Huskers To Host Missouri for 30th Annual Masters Classic

No. 19 Nebraska Cornhuskers (8-3, 3-2 Big Ten) vs No. 16 Missouri Tigers (5-9, 0-6 SEC)
Saturday, March 7, 7 p.m. CT -- Lincoln, Neb. (Bob Devaney Sports Center) [7,907]
Live Scores: Huskers.com
Stream: BTN+ (Subscription Required)

Lincoln, Neb. -- The No. 19 Nebraska women's gymnastics team returns to the Bob Devaney Sports Center for the 30th Annual Masters Classic. The Huskers will take on the No. 16 Missouri Tigers on Saturday, March 7 at 7 p.m. and will be streamed live on BTN+.

Nebraska is coming off of four Big Ten Conference wins at the Big Five meet on Feb. 21. At that meet, NU finished first in front of Illinois, Ohio State, Iowa and Rutgers. Senior Taylor Houchin took home the vault and all-around titles, while fellow senior Sierra Hassel won a share of the floor title.

Missouri enters Saturday's meet as the No. 16 ranked team in the country with a 5-9 record and a 0-6 record against SEC opponents. The Tigers are coming off of a first place finish in a quad meet with Minnesota, Ohio State and Lindenwood.

NU enters this meet ranked No. 19 in the Road To Nationals poll, as well as No. 11 on vault, No. 13 on floor exercise and No. 19 on balance beam. Nebraska is the third-highest ranked Big Ten program behind No. 5 Michigan and No. 11 Minnesota. 

Houchin ranks No. 3 in the country on vault with a national qualifying score of 9.925 and a season-high of 9.975 on the event. Hassel also ranks in the top 25 on an event, as she is ranked No. 22 on floor exercise with a national qualifying score of 9.90 with a high of 9.95 this season.

Fans are encouraged to come early as the first 250 fans through the doors will receive a free Husker Gymnastics T-Shirt.

Single event tickets are $5 for adult general admission, and $3 for youth and senior general admission. Children six and under may attend the meet for free, as well as NU students with N-card. Tickets include access to both men's and women's gymnastics meets.

Following the Masters Classic, the Huskers will host their Senior Night at the Bob Devaney Sports Center in a dual meet with Denver. The meet will take place on Saturday, March 14 at 7 p.m. and will be streamed live on BTN+.

NOTES:

SCOUTING MISSOURI
Missouri enters Saturday's meet as the No. 16 ranked team in the country with a 5-9 record and a 0-6 record against SEC opponents. The Tigers are coming off of a first place finish in a quad meet with Minnesota, Ohio State and Lindenwood. Missouri ranks in the top-20 in all events as the Tigers are ranked No. 14 on vault and balance beam, No. 16 on floor and No. 20 on bars. Mizzou is led by seventh-year head coach Shannon Welker. 

NU RANKED NO. 19 IN THE NATION
Nebraska is currently ranked No. 16 in the Road To Nationals poll, as well as No. 11 on vault and No. 13 on floor exercise. NU's No. 19 ranking and 196.395 national qualifying score is third in the Big Ten Conference, behind No. 5 Michigan and No. 11 Minnesota.

HUSKERS RANKED IN THE TOP-25 ON THREE EVENTS
Nebraska is ranked No. 11 on vault, No. 13 on floor exercise and No. 19 on balance beam. The Huskers hold national qualifying scores of 49.190 on vault, 49.295 on floor, and 49.095 on beam.

HOUCHIN & HASSEL RANKED ON INDIVIDUAL EVENTS
Senior Taylor Houchin ranks No. 3 in the country on vault with a national qualifying score of 9.925 and a season-high of 9.975 on the event. Senior Sierra Hassel also ranks in the top 25 on an event, as she is ranked No. 22 on floor exercise with a national qualifying score of 9.90 with a high of 9.95 this season.

HUSKERS PICKED THIRD IN BIG TEN PRESEASON POLL
Nebraska was selected third in the Big Ten preseason coaches' poll ahead of the 2020 season. In 2019, NU finished third in the Big Ten regular season standings behind Michigan and Minnesota, who place above NU in the preseason poll. Ohio State and Iowa round out the top five. 

STRONG SCHEDULE IN 2020
NU will face seven teams ranked in the national preseason coaches' poll top 25 in 2020, including meets with No. 6 Michigan, No. 7 Denver, No. 14 Minnesota, No. 16 Missouri, No. 23 BYU, No. 24 Ohio State and No. 25 Penn State.

HOUCHIN, DE JESUS NAMED GYMNASTS TO WATCH
The conference announced that senior Taylor Houchin and sophomore Adnerys De Jesus were selected as Big Ten Women's Gymnasts to watch for the 2020 season. Houchin was named a NACGC/W regular reason second-team All-American on uneven bars and was selected as a first-team All-Big Ten honoree in 2019. De Jesus was named a second-team All-Big Ten pick after an impressive freshman season in 2019. 

UP NEXT
Following the Masters Classic, the Huskers will host their Senior Night at the Bob Devaney Sports Center in a dual meet with Denver. The meet will take place on Saturday, March 14 at 7 p.m. and will be streamed live on BTN+.

STRONG SENIOR CLASS LEADS HUSKERS
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 throughout the 2020 season.

HUSKERS INTRODUCE TRIO OF 2020 SIGNEES
Head Coach Heather Brink announced the signing of three future Husker gymnasts to the 2020 women's gymnastics signing class. Caroline Williams (Roswell, GA), Chloe Lorange (Laval, Quebec) and Kinsey Davis (Cornelius, NC) have signed their letters of intent and will join the roster for Nebraska women's gymnastics' 2021 season.

CORNHUSKERS GROW ACROSS UNITED STATES AND BEYOND
Nebraska features gymnasts from 10 states: California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, North Carolina, New Jersey and Texas. The Huskers also welcome their first international gymnast since 2011, Clara Colombo of Italy. Colombo will become the first Italian-born gymnast to compete in NCAA competition.