Printer-Friendly Format     E-mail this article     Junior Adrianne Perry leads a talented group

 
2008 Missouri Gymnastics Season Preview

Perry, Hatcher and others have high expectations for 2008

Jan. 7, 2008

When Head Coach Rob Drass took over the Missouri Gymnastics program nearly nine years ago, there was a vision that he had for the program. On the heels of another successful season under Drass, the Tiger Gymnastics squad will enter the 2008 campaign with a vast resemblance of that vision. Loaded with talent, experience, charisma and youth, it is safe to say that the 2008 Tiger Gymnastics squad is approaching the vision that Drass had for the program. Led by an outstanding senior class and an array of talented youngsters, the Tigers have standout athletes in every event.

Led by all-around performer Adrianne Perry, the Tigers look primed to compete with the top tier teams in the Big 12 Conference and the nation. Drass, now in his ninth season with the program, feels that this year's squad has all of the right tools to challenge for the national spotlight.

The Tigers come into the season having to replace three seniors as Whitney Crater, Amanda Pezzullo and Alicia Gilmore have all graduated, making way for other gymnasts to step into their place. University of Utah transfer Sarah Shire will likely be one of the gymnasts that will be used to help continue the success. Shire helped Utah earn runner up honors at the 2007 NCAA Gymnastics Championships and holds career high marks of 9.950 in the beam and vault, two events that Crater and Pezzullo frequented last season. Shire's presence in those rotations should make the transition much easier for the team.

Aside from Shire, the Tigers have plenty of talent returning to the gym, including Julie Abaray, Danielle Guider, Alicia Hatcher, Ashley Khederian and Perry, all of whom were regular members in the lineup last season.

Seniors The Tigers will be led this season by a senior class that features four gymnasts who have been instrumental to coach Drass and the Tigers success over the last four seasons. Abaray and Khederian both bring proven pedigrees to the team. Abaray participated in the bars, beam and floor in every event last season, setting career highs in all three events, including a 9.925 on the beam and a 9.900 in the floor exercise. Abaray is recovering from off-season knee surgery which will slow her progression, but will likely be insterted into the lineup by the beginning of the season.

Khederian also made her impact felt in three events as she was in the floor, bars and vault rotation in every meet last season. Khederian has spent the off season training in all four events in hopes of improving both her score and the Tigers team score. Khederian also got her shot at the all-around competition in two meets against Centenary and SEMO earning a 38.825 against SEMO. All-around competition seems to be a role that Khederian could step into at times this season.

Nikki Bowman will be another senior that will be called upon to score big points for the Tigers. Bowman was a regular in the vault rotation last season, posting a new career high of 9.750 against Nebraska. Along with vault, Bowman will likely figure into the mix on all four events for the Tigers.

After tearing her ACL in last seasons Black & Gold meet, Lisa Puccio will return to the Tiger lineup for her senior season. Puccio is a key member of the uneven bar rotation and was missed last year. This season, Puccio will battle to earn a spot in the rotation.

Juniors

The Tiger's class of juniors, despite having only two, is one of the strongest for Mizzou. In her first two seasons with Mizzou, Perry has already established herself as one of the top gymnasts in the country, qualifying for national competition in each of the last two seasons. Perry tallied all-around scores of 39.425, 39.500 and 39.550 last season, all good enough to place her in the top-10 all-around scores at Mizzou, with her high mark of 39.550 tying her for fifth place with Alisha Robinson. Perry is also tied with Robinson for third in Mizzou history on the vault with a score of 9.950. Entering the 2008 season with high expectations, many of Robinson's individual records will be challenged by Perry in 2008. During her sophomore season, Perry climbed the Mizzou record books tallying a 39.550 in the all-around and a 9.950 on the vault, both Mizzou sophomore records. Her outstanding season also earned All-Big 12 accolades last season in vault, bars and all-around.

A regular on the bars and beam last season, Hatcher rounds out the junior class. An All-Big 12 Conference performer from a season ago, Hatcher is one of the top Tiger performers on the bars. Holding a career high mark of 9.875 in the event, Hatcher will likely build on that in 2008. Similar to her bar routines, Hatcher brings a high degree of difficulty to her balance beam routines, giving her big scores as she was one of the Tigers most consistent performers on the beam last season. Hatcher tallied a career high mark of 9.900 at Oklahoma last season and has spent the summer adding new moves to her routine.

Assistant Coach Amy Smith has worked with the team to develop new floor exercises for most of the gymnasts, including Hatcher. With a new routine and a wealth of expereince, Hatcher will be looked at to be one of the top gymnasts on the team in 2008.

Sophomores The Tiger sophomore group is likely the deepest for the Tigers as it is loaded with young gymnasts with lots of potential. Led by Guider and Shire, the sophomore class is one of the best in the Big 12.

Shire, a preseason candidate to take home the Big 12 Newcomer of the year award, will make an immediate impact for Mizzou. Shire has been a member of the U.S. National Team since 2002 and was viewed as an elite recruit before signing with Utah. Helping the Utes earn second place at last years NCAA National Championships, Shire brings a proven pedigree to the program.

With plenty of championship experience, Shire will make her presence felt on on all four events for the Tigers in 2008. Shire tallied a 9.850 on both the beam and vault in last seasons NCAA Championships. Shire, a Hartsburg, Mo. native, has traveled all over the world to compete, but liked the idea of performing in her own back yard at Mizzou, a choice that will excite most Missouri gymnastics fans.

Guider is coming off of an impressive freshman season that saw her compete regularly in three events, vault, beam and floor, earning career highs of over 9.800 in all three events. Guider will likely bring big points to the vault scores this season as she steadily improved during her first year with Mizzou. Guider earned a 9.850 on the vault against Michigan and closed her season strong with a 9.725 at regionals. Guider will be looked at as one of the top gymnasts on this season's team.

Becky Scholle also returns after a very positive freshman season with the Tigers. Scholle is one of the Tigers best on the bars and will likely carry that into 2008. Rounding out the sophomore class is Brooke Boehmer, Meghann Raub and Liz Staatmann, all of whom used their freshman season to recover from various injuries. Straatmann has spent her training gearing up to make an impact on the bars. With the guidance of Associate Head Coach John Figueroa, Straatmann should step up and help fill the void left by the departed Gilmore. Straatmann has also improved her beam and should make an impact there as well. Raub will likely figure into the mix on vault while Boehmer will make an impact on the beam this season.

Freshmen The Tigers will bring in another impressive recruiting class during the 2008 season, highlighted by Plano, Texas native Alex Gold. Gold finished third in the state in the all-around as a Level 10 in 2007. Gold brings in career high marks of 9.850 on the vault and 9.750 in the floor exercise. Lisa LaPerriere, a Macomb, Mich., native is another top recruit for Drass and his staff. LaPerriere was a six-time level 10 regional qualifier and will be one of the top vault competitors on the team. Lauren Stephenson, a walk-on, has made tremendous strides during the training period. Stephenson, who has developed in the gym, has the potential to figure into three lineups this season, floor, beam and vault.

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