Michigan
Big Ten Championships
Weekly Release #11: at Big Ten Championships
3/14/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
Upcoming Schedule
Meet #12:Â No. 1 Michigan at 2000 Big Ten Championships
Saturday, March 18, at 6 p.m., State College, Pa., Rec Hall
Meet #13:Â No. 1 Michigan at NCAA Regional Championships
Saturday, April 1, Time and Site TBA
Michigan Preps for Big Ten Championships
The University of Michigan women's gymnastics team begins its postseason action with the 2000 Big Ten Championships in State College, Pa., on Saturday, March 18 (6 p.m.). The Wolverines are the defending conference champions after their seventh title in eight years in 1999 at East Lansing, Mich. There are currently three Big Ten teams ranked among the top 25 in the country, including No. 1 Michigan. Joining the Wolverines as top-25 teams are No. 16 Penn State and No. 17 Minnesota.
About the Competition ...
Illinois -- The Fighting Illini are 6-11 (2-2 Big Ten) on the season ... Illinois' high score this season is 194.475, which it earned in a loss to Denver (March 5) ... Illinois' top event is the balance beam, where the Illini are ranked third in the Big Ten ... Illinois on the Internet: fightingillini.com.
Iowa -- Iowa is 1-12 (0-3 Big Ten) on the 2000 campaign ... The Hawkeyes' high score of 2000 is 193.575, which they recorded in a loss at Illinois (Feb. 19) ... Iowa's top team event is the floor exercise, with a 48.575 average ... Iowa on the Internet: www.hawkeyesports.com.
Michigan State -- MSU is 15-12 (1-3 Big Ten) on the 2000 season ... Michigan State's high team score (196.100) of the season came in its win over Pittsburgh (Feb. 19) ... Michigan State is 0-2 this season vs. Michigan ... Michigan State on the Internet: msuspartans.com.
Minnesota -- The Golden Gophers are 11-6 (2-1 Big Ten) on the season ... Minnesota is currently ranked No. 17 in the nation ... Minnesota lost to Michigan 195.175-193.200 earlier this season (Jan. 15) ... Minnesota is ranked second in the Big Ten on the vault, uneven bars and floor exercise, behind Michigan ... Minnesota on the Internet: gophersports.com.
Ohio State -- OSU is 8-9 (2-2 Big Ten) on the season ... Ohio State's high score (195.350) came in its last regular season meet, which was a 195.350-195.225 upset of No. 11 Oklahoma (March 11) ... Ohio State on the Internet: ohiostatebuckeyes.com.
Penn State -- The host Nittany Lions are 8-2 (2-0 Big Ten) on the 2000 campaign ... Penn State's top team score of 196.100 came in its upset of then-No. 8 Stanford (March 3) ... Penn State is ranked second in the conference on the balance beam, behind Michigan ... Penn State on the Internet: www.psu.edu/sports/
Michigan Looking for No. 9
As the Michigan women's gymnastics program begins its second decade under the direction of head coach Bev Plocki, the Wolverines will look to maintain their success at the 2000 Big Ten Championships in State College, Pa. (March 18). During Plocki's first decade as head coach from 1990-99, Michigan won a record seven conference titles, including six straight from 1992-97. Michigan's eight conference crowns are the most by any Big Ten school. All-time Big Ten team champions:
| 1. Michigan | 8 | (1982-92-93-94-95-96-97-99) |
| 2. Ohio State | 5 | (1983-84-85-86-87) |
| 3. Minnesota | 4 | (1988-89-91-98) |
| 4. Illinois | 1 | (1990) |
Wolverines Defend Title
Michigan enters the 2000 Big Ten Championships (March 18) looking for its first back-to-back conference crowns since the 1996 and 1997 seasons. Michigan won the 1999 title with a team mark of 196.300, holding off second-place Penn State (195.550) by out-pointing the Nittany Lions 49.300 (uneven bars) to 48.350 (balance beam) in the final rotation. Michigan separated itself from the field in 1999 on the floor exercise, where the Wolverines registered a meet-best 49.475. Michigan won three of the four events.
Returning Champs
Michigan won or shared five individual Big Ten championships at the 1999 meet in East Lansing, Mich., with two of those champions returning in 2000. Sarah Cain (Grand Island, Neb./Grand Island HS) won the floor exercise with a mark of 9.975, while Christine Michaud (Mill Valley, Calif./The Branson School) tied for the vault title with a score of 9.875. Michaud tied on the vault with former Wolverine Lisa Simes (1996-99), who also won the all-around title (39.425), while former Wolverine Nikki Peters (1996-99) won the uneven bars with a perfect 10.000. The only other Wolverine on the current roster to win an individual Big Ten championship was Bridget Knaeble (New Hope, Minn./Totino-Grace HS), who won the floor exercise in 1998.
Cain Could Climb the Charts
Michigan senior Sarah Cain has earned three individual Big Ten championships during her career, which ties her for fourth on Michigan's all-time list. Cain is currently ranked first in the conference in all five individual events and needs four individual titles at the 2000 Big Ten Championships (March 18) to move into second on Michigan's list of championships won. Michigan athletes who have won three or more individual Big Ten titles:
| 1. | Beth Wymer (1992-95) | 14 |
| 2. | Nikki Peters (1996-99) | 6 |
| 3. | Lisa Simes (1996-99) | 4 |
| 4. | Sarah Cain (1997-present) | 3 |
| Heather Kabnick (1995-98) | 3 |
Wolverine Have Strong Balancing Act
Michigan has been steady on the balance beam throughout the 2000 season and has the nation's top-ranked beam lineup to show for it. Michigan owns a 49.130 RQS and like the vault, the Wolverines have four of the top five athletes on the balance beam in the Big Ten. Of those four Michigan athletes Shannon MacKenzie (Midland, Mich./Midland HS) is a sophomore, while Cami Singer (Monument, Colo./Lewis Palmer HS) and Janessa Grieco (Mahopac, N.Y./Carmel HS) are just freshman. The Big Ten's top five on the balance beam with RQS:
| 1. | Sarah Cain, Michigan | 9.905 |
| 2. | Shannon MacKenzie, Michigan | 9.840 |
| 3. | Jana Gallagher, Illinois | 9.810 |
| 4. | Cami Singer, Michigan | 9.805 |
| 5. | Janessa Grieco, Michigan | 9.795 |
Maize and Blue Vaults To the Top
After earning its second-best vault score (49.550) of the season in its win over Florida and Bowling Green State (March 11) in the regular-season finale, Michigan maintained its position as the No. 1 team in the country on that event. Michigan is ranked first in country on the vault with a RQS of 49.355 and has four of the top five vaulters in the Big Ten. The Big Ten's top five vaulters with RQSs:
| 1. | Sarah Cain, Michigan | 9.965 |
| 2. | Christine Michaud, Michigan | 9.895 |
| 3. | Sarah-Elizabeth Langford, Michigan | 9.855 |
| 4. | Katie Rowland, Michigan State | 9.845 |
| 5. | Janessa Grieco, Michigan | 9.840 |
Wolverines Win Regular-Season Finale
Michigan closed out the home careers of seniors Sarah Cain, Sarah-Elizabeth Langford (Atlanta, Ga./Pace Academy) and Kate Nellans (Mundelein, Ill./Mundelein HS) in fine fashion by winning a tri-meet vs. No. 13 Florida and Bowling Green State (March 11). The Wolverines won all four events for the sixth time in 11 meets this season en route to their fourth-best team score (197.075) of the season. Langford highlighted her last home performance as a Wolverine with the first perfect 10 of her career, on the vault, while Cain won the all-around for the sixth time this season (39.550). The wins are Michigan's 15th and 16th of the season.
Perfection
Sarah-Elizabeth Langford's perfect 10.0 on the vault in Michigan's wins over No. 13 Florida and Bowling Green State (March 11) marked the third consecutive meet a Michigan athlete has nailed a 10.0 on the vault. Sarah Cain provided the first two Michigan 10's of the season on the vault in back-to-back meets at Arizona (March 3) and at the Bruin Classic (March 5).
Freshmen of Influence
While Michigan's seniors shined in their final home meet, three Michigan freshmen continued to enjoy stellar rookie campaigns. Cami Singer registered a career best and matched a Michigan season best on the balance beam, with a mark of 9.950 in the Wolverines' wins over No. 13 Florida and Bowling Green State (March 11). In the same meet, fellow freshman Janessa Grieco scored 9.825 on the vault and balance beam and tied for second with another 9.825 on the floor exercise. Tara Tagliarino (Tampa, Fla./H.B. Plant HS) remained one of Michigan's steadiest performers in the uneven bars lineup by placing third (9.875).
Cain Rolling
Sarah Cain's consecutive 10.000 vaults at Arizona (March 3) and at the Bruin Classic (March 5) are the 10th and 11th career 10's for the Michigan eight-time All-American and her fifth and sixth all-time on the vault. This is the second time in her career she has nailed 10's on the vault in consecutive meets. Cain also turned the trick at Georgia and vs. Utah State as a freshman in 1997. Michigan's career 10.000 leaders:
| Beth Wymer (1992-95) | 16 | (2V, 9UB, 5FX) |
| Sarah Cain (1997-present) | 11 | (6V, 1BB, 4FX) |
| Nikki Peters (1996-99) | 9 | (2V, 7UB) |
| Heather Kabnick (1995-98) | 8 | (6V, 2FX) |
| Wendy Marshall (1993-96) | 7 | (6V, 1FX) |
Making Their Mark
Although a very young squad, Michigan's 2000 women's gymnastics squad is shaping up to be one of the best squads in school history. Although much is yet to be accomplished in the postseason, the 2000 Wolverines already own two of the top five team scores in the program's history. In fact, Michigan's mark of 197.450 at Arizona (March 3) is the best team score on the road ever by a Michigan team. Michigan's top five team scores all-time:
| 197.700Â Â | 1997 at NCAA Central Regional Championships |
| 197.550 | 1998 vs. Michigan State |
| 197.550 | 1998 vs. Massachusetts |
| 197.500 | 2000 vs. Kentucky |
| 197.450 | 2000 at Arizona |
Plocki Earns 200th Win
Michigan head coach Bev Plocki, now in her 11th season at the helm of Michigan women's gymnastics, earned her 200th career win as the Wolverines went 4-0 at the State of Michigan Classic (Feb. 6). Plocki inherited a Michigan program which had more than 15 wins in a season only once in its first 14 years of existence dating back to 1976. Since Plocki took over in 1990, the Wolverines have averaged more than 19 wins a season and have 20 wins or more on six occasions under her direction. Plocki is now 208-62 all-time at the University of Michigan.
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 (3/7/2000)
(Ranked by Regional Qualifying Score)
RANK, TEAM RQS* 1. MICHIGAN 197.050 2. UCLA 196.735 3. Georgia 196.715 4. Alabama 196.400 5. Nebraska 196.200 6. Louisiana State 196.040 7. Utah 195.880 8. Stanford 195.405 9. West Virginia 195.300 10. Iowa State 195.150 11. Oklahoma 195.145 12. Brigham Young 195.140 13. Florida 194.975 14. Washington 194.950 15. Arizona State 194.950 16. Penn State 194.840 17. Minnesota 194.810 18. Denver 194.765 19. Maryland 194.690 20. Kent State 194.515 21. Oregon State 194.485 22. North Carolina State 194.350 23. Utah State 194.285 24. Central Michigan 194.125 25. New Hampshire 194.100
* The Regional Qualifying Score (RQS) is the score which determines where teams will be seeded in the NCAA Regionals and Championships. It is computed the following way: First, a team's top three road scores and next best three scores are picked out. From there the top score is eliminated and the average of the remaining five games is calculated to produce a team's RQS.
Tracking Michigan in the Rankings
Preseason 7th Jan. 11 3rd Jan. 18 6th Jan. 25 3rd Feb. 1 2nd Feb. 8 3rd Feb. 15 3rd Feb. 22 2nd Feb. 29 3rd Mar. 7 1st
Players Mentioned
