Huskers to Compete Against No. 21 Denver

Lincoln --The ninth-ranked Nebraska women’s gymnastics team (4-2) will travel to Denver, Colo., to compete against No. 21 Denver at Hamilton Gymnasium, Saturday, Feb. 21 at 7 p.m.

NU overpowered Ohio State, 197.100-193.825, to run away with the win at the Devaney Center, Feb. 15 in front of a crowd of 1,578. Senior Libby Landgraf led the Huskers in the all-around with a career-high 39.575. She tied for second place on the vault (9.90), third place on the uneven bars (9.90), tied for fifth place on the balance beam (9.825) and captured first place on the floor exercise (9.95). Freshman Kristi Esposito tied her career-high all-around score 39.425 to earn runner-up honors in the all-around. She tied for third place on the uneven bars (9.90), tied for first place on the balance beam (9.875) and captured runner-up honors on the floor exercise (9.90). The Huskers scored above 49.0 in all four events, including the vault (49.30), the uneven bars (49.45), the balance beam (49.175) and the floor exercise (49.175). The Huskers’ bars score was also a season best.

Scouting the Pioneers
The University of Denver gymnastics team defeated Boise State,197.875 - 194.175, Saturday night in Hamilton Gymnasium. The
Pioneers posted a new school record with their team total, breaking the previous school record of 196.625 set in the 2001 season with the third-best score in the nation this season.

The Pioneers also set school records on three events, including vault (49.425), balance beam (49.525) and floor exercise (49.600). Senior Emily Bankhead led the Pioneers, tying the school record in the all-around (39.725), as the Pioneers improved to 3-8 on the season.

Nebraska Notes
- Nebraska earned its highest opening-meet score in school history (196.550) against Michigan Jan. 11, topping the previous record of 196.450 against Georgia in 2003.

- Freshman Kristi Esposito scored a 9.925 in her debut against Michigan, and then matched the mark against Missouri on the floor exercise to tie the freshman record in the event.

- Senior Libby Landgraf took first-place honors on the uneven bars, scoring a 9.90, as the senior matched her career high in the event against Michigan, Jan. 11.

- Senior Richelle Simpson captured the all-around title with a score of 39.70 against Michigan Jan. 11 including first-place honors on the vault (9.975) and floor exercise (9.95).

- The win against Ohio Sate marked Nebraska’s 52nd consecutive regular-season home win dating back to the 1993 season.

- Two Huskers, seniors Libby Landgraf and Richelle Simpson, scored above a 9.90 on the vault against Missouri, Jan. 31. Landgraf tied her career-high 9.925 in the event.

- Senior Libby Landgraf and freshman Kristi Esposito led the Huskers in the all-around, tying with a 39.425 to finish first against Missouri, Jan. 31.

- Senior Gina Bruce became the sixth Husker in school history to score a perfect 10.0 on the vault against Missouri, Jan. 31. She was the first Husker to score a perfect 10.0 on any apparatus this season for the Huskers.

- NU secured a team total of 49.60 on the vault against Missouri, which marks the third-highest score in school history.

- Eight Huskers combined to capture 15 season-high scores, while six Huskers combined to capture seven career-high scores against Missouri, Jan. 31.

- Esposito finished in the top five in three events, tying for first on uneven bars (9.90) and tying for third on the balance beam (9.875) and floor exercise (9.90) against Oklahoma, Feb. 6.

- Senior Libby Landgraf led the Huskers in the all-around against Ohio State with a career-high 39.575.

Huskers Home Streak at 52
With its victory over Ohio State, Feb. 15, Nebraska extended its regular-season home meet winning streak to 52, including 51 straight under coach Dan Kendig. In that stretch, Nebraska has faced 72 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; the 1999 Region 3 Championships, when the Huskers finished second to NCAA runner-up Michigan; and the 2003 NCAA Super Six Finals, when the Huskers finished fourth.

13 Gymnasts Named to Big 12 Honor Roll
Ten current members of the 2003-04 Nebraska women’s gymnastics team and three former members of the 2002-03 squad earned spots on the Big 12 Commissioner’s Fall Academic Honor Roll released Tuesday. NU’s women gymnasts were among the 286 current and former Husker student-athletes who earned recognition from the conference. The Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll recognizes student-athletes who earned a 3.0 GPA or higher during the semester.

The gymnasts honored included Gina Bruce, Sr. (Marketing), Tiffany Byrd, Sr. (Nutritional Science & Dietetics), Stephanie Carter, Fr. (Business Administration), Kristi Esposito, Fr. (Elementary Education), Jen French, Sr. (Exercise Science), Julie Houk, Sr. (Management), Natasha Gowda, Fr. (Undeclared), Libby Landgraf, Sr. (Business Administration), Dani Millis, Fr. (Undeclared), Jamie Saas, Jr. (Inclusive Early Childhood Education), Richelle Simpson, Sr. (French/International Studies), Jess Wertz, Sr. (Biological Sciences) and Michele Zabawa, Fr. (Undeclared).

Bruce Scores Perfect 10
In 2003, senior Gina Bruce captured her first perfect 10 on the vault, but it was in an exhibition. This season, Bruce is making the most of her opportunities, and it showed against Missouri, Jan. 31. The Huskers began the evening on the vault, and Bruce was the fifth gymnast in the lineup. She landed a perfect vault, and NU was off to its best start on any event this season. Bruce became the sixth Husker in school history to score a perfect 10.00 on the vault, and the first Husker to score a perfect 10.00 on any apparatus this season for the Huskers. The team secured a team total of 49.60 on the vault, which marks the third-highest score in school history.

Freshman Esposito Continues to Excel
Freshman Kristi Esposito continues to improve week by week. The Slidell, La., native set a new career high and a new season best in the all-around against Missouri, Jan. 31. She scored a 39.425 to tie senior Libby Landgraf for first place in the all-around. Esposito also improved upon her individual scores in every event, capturing new career highs and season bests on the vault and the balance beam. She also tied her career high of 9.925 on the floor exercise.

Against Missouri, she scored 9.85 for the Huskers on the vault. The 9.85 was also a season best and career high for the freshman. She also added a solid performance on the bars, scoring a 9.85, while scoring a 9.80 for a new season best and career high on the balance beam. In addition, Esposito scored a 9.925 to tie for runner-up honors in the event, while tying her career high and season best on the event.

At Oklahoma, Esposito finished in the top five in three events. She tied for first on uneven bars (9.90) and tied for third on the balance beam (9.875) and floor exercise (9.90)

NU’s Landgraf Earns Big 12 Honors of the Week
Nebraska’s Libby Landgraf finished second (39.35) in the all-around against No. 1 Utah to earn Big 12 Gymnast-of-the-Week honors the week of Jan. 19. The senior from Fort Collins, Colo., secured top-five finishes on all four events, including a tie for third on balance beam (9.85), while tying for fourth on both vault (9.80) and uneven bars (9.85).