NU Set to Take on Iowa on Senior Night

Nebraska Cornhuskers (1-11, 1-8 Big Ten) vs. No. 19 Iowa (9-1, 8-0 Big Ten)

Sunday, March 14, 4:00 p.m. CT — Lincoln, Neb. (Bob Devaney Sports Center)

Live Scores: Huskers.com

Stream: BTN+ (Paid Subscription)

Lincoln, Neb. — The Nebraska women’s gymnastics team returns to the Bob Devaney Sports Center for a non conference duel against the No. 19 Iowa Hawkeyes. The Huskers celebrate Senior Night and look to build momentum heading into the Big Ten Championships next week. 

NU last took the floor on March 5 against the Minnesota Gophers. The Huskers posted their best team score of the season, 196.150, and senior Anika Dujakovich took home the vault event title with a score of 9.90. Kaitlyn Higgins recorded a 9.90 on floor, a career-high for the junior, while Kynsee Roby posted scores of 9.925 on balance beam and 9.90 on uneven bars. 

Iowa comes to Nebraska riding a 9-meet win streak. The Hawkeyes have not dropped a meet since week one of the season, and picked up their first Big Ten Regular Season Championship in program history. Iowa also picked up a win against Nebraska earlier in the season on Feb. 20 in Lincoln.

Nebraska has seen significant improvement throughout the 2021 season, which is reflected in the program’s team scores. The Huskers have not dropped below a 195 team score since Feb. 7, and recorded their highest score of the season last week. NU looks to ride that momentum into this weekend’s matchup with Iowa.

The Huskers honor Anika Dujakovich this Sunday on Senior Night for her contributions to the program over the last four seasons. Dujakovich leaves a stunning legacy both on and off the floor, as she was named a 2020 WCGA Academic All-American and is a two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree.

NU looks to build momentum heading into the Big Ten Championships next week. Nebraska also looks to improve their national ranking, as they sit as the No. 35 team in the country as of March 8.

Nebraska takes on No. 19 Iowa on Senior Night at the Bob Devaney Sports Center on Sunday, March 14 at 4 p.m. CT. The meet will be streamed on BTN+.

Following Sunday’s meet, the Huskers head to Minneapolis, Minn for the Big Ten Championships on Saturday, March 20. 

Fans can follow the Huskers on Twitter at @HuskersWGym, Instagram at @HuskersWGymnastics and Facebook at facebook.com/NebraskaWGym.

Notes:

SCOUTING IOWA

Iowa enters Sunday’s meet as the No. 19 ranked program in the country. The Hawkeyes come off a victory over the Illinois Fighting Illini last week and will look to extend their winning streak to 10 meets. Iowa recently won its first Big Ten regular season championship after finishing its conference schedule with a record of 8-0.

NEBRASKA ENTERS WEEK EIGHT RANKED NO. 35

The Huskers enter Friday’s meet as the No. 35 team in the country, as ranked by the Road to Nationals poll. NU ranks No. 29 on vault, No. 31 on bars, No. 33 on beam and No. 38 on floor. Nebraska looks to climb the rankings with a strong performance against the Hawkeyes. 

NU TO HONOR DUJAKOVICH ON SENIOR NIGHT

Nebraska will honor Anika Dujakovich this Sunday on Senior Night. Dujakovich is nearing the end of a stellar four-year career. She is a two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, a 2020 WCGA Academic All-American and has recorded strong scores in the gym. 

ROBY RANKED NO. 29 ON BALANCE BEAM

Senior Kynsee Roby, who has served as NU’s cornerstone on balance beam, ranks No. 27 in the country on the apparatus. Roby won at least a share of the event title in three of Nebraska’s first six meets, which included a score of 9.95 against Rutgers. She has won five total event titles throughout the 2021 season.

YOUTH SHINES FOR NU THROUGHOUT SEASON

Nebraska’s freshmen have provided crucial depth for the program throughout the 2021 season. All five first-year athletes have seen action this year, after Joanne De Jesus-Cortes and Martina Comin making their debuts on Feb. 15 against Michigan. Kinsey Davis picked up her first career event title against Rutgers on Feb. 7, while Chloe Lorange has served as NU’s lone all-around competitor numerous times this season. Danielle Press set a season-high on Feb. 15 on vault, with a score of 9.875 and a season-high on floor of 9.875 on March 5.

The most impressive freshman performance for NU came on Feb. 26 at the Big Five meet. Davis picked up a score of 9.95 on uneven bars at the event, becoming the first Husker gymnast to record a score of 9.95 or higher on the event since Sienna Crouse on March 16, 2019. For her efforts, Davis was named the Big Ten Conference’s Co-Freshman of the Week on March 1.

DAVIS EARNS BIG TEN CO-FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK HONORS (March 1)

The Big Ten Conference announced on Monday, March 1 that freshman Kinsey Davis was named Co-Big Ten Freshman of the Week. Davis earns the honor following a stellar performance on uneven bars at the Big Five meet on Feb. 26.

Davis set a career-high on uneven bars at the Big Five meet on Feb. 26 with an impressive score of 9.95. This score is NU’s highest on uneven bars this season, and is tied for the program’s highest score on any event in 2021. Davis’ score is also tied for the sixth-highest in the nation this season.

UP NEXT

Following Sunday’s meet, the Huskers head to Minneapolis, Minn for the Big Ten Championships on Saturday, March 20.

NU RANKED THIRD IN BIG TEN PRESEASON POLL

The Huskers enter the 2021 season as the No. 3 ranked team in the Big Ten Preseason Coaches’ Poll. Michigan and Minnesota claimed the top two spots in the poll, while Iowa and Illinois round out the top five. 

BIG TEN SCHEDULE IN 2021

The Big Ten Conference announced that its members will participate in a conference-only regular season. Week one of the season for Nebraska will serve as a non-conference meet against Big Ten foe Illinois. Weeks 2-7 will serve as the Big Ten regular season, with the Big Ten regular season champion being crowned at the Big Five meet. Weeks eight and nine include non-conference meets against Big Ten opponents. 

ROBY, DAVIS NAMED GYMNASTS TO WATCH

The conference announced that senior Kynsee Roby and freshman Kinsey Davis were selected as Nebraska’s Big Ten Women’s Gymnasts to Watch for the 2021 season. 

ROSTER OUTLOOK

The Huskers welcome back three seniors for the 2021 season. Makayla Curtis, Anika Dujakovich and Kynsee Roby will serve as veteran leaders for the program. The lone junior on the Huskers’ squad is newcomer Kaitlyn Higgins, who started her career at Minnesota and will add depth for NU on beam and floor.

Nebraska’s sophomore class consists of Clara Colombo, Kathryn Thaler and Kylie Piringer. Piringer looks to build upon the strong foundation she set during her freshman campaign after being named a second team All-Big Ten selection following the 2020 season. Head coach Heather Brink also welcomes six freshmen, Martina Comin, Kinsey Davis, Joanne De Jesus-Cortes, Chloé Lorange, Danielle Press and Caroline Williams.

HUSKERS INTRODUCE FIVE 2021 SIGNEES

Head Coach Heather Brink announced the signing of five future Husker gymnasts joining the 2021 women’s gymnastics signing class. Ayzhia Hall (Fayetteville, AR), Emma Simpton (Dallas, Texas), Halle Rourke (Waverly, Neb.), Savanah Warren (Parker, CO) and Emma Spence (Cambridge, Ontario) will join NU’s program for the 2021-22 season. 

CORNHUSKERS REPRESENT ACROSS UNITED STATES AND BEYOND

Nebraska features gymnasts from six states:  Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, North Carolina, New Jersey and Texas. The Huskers also feature three international gymnasts, Clara Colombo and Martina Comin of Italy and Chloé Lorange of Canada.