Despite its shocking and disappointing loss at the Big Ten Championships several weeks ago, the Michigan women's gymnastics team will try to redeem itself at the NCAA Central Regional Championship Saturday in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
The second-ranked Wolverines will enter the competition as the No. 1 seed, defending their regional championship title from last year. Also competing in the meet are six other top-25 teams - No. 3 Alabama - the host school, No. 8 Louisiana State, No. 13 Iowa State, No. 9 Michigan State, No. 17 Minnesota and No. 19 Illinois.
"I love competing in the Central Regional because it is the strongest region in the country," Michigan coach Bev Plocki said. "Competing amongst the best makes us better, and it will help in NCAAs."
The most difficult competition for Michigan arguably will be Minnesota and Alabama. The Wolverines fell second to the Golden Gophers in both meets this season, one of which was at the Big Ten Championship on March 21.
"Both times against Minnesota have been poor because we did not hit our routines," Plocki said. "But, this does not mean that they are a better team, only that we did not perform the way we should have."
Michigan has not competed against the Crimson Tide in the regular season since 1993, but has faced them in the regionals and NCAA Championships for the past 11 years. Alabama holds an 8-2-1 edge in the postseason.
Plocki said the goal for the Wolverines entering this competition is to keep falls to a minimum. Two breaks in this year's Big Tens was all it took to keep Michigan from the title, losing by only five-tenths of a point. Had this not happened, Michigan would have been conference champions for the seventh time in as many years.
"We need to go into this competition prepared to perform gymnastics the way we do in the gym," Plocki said. "We have to go in and hit our routines in order to win, and we've already put Big Tens behind us."
Last year, Michigan hosted the regionals. During the competition, they broke the previous school record, posting an impressive score of 197.7.
Plocki said that Michigan is not specifically looking to break records, because judging is very different at each competition.
At Saturday's regionals, it may be more strict.
"I am just hoping that the athletes will go in and perform with consistency," Plocki said.
"At this point, it does us no good to stress out over breaking records - the key is just to go in, be relaxed and have fun."
If Michigan claims the regional title, the Wolverines are guaranteed a spot in the NCAA Championships.
If the Wolverines do not win, they will have to wait to see if they are among the top seven scoring teams - besides the regional winners - to receive an invitation.
"It is a great benefit to us that we are a part of such a strong region because we have more of a chance if we do not win the Regional," Plocki said.
04-02-98
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