Even after being crowned the first NCAA floor exercise champion in the history of the Michigan women’s gymnastics program and the Big Ten Gymnast of the Year last season, senior Joanna Sampson hasn’t skipped a beat in delivering all-star performances. Sunday afternoon, her 39.475 all-around total was enough for her to not only cap off an individual victory but also lead the Wolverines to a win over Central Michigan, 196.550-193.100.
“I think her confidence has gone up tremendously as a result of her success the previous season, and therefore, she’s a little more relaxed,” said Michigan coach Bev Plocki. “Joanna has been one of the most intense athletes I have ever coached in 25 years.”
The Willow Grove, Pa. native highlighted her senior debut with a stuck vault at the exhibition meet. Though the judges found a deduction in her near-flawless Yurchenko full and scored her routine a 9.925, the Michigan men’s gymnastics team disagreed, chanting “10! 10! 10!” from the stands at Crisler Center.
Sampson picked up two additional event titles for her new uneven bars and floor exercise routines that tabulated identical scores of 9.900. She upgraded her Tkachev release move — in which she swings her body over the high bar in a straddle position and releases it in an arched position to catch it on the other side — to a toe-on version called a Ray that is immediately connected with a transition from high to low bar.
On floor, the reigning NCAA champion maintained her difficult tumbling passes but opted for new choreography and music. Sampson led the Wolverines on a quest to regain their title as the top floor workers in the nation, adding numerous upgrades and new routines across the board. Following a quick pep talk led by Sampson after warmups, the team recorded an especially high for the preseason 49.400 total on the event, counting scores at or above 9.850.
The captain’s only major error of the night was a few wobbles on the balance beam, though she was able to finish third and maintain her composure.
“She is definitely hardest on herself, so I’m sure she’s not at all thrilled that she bobbled twice on the beam,” Plocki said. “That is just unacceptable in her eyes, so I’m sure she’ll go back to the gym and do those skills a thousand times.”
Named team captain for the second consecutive year, Sampson has high expectations for Michigan to reclaim the Big Ten title, qualify for the Super Six again and place top three in the nation. She also hopes to serve as a role model for her fellow Wolverines.
“I just approach things knowing that my teammates are always looking to me,” Sampson said. “Individually, I want to do what’s best for the team. That’s all I really care about.”
Time and time again, Sampson has expressed that she would have traded her individual postseason success from the previous season for one spot higher at the Big Ten Championship and NCAA Championship, where Michigan finished just short of taking home the title and qualifying for the Super Six.
Along with nine other athletes returning this 2014 season, Sampson has helped foster a competitive, yet motivating environment. With no lineup spots secure, the depth and talent within the Wolverines force each team member to fight for her spot and treat each day of training as if it were the national championship.