Michigan
NCAA Region 5 Championships
U-M Headed to NCAA Championships after Region 5 Win
4/1/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
Site:Â State College, Pa. (Rec Hall)
Event:Â #1 Michigan at NCAA Region 5 Championships
U-M Team Finish:Â 1st Place of 6 Teams (196.550)
Attendance:Â 1,790
Next U-M Meet:Â Thu-Sat., April 13-15 -- at NCAA Championships (Boise, Idaho)
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- The top-ranked University of Michigan women's gymnastics team continued its run at the first women's NCAA team national championship in school history by winning the NCAA Region 5 title Saturday (April 1) with a team score of 196.550. Michigan won the title with consistency and depth as the Wolverines only counted three scores lower than 9.800 en route to earning a bid to the NCAA Championships. Runner-up to the Wolverines was fellow Big Ten school Penn State (195.925), which also earns a bid to the national meet.
The Wolverines opened up the contest on the floor exercise, where they are ranked No. 1 in the nation, and proceeded to deliver a solid 49.325. Michigan did not have a score lower than 9.825, led by Sarah Cain (Grand Island, Neb./Grand Island HS), who notched a 9.900. Big Ten Freshman of the Year Janessa Grieco (Mahopac, N.Y./Carmel HS) continued her consistent performance with a 9.875. Michigan's 49.325 after the first rotation left it in the lead, with Penn State second following a 49.200 on the uneven bars.
Michigan moved on to the vault for its second rotation and was again a model of consistency as the Wolverines did not count a score lower than 9.775 en route to a team score of 49.300. Michigan was led by Grieco and Cain for the second straight event, with each gymnast notching a 9.900. For Grieco, 9.900 matched her career high, while Cain's mark made it 10 straight meets with at least a 9.900 on vault. Michigan veterans Sarah-Elizabeth Langford (Atlanta, Ga./Pace Academy) and Christine Michaud (Mill Valley, Calif./The Branson School) also contributed a 9.850 and 9.875, respectively. Following two rotations Michigan (98.625) led Penn State (97.925) by 0.700.
In Michigan's third rotation of the evening, the Wolverines increased their lead behind an uneven bars score of 49.375, which is their fourth-best of the season. Cain led the Michigan attack with a season-best 9.950, which matched a Michigan season-best mark. The Wolverines continued to consistently stick routines and did not count a score lower than 9.850 in their bars lineup. Junior Bridget Knaeble (New Hope, Minn./Totino-Grace HS), who is tied with Cain for Michigan's top season average on bars, registered a 9.875. Michigan pushed its lead to 0.725 over second-place Penn State (148.000-147.275) heading into each team's final rotation.
Michigan needed its big lead heading into its last event on the balance beam. Michigan had to count its first fall of the evening, but solid routines from a trio of youngsters helped the Wolverines to a beam score of 48.550 and final team tally of 196.550. Sophomore Shannon MacKenzie (Midland, Mich./Midland HS) showed why she owns Michigan's top season average on the beam with a mark of 9.900. Freshman Cami Singer (Monument, Colo./Lewis Palmer HS) recorded a 9.875, giving her scores of 9.875 or higher on the beam for three straight meets. Fellow freshman Grieco completed a very consistent run of her own with a 9.800.
The No. 1-ranked Michigan women will head to the 2000 NCAA Championships, scheduled for Thursday through Saturday, April 13-15, in Boise, Idaho. Michigan will be vying for its sixth NCAA Super Six Team Finals appearance in seven years.
Final Results
| Team Scores | Vault | Bars | Beam | Floor | Total |
| 1. MICHIGAN | 49.300 | 49.375 | 48.550 | 49.325 | 196.550 |
| 2. Penn State | 48.650 | 49.200 | 48.725 | 49.350 | 195.925 |
| 3. Florida | 48.875 | 48.825 | 49.225 | 48.950 | 195.875 |
| 4. Rutgers | 48.150 | 48.375 | 47.925 | 47.925 | 192.375 |
| 5. Pittsburgh | 48.075 | 47.725 | 47.475 | 48.575 | 191.850 |
| 6. New Hampshire | 47.950 | 47.200 | 48.450 | 47.600 | 191.200 |
Event-By-Event U-M Individual Scores
ALL-AROUND Sarah Cain 39.050 (4) VAULT Bridget Knaeble 9.750 Janessa Grieco 9.900 (T1) Karina Senior 9.775 Sarah-Elizabeth Langford 9.850 (T4) Christine Michaud 9.875 (3) Sarah Cain 9.900 (T1) UNEVEN BARS Kate Nellans 9.775 Amy Kuczera 9.850 (T5) Cami Singer 9.850 (T5) Tara Tagliarino 9.850 (T5) Bridget Knaeble 9.875 (4) Sarah Cain 9.950 (1) BALANCE BEAM Janessa Grieco 9.800 Cami Singer 9.875 (T3) Shannon MacKenzie 9.900 (2) Karina Senior 9.675 Kate Nellans 8.750 Sarah Cain 9.300 FLOOR EXERCISE Jodie Rosenberg 9.825 Melissa Peterson 9.850 Bridget Knaeble 9.850 Janessa Grieco 9.875 (T2) Karina Senior 9.850 Sarah Cain 9.900 (1) ( ) denotes place in the Top 5
NOTES
• Michigan's Sarah Cain was named NCAA Region 5 Gymnast of the Year, while Wolverine head coach Bev Plocki earned Coach of the Year honors. Two weeks ago they were named the Big Ten Conference Athlete and Coach of the Year, respectively.
• Michigan has now won a total of four NCAA Regional titles. The Wolverines won the Mideast Regional (1982), Central Regional (1997), Region 3 (1999) and Region 5 (2000).
• Michigan's NCAA Regional victory sends the Wolverines to the NCAA Championships for the eighth straight season.
QUOTES
Michigan Head Coach Beverly Plocki
On her team's performance ... "We were very consistent tonight until the balance beam, when we had to count our first fall of the meet. However, I am very pleased with overall performance and attitude of this team and its ability to go out and take care of business. The scoring gets much tighter when you reach this high level of competition, and our depth and consistency was excellent. As a team we are where we want to be right now and that is headed to the NCAA Championships."
On the performance of her freshmen ... "I continue to be extremely amazed and pleased with the performances of our freshmen. Cami Singer has been a rock for us on both the uneven bars and balance beam. (Janessa) Grieco had another solid meet and (Tara) Tagliarino's bar routine has been one of our best throughout the season. The level of consistency these freshmen have shown is tremendous and they are a special class."
U-M Senior Sarah Cain
On Michigan moving on to the NCAA Championships ... "That is definitely where we wanted to be headed this time of year. We have done a very good job of maintaining our focus and we are looking forward to competing in the NCAA Championships in a couple of weeks."
Players Mentioned
