The Cyclone tumblers scored themselves a second-place finish in the Big 12 Championship.

The conference meet was held in Lincoln, Nebr., on March 21 and 22 in the Bob Devaney Center. The Cornhusker hosts caught the Big 12 title for the fifth consecutive year with 196.55 points. ISU tallied 195.8.

Iowa State’s Kelli More led the squad to become the Big 12 balance beam champion after balancing a school record score of 9.95. She is the second seed nationally in the event.

No one could best ISU’s More, but teammates Angie Umbaugh and Kayo Merritt tied for second in the event with 9.9.

Earlier this season, the Cyclone squad struggled to stick its beam routines. But ever since the intrastate rivalry contest against Iowa, ISU has secured its strength in the event, moving up from a No. 40 ranking into the top 10.

ISU Coach Amy Pyle said the women were always physically capable of solid showings on the beam, but the mental aspect wasn’t there until the showdown with the Hawkeyes.

“It’s amazing how things turn around,” she said. “We had the highest team total [49.575] in the country at the Iowa meet.”

She said it is rare for one team to sweep an event in a championship meet.

At the Big 12 competition, the gymnasts registered their second-highest beam mark, a 49.375.

More also put on a show on the uneven bars, tying the school record which Cyclone Sarah Stayberg had set the previous weekend against Iowa.

More’s second book-making performance (9.925) earned her a second place tie with Nebraska’s Nicole Wilkinson. Stayberg secured a sixth-place finish (9.875), while Sarah Hodgson garnered eighth (9.850).

Big Red’s Heather Brink took the bar event with a 9.95. And on vault, Brink scored another 9.95 for the Cornhusker cause.

Pyle said fine things about the Nebraska tumbler. “She’s awesome, period. She’s a phenomenal athlete.”

Umbaugh shared third place with Missouri’s Jessica Hagge. Each picked up a 9.825 rating. Stayberg and Kelly Cherwien shared eighth place with 9.725.

Nebraska also topped the floor routine courtesy of Misty Oxford, who scored a 9.9.

ISU’s Umbaugh also contributed to the Cyclone cause with her showing on the floor. Her routine landed her sixth (9.75) in the conference with ISU’s Stayberg and Libby Bell tying for eighth (9.7).

Umbaugh, a freshman, was named Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, an award determined by league coaches.

“I was pleased to see it go her way. Angie, by far, has the best track record in the Big 12 this year,” Pyle said.

Oklahoma’s sophomore Ginger Russell took the Big 12 Gymnast of the Year title. And Big 12 Coach of the Year went to Nebraska’s leader, Dan Kendig.

Pyle said she was thrilled with the outcome of the conference contest, which she described as a “stepping stone” for the NCAA regional meet. Regionals will be held April 4, in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

She said the Cyclones were ranked 13th in the nation and should move up to No. 10 after their Big 12 performance.

“We’ve never been rated that high — ever,” Pyle said.

National qualification would be the first time an entire ISU squad has qualified in school history.

“If we hit our meet, we should qualify for nationals,” she said.