Athletics Communication Fighting Illini Quick Facts Table of Contents
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
2019 TABLE OF CONTENTS 2018 Season Review��������������������������������2-3 COACHING/SUPPORT STAFF Head Coach Nadalie Walsh�����������������������������4 Assistant Coach Chris Bogantes�������������������������5 Assistant Coach Jessie DeZiel���������������������������6 Volunteer Assistant Coach Kaitlyn Betts�������������������7 Undergraduate Assistant Coach Grace Gough . 8 Director of Operations Sara Rhodes ����������������������8 MEET THE FIGHTING ILLINI 2019 Roster, Schedule ��������������������������������9 Redshirt Senior Mary Jane Otto�������������������������10 Senior Rachael Donovan ������������������������������11 Senior Julia Hutcherson�������������������������������11 Senior Haylee Roe �����������������������������������12 FIGHTING ILLINI QUICK FACTS Junior Rae Balthazor ��������������������������������12 Junior Morgan Bixler ���������������������������������13 Location � � � � � � � � � � � � � �Urbana-Champaign, Ill� Letterwinners Returning / Lost �� � � � � � � � � �10 / 3 Junior Lindsay Dwyer���������������������������������13 Founded � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 1867 All-Americans Returning / Lost � � � � � � � � � � �2 / 0 Junior Karen Howell ���������������������������������14 Enrollment �� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 44,942 Newcomers� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 7 Junior Brittany Jones���������������������������������14 Nickname � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Fighting Illini First Year of Women’s Gymnastics � � � � � � � 1974 Sophomore Nicole Biondi������������������������������15 Sophomore Rachel Borden ����������������������������15 Colors� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Orange and Blue Sophomore Kasey Meeks ������������������������������16 Conference� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Big Ten Head Coach �� � � � � � � � Nadalie Walsh, 2nd season Sophomore Kylie Noonan������������������������������16 President �� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �Timonthy L� Killeen Years at Illinois �� � � � � � � � � � � � � � 2nd season Sophomore Tessa Phillips ����������������������������17 Chancellor � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Robert Jones Alma Mater� � � � � � � � � � � � � � UW-Oshkosh, ‘00 Sophomore Jaylen Spence �����������������������������17 Athletic Director �� � � � � � � � � � � � � � Josh Whitman Assistant Coach � � � � Chris Bogantes, 2nd season Freshman Grace Hester�������������������������������17 Home Gym �� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Huff Hall Alma Mater� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � LSU, ‘09 Freshman Mallory Mizuki������������������������������18 Seating Capacity �� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 3,800 Assistant Coach � � � � � � � Jessie DeZiel, 1st season Freshman Shaylah Scott �����������������������������18 2019 Preseason Ranking� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 22nd Alma Mater� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Nebraska, ‘16 Freshman Torie Stotz���������������������������������18 2018 Regular Season Record �� � � � � � � � � � � �17-5 Gymnastics Address� � � � � � �1700 S� Fourth Street Freshman Erin Weisel ��������������������������������19 2018 Big Ten Finish � � � � � � � � � � � � 3rd (196�625) � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Champaign, IL 61820 2018 Tuscaloosa Regional� � � � � � � 3rd (196�425) GYMNASTICS FACILITIES Huff Hall ������������������������������������������20 2018 Final Rank� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �19th Kenney Gym����������������������������������������21 Irwin Academic Center ����������������������������22-23 THE RECORD BOOK ATHLETICS COMMUNICATION Big Ten Conference Results | Honors ��������������������24 2019 NCAA Ann Arbor Regional Results . 25 Gymnastics Contact �� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �Diana Ly Individual, Team Records �����������������������������26 E-mail Address� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � dcly@illinois�edu Office Phone �� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 217-300-1569 All-Time Results . .27-29 Cell Phone �� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 517-449-8453 All-Time Team Records �������������������������������30 Sports Information Director �� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Kent Brown All-Americans, Illini Athletics Hall of Fame����������������31 Sports Information Assistant Director �� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Derrick Burson National and Regional Honors �������������������������32 Associate Directors � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Jenny Dewar, Derek Neal Big Ten Honors �������������������������������������33 Assistant Directors �� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Libby Knight, Brett Moore Academic Honors . 34-35 Interns/Graduate Assistants �� � � � � � � Kevin Cole, Michael Girot, Diana Ly Team Honors, Event Title Leaders�����������������������36 Creative Services� � � � � � � � Adam Marantz, Mike Glasgow, Grace Duggan All-Time Letterwinners �������������������������������37 Office Manager �� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �Jen Fisher Media Information�����������������������������������38 Office Phone / Fax � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �217-333-1391 / 217-333-5540 TV Headshot Roster����������������������������������39 Website� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �www�fightingillini�com Twitter/Instagram �� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � @IlliniWGym CREDITS: The 2019 Illinois Women’s Gymnastics record book is a Facebook � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �Fighting Illini Women’s Gymnastics publication of the Athletics Communications Office written to assist Mailing Address �� � � � � � � � � � � � Bielfeldt Athletic Administration Building the media in their coverage of Illinois athletics� The guide was � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 1700 South Fourth St�, Champaign, IL 61820 written and edited by Diana Ly� Photos by Mark Jones, Mark Cowan, Craig Pessman, Cary Frye, Darrell Hoemann and Getty Images� 2018 SEASON REVIEW 2018 SEASON REVIEW ILLINOIS CONCLUDES 2018 SEASON while also earning an individual all-around berth to the NCAA Championships The Fighting Illini women’s gymnastics team concluded the 2018 season after a where she earned second-team All-American on floor exercise� Balthazor also third-place finish at the NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional inside Coleman Coliseum on bested her career-highs on all four-events and in the all-around, while also adding April 7� The Illini continue to make its mark as a national powerhouse in the world three scores in the Illinois record book� Three of Balthazor’s career-highs were of gymnastics, highlighted by third-place finishes at the Big Ten Championships earned at the Big Five meet where she earned a 9�900 on beam, 9�925 on floor, and and NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional� Illinois brought home an individual Big Ten event 39�525 in the all-around� champion and placed three gymnasts on the All-Conference teams� The Orange and • Senior Bridget Hodan earned her first conference individual event title of her Blue improved two spots from last season in the Road to Nationals Final Rankings career after scoring a 9�900 on beam at the Big Ten Championships� This placement finishing at No� 19, while also recording a second-place finish in conference play earned her a spot on the Big Ten All-Championships team� Hodan also recorded a during the regular season� With the departure of graduate student Sarah Lyons and career-highs on vault (9�825), beam (9�950), and floor (9�900) for the 2018 season� seniors Jordyn Givens and Bridget Hodan, the Illini will return 13 members from the Her career-high on beam ties her for first in the record books alongside Illini greats 2018 squad as well as welcome six new members to the Illini family� Sunny Kato, Allison Buckley, and Stacy Redmond� • Freshman Nicole Biondi earned her first individual event and all-around titles of ILLINOIS CLAIMS THIRD PLACE AT NCAA TUSCALOOSA REGIONAL; BALTHAZOR her career against Iowa with a career-high 9�900 on bars and an impressive 39�325 QUALIFIES FOR NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS in the all-around� The freshman also earned her first conference award this season At one of the most competitive regionals of the weekend, the Fighting Illini women’s by being named Big Ten Co-Freshman of the Week for the week of March 4 and was gymnastics team finished third at the 2018 NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional on Saturday, named to the All-Big Ten Second Team at the conclusion of conference play� April 7, earning a 196�425 team total� The Illini earned two top-5 individual finishes • Sophomore Karen Howell earned six event titles for the 2018 season, while also as sophomore Rae Balthazor took fourth in the all-around with a score of 39�250, resetting her career-bests on bars (9�925), beam (9�900), and floor (9�900)� Her while senior Bridget Hodan posted a 9�850 on floor to tie fourth overall� Balthazor’s career-best on bars ties her for 10th in the record books alongside teammate Rae finish in the all-around earned her an individual berth to the NCAA Championships, Balthazor� where she represented the orange and blue� SEC powerhouses, the Alabama • In her first season donning the Orange and Blue this season, freshman Kasey Crimson Tide and the Georgia Bulldogs advanced to the NCAA Championships as Meeks earned four titles on vault including her debut as an Illini at Rutgers� Meeks the Crimson Tide won the meet with a 197�225� became the