Iowa women’s gymnastics falls to Minnesota, wraps up Big Ten regular season competition

The Golden Gophers defeated the Hawkeyes for the second time in the 2022 season at the Maturi Pavilion in Minneapolis on Friday.

Larry Phan

Iowa’s Bridget Killian dismounts the beam during the Women’s Gymnastics Cancer Awareness Meet between Iowa and Penn State at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Friday, Feb. 4, 2022. Killian earned 9.800 points for the beam. The Hawkeyes defeated the Nittany Lions 196.125 – 195.325.

Grant Hall, Sports Reporter


The Iowa women’s gymnastics team lost to Minnesota, 198.025-196.375, at the Maturi Pavilion in Minneapolis on Friday night.

The Golden Gophers’ 198.025 was a new program-record score.

The Hawkeyes have now lost to the Golden Gophers twice this season. Iowa came in second to Minnesota in a triangular meet in Minneapolis on Jan. 17.

Iowa started the night on bars, finishing with a total of 48.800. Junior Allyson Steffensmeier led the Hawkeyes, notching a 9.850 score.

After two events, the Hawkeyes had 98.000 team points. The Gophers led with 98.875.

Iowa scored 49.200 team points on vault. Senior Bridget Killian and junior JerQuavia Henderson recorded a pair of 9.900 scores to lead the Hawkeyes, with senior Lauren Guerin close behind scoring 9.850.

The GymHawk floor team earned a 49.275 team total, led by Guerin’s 9.925. Henderson earned a 9.900 score.

Big Picture

Iowa wrapped up regular season Big Ten play against Minnesota on Friday. The No. 13 GymHawks dropped to 5-4 in the conference after their loss to the No. 8 Golden Gophers.

Iowa will have two nonconference meets against in-state rival Iowa State and California before heading to the Big Ten Championships on March 19.

Kenlin  not fully back

After nearly a month away from the mat, sophomore Adeline Kenlin returned to the lineup on Feb. 18 at the Big Five Meet, competing only on bars.

Kenlin, who competed in all-around as a freshman in 2021, competed only on bars again against Minnesota on Friday, recording a 9.750 score

Despite being listed in the beam rotation lineup on the Iowa Gymnastics Twitter account, the reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Year did not participate in the event.

Up Next

Iowa will travel to Ames next Friday, March 4, for the annual Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk series. The Cyclones sit at No. 21 in this week’s Road to Nationals poll.

The meet will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will stream on ESPN+.