ISU to Host Brown and Iowa in Tri-Meet

Who: No. 27 Iowa State (0-1) vs. Brown (0-0) & Iowa (0-0)

Where: Hilton Coliseum (14,267) – Ames, Iowa

When: Friday, Jan. 10, 2025 – 6:30 p.m.

Leading Off: After opening the 2025 campaign last Friday in Baton Rouge against the defending national champion LSU Tigers, Iowa State is set for its home opener where it'll host both Iowa and Brown as part of a tri-meet.

The Cyclones will look to bounce back from last Friday's result at LSU, while both Brown and Iowa will be opening their seasons with this meet. The Cyclones fell to Iowa last year as part of the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series and have never faced off against Brown before. Please Note: This Friday's meet is NOT part of the Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series, as that meet is set to take place in Iowa City on March 7.

Iowa comes to Hilton Coliseum with a new head coach for the first time in 20 seasons. The Hawkeyes were 29^th in the WCGA Preseason Poll and return six gymnasts who accounted for 26 event titles in 2024. Brown is led by third-year head coach Brittany Harris and was picked to finish fourth in the GEC Preseason Poll.

Fans attending Friday's meet are encouraged to wear CARDINAL as part of the meet's theme: Color it Cardinal.

Storylines:

In her first time competing on three events in a meet, Rachel Wilke had a great showing last time out. The senior recorded a 9.875 on floor – the highest score by any Cyclone that evening.
Four Cyclones made their ISU debut last week. Frederique Sgarbossa (bars), Kaia Bochow (bars), Haylee Hardin (vault) and Aubree Guinee (floor).
For the first time in her four-year career, Josie Bergstrom-Te Slaa competed all-around for ISU at LSU – a testament to her work and development over the years.
A short-handed Iowa State recorded its lowest score of the Ashley Miles Greig tenure in the season-opener at LSU.

From the Notes:

Iowa State returns 10 gymnasts from last year's squad that made the largest improvement in the country.
- ISU will add in four freshmen and one transfer for a team of 15.
The Cyclones return 10 gymnasts from last year's roster, including standouts Noelle Adams and Josie Bergstrom-Te Slaa. Both Adams and Bergstrom-Te Slaa were named to the Big 12 Preseason Gymnastics team.
This marks the third-straight year that the Cyclones will face off with the defending national champions on the road. ISU competed against OU in Norman in each of the last two seasons.
Iowa State's 10 victories this season are tied for the most since it won 20 in 2018.
Sophomore Noelle Adams claimed 14 event titles last year in her freshman campaign. Those 14 titles were the third-most in program history by a first-year gymnast.
As a team, ISU claimed 17 event titles last season.
2025 will mark the first year that Iowa State competes in a conference schedule, as the additions of Arizona, Arizona State and Utah put the conference at seven teams.

Switching Sides to Iowa:

Iowa's Jen Llewelyn was named the program's fifth gymnastics coach on June 6, 2024.
- She spent the previous three years as the head coach of Washington.
- With the Huskies, Llewelyn helped the team to a Sweet 16 in 2023.
  - Overall, Llewelyn has 13 years of head coaching experience.
All-Americans JerQuavia Henderson and Adeline Kenlin both are back for their fifth seasons at Iowa.

Switching Sides to Brown:

Brown has scored its highest season-opening score in each of the last two season openers.
Brown gymnast Julia Bedell was the only Ivy League gymnasts to compete at NCAA Regionals in 2024.
- She competed on floor in Gainesville – the same regional ISU was at.
Last season, Brown had six gymnasts combine to earn 10 All-American accolades.
- Four of those six (Bedell, Maya Davis, Sophia Dewar and Liza Marcus) return.
Brown won the GEC championship last season.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Noelle Adams

Josie Bergstrom-Te Slaa

Kaia Bochow

Aubree Guinee

Haylee Hardin

Frederique Sgarbossa

Rachel Wilke

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Iowa State University Athletics