Wolverines Picked No. 8 in Preseason Poll
12/8/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan women's gymnastics team was picked No. 8 in the GymInfo Preseason Coaches poll, earning one first-place vote on Monday (Dec. 8). The Wolverines finished in a tie for eighth place in the nation in 2008 after they advanced to the program's 16th straight NCAA Championships.
Four-time defending national champion Georgia was picked No. 1 with 26 first-place votes, while Utah was picked No. 2 (two first-place votes), Florida No. 3, UCLA No. 4 (four first-place votes) and Stanford No. 5. Alabama (No. 6), LSU (No. 7), Oregon State (No. 9) and Oklahoma (No. 10) rounded out the top 10.
Six of the seven Big Ten Conference schools earned top-25 rankings: Penn State (No. 13), Illinois (No. 16), Michigan State (No. 17), Ohio State (No. 21) and Minnesota (No. 22). Iowa received votes in the poll, listing 31st.
Michigan is set to face four top-10 opponents and 13 programs in the top 25 in 2009. U-M hosts five dual meets at Crisler Arena, beginning with a showdown against North Carolina State and Kent State on Friday, Jan. 16. The Wolverines also host Iowa State on Jan. 31, the State of Michigan Classic on Feb. 6, No. 13 Penn State on Feb. 13 and No. 11 Nebraska on Feb. 28.
The Wolverines begin the season at the Cancun Classic against No. 7 LSU, No. 19 Boise State and North Carolinaon Jan. 2 in Cancun, Mexico, then travel to No. 17 Michigan State for a quad meet, taking on the Spartans, No. 16 Illinois and Western Michigan on Jan. 9. The Wolverines face No. 22 Minnesota in a Big Ten dual meet in Minneapolis, Minn.,on Jan. 24 and travel once to No. 2 Utah on Feb. 20.
Michigan will be on the road from March through the end of the year, competing in back-to-back road meets at No. 3 Florida on March 6 and at No. 1 Georgia on March 14. Illinois hosts the 2009 Big Ten Championships on March 21 in Champaign, Ill.
GymInfo Preseason Poll
Contact: Richard Retyi (734) 763-4423
