UIC left no doubt as to who is the best gymnastics team in Illinois.

The Flames scored a season high 196.150 to win the Illinois Classic and end Illinois' 11-year stranglehold on the state title.  Though the host Illini scored three 9.900s in the final rotation, UIC's overall consistency was too much to overcome and the Flames took first place in the annual meet among all four of the state's programs for the first time since 2007.

"What a great day!" co-head coach Peter Jansson exclaimed.  "The girls came through with flying colors.  It is kind of historic as well," he reminisced, "as both me and [co-head coach and wife] Mary started our collegiate gymnastics careers here at U of I, and to finish off winning the Illinois Classic with the high score of the season is extremely satisfying."

The first half of the meet was all UIC.  The Flames had a season high 49.250 on floor in the first rotation, and Kayla Baddeley won vault in the second.  Halfway through the meet, UIC had a lead of nearly half a point.  But with high scores coming in from every direction – there were nine scores awarded of 9.9 or higher – the Flames' lead decreased in spite of their season high performances on bars.  All four teams scored over 195, making it one of the closest Illinois Classics in memory.

Things got tense in the last rotation, when Dani Maciel fell off the beam as the Fighting Illini were riding momentum and a partisan home crowd during their floor routines.  But UIC's lineup responded with the resolve of champions, posting four 9.8-plus scores.

It was UIC's first score above 196 since March of 2004.  They extended their program record with their 10^th straight win.  Moreover, they raised their National Qualifying Score, which is the measure used to select teams for NCAA Regional competition.

Rotation 1 – Floor

• Things could not have began much better for the Flames, as Alisa Sheremeta and Miki Northern each scored 9.900 on floor.  It tied the career high for each.  They tied for second, as NIU's Anna Martucci posted a 9.950.
• Kayla Baddeley was close behind with a career high 9.850.  She finished 10^th in the high-scoring field.
• Toni Alicke tied her career high, scoring 9.825 and placing 11^th.
• The team total of 49.250 was the highest on any event this season.

Rotation 2 – Vault

• Baddeley continued her dominance on vault, scoring 9.850 in a first place performance.  It was her third such score this year.
• Riley Mahoney posted 9.775 and tied for seventh.
• Allison Broad and Maddie Nowak each scored 9.750.  It tied the season high for each and placed them in the top 10.

Rotation 3 – Bars

• Miki Northern tied her career high, and Sabrina Tomassini set a new career high, as each scored 9.875.  The duo finished in a tie for second.
• Serena Baker posted a 9.850, good for fifth place.
• Sheremeta tied her career high, scoring 9.825.  Alicke scored 9.800 to give the team a season high 49.225.

Rotation 4 – Beam

• Riley Mahoney matched her career high with a 9.825.  Sheremeta and Baddeley each had the same score.  The three Flames tied for eighth place.
• Jenna Squillo tied her career high, set last meet, with a 9.800.
• The team total, just a half-tenth off the season high, was enough to hold off an Illinois squad that posted three 9.900s on floor in the last rotation to leap into second place.

All-Around

• Baddeley totaled 39.275, increasing her all-around total for the sixth straight meet.  She finished second overall.
• Northern totaled 39.050 to take third.

Up Next

• The Flames will close the regular season next Sunday.
• The team will travel to Michigan State for a tri-meet with the Spartans and Alaska-Anchorage.
• That will be the final tuneup before the MIC Championships on March 22.