On Friday, Feb. 27, the Illinois Fighting Illini will host the co-reigning National Champion Oklahoma Sooners for the Illini’s last home meet of the season.

With RQS rankings beginning this week, Illinois has moved down three spots to No. 16 while Oklahoma remains on top. Although Illinois is not accustomed to competing against the No. 1 team, it’s not changing the game plan.

“(Head coach Kim Landrus) just tried to get us really excited and not to focus on winning, just to focus on doing our best routines, focus on doing what we do in the gym, and just trying to hit all those landings and get our score the best we can,” freshman Becca Cuppy said.

Instead of being intimidated by the Sooners, the Illini see this matchup as a “really good opportunity.” Cuppy continued to say that competing against the Sooners prepares the Illini for postseason, especially Regionals and Nationals, where they’ll be against the best of the best.

Oklahoma’s statistics show that they are the best of the best, as they are ranked No. 1 on bars, beam and floor. Their only No. 2 ranking comes on vault, where they’re just a close .005 behind Utah. Illinois is only ranked on bars and beam, at No. 10 and No. 11, respectively.

Mary Jane Horth swings on the high bar during the 2014 Orange and Blue Exhibition.

The Sooners don’t have any gymnasts ranked in the all-around, as they hardly put girls up on all four events, but the Illini have two, No. 13 sophomore Mary Jane Horth and No. 17 junior Giana O’Connor.

The Sooners do excel individually on events though. They have at least three gymnasts ranked on each event, with sophomore Chayse Capps leading the way as No. 1 on beam. Horth joins Illini senior Sunny Kato in the event rankings. Horth is No. 16 on bars, and Kato is No. 15 on beam.

This meet also presents a few returns and reunions. Oklahoma juniors Haley Scaman and Keeley Kmieciak are Illinois natives, so they can expect to be in the company of more friends and family than normal. Former Triad gymnasts Kara Lovan, Sooner sophomore, and Cuppy will reunite, as will Aerial Athletics alum and sophomores Illini Sarah Lyons and Sooner Hunter Price.

“I’m really excited to see Kara,” Cuppy said. “We’ve been talking a lot. We’re really excited to see each other. It’s going to be good to see each other compete again, because it’s been a while.”

While some gymnasts will be saying hello this Friday at Huff Hall in Champaign, Ill., others will be saying goodbye.

Since this is the Illini’s last home meet of the season, it is also senior night. Seniors Kelsi Eberly, Jordan Naleway and Gaby Nguyen will compete in Huff Hall for the final time on Friday night.


Kelsi Eberly performs on floor during the 2014 Orange and Blue Exhibition.

Eberly has been a consistent competitor for the Illini on floor since her freshman year. Naleway has been a very solid gymnast, mainly competing bars and floor, with the addition of beam this season. Naleway has hit every routine she’s competed as an Illini and looks to continue that until her final meet this season. Nguyen has yet to officially compete but has exhibitioned on bars in every meet for the Illini this season.

Kato is not announced to be recognized at the senior meet, per the Illinois Gymnastics Twitter. Kato did not compete during her freshman year and has one year of eligibility left.

Friday’s Illinois-Oklahoma matchup begins at 7 PM CST. Live stats and a live stream will be available. The meet will air on Big Ten Network on March 2 at 7 PM CST.