Completed Event: Gymnastics at #7 Missouri on January 4, 2026 , Loss , 191.325, to, 196.850
Final
Gymnastics
191.325
#7 Missouri
196.850
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Iowa State University Athletics
Saturday, January 10
Iowa City, Iowa
4 p.m.
Iowa State
at
Iowa
Photo by: Iowa State Athletics
PRIMER: Iowa State at Border Battle
01.09.2026 | Gymnastics
Who: Iowa State (0-1, 0-0 Big 12) at Iowa (0-2, 0-0 B1G) vs. Illinois (0-0, 0-0 B1G) vs. Illinois State (0-0, 0-0 MIC)
Where: Carver-Hawkeye Arena (14,998) – Iowa City, Iowa
When: Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026 – 4 p.m.
Leading Off: After opening the 2026 campaign last Sunday at No. 7 Missouri, Iowa State will be back on the road this weekend as it heads east to compete in its first multi-team meet of the season.
Iowa State struggled in the opening meet, scoring just a 191.325 against the Tigers. Five gymnasts made their ISU debut, and seven routines were event debuts. Haylee Hardin recorded her fifth career score of at least 9.9 on floor to lead all Cyclones.
Iowa joined the Cyclones in opening its 2026 season last weekend as it competed in Salt Lake City against both Utah and Minnesota. The Hawkeyes finished third in the meet, scoring a 194.825. Both Illinois and Illinois State will be making their season debuts this weekend.
Storylines:
- After completing the school's largest single-season turnaround in her first season (finishing 15 places higher in the RTN standings from 2023-24), ISU missed the postseason as a team in 2025 and will look to make it back in 2026.
- With the graduation of program staples, ISU's rotations have looked markedly different in 2026. To account for lost production, ISU brought in nine newcomers – two transfers and seven freshmen.
- Of ISU's returners, three individually qualified for the SLC Regional in 2025. Haylee Hardin (7), Noelle Adams (3) and Frederique Sgarbossa (3) combine to account for all 13 returning individual event wins.
- Also new in 2026 is much of ISU's staff. Coach Miles Greig brought in UNH assistant coach Jazmyn Estrella, former OU All-American Ragan Smith and Mary Wise to round out her coaching staff.
- Iowa State is one of just two Big 12 programs (Utah) to compete on multiple linear broadcasts this season.
- ISU will host its first-ever televised meet on Jan. 25 against Utah.
From the Notes:
- Gaby and Ale Alvarez are the first set of twins to ever compete for Iowa State joining ISU has also had a set of triplets (Katie, Kim and Karen Mazza from 1994-97) compete for the team.
- This marks the second-straight season that Iowa State will host five home meets. Prior to last year, the Cyclones hadn't hosted five times in a season since 2019.
- Three Cyclones were named to the Preseason Gymnastics Team.
- Noelle Adams (FX)
- Haylee Hardin (FX)
- Frederique Sgarbossa (UB)
Switching Sides to Iowa:
- Iowa opened the season ranked No. 22 in the WCGA Preseason Poll, joining 11 Big Ten teams in the rankings.
- Among the teams that competed on opening weekend, the Hawkeyes are ranked tenth in the RTN ranks.
- Both JerQuavia Henderson and Sydney Turner were listed as Big Ten Gymnasts to Watch prior to the season.
Switching Sides to Illinois:
- Head Coach Josh Nilson is in his first season as head coach, after serving as the associate head coach with the Fighting Illini the past two seasons.
- Nilson coached ISU assistant coach Jazmyn Estrella at Temple.
- Illinois has finished sixth at the Big Ten Championships in each of the last two seasons.
- Chloe Cho was awarded Big Ten Freshman of the Year last season.
Switching Sides to Illinois State:
- Like Illinois, Illinois State also has a new coach as Cassandra Ringer will be in her first season after taking over for the retired Bob Conkling.
- The Redbirds won the MIC Conference Championship last year with a 196.025.
Players Mentioned
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/ GymnasticsGymnastics Post vs. Missouri
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