The No. 15 Fighting Illini women's gymnastics team opens the season Friday, Jan. 8, in Columbia, Missouri where they'll compete against 23rd-ranked Missouri. The meet is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT inside the Hearnes Center.
SCOUTING THE TIGERS
Missouri returns seven gymnasts from last year's team and adds eight freshman. In 2015, the Tigers showed improvement jumping 20 spots in the end of the year rankings from 2014 to 2015, ending the season ranked 21st in the nation. Last season, Missouri qualified for its first NCAA Regional since 2012.
PRESEASON RANKINGS
The 2016 Illini are ranked No. 15 in the country in the Road to Nationals Preseason Coaches Poll. The Orange and Blue have now landed in the Top-25 preseason poll for the ninth straight year. Including Illinois, six Big Ten schools once again earned a spot in the top-25, while Michigan State (26) and Iowa (29) and Maryland (32) fell just outside. Michigan received the highest ranking at No. 7, four spots ahead of Nebraska (11). Behind Illinois (15) was a trio of conference teams in Penn State (17), Minnesota (20) and Ohio State (22).
2016 OUTLOOK
Landrus and the women's team are coming off a record-setting 2015 season, where the Illini posted a school-record team score of 197.350 at the Big Ten Championships and turned in a second-place finish at Big Tens. The Illini return all three 2015 All-Americans (Mary Jane Horth, Sunny Kato and Giana O'Connor) in addition to adding a talented group of five freshmen. O'Connor and freshman Lizzy LeDuc were named to the 2016 Big Ten Gymnasts to Watch List. UI will return 20 routines from last season.
2015 IN REVIEW
All-Time School Record Holder: On March 21 at the Big Ten Championships, the 2015 Illini made history. The Orange and Blue broke the team total school record by scoring a 197.350, which propelled them to a second-place finish. The Fighting Illini posted scores inside the program's top-10 all-time list on three events (VT, UB, BB). First, the Illini recorded a 49.400 on vault, followed by a 49.425 on bars. Next, Illinois moved to beam where they posted a 49.275 before ending on floor with a 49.250.
NCAA Championships Recap // O'Connor All-American: Illinois was represented at the national meet for the eighth year in a row, as Sunny Kato, Mary Jane Horth and Giana O'Connor qualified for the NCAA Championship in Fort Worth, Texas. Junior Giana O'Connor totaled a 39.425 which finished tied for sixth in the country, securing her a First-Team All-America honor. O'Connor turned in the best all-around score by an Illini in NCAA Championship history. The junior is the eighth NCAA All-American in Illini history and just the second Illini to earn NCAA First-Team All-American in the all-around. Also competing in the all-around, Horth finished in 12th with a 39.200. Kato, who qualified as an event specialist by sharing the Morgantown Regional bars title, finished tied for 29th (9.825) on the event.
5 All-American Honors // 3 All-Big Ten Selections: Sophomore Mary Jane Horth, senior Sunny Kato and junior Giana O'Connor were rewarded for their stellar seasons, as they were named NACGC/W All-Americans. Horth was named First Team All-America on bars and Second Team All-America in the all-around. Kato was also named All-American in two events, earning Second Team All-American on bars and beam. O'Connor was named Second Team All-American in the all-around. The five regular season All-American selections in one season are the most in program history. The trio also earned First-Team All-Big Ten honors, marking the second time (2010) in program history that three Illini were named to the First-Team and the seventh straight year the Illini had at least three gymnasts claim All-Big Ten accolades. O'Connor garnered her third career All-Big Ten selection and first First-Team nod. Kato also achieved her third career All-Big Ten selection and second straight First-Team honor. The two join a prestigious group of Illini gymnasts who have received at least three all-conference awards (Denise Lamborn, Ashley Williams, Nicole Cowart, Cara Pomeroy, Allison Buckley, Kelsey Joannides and Amber See). Horth asserted herself among the top gymnasts in the Big Ten in her first season competing in the all-around, earning her first All-Big Ten accolade.
Record Setting: The Illini left their mark on the record books recording three scores inside the top-10 all-time list. Illinois posted a school-record score of 197.350 at the 2015 Big Ten Championships in Ann Arbor, Michigan, which propelled them to a runner-up finish. The squad achieved a 196.975 at Iowa on Feb. 14, which tied the third-highest team score in program history. At the Morgantown Regional, Illinois totaled a 196.675, which is the tenth-best total in program history. Illinois has posted six scores on bars that rank in the top-10 all-time list, attaining the third highest total (49.425) at the Big Ten Championships. Furthermore, Illinois posted four scores on beam that rank in the program's top-10 list. Lastly, the Illini cracked the top-10 in vault twice, achieving the second-best total (49.400) in school history at the Big Ten Championships.
