Michigan
Minnesota
Top-Ranked Michigan Set to Open Big Ten Season at Minnesota
1/21/2022 11:07:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
» Michigan remains the No. 1-ranked team nationally after scoring a 197.950 to defeat Arizona State last week.
» U-M is the top ranked team on vault and floor exercise heading into week three.
» The Wolverines tied a program-best 49.700 on the floor in week two.
» U-M is 52-24 all-time against Minnesota, winning four of the last five meetings.
THE MEET
Monday, Jan. 24 -- at Minnesota (Minneapolis, Minn.), 7 p.m. CST
TV: Big Ten Network | Live Results | Live Video
• Complete Notes (PDF)
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ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 1-ranked University of Michigan women's gymnastics team will hit the road for the first time this season, traveling to Minnesota to kick off its Big Ten Conference season Monday (Jan. 24) at 7 p.m. CST on Big Ten Network. Dean Linke and former U-M gymnast Olivia Karas will be on the call.
Wolverine Bites
• Michigan remains the No. 1 team nationally, while also leading the nation on both vault and floor exercise. The Wolverines rank in the top five on all four events, coming in at No. 3 on the uneven bars and No. 5 on the balance beam.
• U-M's score of 49.700 on floor exercise against Arizona State tied a program-best set at the 2014 Big Ten Championship. All five of Michigan's counted scores were 9.925 or higher with Abby Brenner, Naomi Morrison and Gabby Wilson tying for the title with 9.950s. The scores were career bests for the trio, while Abby Heiskell and Sierra Brooks earned matching 9.925s to tie for fourth overall.
• Six individuals rank in the top 15 across all four events with senior Natalie Wojcik being the nation's top athlete on the uneven bars and balance beam, while Gabby Wilson and Abby Brenner tie for third on floor exercise and Heiskell ranks third on the beam.
• Abby Brenner was named the Big Ten Specialist of the Week on Tuesday (Jan. 18), the second of her career, after sharing the floor exercise title with a career-high 9.950 and placing second on the uneven bars against Arizona State.
• Natalie Wojcik has won seven event titles in just two meets this season as she added four to her tally at the Arizona State meet. Wojcik tied for the vault title, while also winning the uneven bars, balance beam, and all-around against the Sun Devils. The senior all-arounder was named the Big Ten Gymnast of the Week after week one, winning bars, beam and the all-around. Wojcik ranks No. 1 nationally on the bars and beam, while coming in at No. 2 in the all-around and fifth on the vault.
Opponent Preview
Minnesota
Michigan leads 52-24 in the all-time series
Michigan carries a 52-24 all-time advantage over Minnesota after splitting their 2021 meetings. U-M fell to the Golden Gophers at the Big Ten Championship, but later earned a victory over Minnesota in its quest for its first-ever national championship. The Wolverines have won four of the last five meetings between the squads and 10 of the last 13, dating back to 2016.
The Golden Gophers are 2-0 to start the season after defeating No. 16 Iowa and UCLA in a tri-meet to start the season with a score of 196.900. Minnesota scored a 49.000 or higher on all four events with its best score of 49.375 coming on floor exercise.
Minnesota is led by all-arounder Lexy Ramler, who posted the nation's highest score of 39.700 in its season-opening meet, earning her Big Ten Gymnast of the Week. Ramler is joined by Ona Loper, who won the vault and placed second in the all-around in the season opener as well as Mya Hooten, who tied for third on both the uneven bars and floor exercise.
Up Next
Sunday, Jan. 30 -- vs. Michigan State (Crisler Center), 2 p.m. (TV: ESPNU)
Players Mentioned
