Senior Minnesota women’s gymnast Laura Johnson tied for 20th in her session of the all-around competition at the NCAA Championships on Thursday in Corvallis, Ore.

Johnson totaled 38.475 points, off the pace set by session winner Ashley Postell of Utah, who scored a 39.525.

Johnson also failed to qualify for the event finals by not finishing in the session’s top eight in any event. Her best place was a tie for 17 in the floor exercise. She tied for 21st in the vault, tied for 19th in the uneven bars and took 42nd in the balance beam.

Softball returns home

Minnesota’s softball team (12-25, 1-11 Big Ten) will play at home for the first time all season this weekend when it hosts Illinois and Northwestern.

The Gophers will play the Illini (19-25, 5-6 Big Ten) at 6 tonight and noon Saturday. The Wildcats (30-10, 9-2 Big Ten) will play a doubleheader against Minnesota beginning at noon Sunday. All four games will be played at Jane Sage Cowles Stadium.

The Gophers, who played their first 37 games this season on the road, sit in last place in the Big Ten after a winless road trip last weekend against Ohio State and Penn State.

Rowing on Lake Phalen

Minnesota’s rowing team will host Boston University and Kansas at 10 a.m. Saturday at Lake Phalen in St. Paul.

The races are the first at home this spring season for the Gophers. Minnesota hosted the Head of the Mississippi on Oct. 11 on the Mississippi River.

The Gophers will host the Big Ten Championships on April 29, also at Lake Phalen.

Last weekend Minnesota rowed against Big Ten opponents Indiana and Ohio State in Bloomington, Ind.

Both the Gophers’ boats lost to the Buckeyes, while the second varsity eight-boat beat Oregon State, and the first varsity eight-boat defeated the Hoosiers. Minnesota’s first varsity four-boat defeated Indiana and Ohio State, while the second varsity four-boat beat the Hoosiers and lost to the Buckeyes.