Redbirds Set To Open Season At Border Battle Meet Hosted By Iowa

IOWA CITY – The first test of the 2026 season for the Illinois State gymnastics team will be a big one, as the Redbirds head to Iowa City to take on No. 10 Iowa, No. 15 Iowa State and Illinois in the Border Battle meet on Saturday, January 10, inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena at 4 p.m. (CT).

SETTING THE SCENE
The Redbirds will square off against a pair of Top 20 programs in the Hawkeyes and Cyclones and compete against in-state foe Illinois for the second-straight season. Tickets are available for $15 (adults) and free (youth) and the meet will be streamed on B1G+ (subscription required). Live stats will be available via StatBroadcast and fans can follow along via live results at GoRedbirds.com or via X on @redbirdwgym.

SCOUTING ILLINOIS STATE
•    The Redbirds return to competition as the defending Midwest Independent Conference champions, having won their second championship in three seasons in 2025 and finishing No. 40 in the final Road To National standings.
•    This year's squad features five newcomers, including four freshman and one transfer in senior Courtney Woods, to add to an experienced roster that features seniors Jaly Jones, Julia Heiner, Leah Davis, Joy Ziegenfelder, Mia Oh, and Mackenzie Flutman. 
•    2024 MIC Newcomer of the Year Ally Lau also returns and looks to be a key piece of the beam rotation for the Redbirds.
•    ISU will have to replace several key gymnasts from last year's squad, including four-time MIC floor champion and four-time NCAA Regional qualifier Jaye Mack (who is now part of the coaching staff), as well as three-time NCAA Regional qualifier Alana Laster and 2025 regional qualifier Sara Wabi. 

SCOUTING IOWA
•    Iowa posted a 194.825 to finish third in a tri-meet at Utah, falling to No. 3 Utah (196.625) and No. 8 Minnesota (195.475) on January 2.  The Hawkeyes posted a meet-high 48.950 on vault to lead all events. 
•    Fifth-year senior JerQuavia Henderson made a standout return to the lineup after two years, as she tied for second on floor with a 9.875 and shared third in the all-around with sophomore Aurélie Tran (39.125).
•    Tran hopes to capitalize after a strong freshman season where she earned first team all-Big Ten and all-freshman honors after competing in every meet last season.
•    Henderson and sophomore Sydney Turner were tabbed as Big Ten Gymnasts to Watch. The GymHawks return eight athletes who accounted for 37 event titles in 2025.

SCOUTING IOWA STATE
•    The Cyclones opened the 2026 campaign last Sunday at No. 7 Missouri, falling by a score of 191.325-196.850.
•    Five gymnasts made their Iowa State debut, and seven routines were event debuts. Haylee Hardin recorded her fifth career score of at least 9.9 on floor to lead all Cyclones.
•    With the graduation of program staples, Iowa State's rotations have looked markedly different in 2026. To account for lost production, ISU brought in nine newcomers: two transfers and seven freshmen.
•    Of Iowa State's returners, three individually qualified for the SLC Regional in 2025. Haylee Hardin (7), Noelle Adams (3) and Frederique Sgarbossa (3) combine to account for all 13 returning individual event wins.

SCOUTING ILLINOIS
•    Like the Redbirds, the Illini feature a new head coach in Josh Nilson who takes over the reins as head coach after serving as Illini associate head coach the past two seasons, helping lead the program to back-to-back NCAA Regional Round 2 appearances while having four gymnasts compile All-Big Ten honors.
•    Freshman Summer Clancy and sophomore Chloe Cho were named to the Big Ten's Gymnasts to Watch list during the preseason. In 2023 and 2025, she was a nationals qualifier.
•    Cho had a decorated first year with the Illini, earning Big Ten Freshman of the Week four times, sixteen event titles, and won 2025's B1G Ten Freshman of the Year award. She was also a member of All-Big Ten First Team and the Big Ten All-American Team.
•    The Illini finished third of four in the second round of NCAA Regionals with a score of 195.725 to conclude their 2025 season.

For all latest on Illinois State gymnastics, stay tuned at GoRedbirds.com and follow the team on Instagram (@redbirdgymnastics), on X (@redbirdwgym) and Facebook.

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