Feb. 6, 2006

COLUMBIA, Mo. - The Missouri gymnastics team slipped one spot to No. 8 in this week's GymInfo National Top 25 poll as the Tigers earned their second-highest ranking ever. So far this season, Mizzou has earned four of the top six rankings in program history. Individually, senior Jodie Heinicka is tied for second on bars and senior Lauren Schwartzman ranks third on beam nationally.

With all four teams ranked ninth or higher for the second straight week, the Big 12 Conference is again the best represented conference in the top 10. Oklahoma leads the way at sixth, while Nebraska is seventh and Iowa State ranks ninth.

On individual events, the Tigers improved to third nationally on beam and now rank sixth nationally on bars. Additionally, the squad is 14th on vault and 15th on floor. In the South Central Region, Mizzou ranks second on bars and beam, fourth on vault and fifth on floor.

Individually, Heinicka is also the best bars performer in the region. Freshman Adrianne Perry is second in the all-around and fourth on floor in the region and is 12th nationally in the all-around while fellow freshman Alicia Hatcher is 10th in the region on bars. In addition to Schwartzman's national ranking on beam, she also comes in at 22nd nationally on floor and ranks third on beam and floor in the region.

Missouri next hosts travels to Champaign, Ill. to face non-conference foe and No. 25 Illinois on Saturday, Feb. 11 at 7:00 p.m. CT. Last season, the Tigers tied their highest beam and second highest bars score in program history against the Illini.