No. 4 Huskers Begin Postseason at Big 12 Championships

The fourth-ranked <?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Nebraska women’s gymnastics team will take its first step into the postseason with a trip to the Big 12 Conference Championships in Norman, Okla., at the University of Oklahoma’s LloydNobleCenter. The meet, which is scheduled for Saturday, March 26 at 7 p.m., will feature NU, as well as No. 9 Iowa State, No. 10 Oklahoma, and No. 24 Missouri. The Huskers are ranked first in the Big 12 with a record of 3-1 in conference action, losing just once at IowaState, 196.925-196.775, on Feb. 11. <?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

In its final regular-season meet, Nebraska placed second at the Arkansas Quadrangular in Fayetteville, Ark. The Huskers posted a 196.625, just behind No. 4 UCLA (196.85) and ahead of 15th-ranked Arkansas (195.625) and No. 12 Oregon State (195.55). Senior Richelle Simpson captured the floor exercise title with her eighth career perfect 10.0 en route to a fourth-place finish in the all-around (39.425). Sophomore Michele Zabawa and freshman Desire’ Sniatynski tied for the uneven bars title with a 9.85 each, while freshman Emily Parsons set a career high on floor with a 9.95 to place second.

 

Scouting the Cyclones

Head Coach K.J. Kindler’s squad heads into the conference championships ranked ninth nationally after posting a season-high 197.10 to topple No. 22 Minnesota (194.75) in the Cyclones’ final home meet of the year. ISU juniors Laura-Kay Powell and Erin Dethloff shared the all-around title (39.575), as Dethloff captured the floor (9.95) and beam (9.90) crowns, while Powell placed first on vault (9.90) Sophomore Janet Anson earned the uneven bars title with a 9.90.

 

Last season, the Cyclones finished third at the NCAA Northeast regional (196.15) and second at the Big 12 Championships (196.925). IowaState is currently ranked third in the Big 12 behind Nebraska and Oklahoma and is 3-1 in conference duals. The Cyclones’ only losses of the season came at No. 3 Alabama, 195.825-193.75, on Jan. 14, at the Salbasgeon Suites Invitational to OregonState and in Lincoln on March 13 to the No. 4 Huskers, 197.10-196.275.

 

Iowa State is led by two-time All-American Dethloff, who finished eighth on beam at the 2004 NCAA Championships, and Anson, who vaulted her way to sixth place and first-team All-America honors last season. Anson was also named Big 12 Newcomer of the Year in 2004. Joining Dethloff and Anson as a NCAA Championships individual qualifier was Powell, who competed as a floor exercise specialist.

 

 

The Cyclones return 13 letterwinners, including seniors Abigail Richey and Susan Stock, juniors Krystal Carney, Kacey Oiness and Jessica Oney and sophomore Katie Lasher. ISU welcomes one freshman, Lindsey Murphy, to its talented squad.

 

Kindler is in her fifth season with the Cyclones. She has coached seven individual NCAA Championships qualifiers, 14 Big 12 champions and was named Big 12 Coach of the Year in 2004.

 

The Last Time Nebraska and IowaState Met...

The 2005 season marked the 29th straight year the Huskers and Cyclones competed against each other. Nebraska leads the all-time series against IowaState 74-10-1.

 

The Huskers last met ISU on March 13 at the BobDevaneySportsCenter for NU’s final regular-season home meet of the year. Nebraska posted a season-high team score of 197.10 and scored 49.0 or higher on all four events to take the win over the Cyclones (196.275). Senior Richelle Simpson captured her fourth all-around title of the year with a 39.625 while also placing first on vault (9.925) and floor (9.925). Freshman Emily Parsons tied Simpson for the vault and floor titles, and sophomore Kristi Esposito scored a career-high 9.95 to earn the balance beam title. In addition, sophomore Michele Zabawa and freshman Desire’ Sniatynski tied for first on the uneven bars with a 9.90 each.

 

Scouting the Sooners

Oklahoma, guided by Head Coach Steve Nunno, is ranked No. 10 nationally and is 14-3 on the season. The Sooners, who last took on Nebraska in Lincoln on Feb. 5, is 1-2 in conference action. In 2004, OU finished 11th (195.75) at the NCAA Championships, first at the West Regional (197.10) and took the Big 12 Conference championship (196.95) from NU, which previously held a three-year streak of league titles.

 

Despite losing two-time All-American Kasie Tamayo, who also earned the nod as Big 12 Gymnast of the Year in 2004, OU returned nine letterwinners for 2005, including two All-Americans in senior Erin LaBarr (AA, UB) and sophomore Tiffany Willin (V). Joining LaBarr and Willin as key returning letterwinners are sophomores Ashley Cooney, Brittany Koncak and Elizabeth Tandy, juniors Katie Hostler, Tara Anderson and Kristen Cox, and senior Nicole Gause. Cooney, the defending Big 12 Conference vault champion, was named Big 12 Gymnast of the Week on Jan. 31.

 

Oklahoma’s freshman class has also made an impact on the Sooners’ success. Oklahoma welcomed eight freshmen to its lineup after losing three letterwinners from the 2004 team. Four freshmen ? Coral Borda, Caitlin Hinkis, Jessica Kinder and Stephanie LoPiccolo ? have seen significant time in the Sooner lineup this year.

 

Nunno is in his fifth season with the Sooners. He has guided the Oklahoma gymnastics program to two NCAA Championships appearances in the last four seasons.

Husker-Sooner History

The 2005 season marked the 24th straight season the Huskers and Sooners competed against each other. Nebraska leads the all-time series against Oklahoma 52-16.

 

NU last met the Sooners on Feb. 5, 2005 to begin its month-long homestand at the BobDevaneySportsCenter. The competition was a memorable one, as the Huskers produced scores of 49.0 or higher on all four events on the way to a 196.775-195.725 victory. Senior Richelle Simpson won her second all-around title of the year with a score of 39.50 and tied her season high on beam with a 9.925. Freshman Emily Parsons finished second in the all-around (39.40) and claimed the vault title with a 9.95, as well as the floor exercise crown (9.925). Sophomore Kristi Esposito added a solid all-around effort by posting a season-high 39.20 for third. The Slidell, La., native also posted a season-high 9.925 to capture the uneven bars title.

 

Scouting the Tigers

Head Coach Rob Drass’ squad heads into the conference championships ranked No. 24 in the nation after a 13-8 regular-season record. The Tigers, who are 0-3 in Big 12 meets this year, finished fifth at the 2004 NCAA Northeast Regional (196.85) and third at the Big 12 Conference Championships (196.425).

 

MU returned 10 letterwinners for 2005, including one All-American in senior Alisha Robinson, who finished seventh on vault at the 2002 NCAA Championships. Missouri’s other top returners include junior Lauren Schwartzman and sophomores Kelley Andersen, Amanda Pezzullo and Whitney Crater. After losing six letterwinners from 2004, the Tigers welcomed five freshmen to their squad in Julie Abaray, Nicole Bowman, Ashley Khederian, Katie Kluga and Lisa Puccio.

 

Drass, who is in his sixth year as head coach, is a former assistant coach at Nebraska. He helped the Huskers to four NCAA Championships appearances from 1992 to 1999.

 

Husker-Tiger Tangles over Time

The 2005 season marked the 24th straight season Missouri and Nebraska met, establishing the series as one of NU’s longest running rivalries. The Huskers lead the series 53-6.

 

Nebraska last met MU on Jan. 28 in Columbia, Mo., capturing the Huskers their first win of the year, 196.80-195.575. Sophomore Kristi Esposito earned the all-around title (38.85), while senior Richelle Simpson won first-place honors on the vault (10.0) and beam (9.925). Freshman Emily Parsons finished first on floor (9.925), and freshman Desire’ Sniatynski won the uneven bars title with a score of 9.875.

 

Up Next for the Huskers...

Nebraska will play host to the NCAA South Central Regional on April 9 at the BobDevaneySportsCenter. The meet is the Huskers’ final competition in the DevaneyCenter this season and is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.

 

Nebraska Notes at the Arkansas Quadrangular

-Senior Richelle Simpson scored her eighth career perfect 10.0 last week, posting the mark on floor exercise to earn first-place honors. Simpson last scored a 10.0 on floor at the 2003 Big 12 Championships, where she was the conference event champion.

-Simpson was NU’s highest all-around finisher at the Arkansas Quad, placing fourth with a score of 39.475.

-Sophomore Michele Zabawa scored a 9.85 to tie for her third uneven bars title of the year with freshman Desire’ Sniatynski, whose first-place finish was her fifth on the event this season.

-Freshman Emily Parsons set a new career high for herself, scoring a 9.95 on floor exercise to place second behind Simpson (10.0). The 9.95 mark earns Parsons a spot on Nebraska’s all-time floor exercise charts, as she is now in a 25-way tie for eighth on the list.

 

Simpson, Parsons Earn Big 12 Gymnast of the Week Honors

Senior Richelle Simpson was named Big 12 Gymnast of the Week for meets March 8-14, the conference office announced March 15. The Toronto, Ontario, native earned the honor for the third time this season and the ninth time in her career.

 

Simpson captured the all-around title with a score of 39.625 in the Huskers’ win over No. 10 Iowa State. She claimed her sixth vault title of the season (9.925) and also won the floor exercise (9.925). In addition, Simpson placed second on beam (9.90) and third on bars (9.875).

 

 

Simpson joins freshman Emily Parsons as one of two Huskers to earn Big 12 Gymnast-of-the-Week accolades in 2005. She earned her first Gymnast-of-the-Week accolades on Jan. 24 for her performance at Florida, while Parsons earned the honor on Feb. 8 and Feb. 22.

 

Coaching Milestones

Head Coach Dan Kendig is the all-time winningest coach in the 29-year history of the Nebraska women's gymnastics program. In 12 seasons at Nebraska, Kendig is 273-96-3 overall and 198-36-1 in regular-season meets. Kendig is in his 22nd year of coaching and owns a career record of 372-196-3.

 

A six-time Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year, Kendig has guided the Huskers to eight conference championships and three straight regional championships (2000, 2001 and 2002).

 

He has also led Nebraska to nine NCAA Championship appearances in the past 11 seasons, including NCAA Super Six Finals appearances in 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003. Kendig was honored as the NCAA Coach of the Year in 1999 and 2003, a year in which the Huskers finished fourth at the NCAAs.

 

Under Kendig's tenure in 2004, Nebraska finished with a 15-9-1 overall record. The Huskers placed second (196.375) in the Southeast regional behind eventual NCAA champion UCLA. NU also placed 10th (196.150) in its sixth consecutive NCAA Championships appearance. Three of Kendig's gymnasts -- Libby Landgraf (V, UB), Kristi Esposito (AA, BB) and Michele Zabawa (V) -- earned a total of five All-America honors.

 

Kendig is assisted by Danna Durante, who is in her third season with Nebraska, and Adrian Burde, who is in his fourth year on the Husker staff.

 

Simpson Returns for Senior Season

Senior Richelle Simpson is leading the Huskers again in 2005, after her 2004 season was cut short by a knee injury. The Toronto, Ontario native was granted a medical hardship year by the NCAA and hopes to defend her status as a nine-time All-American at Nebraska.

 

This season, Simpson has won four all-around titles, as well as six titles on vault, one on uneven bars, three on balance beam and five on floor exercise. For her accomplishments at the Masters Classic, at Florida and the Huskers’ final home meet against Iowa state, she has been named Big 12 Gymnast of the Week three times this season, giving her a total of nine in her Husker career. In addition, Simpson scored her first perfect 10.0 of 2005 on vault at Missouri, just the third time in her career she has accomplished such a feat.

 

In 2003, Simpson led NU to a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Championships, which were held in Lincoln. She was crowned national champion on the floor exercise (9.963) and the all-around (39.675), finishing ahead of UCLA's 2002 NCAA all-around champion Jamie Dantzscher. Simpson earned first-team All-America accolades on the vault, uneven bars, balance beam, floor exercise and the all-around. She is the only woman in Nebraska gymnastics history named first-team All-American on all five events in the same season.