At 9-1, Illinois is off to its best 10-game start since 2003, when it also opened 9-1. The Illini nearly cracked this week's USA Today/NFCA Top 25, earning the 26th-most votes. Illinois enters Friday's 12:30 p.m. matchup against the Seminoles 1-1 against ranked opponents this season.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – Paul Ruggeri won the all-around, parallel bars and high bar to lead top-ranked Illinois past No. 5 Penn State in men's gymnastics Saturday.

The Illini's 354.600-345.950 victory represented a season-high point total.

CHAMPAIGN – The pressure was on for Sarah Schmidt on Sunday. Heading into the final floor routine, the Illini senior needed to score better than 9.825 to give Illinois a victory against Michigan State.

"Sarah knew she needed a pretty good score, and she came through an impressive performance," Illini coach Bob Starkell said after Schmidt posted a 9.925 to give Illinois the inaugural Victory Plank trophy with a 195.600-195.500 win. "She didn't crunch the numbers to know how good of a score she needed, but she knew she could do it, and this was a great showing from her."

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Illinois senior Angela Bizzarri tied a 22-year-old school record while winning the mile run Saturday at the Tyson Invitational women's indoor track and field meet.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Freshman Yoshi Mori won the all-around, parallel bars and high bar to lead top-ranked Illinois past No. 5 Ohio State in men's gymnastics Saturday.

CHAMPAIGN – Melissa Bates won the 200- and 400-meter dashes and also anchored Illinois' winning 1,600 relay as the Illini women's track and field team won Saturday's nine-team Carle/Health Alliance Classic at the UI Armory.

Bates' time in the 400 (54.74 seconds) provisionally qualifies her for the NCAA Indoor Championships.

Three Illini gymnasts were selected Monday as Big Ten weekly award winners.

AMES, Iowa – Illinois had a hard time getting started in its final tuneup for the Big Ten wrestling season.

No. 2 Iowa State dominated the Illini 33-9 before 2,812 fans at Hilton Coliseum.