Feb. 18, 2005
Complete Release in PDF Format
#29 Missouri Travels to Oklahoma
Jumping back on the road, #29 Mizzou heads to Oklahoma to compete in the Oklahoma Invitational Sun., Feb. 20 at 2:00 p.m. Participating in the quad meet, the Tigers resume Big 12 Conference competition facing #9 Oklahoma, while also meeting #50 Centenary and #54 Texas Women's in the Lloyd Noble Center.
The Tigers return to Columbia next week to host the nationally acclaimed Mizzou Cat Classic. Missouri welcomes Illinois State, New Hampshire and Towson to the two-day event featuring team competition on Fri., Feb. 25 and an individual championship final on Sat., Feb. 26. Both sessions of Cat Classic competition begin at 7:00 p.m. For ticket information, please call the Missouri Athletic Ticket Office at 884-PAWS.
Scouting #9 Oklahoma
Ranked as the ninth team in the nation, Oklahoma is 8-1 on the season owning a 195.185 Regional Qualifying Score. Topping the nation on each apparatus, the Sooners are ranked third on floor (49.070), fifth on bars (48.985), 13th on vault (48.820) and 16th on beam (48.295).
Facing top 10 opponents this season, the Sooners dropped their only meet to #6 Nebraska (195.725-195.775) and defeated #7 Georgia (196.700-196.300).
Last season, Oklahoma finished with a 20-13 record, including a Big 12 Championship title. The Sooners rounded out the year ranked 11th after winning the Northwest Regional title and advancing to the NCAA National Championship for the first time since the 2001 season.
Making strides last season, the Tigers picked up their first Big 12 Conference victory over the Sooners (197.000-196.750). Oklahoma leads the MU-OU series 15-8.
Scouting #50 Centenary
Centenary is 2-3 on the year picking up back-to-back victories over Southern Utah (194.175-193.975) and Air Force (193.525-188.600).
Ranking 50th nationally with a 190.525 average, the Ladies also rank 38th on floor (48.300), 48th on bars (47.455), 53rd on vault (47.705) and 54th on beam (47.065).
Facing Centenary earlier this season, the Tigers bested the Ladies 191.275-188.225. Mizzou owns the MU-CC series 7-0.
Scouting #54 TWU
Texas Woman's joins the meet owning a 1-5 season record. The Pioneers picked up their only season victory over Southeast Missouri State (193.225-192.250).
The Pioneers currently rank fifth of the 14 teams eligible for the USAG Collegiate National Championships. Texas Woman's averages a 189.475 team total. In NCAA national rankings the Pioneers rank 54th overall.
In their last meeting in 2004, the Tigers bested the Pioneers 197.475-193.725 winning the Texas Woman's Invitational. Mizzou leads the MU-TWU series 12-1.
Oklahoma Live Scoring
To access live scoring of Oklahoma gymnastics meets, log onto the official website of the Oklahoma Sooners at www.soonersports.com.
Tiger Rankings
Mizzou ranks in as the 29th team in the nation this week owning a 192.705 Regional Qualifying Score. A national headliner, Mizzou ranks 21st on floor (48.530), 27th on beam (47.960), 29th on vault (48.435) and 36th on bars (47.925).
In the South Central Region, Mizzou comes in as the seventh ranked team overall. The Tigers rank fifth in the region on vault and floor, seventh on beam and eighth on bars.
RQS Rankings
Building toward the RQS standard, this week's competition ends the use of averages to determine rankings. Following the weekend, each team in the nation will have three home and three away scores to calculate an RQS.
Regional Qualifying scores are calculated using a team's top three away and top three home scores. Of the six totals, the high and low are both dropped. The four remaining scores are then averaged to achieve an RQS total.
Illinois Recap
After a lack luster opening to the 2005 season, #31 Mizzou finally found the groove it was looking for building a commanding 196.225-193.775 lead over #27 Illinois.
Putting up their first meet of the season hitting 36-of-36 routines, the Tigers at last showed what their team is capable of. Seeing season highs on three apparatus, Mizzou came together to score its 11th highest team total in program history. The Tigers kicked off the meet scoring a 48.325 vault and continued to build momentum through the remaining rotations.
Shining on bars, Mizzou rallied a 49.325 to hit a season high mark and tie the program's second highest all-time team total. Keeping the precedent on beam, the Tigers tallied a second 49.325 to reach another milestone tying the Tiger's all-time high mark. Rounding out the meet in the same fashion, Mizzou tied the team's 12th finest floor performance scoring a season high 49.250.
Tiger Honors
This season, the Tiger gymnastics squad has received unprecedented acclaim for their work outside of the arena, including the recognition of four gymnasts as Lathrop & Gage Student Athlete of the Week honoring a student-athlete's pursuit toward academic excellence.
Highlighting for the gymnastics team, Julie Abaray, Rachael Dombart, Jodie Heinicka and Amanda Pezzullo have each been selected during the winter semester.