No. 5 Ute Gymnasts Face Tough Road Test at Michigan

Feb. 15, 2010

SALT LAKE CITY--

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THIS WEEK IN UTAH GYMNASTICS

No. 5 Utah (5-1) heads to Ann Arbor, Mich., for a Friday, Feb. 19 clash with No. 16 Michigan (8-1). The meet starts at 7:30 p.m. EST (5:30 p.m. MST) in Crisler Arena. Live video will be available at MgoBlue.com. Live scores and commentary can be found www.utahutes.com.

QUICK STICKS

Utah and Michigan have both beaten Iowa State this season--their only common foe to date ... Utah has won five straight meets since losing at UCLA in the season opener ... Utah is ranked No. 5 after two weeks at No. 4 ... The Utes will see three top-10 teams in the coming weeks: No. 3 Oregon State (Mar. 12 in SLC), No. 4 Florida (Mar. 19 in Gainesville) and No. 10 Nebraska (Mar. 5 in SLC) ... This is the last week teams will be ranked by season average. The rankings will move to Regional Qualifying Score on Feb. 22 ... Gael Mackie will miss her second straight meet with an ankle injury ... Utah has averaged 13,703 fans to its first three home meets, including an NCAA record 15,552 against Georgia on Jan. 22 ... Kyndal Robarts has won the last five vault competitions and is tied for third in the nation on that event ... Annie DiLuzio, currently tied for third in the nation on floor, has won three straight floor competitions and four of the last five ... Cortni Beers won her first career title last week, tying for first on bars (9.90) with Jamie Deetscreek ... After failing to win an event in the season-opener against UCLA, a Ute has won 23 of the 25 event/all-around titles in the last five meets ... Ute winners: Deetscreek (8), Bijak (7), DiLuzio (6). Robarts (5) and Beers (1) ... Four Utes are without a fall: Robarts (22-22), DiLuzio (17-17), Beers (11-11), and Beth Rizzo (7-7).

UTAH AND THE RANKINGS

This week's top 10 includes Alabama, Oklahoma, Oregon State, Florida, Utah, Arkansas, Georgia, Stanford, UCLA and Nebraska. For the complete top 25, please see page 3 ... Two Ute all-arounders are ranked in the top 25 this week: No. 19 Jamie Deetscreek (39.125 average) and No. 22 Kyndal Robarts (39.106) ... Utah's best individual rankings are by Robarts, who is tied for third on vault with a 9.892 average, and Annie DiLuzio, tied for third on floor (9.90). DiLuzio is also 11th on beam (9.838), while Daria Bijak is tied for ninth on floor (9.883) ... Utah's best apparatus ranking is on beam, where the Utes are No. 4 with a 49.000 season average. Utah ranks fifth on floor (49.063), and is tied for ninth on vault (49.058) and bars (48.967).

FREQUENT FLIERS

Utah's meet against Utah State on Feb. 12 is its only home meet in February and breaks up a block of four road meets. Utah has won the first two road competitions of the stretch, beating Washington and Arizona State. After competing at Michigan this Friday, the Utes go to BYU on Feb. 26. Utah will finish regular season play with three home meets and one road meet (Florida), and will also host an NCAA Regional on April 10.

LAST WEEK

Jamie Deetscreek won three titles, Annie DiLuzio was a double winner, and the Utes crushed a shorthanded Utah State team 196.225-178.250 before a Huntsman Center crowd of 12,951. It was the lowest score by a Utah opponent since 1994. Utah won every event, with Deetscreek tying for first on bars and beam, and winning the all-around with a 39.200. DiLuzio (9.825) tied for first on beam with Deetscreek, and on floor with Daria Bijak (9.95). Kyndal Robarts won her fifth-straight vault title with a 9.90 and Cortni Beers (9.90) tied Deetscreek on bars for her first career win.

SERIES SHORTS

Utah leads the series with Michigan 21-10, but is just 2-5 in Ann Arbor. Utah's only wins in Crisler Arena were in 2006 and 2008. Utah has won six straight since losing to UM in Ann Arbor at the 2006 NCAA Regional.

SCOUTING MICHIGAN

Coach: Bev Plocki
Coach's Record/Year at School: 389-103-1 (21st year)
Coach's Career Record/Year: same
2010 Record: 8-1
2009 NCAA Finish: DNQ
National Rank: No. 16
Team Notes: Loss was to (No. 9) Nebraska on Jan. 24 ... top all-arounders are Kylee Botterman (39.550) and Sarah Curtis (39.275) ... Botterman has won four all-around titles.

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