The Wolverine

February 2013

The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports

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  inside michigan athletics   Sitting Down With Junior Gymnast Joanna Sampson The Michigan women's gymnastics team is off to an incredible start. The Wolverines opened the year with a championship in the annual Cancun Classic, then went on to crush Nebraska and Illinois in their first two dual meets of the season. The 197.35 points Michigan scored against the Illini Jan. 19 were the highest mark the team had achieved in any meet since the 2008 season. Junior captain and all-around specialist Joanna Sampson Sampson has won has won two all-around titles in the Wolverines' first three two all-around titles meets. She talked about the Michigan season thus far. in the Wolverines' The Wolverine: After the first weekend, the team was first three meets ranked No. 1. How did that feel? this season. photo courtesy Sampson: "It was very exciting. We came out and permichigan athletic media relations formed really well in Cancun, just like we knew we could. The score we received really gave us confidence that we could compete with the best teams in the country. Moving forward, we're that much more motivated to perform at that level." The Wolverine: What is the strength of this team? Sampson: "I really like our depth. We can score solid points all down the lineup, which will help at the end of the season. We still have a lot of work to do and a few areas to improve, but I think we're in a good position right now, this early in the season. "And team chemistry has been great. We're all out there, cheering each other on and helping out. This is a great team to be a part of because we're all so close. That pushes you to want to be better every day, for your teammates around you." The Wolverine: You're off to a great start, but there's obviously a long way to go. What are the goals for this team? Sampson: "First and foremost, we want to win a Big Ten championship. That's always the goal. The Big Ten is such a terrific league, especially with a strong program like Nebraska in the mix now. We just have to keep working and stay focused." The Wolverine: What areas did you focus on, personally, coming into this year? Sampson: "I really wanted to be as consistent as possible. Competing in the all-around, you can never get too high or too low. If we can stay focused and hit when we know we can, it will be a good season." — Andy Reid

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