The 23rd-ranked Iowa women’s gymnastics team will host its season opener on Friday against No. 21 Washington. The meet will start at 6:30 p.m. at Xtream Arena and be streamed on Big Ten Plus.
This is the fourth all-time meeting between the two programs. The Huskies and Hawkeyes will likely have more matchups to come, though, as Washington will join the Big Ten on Aug. 2.
Washington earned a 195.000 in its season-opener at the Mean Girls Super 16 Gymnastics Championships in Las Vegas last weekend.
The Hawkeyes, who were picked to finish fourth in the Big Ten Preseason Poll, return many key pieces this season that guided them to success in 2023.
Under the watch of head coach Larissa Libby, the GymHawks finished last season third in the Big Ten and 26th nationally, despite needing a lot of young talent to fill in key roles.
Of Iowa’s 12 athletes competing in the 2023 Norman Regional, nine were underclassmen.
Iowa won four of its seven dual meets, including wins over No. 10 Michigan State, No. 23 Nebraska, and No. 44 Iowa State.
Despite a disappointing eighth-place finish in the Big Ten Championships, the GymHawks qualified for a 23rd straight NCAA Regional (either as a team or individually). They competed in the Norman Regional and placed third behind No. 8 Alabama and No. 9 Kentucky.
Highlighting the returning athletes is fourth-year Adeline Kenlin. Hailing from Iowa City, Kenlin is a two-time All-American and is one of four multi-time All-Americans in program history.
In 2023, Kenlin helped guide the Hawkeyes throughout the season, earning second-team All-Big Ten honors and a spot on the Big Ten All-Championship team.
Another GymHawk returnee is second-year Karina Munoz. As a freshman, Munoz competed in all 12 GymHawk meets, where she captured seven event titles and 13 top-three finishes.
Out of East Brunswick, New Jersey, Munoz tied for 21st on vault and 23rd on bars in the final Big Ten rankings.
Both Kenlin and Munoz were named Big Ten Gymnasts to Watch in December.
Fifth-year JerQuavia Henderson was poised to add to her already decorated GymHawk resume. The three-time All-American and All-Big Ten selection announced in April 2023 that she was planning on using her final year of eligibility.
On Wednesday, Henderson released a statement informing Hawkeye fans she would be stepping away from the sport to focus on her mental health.
“As training resumed for this season, my body wasn’t responding the way it normally did, and trying to work through it, along with a rigorous class schedule, was more than I could handle,” Henderson said in a statement. “With the support of my coaching staff, the university, and my team, I have made the difficult decision to step away from gymnastics and school to take care of myself.”
In 2023, Henderson earned first-team All-Big Ten and Big Ten All-Championship honors. She competed in all 12 GymHawk meets last season, competing all-around in four of those.
