Jan. 23, 2003
On the docket...
No. 24 ranked Mizzou gymnastics launch into a three-week home stanza hosting No. 4 ranked Nebraska on Fri., Jan. 24, The Tigers face the Cornhuskers in their second Big 12 Conference meet after taking its first league win against Iowa State in their home opener.
Continuing with their home stretch, Mizzou welcomes Illinois State on Thurs., Jan. 30. The Tigers then host Brigham Young, New Hampshire and Arizona to the 23rd annual State Farm Cat Classic Feb. 7-8.
All three home meets begin at 7:00 p.m., in the Hearnes Center. Tickets are still available by calling 1-800-CAT-PAWS or on meet night from the Hearnes Center Ticket Office.
A Look at Nebraska
The fourth ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers are off to their best start in school history. Despite a shaky start in Iowa City, the Huskers put forth their highest score of the season with a 197.125 against the Hawkeyes. Nebraska began the meet scoring a 49.300 on bars with three competitors scoring above 9.850. Helping to post up big marks, the Huskers also have eight competitors capable of throwing 10.0 vaults and two dynamic all-around competitors in Richelle Simpson and A.J. lamb that took first and third places, respectively, against Iowa.
Nebraska is 6-1 overall on the season with a 1-0 record against Big 12 opponents after defeating Oklahoma.
Marking up Mizzou
After starting the year ranked 20th in the GymInfo Pre-Season Coaches Poll, the Tigers have slipped into the 27th-place spot last week despite Mizzou's season opening victory against Iowa State. Missouri bested the Cyclones 192.575 to 192.000 to take its first Big 12 Conference victory since the 1996 season. The win was also the Tigers first over the Cyclones since 1994.
Coming out with a loss against No. 18 ranked Pittsburgh in their second meet, the Tigers inched up the rankings to the No. 24 spot after pulling up their score to a 194.100 against the Panthers. Consequently, Missouri recorded two program high marks against Pittsburgh scoring the fifth-highest all-time beam score with a 48.875 and recorded the 11th-highest vault score with a 48.500 team mark.
Tiger in the Rankings
After two meets and a No. 24 ranking overall, the Tigers also top the nation on all four apparatus. Missouri is ranked 17th in the country on beam with a 48.875 average. The Tigers are also 29th on bars (48.500), 31st on floor (48.800) and 38th on bars (48.200).
In the South Central Region, Missouri is ranked sixth with a 194.100 team high. The Tigers are also ranked sixth on vault and beam, seventh on floor and ninth on bars.
Understanding the Ranking System
Although the Tigers have opened the season on a soft note posting smaller scores while working their way into the competition season. Most teams stray from throwing many of their most difficult skills during the beginning stanza. As the year progresses however, gymnastics fans can anticipate the development of many more 10.0 routines in Mizzou's lineup.
Gymnastics rankings are based on meet score averages. Regardless of season record, the teams that continually score well top both the rankings and regional qualifying charts. In order to qualify for NCAA Regional competition, teams must maintain a certain scoring average. To obtain a fair average both the team's highest and lowest scores are dropped leaving the median scores to find the average.
Nervig on a Roll
Bolstering the Tigers to their first Big 12 victory in six years and a follow-up 194.100 score against Pittsburgh, junior Andrea Nervig has put up two big meets for the Tigers. Once again foreshadowing great things for the rising Missouri program, Nervig topped the charts winning the uneven bars and floor exercise title against Pittsburgh. She scored a 9.875 to tie for first on floor and posted a 9.850 to top the competitors on bars. She also scored a 9.650 on the vault for Mizzou.
Prior to her pouncing of the Panthers, Nervig won the uneven bars competition scoring a 9.875 against the ISU Cyclones. She also put up a 9.725 on the floor and a 9.575 on vault to boost the Tigers over Iowa State. Nervig's 9.875 bar score also ties as Missouri's 11th-highest all-time mark on the apparatus.
Nervig is currently tied for 26th-place in the nation on the uneven bars and ranks 52nd on the floor exercise. In the South Central Region, Nervig tops the charts as the sixth-finest bars competitor and is ranked ninth on floor.
Davis Gears Up
All-Around competitor Lindsay Davis performed as MU's only quad event athlete against the Panthers. The junior scored a 9.650 on vault, 8.850 on bars, 9.750 on beam and 9.750 on floor for a 38.000 total against Pittsburgh.
Davis also helped Mizzou topple the Cyclones scoring a 38.400 to finish second overall in the all-around competition. She scored 9.775 on bars, 9.750 on floor, 9.625 on vault and 9.250 on beam.
This week, Davis is ranked 22nd in the South Central Region in the all-around. She also tops tied for the 25th-place spot on the uneven bars.
Bridges Breaks Barriers
Junior Rachel Bridges bested the vault competition against Pittsburgh scoring an event winning 9.850 on her way to setting a new career high mark on the apparatus. In addition, it ties as Mizzou's fifth-highest all-time vault score in program history.
The feat ranks Bridges 29th in the nation on the vault and ties for ninth in the South Central Region. In addition to her award-winning vault, Bridges also scored a 9.700 on the balance beam against the Panthers.
The marks come on the tail of Bridges three-event meet against Iowa State, where junior recorded a 9.625 on vault, a 9.675 on beam and rounded out the meet with a 9.775 on floor.
Schwartzman Comes on Strong
Lauren Schwartzman gave Mizzou fans a glimpse of what they'll see from her this season with back-to-back success against both Iowa State and Pittsburgh. The freshman opened her inaugural season scoring a 9.775 on the beam and a 9.725 on the floor exercise against the Cyclones. She then came back to top the feat, winning the floor title with fellow Tiger Andrea Nervig at Pittsburgh scoring a 9.875. She also scored a 9.825 to top Mizzou on the balance beam against the Panthers.
With just two collegiate meets under her belt, Schwartzman is already seeing recognition in the rankings. She is currently tied for ninth in the South Central Region on the floor exercise and is tied for 25th on both the bars and beam.
Hamm Makin' it Happen
Never discounting the influence of Mizzou's seniors, Alina Hamm has continued to ground Mizzou with consistency. Opening the season, she pulled out a 9.800 floor routine to finish second on the event after scoring a 9.500 on vault to rally the Tigers against the Cyclones. She went on to improve her vault score against the Panthers posting a 9.650 and scoring a solid 9.750 on the floor exercise.
Robinson Revs Up
After sitting out Mizzou's first meet of the season due to a foot injury, All-American Alisha Robinson worked her way into the Tiger lineup against the Panthers. Competing in two events in her first meet out, Robinson scored a disappointing 9.275 on bars before scoring a solid 9.800 on the balance beam. As Robinson continues to rehabilitate, she is expected to make her way back into the Tiger all-around lineup.
Dombart Digs In
Returning from a successful freshman season, Rachael Dombart has once again came in to assist the Tigers with consistently solid contributions. The sophomore scored a 9.775 to open MU's bar lineup and went on to score a 9.675 on beam pushing Mizzou to its first conference victory in nearly a decade. The two-event competitor persisted in her stability against Pittsburgh scoring a 9.725 on bars and 9.700 on beam.
Asraf on the Assist
Sophomore standard Ashley Asraf struggled thru her first meet of the year against Iowa State. Despite jitters in her first two events, she pulled out a 9.775 floor routine to help the Tigers best the Cyclones. Performing as a two-event competitor against Pittsburgh, Asraf redeemed her pervious score on the balance beam scoring a solid 9.725.
Featuring our Freshmen
Freshman Jodie Heinicka jump-started her collegiate career leading the Tigers with a 9.800 on vault against the Iowa State Cyclones. In her inaugural meet, she finished third on the event.
Austin, Texas, native Katie Roets likewise opened her NCAA career in grand fashion scoring a 9.775 on bars to help Mizzou best Iowa State. Helping the Tigers against Pittsburgh, Roets scored a 9.625 on bars.