Michigan
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State of Michigan Classic
Weekly Release #5: at State of Michigan Classic
2/1/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
Upcoming Schedule
Meet #5:Â No. 3 Michigan at State of Michigan Classic
(vs. Eastern Michigan, Central Michigan, Michigan State, Western Michigan)
Sunday, Feb. 6, 2 p.m., Kalamazoo, Mich.
Series:Â Michigan leads EMU 22-2; Michigan leads WMU 23-4; Michigan leads CMU 20-4; MSU leads Michigan 28-22.
Meet #6:Â No. 3 Michigan vs. No. 4 Georgia
Friday, Feb. 11, 7 p.m., Crisler Arena, Ann Arbor, Mich.
Series:Â Georgia leads 8-0
Michigan Looks to Avenge 1999 Runner-up Finish
The University of Michigan women's gymnastics team, which is 6-2, continues its 2000 campaign with a trip to Western Michigan University for the annual State of Michigan Classic on Sunday, Feb. 6 (2 p.m.). The Wolverines will face Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan and Michigan State in a battle of the five NCAA Division I women's gymnastics schools in the state. Michigan will look to regain the State of Michigan title after finishing runner-up to Central Michigan in 1999.
About the Field
Central Michigan is 6-2, with its most recent win coming over Bowling Green, 193.950-192.850 ... Central Michigan's high score of the year is 193.950 ... Central Michigan's only losses in 2000 have been to fifth-ranked UCLA and Arizona ... Central Michigan on the web: www.cmich.edu/~cmsports
Eastern Michigan is 1-2, with its only win coming in the season opener over Northern Illinois 190.5-186.650 ... The Eagles' season-best score came in their last meet when they scored 190.725 but lost to Ball State (193.325) ... Eastern Michigan on the web: www.emich.edu/goeagles
Michigan State is 4-5 on the season and is coming off a 193.475-190.775 loss at Illinois (Jan. 29) ... Michigan defeated Michigan State 196.750-192.850 in their first meeting this year in a dual meet at Cliff Keen Arena (Jan. 20) ... Michigan State's highest score of 2000 came in its win over Missouri (193.125-191.875) ... Michigan State on the web: www.msuspartans.com
Western Michigan is 3-3 and is coming off a win over Bowling Green (191.075-189.225) and loss to Kent (192.325-191.075) in its last meet ... Western Michigan's score of 191.075 in its last meet is its highest of the season and is tied for second best in school history ... Western Michigan on the web: www.wmubroncos.com
Michigan Dominates Kentucky for Sixth Win of the Season
For the second straight week Michigan overwhelmed an opponent at home, and this time the victim was Kentucky (Jan. 28). The Wolverines set or tied team season bests on all four apparatus en route to a 197.500-192.050 win over No. 17 Kentucky in front of 1,265 at Cliff Keen Arena. Michigan opened the meet by setting a new season high on the vault for the second straight week by scoring 49.300 in the first rotation. Michigan continued its stellar performance on the bars with a season-best 49.400 and led 98.700-96.200 after the second rotation.
The Wolverines moved on to the balance beam and registered a mark of 49.300 for the second straight week. Michigan closed out its sixth win of the season over a top-25 opponent with the highest team event score of the season as the Maize and Blue notched a 49.500 on the floor exercise. Sarah Cain (Grand Island, Neb./Grand Island HS) paced the Michigan attack by finishing first or second on all four events and winning the all-around (39.700).
Wolverines Top Nation for Second Straight Week
Michigan's notched the highest team score in the nation this season for the second week in a row after dismantling Kentucky (Jan. 28) 197.500-192.050. Eight days earlier, the Wolverines also recorded the best team score in the nation to date when they buried Michigan State 196.750-192.850. Michigan now owns the top two scores in the country for the 2000 season.
Peterson Shines on Beam
Competing on the balance beam for the first time in 2000, sophomore Melissa Peterson (Shawnee, Kan./Shawnee Mission West HS) delivered Michigan's highest score of the season on the beam with a career-best 9.950. Peterson was in Michigan's balance beam lineup early on as a freshman in 1999, but struggled to an average of 9.096 before being replaced in the beam lineup after seven performances. Peterson has come back strong in 2000 and is averaging a solid 9.781 on the floor exercise as regular in that lineup.
2000 Wolverines Already in the Record Book
In just the fourth meet of the 2000 season, this young Michigan squad is taking its place near the top of the Wolverine record book. Michigan's team score of 197.500 in the win over Kentucky (Jan. 28) is the fourth highest total in school history and the best since the Maize and Blue recorded a 197.550 vs. Michigan State in 1998. On its way to a 197.500 team score, Michigan's uneven bars score of 49.400 tied for 10th best in school history. Michigan matched its third-best score in school history on the balance beam, which was set one week earlier vs. Michigan State, with a mark of 49.300. Michigan's all-time top five team scores:
| 1. | 197.700 | 1997 NCAA Central Regional Championships |
| 2. | 197.550 | 1998 vs. Michigan State |
| 197.550 | 1998 vs. Massachusetts | |
| 4. | 197.500 | 2000 vs. Kentucky |
| 5. | 197.400 | 1999 vs. UCLA/Rutgers |
Cain Continues All-Around Success
Michigan senior tri-captain Sarah Cain recorded a Michigan season-best 39.700 on her way to her third consecutive all-around victory of the season. For the second consecutive meet Cain placed no lower than runner-up on any of the four events, including a win on the vault outright with a team season-best 9.950. Cain has placed in the top five on vault in all four of Michigan's meets this season. Cain is currently averaging 39.281 in the all-around, which would be the second best seasonal average in Michigan history. Beth Wymer (1992-95) holds the Michigan record for highest all-around average for a season, averaging 39.339 in 1994.
Senior Gaining Momentum
Michigan junior Karina Senior (Markham, Ontario/Milliken Mills HS), competing in the all-around for just the third time in her career, came through with a career-best 39.350 in Michigan's win over Kentucky (Jan. 28). A pair of career bests on the uneven bars and floor exercise buoyed Senior's all-around performance. Senior, who had a previous career high of just 9.125 on the uneven bars, recorded a 9.875 to place fourth on that event, while she recorded a career-best 9.950 on the floor exercise to win that event for the third straight meet.
Career High for Michaud
Junior Christine Michaud (Mill Valley, Calif./The Branson School) has been one of Michigan's unsung stars thus far in 2000. Michaud finished in the top two on the vault for the third straight meet after nailing a career-high 9.925 to place runner-up in the win over Kentucky (Jan. 28). Michaud is averaging a 9.850 on the vault in 2000, including a first-place finish in the win over Michigan State (Jan. 20).
Dynamic Freshman Duo
Michigan freshmen Tara Tagliarino (Tampa, Fla./H.B. Plant HS) and Janessa Grieco (Mahopac, N.Y./Carmel HS) continue to give career-best performances week in and week out. Tagliarino matched teammate Sarah Cain for the best uneven bar performance of the season when she delivered a career-best 9.925 routine in the win over Kentucky (Jan. 28). Grieco has improved her vault score in each of Michigan's four meets this season and notched a career-best 9.825 to place fourth in the win over Kentucky (Jan. 28).
Michigan Excels vs. Top 25
Michigan's four opponents in the State of Michigan Classic this weekend will represent Michigan's first non top-25 opposition this season. In the first four meets this season Michigan has faced eight top 25 teams and the Wolverines are 6-2 in those meetings. Six of those opponents were in the top 10 and Michigan has posted a 4-2 record against those foes. Michigan vs. Top 10 in 2000:
| at Georgia #1 | L | 194.925-195.500 |
| vs. Alabama #2 | L | 194.925-195.750 |
| vs. Florida #9 | W | 194.925-193.225 |
| vs. Nebraska #6 | W | 194.925-193.325 |
| vs. UCLA #3 | W | 194.925-193.300 |
| at Minnesota #4 | W | 195.175-193.200 |
Cain Moving Up the Charts
Sarah Cain's eight All-America citations ties her for third on Michigan's all-time list with Heather Kabnick (1995-98). Wendy Marshall (1993-96) is second on the list with 10 All-America honors, while Beth Wymer (1992-95) heads the list with 14 All-America honors earned.
Tri-Captains
The 2000 University of Michigan women's gymnastics team has tri-captains leading the squad. Senior Sarah Cain is joined by juniors Bridget Knaeble and Brianne Fuller (W. Bowdoin, Maine/Mount Ararat HS). Cain was a tri-captain in 1999 as a junior as well.
GymInfo Top 25 (1/25/2000)
RANK, TEAM AVERAGE
1. Utah 196.125
2. Alabama 195.800
3. MICHIGAN 195.617
4. Georgia 195.575
5. UCLA 195.150
6. Louisiana State 194.483
7. Nebraska 194.408
8. Penn State 194.063
9. Iowa State 193.813
10. Stanford 193.775
11. Arizona State 193.600
12. Denver 193.592
13. New Hampshire 193.442
14. Cal State-Fullerton 193.300
15. Minnesota 192.975
16. Ball State 192.950
17. Kentucky 192.838
18. Maryland 192.808
19. Florida 192.575
20. Washington 192.513
21. Towson 192.508
22. Auburn 192.425
Brigham Young 192.425
24. North Carolina State 192.400
25. Oklahoma 192.363
Tracking Michigan in the Rankings
Preseason 7th Jan. 11 3rd Jan. 18 6th Jan. 25 3rd
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Players Mentioned
