Gymnastics Hosts Big Five Meet at RAC

Saturday, March 17

Piscataway, N.J.

5:30 PM

Rutgers University

Iowa/Michigan/Minnesota/Penn State

Buy Tickets

Photo by: Mel Evans

Mar 14 | Women's Gymnastics

Big Five Tickets Meet Notes Live Results BTN2GO

Competition to air on Big Ten Network

MEET 10 • RUTGERS VS. IOWA, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, PENN STATE
March 17, 2018 • 5:34 p.m.
Rutgers Athletic Center • Piscataway, N.J.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – After hosting the Big Ten Championships last season, Rutgers gymnastics will welcome Iowa, No. 7 Michigan, No. 22 Minnesota and No. 25 Penn State to the Rutgers Athletic Center for a highly-competitive Big Five meet on Saturday at 5:34 p.m. The final results will determine positioning for the 2018 Big Ten Championships next weekend at Illinois, with the top three marks placing in the night session and the lower two taking part in the earlier portion. The other Big Five meet will happen at Michigan State.

"There is always a lot of energy competing at the RAC," head coach Louis Levine said. "We are expecting a pretty good crowd and it is always a great thing to get top-tiered teams into our facility. Everyone has been working hard to prepare for this meet, this team has fought all season. We look forward to Saturday."

It will be Alumni Night and the first 1,000 fans will receive a scrunchie. And after the meet, the Scarlet Knights will sign autographs on the concourse. Doors are set to open at 4:30 p.m. Tickets will be available at the RAC, but can also be purchased in advance online by clicking here.

Saturday's meet will broadcast live on Big Ten Network with Bernie Guenther and Lindsay Mable on the call. Viewers can also tune via BTN2Go.

RUTGERS MEET PREVIEW
The Scarlet Knights are ranked highest on balance beam at No. 38 with a 48.795 Regional Qualifying Score (RQS). That includes a mark of at least 48.700 in six of the last seven meets. Senior Makenzey Shank, who tied the school record of 9.925 on Feb. 24, owns the best individual RQS at 9.855 and freshman Belle Huang is next at 9.805.

Floor exercise has produced the top two event scores this season, bringing in a 49.150 Jan. 27 at Michigan State and a 49.125 at Towson. Junior Jenna Rizkalla has earned a 9.725 or better each time out in 2018, holding a high of 9.900. The team currently owns a 48.810 RQS.

On vault, freshman Toni Williams has worked to a 9.770 RQS to pace the team to 48.685. Shank also leads on uneven bars at 9.770, while sophomore Shannon Farrell has swing to a 9.725 or better each routine this season. And in the all-around competition, Huang picked up her best yet of 39.050 last week at Temple. Senior Libby Groden, who was named a semifinalist for the AAI Award, leads the team with 45 meets of experience.

Rutgers has scored 194.800 for its season-high mark twice. That happened in the past two home meets. Most recently, the team totaled a 184.500 last Sunday at Temple due to being forced to compete four on uneven bars due to injury.

The Scarlet Knights will open Saturday with a bye before taking to floor exercise to start. Vault, uneven bars and balance beam will follow.

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).