Nov. 24, 2008
Columbia, Mo. - The Tigers will start the 2008-09 season ranked 19th in the country, according to GymInfo's preseason poll released Friday. Missouri shares that spot with Boise State, and proves the Tigers are already being recognized for their strong talent going into the upcoming season.
"We are delighted to once again be recognized as one of the nation's top programs; it is truly an honor," Head Coach Rob Drass said. "But I don't put a lot of stock on any preseason ranking. We feel like we might have our best team ever here at Mizzou, and we will find out how we stack up against the rest of the country beginning in January as the season begins. It may be the most exciting one ever."
Missouri is looking to take home its first-ever conference championship and vie for the national title in Lincoln, Neb., behind the talents of seniors Adrianne Perry (Columbia, Mo.), who won the Big 12 All-Around title last year, and Alicia Hatcher (Blue Springs, Mo.), one of the Tigers' most consistent gymnasts. Missouri is also expecting big things from junior Sarah Shire, who claimed 19 event titles last season and was named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year after transferring from Utah. The Tigers have been a mainstay of the Top 25 for the past seven years, starting every season since 2003 with a preseason ranking. Missouri started last year ranked 16th, where they also sat in 2006. In 2007, the Tigers entered the season ranked 18th.
Missouri will not take an easy road to success -- conference foes Nebraska (11th) and Oklahoma (10th) both take high spots in the poll, and Iowa State was just edged out of the Top 25 and is receiving votes. In addition, six of the Tigers' opponents make an appearance on the list -- Oregon State (9th); Illinois (16th); Michigan State (17th); Ohio State (21st); West Virginia (23rd); and Arizona State (24th). Two more of Missouri's opponents are receiving votes -- Southeast Missouri and Kent State.
The Tigers will open up the season with the annual Black and Gold intrasquad meet at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 13. The regular season begins on Friday, Jan. 9 with a road trip to Iowa State, and Missouri's first home competition will be the Pink Out meet at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 23 against Nebraska. Stay tuned to www.mutigers.com for all the latest on Tiger Gymnastics. Ticket information and sales are available through the Missouri Athletic Ticket Office by calling 884-PAWS or 1-800-CAT-PAWS.
2009 GymInfo Preseason Poll Rank Team Points
1 Georgia 814 2 Utah 770 3 Florida 742 4 UCLA 699 5 Stanford 676 6 Alabama 640 7 LSU 634 8 Michigan 579 9 Oregon State 526 10 Oklahoma 525 11 Nebraska 487 12 Arkansas 467 13 Penn State 382 14 Denver 370 15 Auburn 323 16 Illinois 230 17 Michigan St. 228 18 Arizona 218 19 Boise State 216 - MISSOURI 216 21 Ohio State 165 22 Minnesota 135 23 West Virginia 106 24 Arizona State 95 25 Kentucky 84
Other team receiving votes: Washington, Iowa State, North Carolina, BYU, NC State, Iowa, Southern Utah , San Jose State, Southeast Missouri, Maryland, Kent State, Cal Berkley, Southern Utah, Pittsburgh, Illinois-Chicago , New Hampshire, Sacramento