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Women tumblers gear for Big Tens

Professional baseball players won't be the only athletes participating in spring training in the month of March.

While major leaguers polish their skills for the regular season, the women's gymnastics team will be doing some spring training for its postseason. The Wolverines hope to be in peak condition by the time Big Tens come around at the end of next month.

Michigan's preparations seem to be going smoothly.

"We are on the right path to recovery," Michigan coach Bev Plocki said.

The Wolverines will be competing against some major league competition as they begin their March schedule. Michigan won't be heading south for spring training, though, but out west to Corvallis, Ore. for the Shanico Invitational. Beginning with this weekend's meet, Michigan will spend three weeks competing against four teams who participated in the 1995 NCAA Championships.

The first of these teams is the host of the invitational -- No. 5 Oregon State. The Beavers, who took sixth at the 1995 NCAA Championships, will be the only ranked team to compete against No. 6 Michigan.

Minnesota will be the only team at the invitational who has defeated Michigan this season.

The Golden Gophers aren't the only Big Ten team in this weekend's field of competitors, though, as Penn State and Ohio State will be in attendance as well.

Even though Michigan will be competing against numerous conference foes, the invitational will have no impact on the final conference standings.

"The win-loss record is not important. It has no bearing on the championship except that you never want to give your opponent an advantage," Plocki said.

Having already beaten Michigan once, Minnesota may have more confidence than some of the other Big Ten teams who will face the Wolverines.

Plocki said that Michigan won't be looking to avenge its loss to the Gophers but will instead try to use this meet to its psychological advantage.

"I think it is a mental edge for our kids," Plocki said.

With the Wolverines' training becoming intense, they will be looking to call up some of their freshmen who are currently in the individual events, to compete in the all-around.

The most recent rookie to get the call to compete in the all-around was Kathy Burke in last weekend's meet in Nebraska. Burke turned in career performances on the uneven bars and balance beam en route to a fourth place tie with fellow freshman Beth Amelkovich.

Burke's performance looks to be the first step on Michigan's road to a full recovery later in the season, while the Wolverines will depend on the freshman to add the much needed strength and depth that has been running low.

Plocki looks to deepen the depth chart even further in about two weeks, as another freshman, Lisa Simes, is on her way back from a stress fracture in her shin. With Simes entering the all-around lineup, this trio of freshmen will prove to be vital to the team.

"Simes, Burke, and Amelkovich's performances have been key to our team," Plocki said.

Looking to join her fellow gymnasts is freshman Nikki Peters whose muscle tear injury is the biggest question mark due to the little amount of documentation on the injury.

Peters has been competing on the uneven bars but has been unable to do her double-layout dismount. Peters will be working hard in the coming month to make up the ground that she has lost due to the injury.

"I have been out for a while -- I am working on my endurance," Peters said.