Missouri gymnastics to test their luck in Las Vegas
Sophomore Mary Burke earned Big 12 Gymnast of the Week honors for the first time after her strong performance in the Tigers’ 194.725-190.650 victory over Ohio State. She captured the uneven bars and floor exercise titles as teammate senior Sarah Shire won vault and balance beam. Burke is currently tied for ninth in the all-around in the nation.
Missouri’s win over Ohio State on Jan. 8 earned the Tigers a No. 15 ranking, moving them one spot up from last week.
Up ahead for the Tigers is Friday’s Lady Luck Invitational in Las Vegas. Waiting for coach Rob Drass’ team are Arizona State, No. 14 Kentucky, and No. 16 LSU.
Coach John Spini begins his 30th year of coaching gymnastics for Arizona State. During his tenure, he has guided nine different teams to top five finishes in the NCAA, four of which were national runners-up.
With the loss of the Sun Devils’ top all-arounder senior Beaté Jones to a preseason injury, junior Mary Atkinson inherits the brunt of the responsibility of carrying the team to success. Atkinson boasts career highs in floor (9.875) and bars (9.825).
Kentucky jumped all the way to No. 14 from being just outside of the Top 25 after its 194.850-187.250 thumping of Texas Woman’s University.
Individual highlights come from senior Hillary Ferguson and sophomore Whitney Rose as each took a 9.850 on vault, and from senior Emily Green and sophomore Storey Morris, both with an 9.825 on beam.
Junior Andrea Mitchell was the Wildcats’ lone all-arounder. She outscored two TWU gymnasts, posting a 38.800 score.
LSU had a preseason ranking of No. 6, but fell 12 spots to No. 16 despite beating Maryland in its home opener 194.375-190.625.
Notable performances came from senior Kayla Rogers who scored at least 9.800 on three different events, vault (9.875), bars (9.800), and floor (9.825). Teammate senior Susan Jackson won her sixth all-around title with a 39.275 in the all-around.