
Beavers Host Stanford in Monday Night Meet
February 25, 2016 | Women's Gymnastics
THE MEET
The No. 17 Oregon State gymnastics team remains at home this week for another tough contest against No. 12 Stanford Monday at 7 p.m. at Gill Coliseum. The meet will be televised regionally on Pac-12 Oregon. Jim Watson will handle the call with Amanda Borden and Greg Marsden providing analysis.
FAIRY TALE NIGHT
Monday's meet is Fairy Tale Night. Children 12 and under are invited to dress up as their favorite fairy tale character to receive free admission to the meet.
BEAVER BITES
The Beavers are ranked No. 17 this week. Rankings switched this week to being determined by Regional Qualifyting Score ... All four of OSU's lineups are ranked among the top 25 in the nation. The beam team is the Beavers' highest ranked lineup tied for No. 12 (48.995). The vault lineup ranked at No. 15 (48.960 average) with the uneven bars at No. 16 (49.025), and the floor exercise is tied at No. 19 (49.030) ... last Saturday's meet marked the first time the Beavers have competed at home in the month of February after a stretch of four road trips in five weeks ... now the Beavers are in the middle of a three staight meets at Gill Coliseum including two in one week, Monday, Feb. 29 vs. Stanford and Friday, Mar. 4 for Seattle Pacific and Ball State on Senior Night ... OSU's roster includes a pair of All-Americans, three-time honoree Madeline Gardiner, who has finished third on the beam in Event Finals each of the last two years, and Erika Aufiero, who will miss the season due to a knee injury suffered the week of the season opener ... the Beavers return 10 contributors in 2016 including 15 out of 24 routines from NCAA Championships in 2015. But it is more complicated than that. Senior Erika Aufiero, who was slated to perform in the all-around, and sophomore Dani Dessaints, who anchored the vault and bars lineups in the season-opener will both miss the season due to injury.
VS. STANFORD
Monday's match-up with the Cardinal marks the 88th meeting between the Pac-12 rivals. Oregon State leads the series 57-30. OSU holds a 25-4 advantage in Corvallis in 29 previous meetings. However, Stanford has come out ahead in each of the last three meetings with OSU, with two of those coming in 2015 when the Cardinal defeated the Beavers 197.000-196.450 in Palo Alto and again at Pac-12 Championships 197.175-196.900. The Beavs' last win in the series came in a regular season dual in Corvallis, 197.100-195.750.
OREGON STATE QUICK HITTERS
Here are some quick hitters about the Oregon State gymnastics team in 2016:
- The Beavers have counted only one fall in 2016 ... the counter came with pair of falls on the balance beam at Utah ... OSU counted falls in just two meets in 2015.
- OSU has 'hit' 155 out of 168 (92.3% ) routines in 2016 ... the Beavers 'hit' 95% (297 out of 314) of their routines over the course of 13 meets in 2015.
- Last week's meet against California, the seventh meet of the season for the Beavers, is the first they have 'hit' all 24 routines.
- Oregon State has relied heavily on junior Madeline Gardiner to compete in the all-around for much of the last three seasons. Thus far in her career, Gardiner has performed in the all-around 22 times in her career including the last 12 meets. Gardiner had won three all-around titles entering the season and has already exceeded that mark in 2016 having won the all-around in the Beavers' first four meets ... in total she has won five all-around titles this season and 11 total individual titles in 2016.
- With the rankings moving to Regional Qualifying Scores (RQS) this week, Madeline Gardiner is tied for 13th in the all-around (39.245) and on the balance beam (9.870).
- The 2016 roster includes four freshmen: Mary Jacobsen, Mariana Colussi-Pelaez, McKenna Singley and Elizabeth Yu. Colussi-Pelaez is the younger sister of Silvia Colussi-Pelaez, who transferred to Oregon State last year.
- Nine of OSU's 2016 opponents were ranked in the preseason top 36: No. 4 Utah, No. 5 LSU, No. 6 UCLA, No. 8 Stanford, No. 10 Auburn, No. 14 California, No. 30 Washington, No. 33 New Hampshire and No. 36 Arizona State.
Oregon State put together it's best meet of the season last Saturday in a victory over California. The Beavers 'hit' all 24 routines and tallied their highest score of the year with a 196.850. Junior All-American Madeline Gardiner scored a career-best 39.475 in the all-around, tied her personal mark 9.925 on the balance beam and added an individual title on the floor (9.90). Junior Kaytianna McMillan recorded a pair of career-highs with 9.950's on bars and beam to secure a pair of event titles as well. Freshman Mary Jacobsen set her personal-best with a 9.950 on the bars and tie her best on vault (9.825). OSU set season-high marks on bars (49.400), beam (49.325) and tie its mark on the floor (49.225). Gardiner went on to earn Pac-12 Gymnast of the Week while Jacobsen received Freshman of the Week accolades.
TANYA CHAPLIN QUICK HITTERS
- Chaplin holds the Oregon State record for wins during the regular season as well as overall. She set the record at the 2014 home opener with a 196.425-194.850 victory over Iowa State. Now in her 19th season Chaplin has 357 career wins including 288 victories during the regular season.
- Chaplin has led the Beavers to conference titles in two of the last five years, winning the 2011 Pac-10 title and the 2013 Pac-12 Championships.
- She has directed OSU to the NCAA Championships 11 times in her 18 seasons at the helm.
Here are some quick hitters about Risa Perez, a senior from Las Vegas, Nevada:
- Has 'hit' 91 out of 99 routines in her career ... 16-16 in 2016.
- Has won four event titles in her OSU career; one on the floor in 2016 and three event titles in 2015 for the Beavers; two on floor and one on beam.
- Forced into the vault lineup against ASU for the first time in her career (9.675).
- Competed in beam and floor lineups for the Beavers 12 out of 13 meets last season.
- Has cut and choreographed her floor routines since she was a Level 8 gymnast.
- Also helped choreograph several of her current teammates' floor routines this season.
- Transferred to Oregon State from Arizona State in the fall of 2014.
- Majoring in liberal studies.
Here are some quick hitters about Madeline Gardiner, a junior from Cambridge, Ontario:
- Has 'hit' 112 out of 115 routines in her career ... 27-28 in 2016.
- Is the reigning Pac-12 Gymnast of the Week (Feb. 17-22) after scoring a career-best 39.475 in the all-around to go with a career-high tying 9.925 on the balance beam in a win over Cal.
- Has won 25 event titles in her two-plus seasons; 11 in 2016 (5 AA, 2 V, 3 BB & 1 FX); 10 in 2015 (3 AA, 2 V, 3 BB & 2 FX); and four in 2014 (3 BB & 1 FX).
- Set career-high with 9.925 on the beam against Arizona State (1/30) and matched it against Cal (2/20).
- Became a three-time All-American in 2015 earning first team honors on beam ... again finished third at Event Finals.
- Earned All-America First Team honors on the balance beam and in the all-around in 2014 ... finished tied for third in the Individual Event Finals in 2014 - the best beam finish for an OSU gymnast since Joy Selig was first in 1990 ... qualified to NCAA Championships as an individual all-arounder in 2014.
- Two-time Pac-12 All-Conference selection - 2015 All-Around first team & 2014 Balance Beam second team.
- Received Pac-12 Gymnast of the Week for the week of March 9-15, 2015 after winning the all-around tying her career-high with a 39.400. She added an event title on the beam.
- Madeline was named the Pac-12 Specialist of the Week for the week of Feb. 10-16, 2014 after she posted career-bests of 9.95 on floor and 9.875 on beam to win the first event titles of her career ... named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Week for the week of Mar. 3-9, 2014 after she won the beam title (9.925) and scored 39.400 in her first all-around performance.
- 2015 Pac-12 All-Academic First Team selection.
- Canadian National Team's alternate for the 2012 Olympics in London.
- Is a study facilitator and tutor for exercise and sport science student-athletes at OSU's Beth Ray Center for Academic Support.
- Majoring in exercise and sport science with an option in pre-therapy and allied health.
Here are some quick hitters about Kaytianna McMillan, a junior from Coburg, Oregon:
- Has 'hit' 64 of 68 routines in her career ... 15-15 in 2016.
- Has won 10 event titles in her career; 4 in 2016 (3 UB & 1 BB); 3 in 2015 (2 UB, 1 FX); and 3 in 2014 (2 BB, 1 UB).
- One of just nine gymnasts in Oregon State history to record a score of 9.90 or better on each apparatus in her career.
- Scored career-bests of 9.950 on the bars and beam last week against California (2/20).
- Suffered a season-ending knee injury on the final routine (vault) at the 2015 NCAA Norman Regional; her recovery continues and began the season competing only on the balance beam ... returned to the bars lineup in Week 2 at Lindenwood, winning the event ... she returned to the floor lineup at UCLA scoring a team-high 9.875.
- 2015 Pac-12 All-Conference second team on the floor exercise.
- Tied for balance beam title (9.85) at NCAA University Park Regional in 2014 qualifying to NCAA Championships on the the event.
- Volunteers regularly at Stone Soup Corvallis.
- Kaytianna trained at the National Academy of Artistic Gymnastics - the same gym as other OSU greats Chari Knight, Jami Lanz and Chelsea Tang among others including OSU head coach Tanya Chaplin.
- Four-time Junior Olympic Nationals qualifier and won the Level 10 national titles on beam and all-around in 2013.
- Majoring in human development and family science with an option in human services.
Here are some quick hitters about Jamie Radermacher, a senior from Tualatin, Oregon:
- Has 'hit' 19-22 career routines and all 10 routines of her OSU career ... 7-7 in 2016.
- Won the first event title of her career tying for first on the floor (9.875) against Auburn (1/10) ... followed up with another career-high 9.90 on the floor and another event title at Lindenwood (1/15).
- Cracked the floor lineup late in the 2015 season competing three times.
- Aggravated a previous injury at regionals and was unable to compete at nationals.
- Majoring in human development and family sciences.
Here are some quick hitters about Shireen Khamedoost, a sophomore from Bountiful, Utah:
- Has 'hit' 20 of 21 routines in her career ... 13-14 in 2016.
- Has become a mainstay in the bars and vault lineups in 2016.
- Set career-high 9.775 on vault at Washington (2/8) and matched against California (2/20).
- Began the 2015 near the top of the bars lineup for the first seven meets.
- Majoring in exercise and sport science.
Here are some quick hitters about Megan Jimenez, a junior from Temecula, California:
- Has 'hit' 38 of 41 routines in her career ... 15-18 in 2016.
- Dealing with a nagging injury and has not performed on the floor exercise in three of the last five meets.
- Has set career-highs on beam (9.825) and floor (9.825) in 2016.
- Performed in the vault lineup in all 13 meets in 2015 and nine times in 2014.
- Forced into making her floor lineup debut at 2015 NCAA Championships due to injury.
- Majoring in digital communication arts.
Here are some quick hitters about Taylor Ricci, a junior from North Vancouver, British Columbia:
- Has 'hit' 22 of 23 routines in her career ... 14-15 in 2016.
- Set her career-high with a 9.825 on the floor last week against California (2/20).
- Has performed in the vault and floor lineups in every meet in 2016.
- Was inserted into the balance beam lineup at Utah (1/23) for the first time in her career - 9.500.
- Performed in the vault lineup seven times in 2015.
- Like Jimenez, she was forced into making her floor lineup debut at 2015 NCAA Championships due to injury scoring 9.800.
- 2015 Pac-12 All-Academic First Team selection.
- Has applied for a program at OSU that serves as a med school pipeline. If accepted she will shadow a physician during spring term.
- Elected as OSU's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee's Public Relations officer.
- Majoring in exercise and sport science with an option in pre-therapy and allied health.
Here are some quick hitters about Silvia Colussi-Pelaez, a junior from Oakville, Ontario:
- Has 'hit' 30 of her 32 routines in her college career and 27 of 29 at OSU ... 9-11 in 2016.
- Set career-high 9.85 on balance beam at Washington (2/8).
- Set a season-best 9.825 on the bars against Californai (2/20).
- Transferred to Oregon State from Florida following spring term of 2014.
- Competed as a member of Spain's national team.
- Successfully performed a sideways aerial on balance beam – a first in World or Olympic competition – the skill is now named the Colussi-Pelaez. She has not used the skill in competition at the collegiate level.
- Younger sister, Mariana, is a freshman for the Beavers in 2016.
- Elected as OSU's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee's Community Service officer.
- Majoring in chemical engineering.
Here are some quick hitters about Mariana Colussi-Pelaez, a freshman from Oakville, Ontario:
- Has 'hit' all 12 of her routines to start her career.
- Won her first event title against Arizona State (1/30) with a career-high 9.85 on the uneven bars ... tied that mark against California (2/20).
- Set career-best on balance beam with a 9.775 at Washington (2/8).
- Majoring in biology.
Here are some quick hitters about McKenna Singley, a freshman from Bountiful, Utah:
- One of only two OSU gymnasts to have performed on all four events in 2016 (Madeline Gardiner), although she has NOT performed in the all-around yet.
- Missed the Arizona State & Washington meets due to injury ... returned to vault lineup at UCLA.
- Scored career-best 9.825 on vault at Lindenwood (1/15).
- Registered career-high on bars (9.875) at Utah (1/23).
- Raised her personal mark on floor to 9.750 against California (2/20).
- Has 'hit' 8 out of 11 routines in 2016.
- Majoring in sociology with an emphasis in crime and justice.
Here are some quick hitters about Mary Jacobsen, a freshman from Puyallup, Washington:
- Has 'hit' 17 out of 19 routines in 2016.
- Has been a versatile cog in the lineup in 2016 competing on three events in five out of seven meets.
- Captured the first individual title of her career winning on bars with a then-personal mark 9.825 at Washington (2/8).
- Shattered her previous best on the bars against California (2/20) with a 9.950 to tie for the event title.
- Set career-high on vault with a 9.825 at UCLA (2/13) and matched it against California (2/20).
- Set career-mark on floor exercise (9.750) at Washington (2/8).
- Is a freshman in athletics and a junior in academics ... majoring in computer science.
Here are some quick hitters about Erika Aufiero, a senior from Sparks, Nevada:
- Suffered a season-ending knee injury in practice (1/7) leading up to the season opener.
- Earned first team All-America honors on uneven bars in 2015.
- Owns 15 career event titles; 13 on bars and two on vault.
- Chosen as one of the team's captains in 2015 and '16
- Earned All-Pac-12 honors on uneven bars in 2013 and on vault in 2015.
- Has 'hit' 57 of 62 routines in his career.
- Erika's sister, Breyanna, competed at Utah State.
- Double-majoring in finance and accountancy.
Here are some quick hitters about Dani Dessaints, a sophomore from Las Vegas, Nevada:
- Suffered a shoulder injury in practice on Wednesday prior to the Lindenwood meet (1/13) and will miss the rest of the season.
- Has 'hit' all nine of her routines in her college career ... 2-2 in 2016.
- Anchored the Beavers' vault and bars units in the season-opener posting career-bests on both events.
- Battled injuries as a freshman competing only seven routines.
- Majoring in sociology with an emphasis in crime and justice.
The Beavers, like every other team in the country, are seeking to qualify to the NCAA Championships and the Super Six. But to reach that goal teams must get through NCAA Regionals. In 2016, regionals will be held at Alabama, Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota and Utah. The top two finishers at each regional will advance to the NCAA Championships in Fort Worth, Texas.
CONFERENCE OF CHAMPIONS
The Pac-12 Conference has six out of eight of its teams ranked in the Top 36, which is the number of teams that qualify to NCAA Regionals. Utah is ranked No. 5, UCLA is at No. 6, Stanford is 12th, California is tied for 14th, Oregon State is 17th, Arizona is 25th and Washington is at No. 27.
THREE FOR 2017
In November, two gymnasts signed the National Letters of Intent to join the Oregon State gymnastics program for the 2016-17 academic year. Isis Lowery (Melbourne, Australia) and Brianna McCant (Frisco, Texas) are scheduled to enroll in Oregon State this coming summer. In addition, 2015 signee Sabrina Gill (Oakville, Ontario) is slated to join the program for the 2017 season as well. Gill opted to defer her enrollment while she trains for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro for Team Canada.









