March 10, 2009

Columbia, Mo. - The Big 12 Conference office has named junior Sarah Shire as Big 12 Gymnast of the Week, marking the fifth time this season the Columbia native has taken home the honor. She now leads the conference in weekly awards garnered this year.

Shire's award comes after her eighth all-around crown of the year this past weekend at the Eagle Invitational in Ypsilanti, Mich. She took top honors by a score of 39.375, as well as a share of the beam title with a 9.825 on the event.

This is the second week in a row that Shire has stood as Gymnast of the Week -- she received the title just last week after a career-high performance of 39.575 in her all-around win at the Cat Classic. She received the honor two weeks before after her performance at Beauty and the Beast, and was also Co-Big 12 Gymnast of the Week in January with Nebraska junior Kylie Stone. Shire won the award outright the week before. Senior Alicia Hatcher (Blue Springs, Mo.) was also named Big 12 Event Specialist of the Week that week.

Shire has been one of the most dominating gymnasts in the conference this year. She has now won the top title in eight of nine meets this year, and has taken 16 individual event titles.

This is the sixth career weekly award for Shire -- in addition to the awards earlier this year, she was named Co-Big 12 Gymnast of the Week after putting up a 39.500 against Centenary in February 2008. Shire was also named the Big 12's Newcomer of the Year for 2008, and was picked for the first-team All-Big 12 on vault and for the All-Big 12 Championship team on beam.

The performance last Friday pushed Shire to No. 9 in the country, fourth on the beam, ninth on vault, No. 28 on the floor and No. 40 on bars. She is first overall in the Big 12, and also ranks first on the vault and second on beam. She is fifth in the conference on the floor and second on the uneven bars.

Shire will be in action this weekend as the No. 13 Tigers close out the regular season at home vs. No. 9 Oregon State on Senior Night at the Hearnes Center. The meet starts at 6:30 p.m. on Friday. All tickets are just $2; doors open at 5 p.m.

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