CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The Fighting Illini women's gymnastics team welcomes the Iowa Hawkeyes to Huff Hall on Sunday at 1 p.m. It will be Illinois' first competition in Huff since March 1, 2020.

The Illini started their season with a victory over then-No. 20 Nebraska. Illinois finished with a team score of 195.475, two points better than Nebraska who finished with a 193.400. They followed with a first-place finish in a tri-meet against Rutgers and then No. 22 Maryland.

The Hawkeyes are ranked No. 8 in the country after their victory over then No. 13 Ohio State, where they posted a 196.550 team score.

ILLINI UNDEAFETED TO START THE SEASON

The Illini have beat three teams to start the 2021 season. They began the season with a victory over then No.20 Nebraska, followed by a first-place finish in a tri-meet against Rutgers and then No. 22 Maryland.

Illinois has relied on both experience and new routines in their first two meets. Three freshman made Illinois debuts this season. Kaitlyn Ewald, Amelia Knight and Abby Mueller have competed on multiple events in their first two meets. Sophomores Lexi Powe, Arayah Simons and Mia Townes made event debuts for the Illini this season. Townes leads of the beam routine has seen improvement in her score of the first two weeks. Powe won the vault title against Nebraska with a score of 9.825. Simons scored Illinois' highest score, 9.825 on bars at Rutgers.

Junior Shaylah Scott anchors the Illini on floor. In the first two meets Scott scored a 9.875 which won her the floor title against Nebraska and shared the title with senior Kylie Noonan and Rutgers gymnast Belle Huang last weekend. Sophomore Mia Takekawa has continued to be a consistent performer on beam, posting a 9.800 at Nebraska and a 9.875 at Rutgers which gave her a share of the event title.

IN THE RANKINGS

Illinois is ranked No. 18 in the country after their second week of competition. They started the season at No. 22 in the WGCA Preseason Coaches' poll. The Illini were the fourth-highest ranked Big Ten team and one of nine Big Ten teams ranked in the top-36 programs.

Illinois is ranked in the top 20 nationally in three events. They are time 13th on floor, tied for 14th on beam, 18th on bars.

Junior Shaylah Scott is T-23rd in the nation on floor following her 9.875 score on the event in the first two meets

Newcomers 

Five freshmen join Walsh's squad for the 2021 season. Kaitlyn Ewald, Amelia Knight, Allie Morgan, Abbey Mueller and Ashley Resch all look to make an impact in the Illinois lineup after successful junior careers.

2020 in Review  

Illinois 2020 season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Illini finished the shortened season 10-6 overall and 4-5 in Big Ten competition. Four Illini earned All-Big Ten Honors. Mia Takekawa was named First Team All-Big Ten while Karen Howell, Shaylah Scott and Arayah Simons earned Second Team All-Big Ten. 

Illinois scored in the top ten all-time at three meets. Against MSU they finished beam with a score of 49.400, tied for second best in school history. At the Big Five meet in Toledo Illini finished with vault score of 49.200, tied for the seventh best in Illinois history. In their final meet of the season they scored a 49.350 on beam, tied for the second best in program history.

Freshman Mia Takekawa made Illinois gymnastics history, scoring the first 10.0 in program history in a tri-meet on Jan 6.  She was named Big Ten Gymnast and Freshman of the Week (1/7 and 1/15). Takekawa also tied the second highest beam score, scoring a 9.9975 on the event at Kentucky during the last meet of the season.

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