Michigan
Florida
Weekly Release #10: vs. Florida and Bowling Green
3/7/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
Upcoming Schedule
Meet #11:Â No. 3 Michigan vs. No. 18 Florida/Bowling Green
Saturday, March 11, 7 p.m., Ann Arbor, Mich., Crisler Arena
Series:Â Michigan-Florida tied 4-4; Michigan-Bowling Green tied 4-4
Meet #12:Â No. 3 Michigan at 2000 Big Ten Championships
Saturday, March 18, 6 p.m., State College, Pa., Rec Hall
Michigan Closes Out 2000 Regular Season
The University of Michigan women's gymnastics team hosts No. 18 Florida and Bowling Green on Saturday (March 11, 7 p.m.) in Crisler Arena. This will be Michigan's second meeting of the season with Florida after the two teams tangled at the Super Six Challenge in Athens, Ga. (Jan. 8). Michigan defeated Florida 194.925-193.225 as the Wolverines placed third and the Gators finished sixth. Michigan and Bowling Green will face each other for the first time since 1991, when the Wolverine won 182.750-181.750.
About Florida ...
Florida is 11-9 overall and ranked No. 18 in the GymInfo Top 25 ... Florida's top team score of the season is 196.025, which it earned finishing runner-up at the SunTrust Spectacular ... Florida won a quad meet at Kentucky with a score of 195.900 in its last meet ... Chrissy Van Fleet owns Florida's top all-around score (39.650) of the season ... Florida's top event is the floor exercise where its is ranked fifth in the nation with a RQS of 49.145 ... Florida on the Internet: www.gatorzone.com.
About Bowling Green ...
Bowling Green is 9-8 overall ... The Falcons have lost three of their last four, including a 196.575-194.600 loss to Kent in their last meet (March 3) ... Despite the loss, Bowling Green's score of 194.600 vs. Kent is its season best ... Marny Oestreng won the individual NCAA national title on the floor exercise as a freshman in 1999 ... Bowling Green on the Internet: www.bgsufalcons.com.
Michigan-Florida: The First Time
Michigan and Florida met for the seventh time in the opening meet of the 2000 season at the Super Six Challenge (Jan. 8), with Michigan prevailing 194.925-193.225. Michigan entered the meet with 12 first-time collegiate routines, but received excellent performances throughout its lineup, including a 9.900 from Janessa Grieco (Mahopac, N.Y./Carmel HS) on the floor exercise in her first collegiate routine. Grieco's mark of 9.900 on the floor exercise tied her for second and she was Michigan's only athlete to place in the top five on an event. Michigan's win over Florida on Jan. 8 marked the second consecutive season in which Michigan defeated Florida in a season-opening meet. The Wolverines traveled to Gainesville, Fla., for the 1999 season opener and upset No. 2 Florida 193.300-190.275.
Another Top-25 Opponent
Michigan's matchup with Florida on Satuday (March 11, 7 p.m.) will be the Wolverines' 14th battle this season with a opponent ranked in the GymInfo Top-25. Florida is currently ranked No. 18. Of Michigan's 10 meets thus far in 2000, nine have included at least one opponent which was ranked among the top 25 in the country. The only meet that did not include at least one such opponent was the State of Michigan Classic (Feb. 6), which Michigan won with a score of 196.425. The Wolverines are 8-5 this season vs. top-25 opposition.
Tagliarino Battles School from Home State
Michigan freshman Tara Tagliarino (Tampa, Fla./H.B. Plant HS) is the only athlete on the Wolverine roster who hails from the state of Florida. Tagliarino and the Wolverines were successful against the Florida Gators in Tagliarino's collegiate debut at the Super Six Challenge (Jan. 8). Tagliarino, who has competed exclusively on the uneven bars in her first campaign, gets another shot at Florida this weekend (March 11). Tagliarino delivered a 9.825 on the uneven bars in her initial collegiate routine at the Super Six Challenge and currently owns Michigan's third-best season average on the bars (9.833). Tagliarino's career high is 9.925.
Senior Night
Michigan's final home meet of the 2000 season, vs. Florida and Bowling Green on Saturday (March 11), represents the final home in the careers of three Michigan seniors. Tri-captain Sarah Cain (Grand Island, Neb./Grand Island HS), Sarah-Elizabeth Langford (Atlanta, Ga./Pace Academy) and Kate Nellans (Mundelein, Ill./Mundelein HS) will compete in front of the home crowd for the final time. This Michigan senior class has been a part of two Big Ten championship teams (1997 & 99) in its first three years as well as one NCAA Regional championship team (1999). In addition, the Wolverines have made three trips to the NCAA National Championships (1997-99) and two trips to the Super Six Finals (1997 & 99), including one national runner-up finish (1999), during their careers. Cain is an eight-time All-American, while Nellans has earned three Scholastic All-America honors during her career. Langford, a staple of Michigan's vault lineup for four years as a Wolverine, earned All-Big Ten honors in 1999.
Wolverines Dominant Arizona
Michigan's first stop on its two-meet road trip was at No. 23 Arizona on Friday (March 3) and the Maize and Blue walked away with one of its most convincing wins of the season (197.450-195.675). The Wolverines notched their second-best team score of the season buoyed by a then season-best vault team score of 49.525. The Wolverines took top honors in all four events for the fifth meet this season, while two Michigan athletes earned event wins. Sarah Cain won the vault with a Michigan season-best 10.000, while Bridget Knaeble (New Hope, Minn./Totino-Grace HS) won the uneven bars with a Michigan season-high 9.950.
Michigan Runner-up at Bruin Classic
Michigan accumulated a score of 196.975, narrowly missing the 197.000-point total for the fourth time this season, en route to a runner-up finish at the Bruin Classic (March 5). Michigan easily took care of Illinois-Chicago (192.500) and UC Santa Barbara (188.950), but could not catch the host UCLA Bruins, who won the meet with a mark of 197.575. Michigan was runner-up to UCLA on all four events, including a Michigan season-best 49.600 on the vault. Cain earned her second straight 10.000 on the vault to tie for first and was the only Wolverine individual event winner.
Knaeble Competes in the All-Around
Junior tri-captain Bridget Knaeble competed in the all-around for the first time this season in Michigan's win over No. 23 Arizona (March 3). Knaeble, Michigan's only all-around competitor for the meet, delivered a career-best 39.425 to place runner-up. It marked the first time Knaeble competed in the all-around since the eighth meet of 1999 when Knaeble recorded a 38.875 vs. No. 1 Georgia on Feb. 28. Knaeble's career-best 39.425 in the all-around was sparked by a Michigan season-best 9.950 on the uneven bars, which placed her first on that event. Knaeble was also strong on the floor exercise, placing fourth with a mark of 9.900, while she scored a 9.750 in her first balance beam routine of the season.
Vaulting to the Top
Michigan entered its weekend swing out west as the third-ranked team in the nation on the vault, with a Regional Qualifying Score of 49.145. However, things could change in the next rankings after the Wolverines delivered their two best team scores of the season on that event at Arizona (49.525) and at the Bruin Classic (49.600). On both occasions Cain led the vault lineup with 10's, while Sarah-Elizabeth Langford and Christine Michaud (Mill Valley, Calif./The Branson School) nailed a 9.000 or better in both meets. Michaud matched her career best of 9.925 in both meets and Langford set a new career best with a 9.950 in the Bruin Classic. Michigan's top 10 all-time vault team scores:
| 49.825 | 1997 vs. Utah State |
| 49.650 | 1995 at NCAA Central Regional Championships |
| 49.650 | 1997 vs. Oregon State |
| 49.650 | 1997 at Georgia |
| 49.600 | 1995 vs. Georgia/Florida |
| 49.600 | 2000 at Bruin Classic |
| 49.575 | 1999 vs. UCLA/Rutgers |
| 49.550 | 1996 vs. Brigham Young |
| 49.550 | 1997 at NCAA Central Regional Championships |
| 49.525 | 2000 at Arizona |
Cain Rolling
Sarah Cain's consecutive 10.000 vaults are the 10th and 11th career 10's for the Michigan eight-time All-American and her fifth and sixth all-time on the vault. This is the second time in her career she has nailed 10's on the vault in consecutive meets. Cains also turned the trick at Georgia and vs. Utah State as a freshman in 1997. Michigan's career 10.000 leaders:
| Beth Wymer (1992-95) | 16 | (2V, 9UB, 5FX) |
| Sarah Cain (1997-present) | 11 | (6V, 1BB, 4FX) |
| Nikki Peters (1996-99) | 9 | (2V, 7UB) |
| Heather Kabnick (1995-98) | 8 | (6V, 2FX) |
| Wendy Marshall (1993-96) | 7 | (6V, 1FX) |
Making Their Mark
Although a very young squad, Michigan's 2000 women's gymnastics squad is shaping up to be one of the best squads in school history. Although much is yet to be accomplished in the postseason, the 2000 Wolverines already own two of the top five team scores in the program's history. In fact, Michigan's mark of 197.450 at Arizona is the best team score on the road ever by a Michigan team. Michigan's top five team scores all-time:
| 197.700 | 1997 at NCAA Central Regional Championships |
| 197.550 | 1998 vs. Michigan State |
| 197.550 | 1998 vs. Massachusetts |
| 197.500 | 2000 vs. Kentucky |
| 197.450 | 2000 at Arizona |
Plocki Earns 200th Win
Michigan head coach Bev Plocki, now in her 11th season at the helm of Michigan women's gymnastics, earned her 200th career win as the Wolverines went 4-0 at the State of Michigan Classic (Feb. 6). Plocki inherited a Michigan program which had more than 15 wins in a season only once in its first 14 years of existence dating back to 1976. Since Plocki took over in 1990, the Wolverines have averaged more than 19 wins a season and have 20 wins or more on six occasions under her direction. Plocki is now 206-62 all-time at the University of Michigan.
Cain Moving Up the Charts
Sarah Cain's eight All-America citations ties her for third on Michigan's all-time list with Heather Kabnick (1995-98). Wendy Marshall (1993-96) is second on the list with 10 All-America honors, while Beth Wymer (1992-95) heads the list with 14 All-America honors earned.
Tri-Captains
The 2000 University of Michigan women's gymnastics team has tri-captains leading the squad. Senior Sarah Cain is joined by juniors Bridget Knaeble and Brianne Fuller (W. Bowdoin, Maine/Mount Ararat HS). Cain was a tri-captain in 1999 as a junior as well.
GymInfo Top 25 (2/29/2000)
(Ranked by Regional Qualifying Score)
RANK, TEAM RQS 1. Georgia 196.715 2. UCLA 196.550 3. MICHIGAN 196.485 4. Alabama 196.320 5. Nebraska 195.925 6. Utah 195.790 7. Louisiana State 195.705 8. Stanford 195.210 9. Oklahoma 195.080 10. Brigham Young 194.825 11. West Virginia 194.815 12. Arizona State 194.725 13. Iowa State 194.695 14. Denver 194.655 15. Washington 194.645 16. Minnesota 194.625 17. Penn State 194.535 18. Florida 194.400 19. N.C. State 194.350 20. Maryland 194.280 21. New Hampshire 194.040 22. Utah State 193.855 23. Kent State 193.725 24. Oregon State 193.650 25. Arizona 193.620
Tracking Michigan in the Rankings
Preseason 7th Jan. 11 3rd Jan. 18 6th Jan. 25 3rd Feb. 1 2nd Feb. 8 3rd Feb. 15 3rd Feb. 22 2nd Feb. 29 3rd
Players Mentioned
