Gymnastics Hosts Quad Meet to Open Season

Saturday, January 13

Piscataway, N.J.

1 PM

Rutgers University

Illinois/Yale/Southern Connecticut State

Jan 11 | Women's Gymnastics

Tickets Live Results Fact Book Vault Preview Uneven Bars Preview Balance Beam Preview Floor Exercise Preview

Scarlet Knights to welcome Illinois, Yale and Southern Connecticut to Livingston Gym

MEET ONE • RUTGERS vs. ILLINOIS/YALE/SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT
January 13, 2018 • 1 p.m.
Livingston Gym • Piscataway, N.J.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Starting its 44^th season of competition, Rutgers gymnastics opens 2018 by hosting a Saturday quad meet at the Livingston Gym against Illinois, Yale and Southern Connecticut. Action is set to begin at 1 p.m., with the facility opening at noon. The first 500 fans will receive a season t-shirt.

Season tickets are still on sale for $25, as a limited amount of tickets are remaining for this weekend. Fans can purchase by calling 1-866-445-GORU (4678) or by buying online.

PROMOTIONS

Red Out
Season t-shirt (500)
Poster giveaway
Post meet autographs

RUTGERS MEET PREVIEW
A winter storm prevented travel to Arizona last week, meaning the Scarlet Knights will have the opportunity to start the season at home for the second-straight year. The highest mark for RU in a season opener happened in 2014 when the program posted a 195.075 on the way to qualifying to NCAA Regionals later that campaign.

Rutgers returns 11 letterwinners from last season to its 2018 roster, while welcoming seven newcomers. The rookies include five freshmen and two transfers.

The team is led by seniors Libby Groden and Makenzey Shank, who have a combined 66 meets of experience and were selected as Big Ten Gymnasts to Watch. A three-time NCAA Regional qualifier, Groden earned All-Big Ten recognition last season with a Second Team appearance. The all-arounder notched a 38.940 all-around Regional Qualifying Score (RQS) with four outings totaling at least 39.000, picking up at least a 9.700 in 41-of-52 routines during the season. Shank led the Scarlet Knights with an RQS of 9.840 on balance beam and 9.780 on uneven bars. Her consistent performance on balance beam netted a 9.800 or higher eight times, including a 9.850 at the Big Ten Championships to tie for first in the session to earn a spot on the All-Championships Team, with a season-high of 9.900.

On vault, junior Michelle Amoresano and sophomore Erin McLachlan return with the leading RQS from last season with a 9.765. Junior Jenna Rizkalla paced the lineup with a 9.825 on floor exercise in 2017.

RU will start the day on vault, with Illinois on uneven bars, Yale on balance beam and Southern Connecticut on floor exercise.

COACH LEVINE Q&A
On competing at home: "It is always exciting to compete at home. We were sitting today as a team talking about how much fun home meets are. The crowd is behind you and there is energy in the building. It is an overall great experience for the fans and for the team. We feed off of that."

On not competing last week: "It gave us one more week to get reps under our belt and get more consistent. I am disappointed we didn't go to Arizona, but at the same time, it gave us another week to get prepared."

On setting lineups: "There is still a lot of competition. We had eight girls get up and do bar routines at practice today. We will set lineups later this week. It is early and we will continue to push. There will be battles for spots, and let the best one win. That's how we will be at our best, when everyone is pushing each other every day in the gym."

TICKETS ON SALE FOR BIG FIVE MEET
After staging the Big Ten Championships last season, Rutgers is scheduled to host a Big Five meet at the RAC on March 17. The competitive meet will also involve Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota and Penn State to determine positioning for the Big Ten Championships, which will be held at Illinois. Click here to purchase tickets.

Follow Rutgers Athletics on Facebook and Twitter (@RUAthletics) for all of the latest news and updates. For specific updates regarding women's gymnastics, follow the program on Twitter (@RUGymnastics), Facebook (/RUGymnastics), Instagram (@rutgersgymnastics) and Snapchat (rutgersgym).