoma's Mariana Goncalves that leads the region. In individual events, Robinson is ranked fourth on bars, fifth on vault and balance beam and is tied for 10th on the floor exercise.
Hamm Hits the Mark
Junior Alina Hamm took home her first all-around title topping the podium with a 39.100 against Southeast Missouri State. Hamm scored solid marks in the meet finishing second on the vault (9.725) and beam (9.775), third in the floor exercise (9.825) and fourth on bars (9.775).
Against Nebraska, Hamm finished fourth in the all-around scoring a 38.800. She topped the meet throwing a 9.800 on the uneven bars and a 9.775 on the floor. The junior highlighted the 2002 Cat Classic recording a 9.825 on the floor exercise during both the team competition and during the individual championships.
Hamm is ranked 15th in the South Central Region as an all-around competitor. She is also ranked for 20th on the floor, 35th on beam, 37th on the uneven bars and 45th on vault.
Nervig 'Nocks the Records
Sophomore Andrea Nervig has shined for Mizzou on the uneven bars this season. She has recorded a 9.825 or higher on the apparatus in each of her four meets this season. She scored an impressive career tying high with a 9.875 to finish second against Southeast Missouri State. Nervig again repeated the feat at the 2002 Cat Classic where she finished third with duplicate mark.
In her other two meets of the year, Nervig posted her third-highest career score against Bowling Green and Nebraska (9.825) to open the season. In addition, the sophomore tied her all-time vault mark throwing a 9.650 on the apparatus to finish fourth in the meet against SEMO.
Nervig is ranked 12th in the country on bars averaging a 9.850 on the apparatus. In the South Central Region, the sophomore is ranked third on the uneven bars and 34th on vault.
All About Asraf
Freshmen Ashley Asraf, a Tom's River, N.J., native, scored a 9.550 on vault and a 9.775 on the floor exercise in her first collegiate meet against Bowling Green. She came back to take top honors in the floor exercise against Southeast Missouri State scoring an MU season-high 9.875. The mark tied Asraf with Alisha Robinson with the highest Missouri freshman mark on the apparatus, prior to the Cat Classic. In addition to her record-tying performance, Asraf finished fourth on vault (9.650) and third on beam (9.700) against the Otahkians.
At the 2002 Cat Classic, Asraf highlighted the night scoring a 9.825 on the floor exercise. She also put up a 9.600 as Mizzou's lead off on vault.
The freshman is ranked 16th in the region on the floor exercise averaging a 9.837. She is 39th on vault and 44th on beam.
Dishing on Dombart
Rachael Dombart, of Woodstock, Ga., put up solid marks during her first collegiate showing helping the Tigers with a 9.600 on the uneven bars and a 9.700 on the balance beam. In her second time out, the freshman opened the MU bars rotation landing a 9.675. She highlighted the MU-NU meet scoring a 9.675 on the balance beam.
Dombart capped off a solid Cat Classic showing scoring a 9.750 on the balance beam to advance to the individual finals where she posted a career-high 9.800 on the apparatus.
Dombart is ranked 28th in the South Central Region averaging a 9.587 on the balance beam. She is 32nd on the uneven bars with a 9.612 average.
Keeping up with Gremaud
Junior Leah Gremaud proves that history can often times repeat itself. At the 2002 Cat Classic, Gremaud became Missouri's first two-time beam champion scoring a 9.925 to mirror her record-setting mark from last season and win the team competition on the apparatus. She is the first Mizzou gymnast to win the same back-to-back event title at the Classic since 1991-92 when Jennifer Sand was the two-time floor exercise champion. Gremaud followed up her record-tying performance recording a 9.850 to finish second in the individual championship.
Gremaud owns two other individual event titles on the year taking top honors on beam against both Bowling Green and Southeast Missouri State. The junior highlighted the BGSU meet scoring a 9.750 on beam and a 9.600 on bars. Gremaud came back to boost her scores against SEMO throwing a 9.800 to win the beam competition. The junior also reached new personal heights against the Otahkians scoring and a 9.800 to finish fourth in the floor exercise and establish a new career-high mark in the event.
Gremaud averages a 9.819 on the balance beam to rank fifth in the South Central Region. She also ranks 43rd on the floor exercise.
Breaking Down Bridges
Transfer Rachel Bridges opened the 2002 season leading the Tigers off scoring a 9.775 on beam against Bowling Green. She also threw a 9.575 on the vault against both BGSU and Southeast Missouri State.
The junior set a career-high scoring a 9.800 on the balance beam against Nebraska to help the Tigers. Before topping her career-mark scoring a 9.800 to start Mizzou on the floor exercise during the Cat Classic team competition.
Bridges is tied for 27th in the region on the floor and 32nd on the balance beam.
Tiger Tidbits
* Sophomore Lauren Owca earned a 9.625 leading off the Tigers on the vault against Bowling Green-the score is her third-highest career mark in the event.
* Junior Laura Forbes nailed a 9.850 floor routine against Southeast Missouri State to finish second in meet standings and tie the junior record in the event. At the 2002 Cat Classic, she scored a 9.800 during the team competition and came back to record a 9.850 to tie for third in the individual championship. Forbes ranks 34th in the region on the floor averaging a 9.712.
* Sophomore Lindsay Davis tied the MU sophomore record when she threw a 9.850 on the uneven bars against SEMO. The score is a new career-mark for Davis who also scored a 9.800 against Nebraska. She highlighted the 2002 Cat Classic recording a 9.725 on the vault and a 9.750 on bars during team competition. Performing in the individual championship, Davis finished fourth on vault throwing a 9.825. She is ranked 30th in the South Central Region averaging a 9.656 on the vault and is 40th on the uneven bars.