Women's Gymnastics | March 14
DeKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University gymnastics team is off to Minneapolis, Minn. for its regular season finale, competing against Illinois, No. 20 Iowa and No. 13 Minnesota. The quad meet is scheduled for 2 p.m. and will be broadcasted on B1G+.
Last weekend, the Huskies competed in the Iowa Quad Meet against Central Michigan, Iowa and Southeast Missouri State. NIU set a new team high score on bars with a 48.400 and produced its third-highest team score on the season with a 193.300.
Junior
Mikayla Brown (Suwanee, Ga. / Peachtree Ridge) turned in a solid performance for the Huskies, placing tied for third on beam – her fourth top-three finish on beam this season – while also scoring a 9.775 on floor and 9.725 on vault. Freshman
Makenna Brooks (Kokomo, Ind. / Eastern) recorded her second meet in a row with a 9.800 on floor, scoring a 9.825.
Senior
Samantha Nickle (Yorktown, Va. / York) reached a career-best on vault with a 9.750. Sophomore
Audrey Brenner (Fond du Lac, Wis. / Fond du Lac) and junior
Dawsyn Sallee (Versailles, Ky. / Woodford County High) continued to be consistent on vault with Brenner posting a 9.725 and Sallee sticking a 9.825.
The Huskies finished with a 48.825 on vault, the team's second highest showing on the season. Freshman
Avery Riiff (Frankfort, Ill. / Lincoln Way East) led NIU on bars for the fourth time this season.
The Opponents
No. 13 Minnesota has a NQS of 196.834, the highest by an NIU opponent this season, and the Gophers have cleared 197.000 five times this season. Arianna Ostrum ranks in the top 40 among all-arounders according to Road to Nationals. Minnesota ranks sixth on beam with two gymnasts ranking in the top 30.
Illinois is led by Chloe Cho, who ranks No. 3 on beam and No. 6 in the all-around with a NQS of 39.520. The Illini have a team NQS of 195.203 with a team-high score of 196.175. Illinois gymnasts have recorded an individual of 9.900 or higher eight times this season.
No. 20 Iowa finished first in the quad meet with Central Michigan, SEMO and NIU. The Hawkeyes have a NQS of 196.444 and have score 196.000 or better in nine of their 10 meets this season. Last week, Sydney Turner turned in a 9.900 on two routines, scoring a 9.950 on vault and a 9.925 on beam.
