Burke, Ferguson and Updike Collect Weekly Gymnastics Awards

Courtesy: Big12Sports.com           Release: 02/07/2012

Mary Burke (Missouri), Megan Ferguson (Oklahoma) and Rachel Updike (Missouri) have earned Big 12 Gymnastics weekly honors for competition Feb. 3-5. It is the seventh weekly honor for Burke, while Ferguson receives her second career Event Specialist award. Updike collects her fifth Newcomer Award, making her only the third gymnast in league history to win five honors in one season. She joins Missouri's Sarah Shire (six in 2009 and 2010) and Oklahoma's Kiera Redmond-Sturms (seven in 2008). It is the second time in the Big 12 that Oklahoma has claimed Event Specialist titles for five weeks in a row (Feb. 9-March 8, 2010).

BIG 12 GYMNAST OF THE WEEK
Mary Burke, Missouri, Sr., Inverness, Ill.
Burke matched two of her season-high scores Friday night against then-23rd ranked NC State, earning a 9.850 on beam and a 9.900 on floor. The senior took the vault title after posting a 9.875 on the apparatus and shared part of the floor title. Burke matched her career-high all-around score with a 39.450 to lead the Tigers to their fifth-straight dual meet victory.

BIG 12 EVENT SPECIALIST OF THE WEEK
Megan Ferguson, Oklahoma, Sr., Olathe, Kan.
Ferguson worked overtime for the Sooners this weekend, competing Friday against then-No. 9 Nebraska, No. 25 Minnesota and Centenary, as well as upsetting then-No. 2 Arkansas on Sunday. She posted a 9.925 on three of her six routines, winning at least a share of five of the six event titles she competed in. The senior took both beam titles, matching her career-high 9.925 against Arkansas. Ferguson went on to tie her career-high on floor against the Razorbacks with a 9.950, leading OU to a 197.425-196.175 victory. The native of Olathe, Kan., is currently ranked fourth nationally on beam, and 11th on bars and floor, the highest of any Big 12 gymnast in any event.

BIG 12 NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK
Rachel Updike, Missouri, Fr., Olathe, Kan.
Continuing her debut season by winning at least one event in every meet, Updike claimed titles on beam (9.850) and floor (9.900) to lead Missouri past NC State 195.925-195.225, marking a season high for the Tigers. She posted a 9.850 on vault, good for second place in the event. The freshman has recorded a 9.800 or better on 15 of her 16 routines this season.

2012 BIG 12 GYMNASTS OF THE WEEK

Date	Gymnast of the Week	Event Specialist of the Week	Newcomer of the Week
Jan. 10	Michelle Browning, Iowa State, Sr.	Brie Olson, Oklahoma, Jr.	Rachel Updike, Missouri, Fr.
Jan. 17	Mary Burke, Missouri, Sr.	Taylor Spears, Oklahoma, So.	Rachel Updike, Missouri, Fr.
Jan. 24	Taylor Spears, Oklahoma, So.	Sara Stone, Oklahoma, Sr.	Rachel Updike, Missouri, Fr.
Jan. 31	Michelle Browning, Iowa State, Sr.	Sara Stone, Oklahoma, Sr.	Rachel Updike, Missouri, Fr.
Feb. 7	Mary Burke, Missouri, Sr.	Megan Ferguson, Oklahoma, Sr.	Rachel Updike, Missouri, Fr.