Huskers Prepare for Season at Final Intrasquad Meet

Lincoln, Neb. -- The Nebraska women's gymnastics team held an intrasquad meet at Mabel Lee Hall on Saturday. The Huskers competed on all four events in Olympic order. No official team scores were given.

"We are starting to see the maturity come to them," Head Coach Heather Brink said. "The freshmen are stepping up, which is really nice to see. I think we really focused in on details between the last intrasquad and this intrasquad. I think that it showed tonight. I think they looked more confident in what they were performing. It was a good opportunity to practice that nervous setting, the adrenaline going, and I thought they handled it well."
 
Returning 10 letter winners from last year's team, the Huskers will look to build upon the foundation set from last season. Nebraska finished No. 14 in the country under first-year head coach Heather Brink and reached a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Ann Arbor Regional.
 
The Huskers welcome back two standout seniors, All-American and WCGA Academic All-American Taylor Houchin and First-Team All-Big Ten and WCGA Academic All-American Sierra Hassel. Houchin concluded the 2019 campaign with solo competition at the NCAA Nationals in Fort Worth, Texas after tying her career high on vault with a 9.975 at the NCAA Ann Arbor Regional. Hassel is coming off a career high year as well where she posted career highs on balance beam and floor exercise with scores of 9.975 and 9.925, respectively. NU will rely heavily on their two veteran seniors who will look to post once again, another impressive year.

"I think we're looking really good," Houchin said. "We were a little nervous coming into this because we always are. We kind of see our first bit of pressure with our new freshmen and seeing how everyone has been progressing, so seeing that in performance gives us a little bit of anxiety. But I think we killed it. Everyone got those first nerves out."

"We were a lot more fine tuned with details this intrasquad," Houchin said. "We've been building confidence since the beginning, but I think it's starting to show within our gymnastics. It's not just something we're believing in, it's showing. Details and the little things that we have been focusing on in the gym have been paying off."

The Huskers will also return three juniors for the 2020 season. Makayla Curtis will look to build upon the foundation laid her sophomore season where she saw action in 10 meets last season on vault and balance beam. Anika Dujakovich competed in 13 meets last season and provided consistency for the Huskers on vault. Megan Verceles Carr took a large leap from her freshman to sophomore season competing in every meet of the season and setting three career highs on vault, uneven bars and balance beam.

Redshirt sophomore Kynsee Roby returns to action after a season ending injury sidelined her for the 2019 season. 
 
Four sophomores will build on the foundation they laid their freshman season. Adnerys De Jesus is coming off an impressive freshman season where she was named Second-Team All-Big Ten. De Jesus will look to continue her strong efforts from last season on vault, uneven bars and floor exercise. Sarah Hargrove returns after being a huge contributor on uneven bars, balance beam and floor exercise. Abby Johnston provided consistency on floor exercise for the Huskers and will continue to do so. Kaylee Quinn rounds out the sophomore class and will be one of the most consistent vaulters on the team this season.
 
Brink also welcomes in three freshmen. Clara Colombo from Caravaggio, Italy will become the first Italian to compete in NCAA women's gymnastics competition this season. Kylie Piringer from Ramsey N.J., and Kathryn Thaler from Katy, Texas round out the freshman class. All are here to make an immediate impact for the Huskers this season.

"I think we did really well tonight," Piringer said. "Everything is starting to come together, everybody's confidence is going up. We're working on our landings and cleaning everything up, but I think it went really well."

Nebraska will enter the season as the No. 15 ranked program in the country, as decided by the Women's Collegiate Gymnastics Association (WCGA) preseason coaches' poll. Nebraska is one of five Big Ten Conference programs ranked within the top 25, along with No. 6 Michigan, No. 14 Minnesota, No. 24 Ohio State and No. 25 Penn State. 
 
The Huskers will begin the 2020 season in Provo, Utah against No. 23 BYU on Monday, Jan. 6. Nebraska will hold its first home meet of the season on Thursday, Jan. 16 against No. 25 Penn State at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. NU's home opener will also be broadcast live on ESPN 2.