Michigan
NCAA Region 5 Championships
Weekly Release #12: at NCAA Region 5 Championships
3/28/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
Upcoming Schedule
Meet #13:Â No. 1 Michigan at NCAA Region 5 Championships
Saturday, April 1, 6 p.m., State College, Pa., Rec Hall
Series:Â U-M leads Florida 5-4, U-M leads Penn State 11-2, U-M trails New Hampshire 0-1, U-M leads Pittsburgh 5-4, U-M leads Rutgers 1-0
Meet #14:Â No. 1 Michigan at 2000 NCAA Championships
Boise State, Idaho, The Pavilion
Thursday, April 13, 1 p.m./7 p.m. MDT (Team Semifinals)
Friday, April 14, 7 p.m. MDT (Team Finals)
Saturday, April 15, 7 p.m. MDT (Individual Event Finals)
NCAA Competition Begins with Wolverines Ranked No. 1
The University of Michigan women's gymnastics team begins its quest for the first women's team NCAA national championship in Michigan history at the NCAA Region 5 Championships on Saturday, April 1 (6 p.m.) in State College, Pa., in Rec Hall. Michigan, the region's top seed, will face No. 12 Florida, No. 18 Penn State, New Hampshire, Pittsburgh and Rutgers for the right to qualify for the NCAA National Championships in Boise, Idaho, on April 13-15. The top two finishers at the Region 5 Championships join the top two finishers from the other five Regionals around the country to qualify for the 12-team NCAA Championships. Michigan has come close to that elusive national title on two occasions by finishing as national runner-up, in 1995 and 1999.
About the Competition
Florida -- The Gators are 14-13 on the season and ranked No. 12 in the country ... Florida placed 4th (195.775) at the Southeastern Conference Championships (March 18) ... Florida's top gymnast is Chrissy Van Fleet, who is ranked ninth in the country in the all-around ... Florida on the Internet: www.gatorzone.com.
Penn State -- The Nittany Lions are 13-3 (7-1 Big Ten) on the 2000 campaign ... Penn State placed runner-up (196.575) at the Big Ten Championships ...Penn State's top gymnast is Katie Rowland, who is ranked second in Region 5 in the all-around ... Penn State on the Internet: www.psu.edu/sports.
New Hampshire -- New Hampshire is 12-5 on the season and ranked third in Region 5 ... New Hampshire placed sixth (194.550) at the Eastern Atlantic Gymnastics League Championships (EAGL)... New Hampshire's top gymnast is Michelle Harley, who is ranked sixth in Region 5 in the all-around ... New Hampshire on the Internet: www.unhwildcats.com.
Pittsburgh -- The Panthers are 13-7 on the season and ranked fourth in Region 5 ... Pittsburgh placed second (195.275) at the EAGL Championships ... Pittsburgh's top gymnast is Lisa Fronhofer, who is ranked in the top 20 in Region 5 on the vault, uneven bars and floor exercise ... Pittsburgh on the Internet: www.pittsburghpanthers.com.
Rutgers -- Rutgers is 16-5 on the season and ranked fifth in Region 5 ... Rutgers placed eighth (191.625) at the EAGL Championships ... Rutgers top gymnast is Katherine Russo, who is ranked fifth in Region 5 in the all-around ... Rutgers on the Internet: athletics.rutgers.edu.
Michigan Looks for Second Straight Regional Title
The Wolverines head into the NCAA Region 5 Championships on Saturday, (April 1) looking for the first back-to-back NCAA Regional championships in school history. Michigan won the 1999 NCAA Region 3 title in Lincoln, Neb., with a team score of 196.750. Sarah Cain (Grand Island, Neb./Grand Island HS) paced the Wolverines to win the all-around title (39.525).
Michigan at NCAA Regionals
The Wolverines have enjoyed steady success in NCAA Regional competition through the years. After winning the Mideast Regional championship in 1982, the Wolverines did not return to NCAA action until 1992 in head coach Bev Plocki's third season at Michigan. The Wolverines placed runner-up in 1992 at the Central Regional Championships and have earned NCAA Regional berths in each season since. In those eight NCAA Regional trips beginning in 1992, the Wolverines have placed second or first on six occasions, including wins in the 1997 Central Regional and 1999 Region 3 championships. Michigan has won three NCAA Regional championships in its history:
| 1982 | Mideast Regional | 139.10 |
| 1997 | Central Regional | 197.700 |
| 1999 | Region 3 | 196.750 |
Cain Defends All-Around Regional Title
Sarah Cain enters the 2000 NCAA Regional Championships in State College, Pa., with a chance to be the first back-to-back NCAA Regional all-around champion in Michigan history. Cain won the Region 3 all-around title in 1999 with a score of 39.525, which made her the third Michigan gymnast to win an NCAA Regional all-around crown. Beth Wymer (1992-95) is the only other Wolverine to win two NCAA Regional all-around titles. Michigan's NCAA Regional all-around champions:
| 1992 | Central Regional | Beth Wymer | 39.050 |
| 1994 | Central Regional | Beth Wymer | 39.600 |
| 1998 | Central Regional | Heather Kabnick | 39.375 |
| 1999 | Region 3 | Sarah Cain | 39.525 |
Bars Streak
Michigan heads into the 2000 NCAA Region 3 Championships having won or shared an NCAA Regional uneven bars title for three straight seasons. Nikki Peters (1996-99) won the 1999 uneven bars title (9.925), while Lisa Simes (1996-99) tied for the title at the 1998 Central Regional (9.900). Sarah Cain began the Michigan string on the uneven bars by winning the 1997 Central Regional championship (9.975) as a freshman. Michigan's NCAA Regional uneven bars champions:
| 1992 | Central Regional | Beth Wymer | 9.925 |
| 1993 | Central Regional | Beth Wymer | 9.975 |
| 1997 | Central Regional | Sarah Cain | 9.975 |
| 1998 | Central Regional | Lisa Simes | 9.900 |
| 1999 | Region 3 | Nikki Peters | 9.925 |
Cain Tops Region 5
Sarah Cain enters the 2000 NCAA Regional Championships as the region's top-ranked gymnast in all five events. Cain leads the all-around rankings with a Regional Qualifying Score (RQS) of 39.645, while the next closest all-around RQS of 39.115 belongs to Katie Rowland of Penn State. Cain's 9.965 RQS on the vault leads a Michigan vault lineup which owns six of the top 10 places in the region on that event. Cain also leads Region 5 on the bars (9.910 RQS), balance beam (9.905 RQS) and floor exercise (9.935 RQS). Cain's all-around RQS of 39.645 and vault RQS of 9.965 rank her No. 1 in the country in both events.
Michigan Claims Second Straight Big Ten Crown
The Wolverines claimed their second consecutive Big Ten championship and eighth in nine years in record-setting fashion (March 18) at State College, Pa. Michigan scored a Big Ten Championship meet record 197.850 and took three of the four events en route to the program's ninth conference title. Michigan set or matched season bests on the uneven bars (49.450), balance beam (49.525) and floor exercise (49.575).
Wolverines Best Team Record
Michigan's performance at the 2000 Big Ten Championships was not only a conference meet record, but a school record as well. Michigan's team mark of 197.850 was the best in Wolverines history and the best team score since the 1997 Wolverines won their first-ever Central Regional title with a score of 197.700. In fact, this 2000 squad has delivered three of the top six team scores all-time at Michigan:
| 1. | 197.850 | 2000 Big Ten Championships |
| 2. | 197.700 | 1997 Central Regional Championships |
| 3. | 197.550 | 1998 vs. Michigan State |
| 4. | 197.550 | 1998 vs. Massachusetts |
| 5. | 197.500 | 2000 vs. Michigan State |
| 6. | 197.450 | 2000 at Bruin Classic |
Michigan Continues Balancing Act
Michigan torched its school record on the balance beam with a mark of 49.525 at the 2000 Big Ten Championships. The previous Michigan record on the balance beam was 49.375, which the Wolverines recorded vs. Michigan State in 1998. Four Michigan gymnasts in the balance beam lineup notched scores of 9.900 or better, including Sarah Cain's 9.950, which was good for runner-up. Freshman Janessa Grieco (Mahopac, N.Y./Carmel HS) and sophomore Shannon MacKenzie (Midland, Mich./Midland HS) tied for third with marks of 9.925, while freshman Cami Singer (Monument, Colo./Lewis Palmer HS) tied for fifth (9.900). The 2000 Wolverines own three of the top five team balance beam scores in Michigan history:
| 1. | 49.525 | 2000 Big Ten Championships |
| 2. | 49.375 | 1998 vs. Michigan State |
| 3. | 49.350 | 1996 vs. Utah |
| 4. | 49.300 | 2000 vs. Michigan State |
| 5. | 49.300 | 2000 vs. Kentucky |
Michigan Dominates Conference Honors
Accolades for the top-ranked Michigan squad continued to pour in at the Big Ten Championships. The Wolverines swept all three conference awards as Sarah Cain earned Big Ten Gymnast of the Year, Janessa Grieco garnered Big Ten Freshman of the Year and Bev Plocki brought home Big Ten Coach of the Year honors. It was Plocki's sixth such award in her 11 seasons at the helm at Michigan, while Cain was named Big Ten Gymnast of the Year for the second time - the other time being as a freshman in 1997. Grieco became the sixth Wolverine to win Freshman of the Year and first since Cain pulled the trick in 1997.
Cain Paces Championship Effort
Michigan's record-setting team performance at the 2000 Big Ten Championships was led by a record-setting effort from tri-captain Sarah Cain. Cain set a new Big Ten Championships meet record with an all-around score of 39.750, giving Cain her second Big Ten all-around title of her career. Cain also won the vault (9.925) and floor exercise (9.975) titles, giving her six for her career. Cain is now tied with former teammate Nikki Peters for second on Michigan's career conference champions list:
| 1. | Beth Wymer (1992-95) | 14 |
| 2. | Sarah Cain (1997-2000) | 6 |
| Nikki Peters (1996-99) | 6 | |
| 4. | Lisa Simes (1996-99) | 4 |
| 5. | Heather Kabnick (1995-98) | 3 |
Freshman Champions
A pair of Michigan freshmen earned shared the uneven bars championship at the 2000 Big Ten Championships. Cami Singer and Tara Tagliarino (Tampa, Fla./H.B.Plant HS) each registered 9.925's to become the first Michigan Big Ten champions as freshman since current junior Bridget Knaeble (New Hope, Minn./Totino-Grace HS) won the floor exercise in 1998.
Eight Wolverines Make All-Big Ten Squad
For the first time in Michigan history, eight Wolverines earned All-Big Ten distinction in 2000, which is earned by placing in the top six on an individual event at the Big Ten Championships. Sarah Cain headlined the group, which also included junior Christine Michaud (Mill Valley, Calif./The Branson School), Cami Singer, Tara Tagliarino, Shannon MacKenzie, Janessa Grieco, Bridget Knaeble and Karina Senior (Markham, Ont./Milliken Mills HS). The previous Michigan best for All-Big Ten selections was seven in 1996.
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 seven occasions under her direction. Plocki is now 213-62 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 (3/21/2000)
(Ranked by Regional Qualifying Score)
RANK, TEAM RQS* 1. MICHIGAN 197.255 2. UCLA 197.015 3. Georgia 196.965 4. Utah 196.705 5. Nebraska 196.675 6. Alabama 196.670 7. Louisiana State 196.390 8. Iowa State 196.195 9. West Virginia 195.710 10. Oklahoma 195.615 11. Brigham Young 195.585 12. Florida 195.485 13. North Carolina State 195.465 14. Penn State 195.415 15. Stanford 195.405 16. Minnesota 195.400 17. Arizona State 195.280 18. Washington 195.235 19. Denver 195.230 20. Oregon State 195.205 21. Maryland 195.170 22. Central Michigan 195.005 23. Towson 194.965 24. Utah State 194.940 25. Kent State 194.895
* 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 Mar. 14 1st Mar. 21 1st
Players Mentioned
