Weekly Release #13
4/2/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
This Week: No. 5 Michigan at NCAA Northeast Regional
Saturday, April 6 (6 p.m.)
Rec Hall, State College, Pa.
Next Up: NCAA National Championships
Thursday-Saturday, April 18-20
Coleman Coliseum, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Complete Release in PDF (6 pages, 97 KB)
Wolverines Head to Penn State for NCAA Regional Competition
The No. 5 University of Michigan women's gymnastics team (25-3, 11-0 Big Ten) competes at the NCAA Regional Championships on Saturday (April 6) at Rec Hall on the campus of Penn State in State College, Pa. The Wolverines' Calli Ryals (Elyria, Ohio/Midview HS) and Elise Ray (Columbia, Md./Wilde Lake HS), the No. 1 and No. 2 all-around gymnasts in the country, respectively, can lead Michigan to its 10th consecutive NCAA National Championships appearance with a top-two finish at the regional championships. Should U-M qualify for the national championships held April 18-20 in Tuscaloosa, Ala., they would be one of 12 teams -- two teams from each of the six regional sites -- battling to determine the national champion for the 2002 season.
Michigan and the NCAA Regional Championships
- Michigan can earn its 11th trip to the NCAA National Championships with a top-two finish at the regional meet. U-M has advanced to the national championships for nine consecutive seasons, including the last three after winning the regional championship. U-M has been to the national championships in 1982, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001.
- Michigan has won five regional championships. The Wolverines won the Mideast Regional in 1982, the Central Regional in 1997, Region III in 1999, Region 5 in 2000 and the Northeast Regional last year (2001).
- Michigan is the highest ranked team at the Northeast Region Championships. The fifth-ranked Wolverines will join No. 8 Nebraska, No. 16 Iowa, George Washington, Pittsburgh and Penn State in the regional competition.
- Based on Regional Qualifying Scores, Michigan is the highest ranked team at the regional championships in all four events -- vault, uneven bars, balance beam and floor exercise.
- Individually, Michigan's Calli Ryals is the top-ranked all-around gymnast in the nation with an RQS of 39.590. Teammate Elise Ray is second in the nation with an RQS of 39.550.
Important Info
- Fans can purchase tickets by calling the PSU Athletics ticket office at 1-800-863-3336 or 814-865-5555. The Rec Hall ticket office is not open during the week but will open at 1 p.m. on Saturday (April 6).
- There is a media press conference with all six head coaches scheduled from 3:40-4 p.m. on Friday (April 5) in Room 155 at Rec Hall.
Ryals and Ray are Top Two All-Around Gymnasts in the Nation
Michigan's Calli Ryals is the No. 1 all-around gymnast in the nation for the fifth consecutive week, and Elise Ray remains No. 2 for the second week in a row in the latest GymInfo rankings (March 25). Ryals' all-around Regional Qualifying Score is 39.590, just .040 ahead of Ray's 39.550 RQS.
Michigan Remains Fifth in GymInfo Rankings
Michigan's Regional Qualifying Score (RQS) increased to 196.830 following the Big Ten Championships, and the team remained in fifth in the GymInfo rankings (March 25). UCLA is the top team for the second consecutive week with an RQS of 197.230. Alabama is second (197.050), Georgia is third (197.085) and Utah is fourth (196.920).
GymInfo National Rankings (3/25/02)
(by Regional Qualifying Score)
1. UCLA 197.230 2. Alabama 197.095 3. Georgia 197.085 4. Utah 196.920 5. MICHIGAN 196.830 6. Louisiana State 196.630 7. Iowa State 196.605 8. Nebraska 196.600 9. Oklahoma 196.590 10. Stanford 196.280 11. Minnesota 196.210 12. Arizona 196.020 13. Oregon State 195.975 14. Denver 195.890 15. Florida 195.700 16. Iowa 195.575 17. Brigham Young 195.520 18. Arizona State 195.435 19. West Virginia 195.415 20. Kentucky 195.280 21. Michigan State 195.265 22. North Carolina 195.235 23. Missouri 195.165 24. Southern Utah 195.155 25. Central Michigan 195.090
At the Big Ten Championships
Michigan won its fourth consecutive Big Ten championship -- the 10th in the last 11 years and 11th in the 20 years of the competition -- with a 196.475 on March 23 in front of 1,678 fans at St. John Arena in Columbus, Ohio. The Wolverines won the vault and floor exercise on the way to their third-highest road score of the year and a .700 margin of victory over second-place Minnesota (195.775). Elise Ray won the balance beam with a 9.950, the first Big Ten event title of her career. The Wolverines came close to more event titles with five second-place finishes. Chelsea Kroll (Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny HS) and Shannon MacKenzie (Midland, Mich./Midland HS) tied for second on the vault, while Calli Ryals was second on the uneven bars and tied Ray for second on the floor.
| Place, School | Vault | Bars | Beam | Floor | Total |
| 1. MICHIGAN | 49.300 | 48.975 | 48.900 | 49.300 | 196.475 |
| 2. Minnesota | 48.775 | 49.125 | 48.800 | 49.075 | 195.775 |
| 3. Iowa | 48.900 | 48.650 | 48.925 | 49.075 | 195.550 |
| 4. Ohio State | 48.400 | 48.650 | 48.850 | 48.825 | 194.725 |
| 5. Michigan State | 48.500 | 48.400 | 49.025 | 48.700 | 194.625 |
| 6. Illinois | 48.300 | 48.050 | 47.750 | 48.725 | 192.825 |
| 7. Penn State | 48.150 | 48.200 | 47.425 | 48.775 | 192.550 |
Last Year at the NCAA Regional Championships
Michigan qualified for the NCAA Championships and a shot at the national title for the ninth consecutive year with a team score of 197.225 at the 2001 Northeast Regional, tying the second-highest score of the season, on April 7 in Crisler Arena. The first-place score gave the Wolverines their third consecutive regional title. Leading the way for U-M was senior Bridget Knaeble (1998-2001), who tied her career-high all-around score (39.525) and earned her a tie for first with Stanford's Lindsay Wing.
Against the Regional Field
Michigan faced Iowa and Penn State at the Big Ten Championships (March 23). The Wolverines finished first (196.475), while the Hawkeyes were third (195.550) and the Nittany Lions were seventh (192.550). U-M squared off with Nebraska in last season's NCAA National Championships in Athens, Ga., with U-M taking third (197.275) and Nebraska tying Utah for fifth (196.025) in the NCAA Super Six Team Finals. Michigan holds a 1-0 record over George Washington with a 194.200-188.525 win in 1994. The Wolverines last faced Pitt in 1996 and hold a 5-4 record against the Panthers, with the five wins coming in the last five meetings.
Penn State Success
The last two times the Wolverines have visited State College, Pa., they have left with championships. Michigan won the 2000 Big Ten title and the 2000 NCAA Region 5 title at Rec Hall. At the conference tournament, U-M posted a 197.850, a score that remains the highest team total in school history. At the regional championships, the Wolverines captured first place to defend their regional title from the previous year, something that had never been done before in the history of the program.
Round and Round They Go
There are six rotations at the regional championships. During each, there will be four teams competing and two teams with byes. Michigan begins the meet with the bye before bars and ends on the vault in the sixth rotation.
The Conference Streak
Michigan increased its Big Ten winning streak to 38 consecutive victories over conference opponents by winning the Big Ten championship. The Wolverines also posted wins over conference opponents in six meets this year. The last time a Big Ten school defeated U-M was Jan. 15, 1999, when Minnesota won 193.550-193.050 at Cliff Keen Arena.
Seven Wolverines Earn All-Conference Honors
Michigan had seven gymnasts earn a total of 11 All-Big Ten honors at the 2002 conference championships by finishing in the top six in an event. The honorees were Janessa Grieco (Mahopac, N.Y./Carmel HS) on beam, Chelsea Kroll on vault and floor, Amy Kuczera (Bloomingdale, Ill./Lake Park HS) on beam, Shannon MacKenzie on vault, Elise Ray on beam and floor, Jodie Rosenberg (West Bloomfield, Mich./West Bloomfield HS) on floor and Calli Ryals on vault, bars and floor.
Didn't See that Coming
Shannon MacKenzie earned the third All-Big Ten honor of her career at the 2002 Big Ten Championships. Her first two honors came on the balance beam, the event in which she specializes. This year, however, MacKenzie earned the honor when she tied for second place (9.900) on vault after spending over a full calendar year working on the apparatus.
Career Season Includes Big Ten Honor
Senior co-captain Jodie Rosenberg earned the first All-Big Ten honor of her career with a 9.850 on the floor exercise at the conference championships. She opened the season by placing among the top five in the first six meets of the year and then set a career high with her first 9.900 in any event with an outstanding floor routine on Senior Night against Denver and Washington (March 9).
Call It a Comeback
Freshman Chelsea Kroll has been on the road to recovery the entire season. Since getting the nod to start competing, she has earned a vault title with a career-high 9.950 at West Virginia (Feb. 17) and tied for fourth with a 9.900 in the first floor routine of her career at the Shanico Inn-vitational (March 16). Kroll tied for second on the vault with a 9.900 and also earned All-Big Ten honors with a 9.850 on the floor exercise at the Big Ten Championships (March 23).
Second is the Spot for Ryals and Ray
Calli Ryals and Elise Ray are ranked second in three of the four individual events according to the latest GymInfo rankings (March 25). Ryals is second in the nation on the floor exercise with an RQS of 9.970, which is boosted considerably by the fact that she has three perfect scores of 10.0 in the floor exercise and two of them came in away meets. Ray is second on the uneven bars (9.955) and second on the balance beam (9.950).
Bring in the Moving Trucks...
Michigan has collected quite a load of individual event titles this season. The Wolverines have won 44 of a possible 65 event titles (68 percent) in 13 meets this season. Three times -- at Ohio State (Jan. 26), against Florida (Feb. 1) and against Denver and Washington (March 9) -- U-M won all four events and the all-around. Only at the Maui Invitational (Jan. 4), the UCLA Invitational (March 3) and the Big Ten Championships did the team fail to win at least three of the five titles.
... And Send Two Trucks for Ray and Ryals
Elise Ray and Calli Ryals have earned the majority of the team's event titles, combining to win 40 of the 44 event titles. Ray has won three titles on four occasions and won four titles against Denver and Washington (March 9), while Ryals won four event titles at the State of Michigan Classic (Feb. 3).
Baby Steps
Freshman Chelsea Kroll competed in the floor exercise for the first time this season at the Shanico Inn-vitational and tied for fourth with a 9.900. She began vaulting against Georgia (Feb. 10) after a foot injury kept her out of the lineup for the first six meets. She was slated for the all-around prior to the injury.
Always the Bridesmaid, (Almost) Never the Bride
Junior co-captain Janessa Grieco posted a floor exercise score of 9.950 at the State of Michigan Classic (Feb. 3) and a career-high 9.975 against Denver and Washington (March 9) only to finish second to perfect 10.0 scores by Calli Ryals at each meet. Grieco does have one floor exercise title this season, a 9.900 against Northern Illinois (Jan. 13). Overall, she has been a model of consistency in the floor this season, placing among the top five in the event in eight of 11 meets and earning a 9.900 or higher seven times.
Ray in the Record Books
Elise Ray is fourth on the U-M career list for most all-around scores of 39.000 or higher with 18 in her one-plus seasons. Ray's 18th came in just the 20th meet in which she has competed in the all-around.
Plocki Earns 250th Win
Michigan head coach Bev Plocki captured her 250th career victory with U-M's first-place finish at the Big Ten Championships. Plocki now has 252 career wins in 13 seasons at the helm of the Wolverines' program.
Ryals Getting Close to 39.000 Record Book
Calli Ryals can tie the U-M single-season record for most meets with an all-around score of 39.000 or higher. Beth Wymer (1992-95) holds the record of 12 which she set in 1994 as a junior. Through 13 meets, Ryals has earned nine scores of 39.000 or more. She has three more chances to compete in the all-around if the Wolverines travel all the way to the NCAA Super Six team finals.
Three Perfect 10s For Ryals
Sophomore Calli Ryals is just the sixth gymnast in U-M history to record three perfect 10.0 scores in a single season. Her perfect score on the floor exercise at the State of Michigan Classic (Feb. 3) was the 17th perfect score on the floor in Michigan history and the second in three meets for Ryals. She earned her latest 10.0 last Saturday (March 9) against Denver and Washington. Her three perfect scores put her sixth on the U-M list for most career 10.0 scores.
Ryals Nearing Two 10.0 Records
Calli Ryals earned her third perfect score of the season with a 10.0 on the floor exercise against Denver and Washington (March 9). With one more 10.0 this year, she will tie the school records for most perfect 10s on the floor exercise in a single season and the most perfect 10s on any single event in a single season. Beth Wymer (1992-95) had four 10.0 scores on the floor exercise, while Heather Kabnick (1995-98) had four 10s on the vault and Nikki Peters (1996-99) and Wymer each had four 10s on the uneven bars.
Being Cal Ripken
Calli Ryals has competed in every event in all 13 meets this season. Not only has she been in the events, but she has been very good in the events. Over the course of the season, Ryals has been in the all-around in each of the 13 meets and placed among the top five 44 times in 52 events, including a stretch of 22 consecutive top-five finishes.
Back in Business
Elise Ray has scored a 9.900 or higher in 21 of the last 28 events at the seven meets in which she has competed since returning to the all-around following a foot injury. She has won 13 of the 28 events (46 percent), a number that jumps to 18 of 35 (51 percent) when her five all-around titles are included.
Never Really Out of Business
While her numbers since returning to the all-around have been impressive, Elise Ray posted some equally impressive marks while injured. In the five meets in which she did not compete in the all-around, Ray won five of the 12 events she did compete (42 percent) and placed first or second 10 times (83 percent).
Ray Continues to Dominate Bars
Elise Ray, who set a U-M record with a 9.921 season average on the uneven bars in 2001, continues to dominate the event in 2002. She opened the year with a near-perfect, career-high score of 9.975 to win the event at the Maui Invitational (Jan. 4). She won the bars title with a 9.875 at Ohio State (Jan. 26) and again with a 9.975 against Florida (Feb. 1). She has placed among the top five, with seven first-place finishes, in 12 of U-M's 13 meets, and her RQS of 9.955 is second in the nation. Ray had a season average of 9.919, which ranked second in school history to her average from last season, until she suffered her first career fall on the bars and scored 9.375 at the Big Ten Championships (March 23). Despite the fall, her current season average of 9.877 sits as the sixth best mark in school history.
U-M Posts Perfect Dual Meet Record
Michigan finished the regular season with a perfect 7-0 dual meet record. The team rattled off the seven wins in a span of eight meets.
Co-Captains
The 2002 Michigan women's gymnastics team has co-captains leading the squad. Senior Jodie Rosenberg is joined by junior Janessa Grieco as the captains. Rosenberg was a tri-captain in 2001 as a junior.
Contact: Jason Gerdom (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
