Feb. 5, 2003
On the docket...
No. 22 ranked Mizzou gymnastics welcomes the No. 10 ranked Arizona Wildcats, the No. 20 ranked Brigham Young Cougars and the New Hampshire Wildcats to the 23rd Annual State Farm Cat Classic. Ushering in one of the most competitive lineups in its history, the 2003 Cat Classic boasts three of the nation's finest teams in a high caliber event. Competition is scheduled Fri.-Sat., Feb. 7-8 at 7:00 p.m., in the Hearnes Center.
In a mock NCAA Championship format, team competition will be completed on Friday with top individuals from each event advancing to the individual finals on Saturday.
Tickets are still available for both events by calling 1-800-CAT-PAWS or 884-PAWS locally. Tickets can also be purchased at the Hearnes Center Ticket Office.
Marking up Mizzou
Besting their season opening feat defeating No. 18 ranked Iowa State to take its first Big 12 Conference victory since the 1996 season, Mizzou once again raised the bar scoring the program's highest score in history. The Tigers put up a 196.475 to topple Illinois State (193.600) and win its second dual meet of the year.
Following up their record setting victory against the Cyclones, the Tigers took back-to-back losses at the hands of then No. 18 ranked Pittsburgh and No. 4 ranked Nebraska. During the second week of competition, the Tigers inched up the rankings to the No. 24 spot after pulling up their team score to 194.100 against the Panthers. Missouri then recorded a 193.000 in a loss to the Cornhuskers to slip into it the No. 35th -ranked spot last week,
Scoring their latest meet, the Tigers' 196.475 brings their season average team score to 194.037 and boosts Mizzou to a 22nd-place ranking in NCAA Division I competition.
Eying Arizona
No. 10 ranked Arizona joins the Cat Classic lineup toting an impressive 195.581 team average. The Wildcats also top the nation ranked 17th on vault, 12th on bars, eighth on beam and 18th on floor. Individually topping the Arizona team, sophomore Jamie Schell is ranked 14th nationally in the all-around competition with a 39.325 quad-event average and junior Andi McCabe is ranked 15th in the country on vault with a 9.875 average.
Last season the Wildcats tallied a 15-7 record going 8-4 in the Pacific-10 Conference to finish second in league standings. Arizona advanced to the NCAA National Championship where they finished 11th overall. Bolstering the 2003 lineup, Arizona returns 13 of its 11th-ranked team from the previous season and adds just three newcomers to the squad.
Breaking Down BYU
The No. 20 ranked Brigham Young Cougars return to the Cat Classic defending two-consecutive meet titles. Last season, BYU slipped past Missouri's 194.475 scoring a 194.950 to win the meet and set a new Classic team high score.
Entering the 2003 Cat Classic, BYU owns a 194.258 meet average. Brigham Young is currently ranked 12th in the nation on beam (48.725) and is lead by sophomore Jamie Mabray who tops in as the country's third-leading all-around competitor and the nation's top vaulter with a 9.950 average.
Returning to the arena, BYU brings 11 members of its record setting team and adds five newcomers on tow. Last year, the Cougars finished the season with a 15-6 record and a second-place finish at the South Central Regional competition. BYU rounded out the year with a 24th-place ranking overall.
Notes on New Hampshire
Returning for just their third Cat Classic appearance, the New Hampshire Wildcats return 13 of its fifth-place Central Region qualifying team from the previous season. Owning an 8-7 record in 2002, New Hampshire rounded out the year with a 30th-place ranking overall.
Running with the pack, the Wildcats are the only un-ranked team participating in the Classic meet. Owning a 5-3 record on the year, New Hampshire ranks in as the 19th-finest balance beam contender in the nation boasting an impressive 48.487 team average. Likewise, UNH is also ranked 20th on the vault nationally with a 49.631 average.
Highlighting Mizzous Last Outing
? The Tigers recorded the programs highest team balance beam score recording a 49.175. Missouri also scored the second-highest vault score tallying a 49.075 average.
? Missouri put up the fifth-highest uneven bars score in school history scoring a 49.125 and the eighth-highest floor exercise score posting a 49.100.
Tigers in the Rankings
Owning a 2-2 season record and a No. 22 ranking under their belt, the Tigers continue to top the nation on all four apparatus. Missouri is ranked 19th in the country on the floor exercise with a 48.887 average. The Tigers are also 27th on the uneven bars (48.369), 28th on the balance beam (48.344) and 30th on vault (48.437).
In the South Central Region, Missouri is ranked fifth overall. The Tigers are also ranked fifth on the floor, sixth on vault and seventh on bars and beam.
Davis Decimates Mizzou Record Books
All-Around competitor Lindsay Davis came out bigger and better than ever in Missouri's 196.475 trampling of Illinois State. Mizzou's only four-event competitor decimated the competition recording two career-high marks on her way to scoring Missouri's second-highest all-around score in program history. Davis opened her meet scoring a career-high 9.875 vault. She went on to post a 9.850 to tie for top honors on the uneven bars, set another career-mark on the beam scoring a 9.850 and rounded out her evening scoring a 9.850 on the floor exercise. Tallying a 39.425 all-around total, Davis' mark bests her previous career-high by more than a point and also establishes a new Missouri junior record.
Davis' star-studded performance was foreshadowed by glimpses of greatness earlier in the season. The junior scored a 9.900 on the uneven bars to tie Mizzou's junior record on the event and set a new personal career high against No. 4 ranked Nebraska. In addition to her record tying bar routine, Davis also posted a 9.725 on the balance beam and a 9.750 on the floor exercise. She scored a 9.35 on the vault to score a 38.725 as the only all-around competitor during the meet.
Prior to her record setting meet against the Cornhuskers, Davis also helped Mizzou topple the Cyclones scoring a 38.400 all-around mark to finish second overall as a quad-event competitor. She scored 9.775 on bars, 9.750 on floor, 9.625 on vault and 9.250 on beam.
This week, Davis is ranked 92nd in the nation in the all-around competition. She also ranks in as the South Central Region's 21st all-around contender. Davis is also individually ranked 30th on the floor exercise, 41st on beam, 46th on bars and 47th on vault.
Nervig Sets the Bar
Bolstering the Tigers to their first Big 12 victory in six years and a follow-up 196.475 record setting meet against Illinois State, junior Andrea Nervig maintained her characteristic consistency against the Redbirds. She opened her meet scoring a 9.750 on the uneven bars and posted a 9.800 on the floor exercise.
Her performance comes on the heels of her electrifying showing against then No. 4 ranked Nebraska. Nervig scored a 9.825 on the uneven bars and helped the Tigers record their eighth-highest team floor score in program history nailing a 9.875 routine for the second straight meet.
Topping the charts against Pittsburgh, Nervig won both the uneven bars and floor exercise titles. 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 ranked 39th in the nation on the uneven bars and is 98th on the floor. In the South Central Region, Nervig tops the charts as the ninth-finest bars competitor averaging a 9.825 on the year. She is also tied for 22nd on the floor with a 9.819 average.
Bridges on a Roll
Coming in as one of Missouri's most consistent athletes, junior Rachel Bridges once again earned top honors on the vault hitting her second career-high on the year. Scoring a 9.850 to finish second on the apparatus against Illinois State, Bridges' mark helped Mizzou record its highest team vault score in program history. In addition, the junior also helped establish a new MU beam high opening the Tigers' round with a solid 9.825.
Holding her ground against ranked opponents, Bridges faced off against then No. 4 ranked Nebraska scoring a 9.775 on the balance beam and recorded a 9.800 on the floor to boost Mizzou. The meet followed on the heels of Bridges' first record-setting meet of the 2003 season against then No. 18 ranked Pittsburgh. The junior bested the vault competition against the Panthers 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.
Overall, Bridges is ranked 75th in the NCAA Division I on the balance beam averaging a 9.762. She also earns top recognition in the South Central Region receiving an 18th-ranked nod on the apparatus. Bridges is ranked 46th in the region on vault averaging a 9.631.
Schwartzman Comes on Strong
Coming out in her inaugural season as one of Mizzou's most consistent competitors, freshman Lauren Schwartzman is giving Mizzou fans a glimpse of the ever increasing ability of the Tiger program. In four meets this season, including three against top-20 opponents, Schwartzman has finished in the top third in each of her events.
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. Turning in her third meet against a ranked opponent, Schwartzman performed with a signature poise posting a 9.850 to round out Missouri's floor lineup.
Helping Mizzou to its highest team score in history, Schwartzman put up three solid scores. Competing in her first tri-event meet, the freshman scored a 9.625 to lead of Mizzou's record-setting vault lineup. She scored a 9.875 to win the balance beam title and led the Tigers' to another team record score. She rounded out the evening scoring a 9.875 on the floor exercise to once again take top honors and round out a four-meet stint with three individual event titles.
With her few collegiate meets under her belt, Schwartzman is already seeing recognition in the rankings. The freshman is ranked 68th in the nation on the floor exercise averaging an impressive 9.831. She is also tied for 16th in the South Central Region on the floor exercise and comes in as the region's 27th finest beam competitor and is tied for 34th on vault.
Hamm Makes it Happen
Rounding out her collegiate career in signature style, senior 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 to rally the Tigers against the Iowa State Cyclones and their first Big 12 Conference victory in six years.
She went on to improve her scores as a two-event participant against then No. 18 ranked Pittsburgh vaulting a 9.650 and scoring a solid 9.750 on the floor exercise. Following up against then No. 4 ranked Nebraska, Hamm scored a 9.725 on the vault and opened Missouri's floor lineup tying her career-high mark on the apparatus with a 9.825.
Hamm maintained her steady strides against Illinois State helping Mizzou record its highest team vault score in history with a 9.700 score. She also helped the Tigers to their eighth highest floor score opening the lineup with a 9.800 contribution.
The senior's marks tie her for 27th in the region on the floor exercise with a 9.794 average. She is also ranked 44th on the vault with a 9.644 average.
Robinson Revs Up
After sitting out Mizzou's first meet of the season due to a foot injury, All-American Alisha Robinson continues to work her way into the Tiger all-around lineup.
Opening the season competing in two events against Pittsburgh, Robinson scored a disappointing 9.275 on bars before scoring a solid 9.800 on the balance beam. She then upped her competition against then No. 4 ranked Nebraska, scoring a solid 9.775 on her first vault of the year.
Competing in just her second tri-event meet, Robinson came out showing her standard strength helping the Tigers best Illinois State. Robinson opened the meet scoring a 9.850 on the vault to tie for second overall on the apparatus. She then scored a 9.750 on the bars and hit a 9.825 to finish third on the balance beam for Mizzou.
As Robinson continues to rehabilitate, she is expected to make her way back into the Tiger all-around lineup. While awaiting her quad-event return, Robinson ranks in as the nation's 56th highest vault competitor with an impressive 9.812 average. The mark also ranks the freshman 11th in the South Central Region on the apparatus.
Dombart Digs In
Just four meets into the 2003 season, sophomore Rachael Dombart continues to earn her keep as a bi-event specialist. Opening the Tigers' bars lineup against Illinois State, she scored a 9.825 to finish second on the event and post her highest mark of the year. Dombart maintained her consistency on the balance beam scoring a 9.800 to tie for fourth overall and help Missouri to a new team record.
Helping advance Missouri over Big 12 rival Iowa State, 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. She persisted in her stability against Pittsburgh scoring a 9.725 on bars and 9.700 on beam and backed up her performance, scoring a 9.725 on the beam against then No. 4 Nebraska.
Dombart is tied for 23rd in the South Central Region on the balance beam averaging a 9.725. She also tops in as the region's 38th finest uneven bars contender averaging a 9.646.
Asraf on the Assist
Sophomore floor specialist Ashley Asraf continues to add stability in the Tiger lineup posting solid scores. In her first meet of the year against Iowa State, 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. Bolstered by her improvements, the sophomore recorded a 9.775 on the floor to help Mizzou post its 11th-highest all-time floor score.
Helping to better Missouri's floor mark against Illinois State, Asraf scored a 9.775 on event leading the Tigers to their eighth-highest team score in program history.
Roets on the Rise
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. Keeping in tune with her previous notes, Roets scored a 9.675 on bars against Nebraska and put up a solid 9.625 helping the Tigers record their highest all-time beam score. Overall, Roets is tied fir 28th in the South Central Region on bars with a 9.692 average.
Harping on Heinicka
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 to finished third on the event. Building upon her resume, she also scored a 9.700 on the apparatus against the top ranked Cornhuskers.
Continuing in grad fashion, Heinicka recorded her second 9.800 vault of the year boosting the Tigers to an all-time team high. She also tied for second-place honors on the uneven bars recording a 9.825.