Michigan to Open 2019 Schedule in Cancun

THIS WEEK (Cancun Classic)
Friday, Jan. 4 -- vs. Iowa State, Rutgers and West Virginia (Cancun, Mexico), 7 p.m.
FloGymnastics | Cancun Classic Site

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan women's gymnastics team will open its 2019 season on Friday (Jan. 4) at 7 p.m., when the Wolverines join Iowa State, Rutgers and West Virginia in the Cancun Classic in Cancun, Mexico.

Cancun Classic

• Michigan will compete in the Cancun Classic for the fourth time in program history.
• The Wolverines have won the meet the last two times they have competed in it. U-M defeated Arkansas and Iowa in 2016 and bested Oregon State and BYU in 2013. U-M finished third in the event in 2009.
• Seniors Olivia Karas and Emma McLean made their collegiate debuts at the Cancun Classic in 2016.
• Karas had a 9.900 or better on three events and scored a 39.475 in the all-around. She won both vault (9.925) and balance beam (9.900) while scoring a 9.900 on floor exercise.
• McLean competed on vault and floor, scoring a 9.850 on floor and 9.775 on vault to start her Michigan career.
• The Wolverines lead the all-time series with each of the schools they will face in Cancun: Iowa State (16-0), Rutgers (13-0) and West Virginia (25-4).

Exhibition Meet

• U-M hosted an exhibition quad meet on Dec. 2, defeating Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan with a score of 195.125.
• Freshman Natalie Wojcik stole the show with three wins, including the all-around (39.225), uneven bars (9.875) and floor (9.875).
• Junior Lexi Funk (39.025) and freshman Abby Brenner (38.825) followed Wojcik in the all-around standings to give U-M the top three finishers. Funk won beam with a 9.725 and Brenner took the vault title with a 9.875.
• Michigan had the top three individuals on vault and top five on bars to build an early lead.
• Karas competed on every event except floor, and junior Maddy Osman was in the vault and floor lineups. It was the first time either competed since suffering season-ending injuries last year. Karas missed the final eight meets after suffering an injury on floor against Maryland. Osman was injured in practice after the exhibition and missed the entire season.

30th Season

• U-M head coach Bev Plocki will begin her 30th season at the helm of the Michigan program. She has led the Wolverines to 749 victories, 23 Big Ten championships, four Big Ten regular-season titles, 11 NCAA Regional championships and 10 NCAA Super Six appearances.

Preseason Polls

• Michigan is ranked No. 9 in the Women's Collegiate Gymnastics Association preseason poll, which marks the eighth straight year the Wolverines have been among the top 10 teams in the preseason poll and 20th time in the last 21 seasons in which there has been a preseason ranking.
• The Wolverines were ranked No. 1 in the Big Ten coaches preseason poll on Dec. 13. Michigan was once again picked as the favorite after winning five straight Big Ten titles.

Home Opener

• Michigan will have two meets away from Ann Arbor before competing in Crisler Center for the first time on Friday, Jan. 18, against Michigan State at 7 p.m. After the Cancun Classic, U-M will have a meet against Alabama, Bowling Green and Denver (Jan. 11) in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
• Individual and group tickets for home meets are on sale with general admission tickets starting at $6 and groups of 10 or more eligible for $3 tickets.
• For more information visit the U-M women's gymnastics tickets page.