Missouri Hosts Eighth Annual Corvette Cup
2/27/2002 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
Feb. 27, 2002
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Coming Up
The No. 19 ranked University of Missouri women's gymnastics team host the No. 14 ranked Denver Pioneers, Illinois State Cardinals and Utah State Aggies in the eighth annual Corvette Cup Sat., March 2 at 7:00 p.m.
The Tigers wish to welcome the Mid-Missouri Boy Scouts and the 16 area elementary school classes participating in the Mizzou Pen Pal Program to the meet on Saturday. Boy Scouts receive a discounted $2 ticket if wearing their scout uniform. Students in the Pen Pal Program will receive a free ticket at school on Friday.
The Corvette Cup is held in conjunction with a classic Corvette car show on Sun., March 3 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., in the Hearnes Center Fieldhouse. Tickets for the car show are $5 for adults and $3 for seniors and students.
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.
Denver Pioneers
Taking on the tough corps of Tigers, the University of Denver Pioneers looks to be a strong competitor. Jostling with Missouri in the national rankings, Denver is currently spotted in 14th-place-its highest seating of the 2002 season-with a 194.845 regional qualifying score.
Ashley Shible leads the Pioneers ranked 16th in the nation on with a 9.855 vault regional qualifying mark. She averages a 9.825 on the apparatus.
The Pioneers are coached by Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart who owns a 59-22 record as a third-year head coach. Kutcher-Rinehart led Denver to a 17-9 record last season and a second-place finish in the NCAA North Regional. The Pioneers return nine letterwinners and add five newcomers to the lineup this season.
Illinois State Cardinals
The Illinois State Cardinals are currently nipping on the heels of Missouri in the NCAA South Central Region. Ranking in the region's top 10 during the 2002 season, the Cardinals are currently sitting eighth averaging a 192.400 team score and posting a 192.085 regional qualifying mark.
Denise Houda boosts the Cardinals as the 13th finest uneven bars competitor in the region. She averages a 9.796 on the apparatus and owns a 9.785 RQS. Kristy Kreinbrink joins Houda as a member of the region's top-20 bar contenders ranked 16th with a 9.760 RQS.
Beth Larson is in her first season coaching Illinois State. The Cardinals rounded out 2001 with a 13-9 season record and a 30th-place ranking in GymInfo standings. ISU returns 12 letterwinners and brings five newcomers to the Corvette Cup arena.
Utah State Aggies
Rounding out the list of competitors, Utah State joins the ranks as a team vying for the Cup title. USU is currently ranked 50th in the NCAA on the floor exercise with a 48.145 regional qualifying score.
The Aggies are coached by Ray Corn who owns an impressive 390-339-2 record during 24 years coaching at USU. In 2001, Utah State recorded a 10-14 record and finished first in the Big West Conference. The Aggies went on to finish fifth in the NCAA West Regional and ended the year ranked 31st in GymInfo Standings. USU hosts 13 letterwinners and six newcomers in 2002.
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 increasingly solid performances, including a school record setting 195.425 against Ball State, the Tigers have moved up in the ranks to 19th with a 194.260 regional qualifying score. Mizzou is averaging a 194.425 team score.
In addition, the Tigers top the field in all four events after setting program records on three apparatus. Missouri is ranked 13th in the country on the balance beam with a 48.590 RQS. The Tigers average 48.443 as a team on the beam, Mizzou's 49.050 record high against No. 9 ranked Iowa State.
Mizzou is also ranked 21st on the uneven bars with a 48.665 RQS and a 48.761 meet average. The Tigers set an MU team record throwing a 49.225 on the bars against Ball State.
Missouri is ranked 33rd on the floor exercise after recording two program high's during the 2002 season. The Tigers scored a 49.250 high at the Cat Classic and came back to top the mark recording a 49.300 at the Tiger Showdown. Mizzou averages a 48.796 on the apparatus and owns a 48.685 RQS. On the vault, Missouri is ranked 32nd in the nation with a 48.350 average and an RQS of 48.345.
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 to rank fifth in 2002. Mizzou sits behind Nebraska, Oklahoma, Arizona and Arizona State in the regional standings.
In event rankings, the Tigers are third in the region on the balance beam, fifth on the uneven bars and sixth on the floor exercise and vault.
Robinson Rewrites the Records
After knocking down all five-freshman records and establishing a new Missouri all-around pro-quo, Alisha Robinson has continued to dazzle Tiger fans with her athletic and aggressive performance style.
Throughout the 2002 season, Robinson has continued to strike down the marks set in her first trouncing at Bowling Green. 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. She came back for the individual finals only to top her floor exercise feet for a second consecutive night, winning the event with a record-setting 9.950.
Against Ball State, Robinson once again pummeled the MU record books hitting a 9.925 on both the vault and uneven bars. Her vault score ties her previous record set against Bowling Green and her bars score ties with the school record set in 2000 by Shannon Brown. Robinson struggled on the balance beam after her first two stunning events, but cleaned up the meet with a 9.900 on the floor and a 39.300 all-around score to win three events and the all-around title.
Robinson was named Big 12 Gymnast of the Week for her performance against Bowling Green. She is the first gymnast under Head Coach Rob Drass to receive the award.
Robinson in the Rankings
Robinson has earned a place among the nation's elite. In 29 events, the freshman has only scored below a 9.8 on six and has recorded 9.9+ on eight. The scores boost Robinson to top 2002 as the nation's ninth finest all-arounder with a 39.275 regional qualifying score. The freshman is ranked 20th in the country on the vault with a 9.845 RQS.
In the South Central Region, Robinson leads the field as the third all-around competitor. In individual events, Robinson is ranked third on bars (9.845), fifth on vault, is ninth on the floor exercise (9.840) and is tied for 14th on beam (9.745).
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 seven meets this year, including a career-record 9.900 against Ball State.
Previous to her Cardinal upset, Nervig scored an impressive career tying mark 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.
The sophomore recorded her third 9.875 on bars of the 2002 season at the Tiger Showdown. She went on to help Mizzou set a new floor exercise score hitting a 9.875 on the apparatus to record a career-high. In two other meets, 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.
In the South Central Region, Nervig is ranked seventh with a 9.825 regional qualifying score.
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.
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.
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. After throwing a 9.675 bars routine and nailing a 9.750 beam performance against nationally ranked Iowa State, Dombart set a career-record scoring a 9.850 on the uneven bars against Ball State.
Continuing to progress during the 2002 season, Dombart led the Tigers scoring a 9.800 on the balance beam at the Tiger Showdown to post another career-mark. She also scored a 9.650 to start Mizzou on the uneven bars.
Dombart is ranked 17th in the South Central Region with a 9.730 regional qualifying score on the uneven bars. She is ranked 33th on the uneven bars with a 9.625 RQS.
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 three other individual event titles on the year taking top honors on beam against Bowling Green, Southeast Missouri State and No. 9 ranked Iowa State.
The junior reached new personal heights against the Southeast Missouri State Otahkians scoring and a 9.875 to finish fourth in the floor exercise and establish a new career-high mark in the event. Against ISU, the junior scored her third 9.900+ mark on the balance beam tying with Cyclone Stephanie Sweitzer for first-place honors.
In her most recent dual meet against Ball State, Gremaud scored 9.825 on the bars, 9.875 on the beam and 9.725 on the floor exercise. At the Tiger Showdown, Gremaud once again topped her career-mark on the floor exercise scoring a 9.875. She also recorded a 9.725 on the uneven bars for Mizzou.
Gremaud ranks 21st on the balance beam in the NCAA Division I with a 9.825 regional qualifying score--she has scored a 9.8+ in six of eight appearances, including two 9.0+ scores. She is sixth in the South Central Region on beam and ranks 41st on the uneven bars (9.515) and 42nd on the floor exercise (9.615).
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. At the Cat Classic, Bridges set a career-mark scoring a 9.800 to start Mizzou on the floor exercise during the Cat Classic team competition. She returned against Ball State for a 9.800 repeat performance on the apparatus.
Bridges topped her career-performance for the second time during the 2002 season when she helped Mizzou to a program record 49.300 floor exercise score. The junior started the Tigers off with a 9.825.
Bridges is ranked 35th on the balance beam in the South Central Region with a 9.485 regional qualifying score.
Dishing on Davis
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.
Against Ball State, Davis scored a 9.675 on the vault and a 9.525 on the uneven bars. Competing as an exhibitionist, she also recorded a 9.700 on the balance beam-it was her first three-event meet of the year on the road to returning to the all-around rotation.
Davis worked her way back into the all-around lineup at the Tiger Showdown. In her first four-event meet, the sophomore recorded a career-high 39.075 to finish fourth. She recorded a 9.750 on vault, 9.775 on bars, 9.725 on beam and a 9.825 on floor.
Davis is ranked 26th in the South Central Region with a 9.680 regional qualifying score on the vault. She is 35th on the uneven bars with a 9.656 RQS.
The Forbes Forecast
Junior Laura Forbes nailed a 9.900 floor routine against No. 4 ranked Oklahoma and Centenary at the 2002 Tiger Showdown. The mark tied her with OU's Alison Mayberry from the Showdown title and set a new Missouri junior floor exercise record.
The mark comes on the heels of similar record-breaking routine when Forbes scored a 9.850 on the floor against Southeast Missouri State to finish second in meet standings and tie the previous 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. Against Iowa State, the junior recorded a 9.775 on the balance beam and floor to boost the Tigers.
Forbes ranks 30th on the floor in the South Central Region posting a 9.725 regional qualifying score.
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.
The junior has been sidelined during the last three meets due to a hand injury sustained in practice. Her participation will be made on a meet-by-meet basis.
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 Anson returned to the Tiger lineup after taking a redshirt season while recovering from post concussion syndrome. In her first meet of the 2002 season, Anson scored a 9.725 on the vault against Iowa State. Anson broke into her second meet of the year scoring a 9.775 on the vault to set a new personal record against Ball State. In her most recent appearance, Anson recorded a season high 9.800 on the uneven bars at the Tiger Showdown.
* 2001 medical redshirt Terri Baker made her way back into the Mizzou competitive lineup as one of the team's most competitive balance beam contenders. In her first meet since her ACL injury, Baker scored a 9.875 on the beam to tie Leah Gremaud for the meet title.
