In our latest series, FloGymnastics has been digging into the most heated and intense rivalries in NCAA gymnastics. Last week, we highlighted Auburn vs. Alabama, and next up is the Big Ten rivalry of Michigan vs. Nebraska.

Michigan vs. Nebraska

Both Michigan's Bev Plocki and Nebraska's Dan Kendig have been at the helm of their respective schools for over 20 years. With their decades of head coaching experience, both Plocki and Kendig have groomed their teams to be national championship contenders. When Nebraska joined the Big Ten in 2012, this rivalry intensified as Nebraska won back-to-back conference titles in its first two years in the Big Ten, a title Michigan had been used to winning.

Either Michigan or Nebraska has won each of the past 10 Big Ten titles in dominating fashion, and their all-time series is tied 23-23-1.

The Coaches

Michigan coach Bev Plocki, right, and the Wolverines have won 21 Big Ten championships during her tenure.

Plocki, who is in her 28th season as head coach at Michiga, took over the program in 1990 after the Wolverines struggled to a 2-19 overall record and 0-13 in the previous Big Ten season. Plocki turned the program around quickly, winning her first Big Ten championship in just her second year as head coach in 1992. Since her first Big Ten title, Plocki has not looked back and has now collected 21 Big Ten championships, including five straight before Nebraska joined the conference in 2012. The Wolverines have cracked the top-six qualifying to the Super Six 10 times and recorded four NCAA individual national champions. Plocki has made a name for herself at Michigan and has continued to prove why Michigan is a top program in the NCAA. Check out an in-depth look at Bev Plocki here.


Nebraska coach Dan Kendig, center, has guided the Cornhuskers to the Super Six 11 times since taking over the program in 1994.

Dan Kendig is in his 23rd season as head coach of the Nebraska Cornhuskers. When he was hired in 1994, Kendig had immediate goals to return Nebraska to a national contender, and the Cornhuskers responded by winning their first Big Eight title in four years that season. Kendig has found consistent success at the conference level, collecting a total of 14 league titles (two, Big Ten; three, Big 12; nine, Big 8). The Cornhuskers have reached the Super Six 11 times, with their highest finish of fourth place. Kendig has a knack for bringing the best out of each athlete and preparing his team to peak at the right time.

Plocki on the Michigan-Nebraska rivalry

"There's always been a competition between us. We want the same things: win championships and be one of the top-six, top 10 teams in the country on a year-to-year basis. When Nebraska joined the Big Ten, it was just sort of natural that Nebraska would be a team to rival us every year. Certainly, Nebraska coming in and winning the first couple of Big Ten championships created more of a rivalry."

Numbers

The series is tied 23-23-1 all time: Michigan leads in the postseason, 13-10
Plocki: 696-240-2, 21 Big Ten championships, 22 NCAA championship appearances, 10 NCAA Super Six appearances
Kendig: 545-207-4, 14 conference championships (two Big Ten), 18 NCAA championships appearances,11 NCAA Super Six appearances

Stay tuned to FloGymnastics to learn more about the great rivalries in NCAA collegiate gymnastics.


Related:
Inside NCAA rivalries: Georgia vs. Alabama
Inside NCAA rivalries: Utah vs. Georgia
Inside NCAA rivalries: Auburn vs. Alabama

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