No. 10 Huskers Prepare for No. 19 Pioneers

• Nebraska Head Coach: Dan Kendig (18th Year)
• Current Team Record: 4-6 (3-1 Big 12)
• 2011 High Score: 196.075 (at Missouri, 2/4/11)
• 2010 NCAA Finish: 7th (196.175)

The 10th-ranked Nebraska women's gymnastics team heads to Denver, Colo. to take on No. 19 Denver on Saturday, Feb. 19. Competition is scheduled for 7 p.m. (CST) at Hamilton Gymnasium. Nebraska leads the all-time series with the Pioneers 22-6. NU last met Denver on Feb. 28, 2010 at the Masters Classic where Nebraska came in first, scoring a 196.425 and Denver posted a 194.175 for third. 

Nebraska's next home meet is on Sunday, Feb. 27 at 2 p.m., when Bowling Green, Iowa and Kentucky come to town for the Masters Classic.

Scouting the Competition: No. 19 Denver

• Head Coach: Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart (13th Year)
• 2011 Record: 5-5
• 2011 High Score: 196.375 (vs. Ohio State, 2/4/11)
• 2010 NCAA Finish: DNQ

A Glance at Denver...

• Denver is ranked 13th in the team vault standings (48.929), 16th in the bars standings (48.861) and 23rd on beam (48.379).
• Junior Louise Mercer ranks 22nd in the national bars standings, averaging a score of 9.836. She posted a 9.875 on bars at Iowa last weekend to tie for first in the event. She totaled a career-high 39.30 in the all-around.
• Freshman Moriah Martin tied for first on vault against the Hawkeyes, notching a 9.925 on the event. Senior Annamari Maaranen tied her career high score on bars with a 9.875, earning a share of the event crown.

Nebraska's Competition Order Denver

Rotation                        Denver                          Nebraska

1                                  Vault                               Uneven Bars

2                                  Uneven Bars                 Vault

3                                  Balance Beam               Floor Exercise

4                                  Floor Exercise               Balance Beam  

Huskers in the National Ranks

The Nebraska women's gymnastics team is ranked No. 10 this week in the latest GymInfo poll. The poll, which is calculated by total season average, also ranks NU second in the South Central region and in the Big 12 Conference. In addition, the Huskers are ranked fifth nationally in team vault scoring (49.20), 10th on bars (48.964), 25th on beam (48.336) and are ninth on floor (48.932).

Individually, senior Erin Davis is second on vault, with an average of 9.93. Davis has captured four vault titles as a senior. Junior Lora Evenstad is ranked ninth in the all-around (39.275) and is 14th on floor (9.857). Sophomore Janelle Giblin is tied for 18th on bars (9.843).

Huskers See Strong Performances in 2011

The Nebraska women's gymnastics team has entered the 2011 season with the potential for national success and the goal to capture the Big 12 championship. With four returning All-Americans, as well as a total of nine returning letterwinners and four newcomers, the Huskers once again rank high among the nation's elite collegiate programs. Head Coach Dan Kendig, who enters his 18th season at NU, Associate Head Coach Danna Durante and Assistant Coach Tim Garrison are poised to guide Nebraska to its 15th NCAA Championships appearance.

"We have a great group and a great team," Kendig said. "They are very talented and strong athletes and a fun group to work with. They walk in every day excited about what will be thrown at them. The training is hard, the work ethic is there and they guard against going through the motions. Wherever this team wants to go, they'll be able to accomplish it."

All-Americans Shine for Nebraska

Although Nebraska faces a schedule filled with the country's best teams, the Huskers own an impressive roster of their own, supplemented by four returning All-Americans. Junior Lora Evenstad and sophomore Brittany Skinner both earned first-team accolades on vault at the 2010 NCAA Championships, while sophomore Janelle Giblin and junior Kassandra Nathe captured second-team honors on bars.

Kendig Builds One of Nation's Top Programs at Nebraska

Head Coach Dan Kendig is the all-time winningest coach in the 34 years of Nebraska women's gymnastics history. In 18 seasons at Nebraska, Kendig is 394-151-4 overall and 270-59-2 in regular-season meets. Kendig is in his 28th year of coaching and owns a career record of 507-263-5.

An eight-time Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year, Kendig has guided the Huskers to 11 conference championships and three straight regional championships from 2000 to 2002. He was most recently named the 2009 Big 12 Coach of the Year.

He has also led Nebraska to 13 NCAA Championship appearances in the past 16 seasons, including NCAA Super Six Finals appearances in 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006 and 2007. Kendig was honored as the NCAA Coach of the Year in 1999 and 2003, a year in which the Huskers finished fourth nationally.

Under Kendig's guidance in 2010, Nebraska finished with a 23-8 overall record. The Huskers took seventh at the 2010 NCAA Championships in Gainesville, Fla., in their 27th straight NCAA postseason appearance. Five of Kendig's gymnasts --Lora Evenstad (V), Brittany Skinner (V), Janelle Giblin (UB), Kathryn Howard (UB) and Kassandra Nathe (UB) -- earned All-America honors.

Kendig is assisted by associate head coach Danna Durante, who is in her ninth season with Nebraska, and assistant coach Tim Garrison, who is in his fifth year on the Husker staff.

Huskers Tally 11 on Big 12 Commissioner's Fall Honor Roll

The Nebraska women's gymnastics team placed 11 gymnasts among 358 Husker student-athletes honored as members of the Big 12 Commissioner's Fall Honor Roll, the conference office announced. The honor roll recognizes student-athletes with a grade-point average of 3.0 or higher during the previous semester, and within Nebraska's 358 selections, 43 earned perfect 4.0 GPAs.

Senior Maria Scaffidi led the impressive contingent of women's gymnasts on the list, as she posted a perfect 4.0 GPA and was included for the seventh time in her career. Juniors Lora Evenstad and Kassandra Nathe also earned their fifth honor, while freshman Janelle Giblin received the third such accolade of her career. Senior Erin Davis, junior Kaitlin Reid and freshmen Deanna Barmore and Emily Wong all earned nods on the honor roll as well. Additionally, former Huskers Hannah Bower, Kristin Fyffe and Stephanie Seich were honored for the second, fifth and fourth time, respectively. 

Huskers Garner Conference Honors

Senior Erin Davis was honored as Big 12 Event Specialist of the Week, the conference office announced Tuesday, Feb. 8. She picked up her third straight Event Specialist of the Week honor, and fifth of her career, after claiming two vault titles this past weekend. She is the fourth gymnast, and third Husker, to win three Event Specialist honors in a season since the award was created in 2007 and first to win three in a row.

Davis was named Big 12 Event Specialist of the Week after posting a 9.925 on vault against Missouri on Friday, Feb. 4 and again versus Oklahoma on Sunday, Feb. 6. She captured the title against the Tigers, where she also scored 9.85 on the floor, and tied for first against OU. She is currently second in the nation on vault.

Prior to Davis' awards, NU saw Lora Evenstad earn Gymnast of the Week honors after making her first all-around performance at the Metroplex Challenge.

Competing Against the Nation's Elite

Nebraska is 4-4 on the season, counting its only losses to top-10 opponents such as No. 1 Florida, No. 2 Stanford, No. 3 Utah, No. 5 Oklahoma, No. 7 Utah and No. 8 Michigan.

Giblin, Evenstad Debut as All-Arounders

Sophomore All-American Janelle Giblin debuted as an all-arounder for Nebraska against Iowa State, totaling a score of 39.025. It marked the first all-around performance of her career and made her the first all-arounder to compete for the Huskers in 2011. The native of San Ramon, Calif., posted a score of 9.85 on vault against Utah on Jan. 22. She added scores of 9.875 on bars, 9.70 on beam, 9.80 on floor and 39.125 in the all-around at the Metroplex Challenge. Giblin added a career-high 9.875 on vault and a 39.125 in the all-around against Missouri on Feb. 4. She posted a career-high-tying 9.875 on bars against Oklahoma on Feb. 6. The next week she matched her career-best scores on vault and bars at Michigan, She is currently tied for 18th on bars.

Junior All-American Lora Evenstad made her all-around debut at the Metroplex Challenge, posting an impressive score of 39.275. She notched scores of 9.875 on vault, 9.85 on bars and a career high on beam (9.775). Evenstad tied her career high of 9.90 on vault and posted a new career-high 9.925 on bars at Michigan. She is currently ranked ninth in the all-around and tied for 14th on floor. 

NU Looks to Seniors for Leadership, Experience

Erin Davis debuted with a bang for the Huskers in the third week of competition against Utah. The senior from Round Rock, Texas hit a season-high 9.925 on vault. She was named the Co-Big 12 Event Specialist of the Week for her efforts. Davis earned the vault crown for the second straight week, hitting a 9.925 at the Metroplex Challenge, she also posted a 9.80 on floor. Davis was named Big 12 Event Specialist of the Week for the second-straight week. Davis did not disappoint against Missouri on Feb. 4 and against Oklahoma two days later, hitting a 9.925 on the event in both meets, and adding two more event crowns to her accomplishments for the year. She picked up her third straight Event Specialist of the Week honor, and fifth of her career, after claiming the two vault titles. She is the fourth gymnast, and third Husker, to win three Event Specialist honors in a season since the award was created in 2007 and first to win three in a row. She posted a season-high 9.95 on vault at Michigan on Feb. 13, taking second in the event. Davis is currently ranked No. 2 in the nation on vault, averaging a 9.93. 

Brittnee Habbib opened her senior year by leading the Huskers in the season opener as she took second on bars with a score of 9.85 as the Huskers took on Florida on Jan. 7. Habbib notched her first event title of the season with a 9.825 on beam at Iowa State, tying for first-place in the event. She posted a 9.85 on bars against Utah, tying for third in the event. She matched that same bars score at Michigan on Feb. 13.

Maria Scaffidi has competed on bars, beam and floor for the Huskers in 2011, hitting a season high against Utah of 9.825. She added a career-high 9.85 on beam at the Metroplex Challenge on Jan. 29. Scaffidi hit a season-high 9.825 on floor at Missouri on Feb. 4. She tabbed a 9.825 again at Michigan on Feb. 13.

Maddie Steinauer opened her senior campaign by hitting a 9.75 on vault, a 9.80 on beam and a 9.825 on floor for the Huskers against Florida on Jan. 7. She tied her career highs on both beam and floor against the Gators. She earned a mark of 9.825 on beam at Iowa State, tying for the event crown. Steinauer posted a 9.825 on vault against Utah on Jan. 22. Steinauer was clutch for the Huskers at Missouri, hitting a season-high 9.85 on vault and tallying career highs on beam (9.90) and floor (9.825). She earned her second beam title of the year with her performance at Missouri.  She tied her season-high vault score (9.85) at Michigan.

Evenstad, Juniors Supply Spark

All-American Lora Evenstad opened the season by taking fourth on floor against Florida with a team-high score of 9.875. She also posted a 9.80 on vault and a 9.75 on bars. At Iowa State on Jan. 14, she captured the floor title with a score of 9.875. She took second on vault, notching a 9.85. As the Huskers took on Utah on Jan. 22, Evenstad hit a 9.85 on vault and took the floor crown with a season-high 9.90. She made her all-around debut at the Metroplex Challenge, posting an impressive score of 39.275. She notched season highs on vault (9.875) and bars (9.85) and a career high on beam (9.775). She was named Big 12 Gymnast of the Week on Feb. 1. She notched a 9.90 on floor to tie her season high at Missouri on Feb. 4. Evenstad tied her career-high mark on vault with a 9.90 and tabbed a career-high 9.925 on bars for the event crown at Michigan. She is currently ranked seventh in the all-around and tied for 14th on floor. 

Kassandra Nathe returned as a steady and indispensable gymnast for NU. A second-team All-American on bars, she tallied a career-high 9.85 on bars and 9.875 on beam, en route to posting two individual event titles as a sophomore.

Kaitlin Reid joined the Huskers after spending two seasons at Cal State Fullerton, where she was a bars and beam specialist for the Titans. She earned a 9.60 on bars at the Metroplex Challenge in her Husker debut.

Sophomores Set Themselves Apart

Sophomore All-American Janelle Giblin debuted as an all-arounder for Nebraska against Iowa State, totaling a score of 39.025. It marked the first all-around performance of her career and made her the first all-arounder to compete for the Huskers in 2011.The native of San Ramon, Calif., posted a score of 9.85 on vault against Utah on Jan. 22. She added scores of 9.875 on bars, 9.70 on beam, 9.80 on floor and 39.125 in the all-around at the Metroplex Challenge. Giblin added a career-high 9.875 on vault and a 39.125 in the all-around against Missouri on Feb. 4. She posted a career-high-tying 9.875 on bars against Oklahoma on Feb. 6. The next week she matched her career-best scores on vault and bars at Michigan, She is currently tied for 18th on bars.

First-Team All-American Skinner received marks of 9.775 on vault, 9.75 on bars and 9.625 on beam as NU took on Florida on Jan. 7. She earned the bars title at Iowa State with a score of 9.825. Skinner hit a season high on vault, notching a 9.80, against Utah on Jan. 22. Skinner hit a season-high 9.85 on vault and 9.675 on beam at the Metroplex Challenge on Jan. 29. She tied her career high score on vault with a 9.90 at Missouri. She tacked on a 9.825 on bars against the Tigers and tabbed a season-high 9.775 on beam against Oklahoma. She posted a season-high 9.875 on bars at Michigan on Feb. 13.

Freshmen Provide Solid Contributions

Nebraska welcomed three freshmen to its roster in 2011: Deanna Barmore, Jamie Schleppenbach and Emily Wong. All three freshmen have provided strong contributions for the Huskers in their first collegiate meets.

Barmore, a native of Omaha, Neb., competed for Coach Barb Bottieri at Nebraska Gold Gymnastics in Omaha and was a four-time national qualifier.  She contributed on NU's vault and beam lineups against the Gators on Jan. 7. She notched a career-high 9.725 on vault at Iowa State on Jan. 14.

Schleppenbach came to Nebraska from the Nebraska School of Gymnastics in Lincoln. She took second in the all-around at the 2009 Level 10 Region IV Championships, while placing fifth in the all-around at the 2010 Region IV Championships. Schleppenbach aided the Huskers on vault and floor in her first collegiate meet at Florida, hitting a 9.75 and 9.65, respectively. She captured her first event title at Iowa State with a 9.875 on vault. Schleppenbach also hit a 9.775 on floor for NU.  She posted or tied career highs on every event against Utah on Jan. 22, hitting a 9.875 on vault, a 9.075 on beam and a 9.775 on floor. She notched a pair of 9.85s on vault at Missouri and against Oklahoma.

Wong is also a Level 10 product from Red River Valley Gymnastics in Grand Forks, N.D. She was the North Dakota state all-around champion in 2008 and 2009, in addition to being the North Dakota vault, bars, beam and floor champion in 2009. Wong proved to be very impressive in her Husker debut, tallying a 9.675 on bars, 9.775 on beam and a 9.80 on floor.  At Iowa State on Jan. 14, she earned a share of the beam title with a mark of 9.825. She also posted a 9.775 on floor. Wong notched a 9.80 on bars against Utah on Jan. 22 and came in third on beam after scoring a 9.80. She came in second on bars at Missouri, hitting a career-best 9.85. Wong tied her career-high mark of 9.70 on floor against the Tigers as well.