This is a guest column by former Cornell Big Red gymnast Karen Braun, whose passion for and experience in the sport of gymnastics compel her to share her insights on our Fighting Illini. Enjoy!
The Illinois Fighting Illini women’s gymnastics team narrowly lost to Oregon State on Sunday in a four-way competition held in Huff Hall, but Illinois’ defeat of No. 7 Kentucky and the Illini’s substantial improvement over the previous week’s score (by over 2 points) shows great promise for the 2019 season. In a sport where the smallest fraction of a point can separate the winners from the losers, the Illini need to draw upon their experience to put together 24 consistent routines week-in and week-out to work their way up the rankings, and potentially into the post-season.