Illinois Fighting Illini Edge Out Washington Huskies in Gymnastics Showdown

Narrow victory for Illinois comes down to strong floor exercise performance

Published on Feb. 7, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Illinois Fighting Illini women's gymnastics team secured a narrow 194.475 to 194.400 victory over the Washington Huskies in a thrilling meet held at Huff Hall in Seattle. Standout performances from sophomore Chloe Cho and junior Lyden Saltness led the Illini to the win, with Saltness claiming the uneven bars title and Cho sharing the vault title and delivering a crucial 9.850 on the balance beam.

Why it matters

This victory marks Illinois' first Big Ten win of the season, showcasing the team's resilience and ability to overcome challenges. The meet also highlights the competitive nature of women's gymnastics, where the outcome can come down to the final rotation.

The details

The Illini were led by Cho and Saltness, who each won individual event titles. Saltness achieved the highest individual score of the meet for Illinois with a 9.875 on the uneven bars, contributing to a team total of 48.725 on that event. Cho proved versatile, earning a share of the vault title with a 9.825 and delivering a crucial 9.850 on the balance beam. The Illini's strongest showing came during the third rotation on the floor exercise, where they posted a team score of 49.075, with freshman Piper Gow leading the charge with a 9.850.

  • The meet was held on Saturday, February 8, 2026.
  • Illinois' next meet is scheduled for February 15, 2026, at 2 p.m. CT against Nebraska.

The players

Chloe Cho

A sophomore on the Illinois women's gymnastics team who won the vault title and delivered a crucial 9.850 on the balance beam.

Lyden Saltness

A junior on the Illinois women's gymnastics team who won the uneven bars title with a 9.875, the highest individual score of the meet for Illinois.

Piper Gow

A freshman on the Illinois women's gymnastics team who led the charge on the floor exercise with a 9.850.

Illinois Fighting Illini

The women's gymnastics team from the University of Illinois that secured the narrow victory over the Washington Huskies.

Washington Huskies

The women's gymnastics team from the University of Washington that narrowly lost to the Illinois Fighting Illini.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“This victory marks Illinois' first Big Ten win of the season, showcasing the team's resilience and ability to overcome challenges.”

— Chief Editor (newsy-today.com)

What’s next

The Illinois women's gymnastics team will continue their season with a road trip to Lincoln, Nebraska, to face the Cornhuskers on February 15th at 2 p.m. CT.

The takeaway

The narrow victory for the Illinois Fighting Illini over the Washington Huskies highlights the competitive nature of women's gymnastics, where the outcome can come down to the final rotation. The Illini's resilience and standout performances from key athletes like Chloe Cho and Lyden Saltness were instrumental in securing the win, setting the stage for their upcoming meet against Nebraska.