ISU Captures Three Titles at Big 12 Meet

AMES, Iowa?For the second-consecutive year, the Iowa State gymnastics team saved its season-best performance for the Big 12 Championship. Saturday at Hilton Coliseum, Iowa State notched a 195.775 and did not have a fall the entire meet. The Cyclones saw three gymnasts win a share of event titles with Megan Barnes (vault), Ceilia Maccani (bars) and Jasmine Thompson (beam). The rest of the Big 12 overcame the Cyclones' strong showing as no team had to count a fall. Oklahoma (196.125) slipped past Nebraska (196.075), Missouri (195.925) and Iowa State.

For the first time this year the Cyclones started on floor exercise. Iowa State was solid on the event, tallying a 48.900. Thompson led ISU with a 9.875, just 0.025 off her career high. Freshman Michelle Browning also put together a solid performance for the Cyclones, scoring a 9.825. The rest of the Big 12 was also up to the task, as all four teams posted solid scores. After the first rotation, Nebraska led with a 49.025, Oklahoma was second (49.000), ISU stood in third, while Missouri rounded out the standings at 48.800.

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“It was clearly our best performance of the year,” ISU head coach Jay Ronayne said. “(The gymnasts) were out there doing what they needed to be doing, and I feel like we are on the right track.”

Iowa State put together a season-best performance on vault in its second rotation. The Cyclones' tally of 49.025 was led by Barnes' event-winning effort. The Salt Lake City, Utah, native tallied a 9.900 for the second-consecutive year at the Big 12 meet. ISU also got solid efforts from Maccani (9.800) and Browning (9.800), while Thompson chipped in with a 9.775. Iowa State's stellar performance on vault kept the Cyclones in third position. Oklahoma led (98.250), Nebraska stood in second at 98.050, followed by Iowa State (97.925) and Missouri (97.650).

“Megan's vault was one of her best this year,” Ronayne said. “If you couple that with the fact that she is coming back from injury that has prevented her from fully training on vault, it is really satisfying.”

Iowa State was strong again on its third event, notching a 48.925 on bars. Maccani buoyed the Cyclone effort with her title-grabbing 9.850 performance, while Barnes recorded her second solid effort of the afternoon, scoring a 9.800. With one event remaining, Iowa State stood a mere .025 behind Nebraska for second place. Oklahoma (147.350) maintained its lead over Nebraska (146.875), Iowa State (146.850) and Missouri (146.775) in the overall standings.

“I wasn't really surprised with Ceilia's finish on bars because she has been so good this year,” Ronayne said. “It is satisfying to see someone who works so hard be rewarded.”

Iowa State ended the 2009 league championship on beam. With nerves running high, the Cyclones delivered with a 48.925. It was Iowa State's second-highest tally this year on the event, only .075 off the season best. Thompson closed out her meet with an event-winning 9.850 on the apparatus. The Cyclones also saw strong scores from Barnes, Maccani, and Katie Sweetin as the trio all notched 9.775.

“Winning the beam shows Jasmine was really on her game today,” Ronayne said. “She could have let the nerves that come with competing in her last Big 12 meet of her career get to her, but she didn't. To deal with all those emotions and perform that way, I was impressed.”

Missouri's Sarah Shire won the all-around competition with a 39.450. Iowa State's Thompson took fourth with a solid 39.250.

The Cyclones' next meet will be determined Monday when ISU learns what NCAA Regional it will attend.

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Players Mentioned

Megan Barnes

Megan Barnes

Megan Barnes

Michelle Browning

Michelle Browning

Ceilia Maccani

Ceilia Maccani

Ceilia Maccani

Katie Sweetin

Katie Sweetin

Katie Sweetin

Jasmine Thompson

Jasmine Thompson

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