No. 5 Huskers Looking for Sixth Consecutive Win

The fifth-ranked Nebraska women’s gymnastics team (10-1, 3-0) extended its winning streak on the road to 3-0 with its win over No. 21 Iowa State, Friday evening at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa. The Huskers have won five consecutive duals scoring above 196.00 in each contest and are undefeated in the Big 12.

NU will compete in Columbus, Ohio this week, when the Huskers travel to No. 24 Ohio State for a dual on Friday, Feb. 14 at 7 p.m at St. John Arena. Friday’s meet is a double dual with the NU men also taking on OSU. The No. 24 Buckeyes are coming off of a win against Ball State

The Huskers have won their last three meetings against the Buckeyes under Head Coach Dan Kendig. With last week’s victory over Iowa State, NU is in first in the Big 12. The Huskers could extend their winning streak to 6-0 with a win over the Buckeyes.

Scouting Ohio State

Head Coach - Larry Cox (24th Year)

2002 Big Ten Finish - 4th (194.725)

2003 Overall Record - 4-2 2002 Central Region - DNQ

2003 Big Ten Record - 2-1 2002 NCAA Finish - DNQ

After defeating Michigan State and Illinois, Ohio State’s victory over Ball State was its fourth win in a row as they defeated the Cardinals at home on Feb. 8, 195.500-192.875.

Senior Rickee Wirtzberger scored a perfect 10 on floor exercise leading the Buckeyes to the win over the Cardinals. Freshmen Jill Weber and Shelby Warner compiled scores of 38.975 and 38.875, respectively, in the all-around.

The last time the Buckeyes defeated the Huskers was in 1988 at the Bob Devaney Sports Center in a regular- season meet, 183.50-182.650, under previous head coach, Rick Walton. The Huskers have defeated the Buckeyes three times under current head coach Dan Kendig. The last win came in 2002 when the Huskers defeated the Buckeyes in the Master’s Classic 197.150-193.600.

Nebraska Notes

* - The 2003 Huskers have already ensured themselves a place in school history. Nebraska’s vault team score of 49.700 against Oklahoma at the Devaney Center on Feb. 1 ranks as the best in the nation this season. The perfect vaults marked the second time in school history that two gymnasts, Tami Harris and Jess Wertz, scored 10.0s in the same season, let alone the same meet.

*-The Huskers received their highest ranking from the National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches poll in school history on Feb. 3 when they were ranked second.

*- Nebraska posted four perfect 10s on three different events for the first time in school history against Oklahoma on Feb. 1. Junior Richelle Simpson became the first Husker to score perfect 10s on two seperate events in the same meet.

*- The Huskers scored a 49.30 on the balance beam against Alabama which was the seventh-best score ever recorded in the arena and seventh on NU’s all-time charts. In addition, the Huskers posted a season-high score of 197.475 against Alabama, which is the second-best team score at the Bob Devaney Center and third on NU’s all-time charts.

* - Nebraska tied its season high best of 49.300 on the balance beam against Iowa State. The team was led by junior Richelle Simpson who scored a 9.925 and took first place honors in the event.

* - All of Nebraska’s 13 regular-season opponents are ranked in the top 25 in the National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches poll released Monday, Feb. 10, including two in the top 10.

ESPN To Televise Super Six Challenge

Nebraska’s second place finish at January’s Super Six Challenge can be seen on ESPN on Thursday, Feb. 13 at 2:30-4 pm (CST). The Huskers finished second to host school Georgia but knocked off Alabama, the defending national champions, as well as Florida, Penn State and Oklahoma.

Huskers Home Streak At 46

With its victory over Oklahoma on Feb. 1, Nebraska extended its regular-season home meet winning streak to 47, including 46 under coach Dan Kendig. In that stretch Nebraska has defeated 66 opponents, many ranked in the top 20 in the nation.

The Huskers have not lost a regular-season home meet since the 1993 Masters Classic. The only times Nebraska has not taken first at home under Kendig were the 1995 Midwest Regional, when Nebraska finished second to NCAA champion Utah, and the 1999 Region 3 Championships when the Huskers finished second to NCAA runner-up Michigan.

No. 2 Huskers Remain Undefeated in Big 12

The Huskers continue to dominate the Big 12 with their win against No. 21 Iowa State, Friday evening 196.275-195.275 at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa.

Despite a fall mid-way through their first event on the uneven bars, the Huskers maintained their composure and went on to have five solid performances. The Huskers were led by seniors A.J. Lamb and Jess Wertz who both scored 9.850s and shared runner-up honors. Wertz’s performance was a season best. Junior Tami Harris and senior Julie Houk both secured scores of 9.825s.

"We had a lot of different people compete tonight who usually don’t compete that much for us," head coach Dan Kendig said. "We had some little mistakes which I would attribute to us just being sore and tired."

After two events, the Huskers led the Cyclones, 98.450- 97.400. All six vaulters scored above a 9.750 with junior Richelle Simpson leading the team with a score of 9.925. Simpson took first place honors in the event, while fellow teammates Harris and Lamb both secured 9.90s and shared runner-up honors. The Huskers finished the event with a team score of 49.350.

"A.J. did a good job of leading off on two events securing 9.900s on bars and beam. In addition, Tami competed very well with a sore back in all three of her events, " Kendig said. "Richelle had a great vault and beam."

The Huskers struggled in their third event as two of the Huskers, Houk and Wertz, fell during the floor exercise. Yet, the Huskers finished the event with strong performances from senior Jen French and junior Libby Landgraf who both scored 9.850s.

"Considering we had three out of our top six sit out on the floor exercise, we competed fairly, but those mistakes shouldn’t have happened," Kendig said.

As the Huskers entered their last event, the balance beam, the Huskers held the lead over the Cyclones 147.750-145.900. Simpson took first place honors on the beam with a score of 9.925 and Lamb took runner-up honors with a score of 9.900.

In the all-around, Lamb and Harris finished third and fourth respectively.

Junior Contributions

The solid performances of juniors Tami Harris and Libby Landgraf against Iowa State helped lead the Huskers to their fifth win in a row in Ames.

Landgraf has been a quiet, but steady force all season for the Huskers on vault, bars and floor. Landgraf competed in all four events at Iowa State, but competed in the exhibition event on the balance beam. She had consistent scores throughout the meet scoring above a 9.750 on each event, which in turn, contributed to the Huskers dominating each event against the Hawkeyes. As the sesason moves along, Landgraf has the potential to be an all-arounder for the Huskers.

"Libby is one of the quiet ones on the team that just goes about doing her work," Kendig said. "You can always count on her. Libby will be able to provide us with strong routines. She doesn’t make a lot of noise doing what she does, but she’s one that is very valuable to our team."

Harris has been a consistent all-around performer and a key figure in the Huskers’ successes this season. She has demonstrated her abilities throughout the sesason, turning in outstanding routines. Like Landgraf, Harriss had solid scores in each of her events which included the vault, bars and beam. She scored a 9.875 on beam, a 9.825 on bars and 9.90 on vault. Harris also shared runner-up honors with fellow teammate A.J. Lamb on the vault.

"Tami is one of the standouts on the team," Kendig said. "When everything is going well for her, when she feels good and is healthy, she is dynamic in all four events. She brings her personality to the competition floor and always has strong routines in all four events."

Landgraf and Harris will both be significant players in their upcoming dual against Ohio State as the Huskers look to extend their winning streak in to Columbus against the No. 24 Buckeyes.