Minnesota Hits the Road Minnesota heads on its first road trip of the 2007 season when they travel to State College, Pa., to take on Penn State on Saturday, Jan. 20. The meet will begin in Rec Hall at 6 p.m. central (7 p.m. eastern). Live scoring for the meet will be available on Penn Stat's athletics website at www.gopsusports.com.
The Gophers will return to the Penn State campus on March 31 for the 2007 Big Ten Championships.
Big Ten Banner Unveiling
The Gophers will celebrate their 2006 Big Ten title by unveiling the championship banner in the Sports Pavilion on Jan. 27 during the competition against Utah. The team and staff were presented with Big Ten Championship rings at the Gopher football game against Michigan on Sept. 30.
Alumni Reunion
The Minnesota gymnastics program is hosting an alumnae reunion, which coincides with the Big Ten Championship banner unveiling on Jan. 27. Former Gopher gymnasts will be on hand to sign autographs along with the current team members after the competition against Utah. A commemmerative poster will be available.
Gophers Ranked No. 15
After being listed at No. 21 in the Preseason Coaches’ Poll, Minnesota is ranked No. 15 in the first GymInfo National Ranking of the 2007 season. At this point in the season, rankings are based on average score.
The Gophers are among five Big Ten teams listed in the top 25 this week. Michigan State leads the way at no. 9, Michigan is No. 10, Minnesota is No. 15, Penn State is ranked No. 18, and Ohio State is listed at No. 24.
National Rankings by Event
Minnesota is listed in the top 30 in every event in the latest GymInfo National Rankings. Below are the rankings by event for the Gophers, and this week’s opponent, Penn State:
Minnesota Penn State Vault No. 23 No. 27 Bars No. 27 No. 8 Beam No. 6 No. 15 Floor tie-No. 7 No. 27 Individual Rankings
Two Gopher gymnasts are listed in the GymInfo National Rankings this week. Carmelina Carabajal is tied for No. 3 on floor with an average of 9.900, is tied for No. 29 on the vault with an average of 9.825, and is tied for No. 31 in the all around with an average of 38.975. Ashley Stanton is tied fo No. 9 on the beam with an average mark of 9.850.
Strong Start
Minnesota’s team score of 194.400 against Iowa State last weekend was the highest score in a season opener since the Gophers earned a 194.675 in the 2004 season opener. In 2004, Minnesota’s first competition was a quad meet at Arkansas. The last time the Gophers scored higher than a 194.400 in a season opener at home in the Sports Pavilion was in 2003, when the Gophers earned a 195.525 against Arizona in the first meet of the season.
Rising Star
Sophomore Carmelina Carabajal had a strong performance in last weekend’s season opener, earning an all around score of 38.975 to place second in her first ever competition as an all around performer. Carabajal was the top Gopher finisher on vault, placing second overall with a score of 9.825. On the floor, she led Minnesota with a 9.900 to set a career-best mark and win the event.
Freshmen Making Big Contributions
Minnesota’s freshman class of Jamie Bullock and Alexis Russell were key competitors in Minnesota’s season opener against Iowa State. The two freshmen accounted for seven of the team’s 24 routines.
Bullock was an all around performer, earning a 38.825. All four of Bullock’s event scores counted toward the team score. Her mark of 9.700 was good for a third-place tie on bars. She earned marks of 9.750 on beam (tie-fourth) and floor (tie-fifth).
Russell was in the line up on three events (vault, bars and floor), and was an exhibition performer on the beam. Her top score of the meet was a 9.750 on vault, good for a ninth place tie in the event.
Steady on the Beam
Junior Ashley Stanton has been anchoring the Gopher line up on the beam since her freshman season in 2005, and showed why she deserves that spot in last weekend’s competition. Stanton earned a 9.850 to take first place in the event. As a sophomore in 2006, Stanton led the team in average beam score with a season average of 9.698. In 2005, she tied with Ashley Mutchler for the team’s best beam average with a 9.745.
New Season, New Events
Both of Minnesota’s redshort juniors, Andy Cornelius and Ashley Stanton, each competed in na event for the first time in their collegiate careers.
Andy Cornelius has been a regular in the uneven bars line up throughout her Gopher career, but made her floor exercise debut in the meet against Iowa State last weekend. Cornelius earned an impressive 9.775 in her first floor performance.
Ashley Stanton competed on beam and floor in her first two seasons at Minnesota, and made the line up on vault in last weekend’s meet. In her first vault performance, Stanton scored a 9.600.
This Week’s Opponent - Penn State
No. 18 Penn State lost to Arkansas in its season opener last weekend by a score of 194.850-193.600. Freshman Brandi Personett claimed the all-around title (39.050) and won on beam (9.775). Senior Corissa Pirkl finished second in the all-around with a 38.900 while also posting top honors on the floor with a career-high 9.875. Sophomore Katie Perret won on bars with a 9.875.
Penn State is led by head coach Steve Shephard, who is in his 15th season at the helm of the Nittany Lion program. He is assisted by Jessica Bastardi.
Penn State came in third at the 2006 Big Ten Championships (194.925), and finished the season with a No. 18 national ranking.
Last Week: Gophers vs. Iowa State
The No. 21 Golden Gopher women’s gymnastics team lost to No. 12 Iowa State by a score of 194.525-194.400. Carmelina Carabajal led the way for Minnesota, placing second in the all around with a score of 38.975 in the first all around performance of her collegiate career. She was the winner on floor with a career-best mark of 9.900, and tied for second on vault with a 9.825.
The Gophers started the meet on vault, where they earned a team score of 48.600. Carmelina Carabajal was the top Gopher finisher, earning a 9.825 to place second. Junior Kelly Ganchan tallied a career-best mark of 9.775 to tie for fifth place. Frosh Alexis Russell came in seventh with a 9.750 in her Gopher debut. Freshman Jamie Bullock and sophomore Jade Beattie each earned a 9.625 to tie for ninth place. Junior Ashley Stanton competed on the vault for the first time in her Gopher career, and earned a 9.600 to place 11th. Iowa State’s Megan Barnes won the event with a 9.850, leading her team to a mark of 48.900 on the vault.
On the uneven bars, junior Angela Walker was the top performer for the Gophers. Walker earned a 9.750 to finish second. Freshman Jamie Bullock tallied a 9.700 to come in third in the event. Alexis Russell tied for eighth place with a mark of 9.600. Carmelina Carabajal scored a 9.550 in the first bars performance of her collegiate career, finishing 10th. As a team, Minnesota scored 48.050, while Iowa State earned a 48.425. The even winner was ISU’s Janet Anson, who had a 9.775.
Ashley Stanton took first place on the balance beam with a 9.850. Joining Stanton in the top three was Angela Walker, who tied her career-best beam score with a 9.800. Jamie Bullock tied for fourth place with a 9.750. Amanda Miles was sixth with a 9.725, while Carmelina Carabajal came in seventh, earning a mark of 9.700. Junior Ashley Mutchler tied for eighth place with a score of 9.675. Minnesota won the balance beam by score of 48.825-48.425.
Minnesota earned a team score of 48.925 on the floor, its highest event score of the meet. Carmelina Carabajal was the event winner with a career-best score of 9.900. Amanda Miles performed her new floor routine, and earned a third-place finish with a mark of 9.775. Andy Cornelius tied Miles, also earning a 9.775, in the first floor performance of her Gopher career. Jamie Bullock tied for fifth place with a 9.750, while Ashley Stanton tied for seventh with a 9.725. Alexis Russell was 11th with a mark of 9.650. Iowa State scored a 48.775 on the floor.
Minnesota had two all around competitors, both competing in the all around for the first time. Carmelina Carabajal came in second with a mark of 38.975. Freshman Jamie Bullock was fourth in the all around with a tally of 38.825. Iowa State’s Janet Anson was the all around champion with a 39.225.
