The Hawkeye women’s gymnastics team finished the Big Ten Championships on March 21 with its highest team score of the year, 196.5. 

Iowa finished in the middle of the pack, placing fifth  and falling behind Penn State by .225 of a point. Michigan won the Big Ten title scoring 197.825.

“I am absolutely ecstatic, over the moon. It was a great day,” head coach Larissa Libby said in a release. “I honestly think we are just on the edge of our full potential. I think they have found a groove right now that they are comfortable in. They are very comfortable around each other and secure in the gymnastics that they are doing. So I think that helps them.”

Allie Glover led the way in vault, tying for third with a score of 9.925. Sydney Hoerr and Johanny Sotillo then both tied for 12th in the uneven parallel bars both scoring 9.875. On the balance beam, Molly Drenth tied for second scoring a 9.900, and in the floor, Glover and Angel Metcalf both tied for fourth, scoring 9.900 to wrap up the final event.  

Drenth, Glover, Hoerr, and Metcalf were awarded All-Championship Awards.  Historically, only one All-Championship award was given to an Iowan gymnast, with Emma Stevenson receiving the award in 2012.

Although the team didn’t place higher overall, Libby believes that the team showed that they are a contender in the Big Ten. 

“In the end, we are just really proud of the job the team did today and that’s all we ask from them. They got their job done and the rest is out of our control,” Libby said in a release. “We did what we came here to do. Our goal was for at the end of the meet, whatever happens, win or lose, we make sure that people recognize who we are when we come out of this competition. I think they did just that.”