2014 SEASON PREVIEW
Jessie DeZiel
Emily Wong
2013 Second-Team All-American (BB, AA)
2013 First-Team All-American (V, FX, AA)
The Nebraska women’s gymnastics team heads into the 2014
season with sights set high. The two-time defending Big Ten
champions welcome back three All-Americans, seven returning
letterwinners, and two newcomers. The Huskers will have a
stockpile of talent to once again rank among the nation’s elite
collegiate programs. NU is led by head coach Dan Kendig, who
enters his 21st season at Nebraska. Kendig sees the potential
for continued success with the 2014 squad.
“I do think at the end of the day we will have a better team
than we had last year,“ Kendig said. “We definitely have the
potential to have that happen. The girls are training incredibly
hard and their focus is tremendous. This could be an exciting
season for us.”
Kendig will be joined by assistant coaches Dan Miller, Heather
Brink and volunteer assistant coach Alina Weinstein. Miller will
lead NU’s powerful vault and floor squads for the third year, and
Brink will coach the Huskers’ beam exercises and assist with
floor choreography.
Leading the Way
-Returning Huskers
Nebraska’s solid core of seven letterwinners returns, as the
Huskers have one of the toughest schedules in the country.
NU faces four teams who finished in the top 10 in the country
8 | NEBRASKA WOMEN’S GYMNASTICS | 2014
last season. Leading the way for the Huskers is senior Emily
Wong, who finished third in the all-around at the NCAA
Championships last season. A five-time first-team AllAmerican will contend for a national all-around title. In her
impressive junior campaign, Wong collected 24 titles including
the Big Ten all-around crown for the second consecutive year.
Wong, posted her career-best all-around score of 39.725 at
the Big Ten Championships and added a career best on floor
(9.975). A leader in the classroom, Wong claimed second-team
CoSIDA Academic All-America honors, NACGC/W Scholastic AllAmerica and Academic All-Big Ten accolades.
“Emily is one incredible young lady in every single aspect of
her life,” Kendig said. “She is a perfectionist and trains to be
that way. She shows up to practice everyday with a smile on
her face and is always ready to work. I really expect her to have
one outstanding senior season.”
Kendig is also excited to see the return of senior Jamie
Schleppenbach to the lineup. After battling injuries last
season, the Lincoln, Neb., native wants to end her career at
Nebraska on a high note. A first-team All-American on vault
in 2011, Schleppenbach will look to re-enter the Husker
lineup as an all-around competitor. Prior to her injury last
season Schleppenbach captured two vault titles in only four
Jennifer Lauer
2013 Big Ten Beam Co-Champion
showings on the event, taking home top honors at Michigan. In
the classroom, Schleppenbach captured Academic All-Big Ten
accolades in 2013.
Junior all-arounder Jessie DeZiel will enter her third year
with the Huskers as one of the team’s strongest competitors.
In 2012, she was a first-team All-American in the all-around
and also was the NCAA Salt Lake City Regional all-around
champion. DeZiel captured second-team All-America accolades
in the all-around and on beam. As one of the most talented
gymnasts Nebraska has had in recent years, she will be relied
upon for her strong skills and performances in 2014.
“Jessie is a powerful, consistent performer who does not like
to make mistakes,” Kendig said. “She is so talented and fun to
watch especially once we are in competition season. This girl is
a competitor, and I think we will see her shine this year.”
Junior Jennifer Lauer returns looking to do big things for the
Huskers. Lauer brings power to the Nebraska lineups and will
use that as she hopes to make a mark on all four events. Last
season she secured her spot as one of NU’s top beam workers by
claiming five titles on the event including a share of the Big Ten
Championship beam title with teammate Emily Wong. Lauer
captured multiple academic honors last season including,
academic All-Big Ten, NCAGC/W Scholastic All-America and Big