March 9, 2004
#17 Missouri Travels to Texas
The #17 ranked Mizzou Tigers wrap up the 2004 regular season competing in the Texas Woman's Invitational. The Pioneers host Mizzou, Kentucky and Pennsylvania in a quad meet on Fri., March 12 at 7:00 p.m., in Denton, Texas.
Following the TWU Invitational, Mizzou kicks off post-season competition at the Big 12 Championships in Des Moines, Iowa on March 20 at 7:00 p.m.
The Tigers then look toward NCAA Regional competition on Sat., April 3. Seeding and competition site assignments will be announced on March 21st.
Scouting the Opposition
Texas Woman's University is 3-19 on the year taking two victories over Air Force and one over Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
Scoring its highest score of the year against the Falcons (194.600), Texas Woman's owns a 192.725 Regional Qualifying Score to rank 53rd nationally
Missouri owns the MU-TWU series record 11-1. The Tigers defeated the Pioneers, 195.925-193.425, at the Corvette Cup.
Penn owns a 14-4 record with a 2-0 mark in the Ivy League. The Quakers join Mizzou after scoring their highest season total (194.175) at the Ivy League quad meet. Penn is currently ranked 57th nationally with 191.720 RQS. This is the first meeting between Mizzou and Penn.
Facing the Tigers for the second time in 2004, Kentucky is 2-11 on the season with an 0-6 record in the Southeastern Conference. The Wildcats are currently ranked 40th owning a 194.745 RQS.
The Tigers own the MU-UK series record 8-1. Mizzou defeated the Wildcats, 197.350-194.125, at the Cat Classic.
Tiger Rankings
Missouri is currently ranked 17th in the nation owning a 196.435 Regional Qualifying Score.
Keeping in the national top-30 in each event, Mizzou ranks 10th on vault (49.250), 13th on beam (49.150), 19th on bars (49.070) and 30th on floor (49.200).
In the South Central Region, the Tigers are tabbed the fourth-finest team overall. Mizzou is also ranked third of vault, fourth on beam, fifth on floor and sixth on bars.
Tiger Tidbits
In 10 meets this season, Mizzou's standard vault lineup of Rachel Bridges, Whitney Crater, Amanda Pezzullo, Alisha Robinson and Lauren Schwartzman have scored a 9.8 or above on 33-of-38 vaults.
In seven consecutive meets this year, Missouri has recorded one of the program's top-12 vault totals, including its 49.350 all-time high scored at the Cat Classic.
Missouri took first-place honors at the Mizzou Invitational scoring a 197.125--the program's second highest team total.
Earning the Mizzou Invite title, the Tigers tied their all-time team totals on beam (49.325) and floor (49.575).
Mizzou defeated Oklahoma for the first time since 1996 claiming just its second Big 12 victory. In addition, the 197.000-196.750 win ranks as the Tigers' third highest team total.
Besting Oklahoma, Missouri set the program balance beam record scoring a 49.325. The Tigers also tied their second highest mark on bars (49.250) and fourth highest on floor (49.350).
Entering the 24th Annual Cat Classic ranked #12, Missouri bested #18 Penn State, #25 BYU and Kentucky to claim its second consecutive Cat Classic title.
On their way to the Cat Classic podium, the Tigers brought down three team records and won each team event title.
Mizzou smashed the program's all-time team total scoring a 197.350 at the Cat Classic--its first 197+ mark.
The Tigers have scored Mizzou's top-four all-time uneven bars scores this season including their 49.325 record against Arkansas.
MU kicked off the year scoring its highest season opening score in the program's 25-year history posting a 195.350 against Iowa State.
Continuing their opening stanza, the Tigers took their feat a step further scoring a 196.500 against Southeast Missouri State and a 196.050 against New Hampshire. Prior to that, the Tigers' had only tallied two 196+ team scores in program history during the 2003 season.
Mizzou in the Big 12
Missouri is currently ranked third in the Big 12 Conference owning a 12-3 season record and an 1-2 league mark. Iowa State leads the Big 12 with a perfect 9-0, 3-0 record.
In individual event highs, Lauren Schwartzman is the only gymnast in the conference to score a 10.000 on beam. She also joins Alisha Robinson scoring a league high 9.975 on floor.
Adding to her 9.975 floor mark, Robinson is tied for second on vault also scoring a 9.975 in 2004.
Jodie Heinicka ties to lead the Big 12 on bars scoring a 9.950 high.