Mountaineers Travel to No. 3 Michigan for Regular-Season Finale
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The West Virginia University gymnastics workforce (13-3, -2 Big 12) prepares to conclude the common period with a excursion to Ann Arbor, Michigan, to contend in opposition to No. 3 Michigan and No. 5 Auburn on Saturday, March 12. Level of competition inside of the Crisler Middle is tabbed for 4 p.m. ET.
Saturday’s action will be streamed are living on B1G+, although supporters also can comply with together with stay stats accessible at SidearmStats.com.
“I am constantly psyched to make the excursion to Ann Arbor, but this time specifically with equally Michigan and Auburn competing with us,” Mountaineer mentor Jason Butts mentioned. “There is going to be some astounding gymnastics taking place Saturday afternoon, and we are ready to showcase WVU gymnastics in a significant-energy ambiance. The workforce has been teaching and competing really persistently, and I am anticipating a robust performance this weekend.”
Overall, Michigan holds a 20-4 all-time gain in the series, with WVU’s final win above the Wolverines coming in 2004. The two groups past achieved in 2021 at the NCAA Morgantown Regional on April 2, in Morgantown. Michigan took 1st put in the regional last, though the Mountaineers placed 3rd. The Wolverines then went on to earn their 1st NCAA championship title in system background.
Michigan enters Saturday’s tri-meet with a 12-1 history on the 12 months, boasting a 197.950 National Qualifying Score (NQS). Of observe, Michigan mentor Bev Plocki competed as a member of the WVU gymnastics team from 1985-87, foremost West Virginia to 3 NCAA Regional Championships appearances. Plocki was inducted into the WVU Sporting activities Hall of Fame in 2018.
West Virginia and Auburn fulfill for the 11th time on Saturday, with the Tigers holding a 6-4 benefit in the sequence. The two groups final met in 2012, and WVU claimed a 195.175-193.65 victory in Morgantown. Auburn will come into the weekend with a 10-2-1 general document this year, possessing a NQS of 197.650.
In this week’s Street to Nationals rankings, WVU ranks No. 16 on flooring training with a 49.345 NQS. Separately, senior Kendra Combs sits in a tie for No. 37 nationally on flooring with a 9.900 NQS, though junior Abbie Pierson is just behind her in a tie for No. 44 (9.895 NQS).


Regionally, the Mountaineers rank No. 6 in the Southeast with a NQS of 196.085, their to start with crew NQS of 196.000 or increased considering that March 26, 2018. The group sits at No. 2 on ground and No. 6 on balance beam (48.965 NQS) and vault (48.995 NQS). WVU also checks in at No. 7 on the uneven bars (48.930 NQS).


Combs sits at No. 4 in the personal regional rankings on ground. She is followed by Pierson at No. 6, when junior Kianna Yancey, sophomore Kiana Lewis and freshman Anna Leigh are tied for No. 14 in the area with matching 9.855 Countrywide Qualifying Scores.


In the Mountaineers’ residence finale on March 6, WVU applied occasion wins on balance beam and floor exercising to tally a appear-from-powering, 196.250-195.400 victory more than Ball Condition within the WVU Coliseum. West Virginia place collectively an additional massive functionality on ground work out, with all five scoring gymnasts tallying a 9.85 or better to earn a 49.325 whole on the function.


Yancey paced WVU against Ball Point out, notching a pair of podium finishes, such as a share of initially position on ground immediately after recording a career-most effective 9.9 to anchor the lineup. Pierson also recorded a pair of podium appearances, when six other Mountaineers included 1 podium finish apiece. Senior Rachel Hornung was the Mountaineers’ lone competitor in the all-about, as she finished in second put with a career-significant matching 39.175.


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