Michigan Looks to "Pack the House" Against No. 1 UCLA
2/28/2001 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The seventh-ranked University of Michigan women's gymnastics team will attempt to set an attendance record when it hosts No. 1 UCLA, the defending national champion, on Friday, March 9, in Crisler Arena. The 7 p.m. meet, which will feature five Olympians from the 2000 Summer Games in Sydney, is the first of four straight home meets in Crisler Arena for the Wolverines.
The focus for the meet is on the fans. Not only will U-M be shooting for a attendance record for a regular-season home meet, hoping to break the mark of 2,504 set in 1999 against Georgia, but fans also can collect the third installment of the 2001 Michigan women's gymnastics trading cards. Following the event, fans can meet their favorite gymnasts, as both teams will be signing autographs after the awards ceremony.
In addition to the team battle between the Wolverines and the top-ranked Bruins, Michigan freshman Elise Ray (Columbia, Md./Wilde Lake HS), captain of the 2000 U.S. Olympic women's gymnastics team, will be competing against three of her Olympic teammates -- Alyssia Beckerman, Jamie Dantzscher and Kristen Maloney -- as well as Yvonne Tousek, a member of the Canadian women's gymnastics team.
Tickets are $4 for adults and $2 for children under 18 and seniors over 55. Michigan students with their M-Cards are admitted free of charge.
Following the UCLA meet, Michigan has three more competitions in Crisler Arena. On March 17, the Wolverines play host to head coach Bev Plocki's alma mater, West Virginia, to close out the regular season. The Wolverines open the postseason by hosting the Big Ten Conference Championships on March 24. Two weeks later, Michigan is home for the final time this season when it hosts the NCAA Region 5 Championships on April 7.
The Wolverines are looking forward to staying in Ann Arbor for a while, as the team's return from Salt Lake City on Sunday (Feb. 25) capped a 32-day stretch during which the team logged over 7,500 miles of travel and spent 14 days away from Ann Arbor.
Contact: Jason Gerdom (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
