A look around the Big 12 gymnastics scene

Posted to Sports Blog by Ben Kupiszewski at 1:42 p.m., Dec. 24, 2009

GymInfo’s pre-season women’s gymnastic poll ranked Missouri No. 16 in all the land, but it also recognized the Tigers’ closest rivals as among the nation’s best.

The remainder of the Big 12 conference (Oklahoma is No. 9, Nebraska No. 15, and Iowa State No. 23), are formidable tests for head coach Rob Drass’ squad this upcoming season.

The reigning Big 12 champion Sooners finished with a 19-12 record last season, clinching their second Big 12 title in as many years. The Sooners finished 10th overall in last year’s NCAA Championships.

For the 2009-10 season, the Sooners return 11 gymnasts, including the Big 12 uneven bars co-champion sophomore Megan Ferguson. The 2008 bars champion also made her debut on floor exercise during Oklahoma’s intrasquad meet after being solely a bars and balance beam specialist.

Missouri will square off against the Sooners on Feb. 19 at the Hearnes Center.

The Cornhuskers ended last season with a 16-7 record and qualified for their 26-straight NCAA postseason berth. Boasting the most accolades in the Big 12 conference (including the 2009 Co-Big 12 Gymnast of the Year senior All-American Kylie Stone, Big 12 Coach of the Year Dan Kendig and last year’s Newcomer of the Year, sophomore Lora Evenstad), the Huskers are a squad not to be taken lightly. They will host the Tigers on Jan. 30.

Lastly, the Cyclones finished ranked No. 19 in the 2008-09 season with a third place performance in the NCAA North Central Regional. Ashley Kent and the previous season’s conference bars co-champion Ceilia Maccani return as fifth-year seniors, making the Cyclones experienced and seasoned. The Cyclones will travel to Columbia to butt heads with Missouri on Jan. 22.