Ute Gymnasts Open 2000 Campaign Friday

Jan. 7, 2000

SALT LAKE CITY -

QUICKLY

The Utah gymnastics team begins its 25th year of varsity competition on Fri., Jan. 14, when the Utes, ranked No. 5 in the preseason coaches' poll, host No. 21 ranked Utah State in the University Park Marriott Classic ... Meet time is 7 p.m. in the Huntsman Center ... Following the meet, the Ute gymnasts will autograph posters for the fans. This will be the only autograph session of the season ... Utah has the longest home win streak in the nation with 151 straight regular season wins (see The Streak below) ... Utah coach Greg Marsden needs just two wins to become collegiate gymnastics first 700-win coach. Marsden is 698-101-3 in 24 years at Utah ... A crowd of 7,000-8,000 is expected for Friday's meet ... Utah has qualified for the national championships in all 24 years of its history?the only school to do so. The Utes have made 18 straight NCAA appearances and won a record 10 national championships (1981-86, 1990, 1992 and 1994-95). They have never finished lower than 10th in the nation and were seventh last year.

THE STREAK

The Ute gymnasts are the best home team in the nation in any sport. Utah, owner of the nation's longest regular season home win streak, will put a 151-meet, 20-year regular season home win streak on the line against the Aggies in the season opener. Utah's last regular season home loss was back on Feb. 20, 1979 to Cal State-Fullerton. In the last 15 years, just three opponents have come within a point and a half of Utah in a regular season meet in the Huntsman Center: Utah defeated Oregon State by .75 in 1996, LSU by 1.225 in 1999 and Georgia by 1.4 points in 1991. Among the nationally ranked teams to fall to Utah since 1979: Georgia, Alabama, UCLA, Michigan, Florida, Arizona State, Penn State, LSU, Oregon State, Arizona, Nebraska, Brigham Young, Washington and Stanford. Including post-season competition, Utah's all-time home record is 302-15 (95%).

"WATCH" THE UTES ON THE WEB

Running scores for all Utah gymnastics meets will be posted live on the Internet. To follow the meet in progress, go to Utah's web page at www.UtahUtes.com.

UTES TOP DRAW OF THE NINETIES

The Utah gymnastics team won the attendance race for the ninth time in the 1990s last year, averaging 10,568 fans a home meet. It was the third best season home attendance figure ever for Utah or any team. The Utes have averaged nearly 11,000 fans per home meet over the last nine years, led by an NCAA record 13,164 average in 1993. Just one gymnastics team other than Utah has ever averaged in five-figure attendance and that was Alabama in 1997 (10,301). Utah's 10,568 attendance average in 1999 was third for all women's sports, behind Tennessee (14,969) and Connecticut (10,744) women's basketball. Utah, which has the top five season attendance averages ever for a gymnastics program, also has nine of the top 12 single meet attendance marks, led by the biggest crowd ever to watch a collegiate gymnastics meet in the United States?15,238 vs. Cal State Fullerton in 1991.

PRACTICE TIMES & INTERVIEW POLICY

Monday, Tuesday (1:30-5:00 p.m.) and Thursday (1:30-4:00 p.m.) in the Dumke Gymnastics Center. All practices are open. Media interested in interviews should plan to be in the Dumke Gymnastics Center 30 minutes before practice begins. All athlete interviews must be completed by the start of practice. Call sports information director Liz Abel at 801-581-3511 to arrange interviews.

PRESEASON POLL

The preseason coaches poll has Utah ranked No. 5 in the nation. Ranked No. 1 is defending champion Georgia (854 points), followed by Alabama (825), UCLA (816), Michigan (806) and Utah (770). The rest of the preseason top 10 had Nebraska at No. 6 (680), followed by Arizona State (644), Penn State (590) and Florida tied with LSU (584). The complete preseason poll can be found under "Gymnastics Poll" (sidebar to the right). The first regular season poll will be released late Tuesday, three days before Utah's first home meet, and will be based on high score (so Utah will be unranked). The rankings will be determined by high score from Jan. 11-18, on total season average from Jan. 25-Feb. 22 and on regional qualifying score from Feb. 29 until the conclusion of the regular season. Each Wednesday, the rankings (and release) are updated on the Internet under www.UtahUtes.com.

SCARY SCHEDULE

Every team on Utah's 2000 schedule was ranked in the Top-25 of the preseason coaches poll?four in the Top-10. The marquee meet on Utah's home schedule is on Feb. 14 vs. No. 3 ranked UCLA. Utah's toughest road test on paper will be in Tempe, Ariz., on Feb. 18, where the Utes will meet No. 2 Alabama, No. 7 Arizona State and No. 14 Minnesota. Utah's other 2000 foes and their rankings: No. 10 LSU, No. 12 Oregon State, No. 16 Arizona, No. 19 Washington, No. 21 Utah State and No. 23 BYU.

UTAH LAST YEAR

One of the best teams ever assembled at Utah saw its season end early after an uncharacteristically bad beam set on the first night of the NCAA Championships. Utah, which went 12-1 in the regular season, placed second behind UCLA in the nation's toughest regional meet to advance to the NCAA Championships. There, the Utes settled for seventh place thanks to a disastrous opening event that saw them fall three times on the beam. Utah got some consolation individually, with freshman sensation Theresa Kulikowski winning the all-around and balance beam and taking second on floor and vault. Senior Angie Leonard closed her spectacular career with an NCAA championship on the uneven bars. Also making the All-America first team for Utah were sophomore Shannon Bowles and freshman Deidra Graham. For the 16th time in the last 17 years, Utah led the nation's gymnastics teams in home attendance, averaging 10,568.

A GLANCE AT THE UTES

Utah returns 10 letterwinners from last year's team, including All-Americans Shannon Bowles (1998-99), Theresa Kulikowski (1999), Denise Jones (1998) and Deidra Graham (1999). One national champion is back in Kulikowski (all-around, beam). Gone are three letterwinners, all All-Americans (Angie Leonard, Molly Northrop, Sarah Northrop). Lost is one national champion Leonard (bars, 1999). The 2000 Utes have four seniors, two juniors, four sophomores and three freshmen.

BOWLES OUT

Junior All-American Shannon Bowles, who sustained a neck injury on November 22, will be out of competition indefinitely, with hopes for a February return. She is expected to miss 8-12 weeks from the time of the injury. The USU meet marks the end of the seventh week. Bowles fractured her seventh cervical vertebrae while attempting a yurchenko front half vault during practice. She had no significant nerve damage and the injury has a 99 percent chance of healing completely. Bowles is able to condition and do dance throughs, and once she receives medical clearance, will not be at risk to tumble or vault. She will be re-evaluated in a week. Bowles, one of the nation's top all-arounders, is a former member of the U.S. National Team.

TRAINER'S TABLE

In addition to Bowles' absence due to a neck injury, freshman Erin Prewitt will be limited to beam and bars this year due to an ankle injury suffered prior to her arrival on the Utah campus. Prewitt will likely undergo corrective surgery after the season.

LINEUP LOOK

The tentative lineup for the Utah-Utah State meet has Theresa Kulikowski, Denise Jones, Deidra Graham and Angelika Schatton pencilled in to go all-around. Schatton is the only first-time all-arounder ... Sophomore Lindsay Tanner could lead off Utah's floor lineup in her first floor routine to "count" as a Ute ... Kulikowski is scheduled to be Utah's final performer on all four events.

UTAH COACH GREG MARSDEN

Greg Marsden, the most successful coach in collegiate gymnastics history, is in his 25th year at the U. He is two wins away from becoming the first 700-win coach in the collegiate gymnastics ranks with a 698-101-3 record. His regular season record is 348-44-1. Marsden's ten national championships is double that of any other coach. Four of those titles came in the '90s (1990, '92, '94, '95). Fourteen of Marsden's teams have placed in the top-two nationally. The only coach in Utah's gymnastics history, Marsden is a seven-time national coach of the year selection.

SERIES SHORTS

Utah leads 71-3 ... Utes are 30-0 at home against Utah State ... Utah's 71 wins against the Aggies is its most against any opponent ... Utah has not lost to USU in 20 years, with all three losses coming during the 1978-79 seasons ... Last year Utah won its only meet with USU in Logan (197.625-195.675).

THIS MEET LAST YEAR

Utah racked up the third highest score in school history in a three-way win over Utah State and Boise State in Logan, Utah, on Feb. 22. Freshman Theresa Kulikowski led the way, winning the all-around with a 39.725 (the fifth best score in school history), as well as bars, beam and floor. She scored a 10.0 on bars and floor and a 9.95 on beam. Shannon Bowles made it a Ute sweep by capturing vault with a 9.875. Nearly every Ute notched a personal best and a school record fell when four Utes topped 39.00 in the all-around (Kulikowski, 39.725, Angie Leonard, 39.50, Shannon Bowles, 39.375, and Denise Jones, 39.275).

UTE NOTES

The Utah gymnastics team, along with Utah's other 10 varsity women's sports, is celebrating its 25th year of existence. Greg Marsden has been at the helm since the program's inception in the 1975-76 season. Utah opened its gymnastics history with a win over Cal State Long Beach on Jan. 17, 1976 ... Utah has the nation's best returning gymnast in sophomore Theresa Kulikowski, the NCAA all-around and balance beam champion and vault and floor runner-up last year ... Three of Utah's first four meets are at home, including next Friday's Smith's Challenge Cup against Minnesota.

MORE ON THE UTES

Kim Allan, Fr.?Canadian National Team member was fifth all-around at ?99 Senior Elite Nationals ... third all-around at the 1998 Senior Elite Nationals and second on floor ... 10th all-around at 1997 World Trials ... fifth all-around at 1998 Bluewater International Invitational ... 12th all-around at 1998 Senior Elite Canada. Shannon Bowles, Jr.?All-arounder is out indefinitely after injuring neck in preseason vault accident (Nov. 22) ... preliminary diagnosis was 8-12 weeks with no training ... had successful off-season shoulder surgery ... former U.S. National team member is a four-time NCAA All-American ... first-team All-American on beam as both a freshman and sophomore ... as a freshman, also made All-America first team in all-around and on bars ... 1999 GTE/CoSIDA District 8 Academic All-American ... has "hit" 90 percent of her career routines (84 of 93) and has 23 career victories ... career-best all-around score is 39.60 (ninth best in school history). Deidra Graham, So.?All-American on bars as a freshman finished 10th in the nation ... in first night of NCAA Championships competition tied for fourth across both sessions on bars (9.90) ... won collegiate all-around debut on Feb. 5, scoring 39.10 ... six top-two finishes on bars ... career bar best of 9.95 on Feb. 26 ... won bars at BYU (9.875) ... six 9.90 floor scores included 9.95 against Washington that tied for first..."hit" 37 of 43 routines. Denise Jones, Sr.?1998 All-America all-arounder (second team) ... 18 career 39.00-or-better all-around scores ... nine career victories includes five last year ... has "hit" 90% of her career routines (133 of 147) ... finished 1999 regular season ranked 16th nationally in the all-around (39.2065 RQS) ... won all-around against LSU with career-best 39.45 in 1999. Ashley Kever, Sr.?Key part of Utah's beam and floor lineups throughout her career ... also has 10.0 valued vault ... won balance beam in her collegiate debut back in 1997 ... in her last two years she "hit" 46 of 52 routines, including 26 of 27 as a junior. Theresa Kulikowski, So.?NCAA all-around champion as a freshman (39.675) also tied for first on beam (9.90) ... NCAA runner-up on vault (9.8375) and floor (9.90) ... five-time first-team All-American ... set school win record with 37 (breaking former Ute Missy Marlowe's record of 36) ... career-best 39.75 all-around is tied for fourth all-time at Utah ... six all-around scores that rank in Utah's all-time top-10 ... scored 39.00 or better in all 11 all-around attempts ... best freshman debut ever at Utah (39.40 vs. Stanford on January 15) ... first Ute freshman to ever score two 10.0s in a single meet (bars and floor at Utah State) ..."hit" 51 of 54 routines ... great student has perfect 4.0 GPA in her first three semesters at Utah ... NACGC Scholastic All-American. Erin Prewitt, Fr.?Member of U.S. Junior Olympic National team ... fifth all-around and finalist on floor at 1998 J.O. Nationals ... sixth all-around at 1997 J.O. Nationals ... was also a finalist on beam and floor at ?97 Nationals ... second all-around at 1998 regional meet ... won uneven bars and placed second on beam at 1999 state championship ... all-around runner-up at 1997-98 state championships ... 1996 state all-around champ ... valedictorian of high school class. Leah Sabo, Fr.?Member of 1998-99 U.S. Junior Olympic National team ... won floor exercise and placed 12th all-around at 1998 J.O. Nationals ... at USAIGC National Championships in Orlando, Fla., won beam and was all-around runner-up ... 1999 Level 10 regional champ ... third on vault and seventh on bars at 1999 J.O. Nationals. Angelika Schatton, Sr.?Outstanding vaulter has also competed to count on beam and floor ... could go all-around this year ... only Ute to vault in all 12 regular season meets last year ... averaged 9.80 on vault ... two straight vault victories ... placed second on vault four times. Jenny Schmidt, Sr.?Promising career has been sidetracked by injuries ... has had two knee surgeries since 1997 ... former three-event competitor now concentrates on bars ... after competing in mostly exhibition capacity last year, will be in regular rotation this year ... missed all of 1998 and most of 1997 with knee injuries ... as a freshman, was a great three-event performer, hitting 29 of 30 routines. Lindsay Tanner, So.? Floor routine features full-in on first pass ... came to Utah on an academic scholarship ... competed to "count" at Oregon State on Mar. 14 and hit both routines ... twice scored 9.90 on floor in exhibition ... 9.90 at Arizona would have tied her for first had score been to count. Kylee Wagner, So.?Big contributor as a freshman has even bigger things ahead after great preseason ... best events are floor and vault ... made floor lineup in 10 meets as a freshman ... led off Utah's floor set at nationals and scored 9.80 ... also vaulted at NCAA Championships, scoring 9.75. Theresa Wolf, Jr.?One of Utah's best all-arounders when she's healthy ... great start to last season was halted by injuries ... missed last eight meets with back and knee injuries ... won one all-around and was runner-up twice ... career all-around best is 39.225 (1999).

RETURNERS' WINS IN 1999

Theresa Kulikowski (37)All-Around (9)39.400 vs. Stanford, Jan. 1539.150 vs. Minnesota, Jan. 2339.600 vs. Florida, Feb. 2239.725 vs. Utah State/Boise State, Feb. 2639.550 vs. Washington, Mar. 639.600 vs. Oregon State, Mar. 1439.750 vs. New Hampshire, Mar. 2039.650 vs. Brigham Young, Mar. 2739.675 at   NCAA Championships, Apr. 22Vault (1)9.850 vs. New Hampshire, Mar. 20Bars (10)9.900 vs. Stanford, Jan. 159.875 vs. Minnesota, Jan. 239.925 vs. Louisiana State, Feb. 199.925 vs. Florida, Feb. 2210.00 vs. Utah State/Boise State, Feb. 269.950 vs. Washington, Mar. 69.950 vs. Oregon State, Mar. 149.975 vs. New Hampshire, Mar. 2010.00 vs. Brigham Young, Mar. 279.950 at   NCAA Regionals, Apr. 10Beam (8)9.850 vs. Stanford, Jan. 159.925 vs. Brigham Young, Jan. 299.800 vs. Southern Utah, Feb. 59.900 vs. Florida, Feb. 2210.00 vs. Utah State/Boise State, Feb. 2610.00 vs. New Hampshire, Mar. 209.950 at   NCAA Regionals, Apr. 109.900 at   NCAA Championships, Apr. 24 Floor (9)9.925 vs. Stanford, Jan. 159.850 vs. Brigham Young, Jan. 299.825 vs. Southern Utah, Feb. 59.925 vs. Louisiana State, Feb. 199.975 vs. Florida, Feb. 2210.00 vs. Utah State/Boise State, Feb. 269.950 vs. Washington, Mar. 69.925 vs. New Hampshire, Mar. 209.925 vs. Brigham Young, Mar. 27Shannon Bowles (9)Vault (2)9.875 vs. Utah State/Boise State, Feb. 269.900 vs. Washington, Mar. 6Beam (7)9.950 vs. Minnesota, Jan. 239.850 vs. Arizona, Feb. 129.950 vs. Louisiana State, Feb. 199.900 vs. Florida, Feb. 229.925 vs. Washington, Mar. 69.950 vs. Oregon State, Mar. 149.950 at   NCAA Regionals, Apr. 10Denise Jones (6)All-Around (1)39.450 vs. Louisiana State, Feb. 19Vault (3)9.750 vs. Minnesota, Jan. 239.775 vs. Brigham Young, Jan. 299.850 vs. New Hampshire, Mar. 20Bars (1)9.925 vs. Louisiana State, Feb. 19Beam (1)9.800 vs. Southern Utah, Feb. 5Theresa Wolf (3)All-Around (1)38.925 vs. Arizona, Feb. 12Vault (2)9.900 vs. Louisiana State, Feb. 199.925 vs. Florida, Feb. 22Deidra Graham (3)All-Around (1)39.10 vs. Southern Utah, Feb. 5Bars (1)9.875 vs. Brigham Young, Jan. 29Floor (1)9.950 vs. Washington, Mar. 6Angelika Schatton (2)Vault (2)9.850 vs. New Hampshire, Mar. 209.850 vs. Brigham Young, Mar. 27                    Ashley Kever (1)Beam (1)9.950 vs. Brigham Young, Mar. 27

AGGIE NOTES 12-2 in dual meet competition last year ... placed third at NCAA regionals ... top all-arounder is senior school record holder Christy Denson, who is recovering from a broken arm. Denson is expected to compete on at least a couple of events against Utah ... Ray Corn is 368-312-2 in his 23rd year as USU's head coach.

MARSDEN SAYS "Although the preseason is always too long and I know the student-athletes are more than ready, there's always a lot of anxiety going into the competition. It's like in football, you have to hit somebody before nerves start to calm down. In gymnastics, you've got to get that first routine behind you. Utah State will be a good test. They were a much improved team last season, barely missing qualifying for nationals, and should be even better this year with the addition of a great recruiting class ... The most disappointing thing about the preseason is Shannon's injury. She was having a phenomenal preseason and appeared poised to challenge Theresa Kulikowski for our top all-around spot. The positives of the preseason are that Kulikowski has returned and is ready to pick up where she left off at last year's NCAA Championships and Deidra Graham used the off-season to improve her weak areas and looks better than ever. Probably the most exciting thing to happen in the off-season is the development of Angelika Schatton, who for three years has been relegated to vault. She now is a probable all-arounder and has showed extraordinary improvement on the other three events. I would have to say the second most improved athlete is Kylee Wagner. Kylee should emerge as a real force on the team this year."

Upcoming Events

Recent Results

QUICKLY

THE STREAK

"WATCH" THE UTES ON THE WEB

UTES TOP DRAW OF THE NINETIES

PRACTICE TIMES & INTERVIEW POLICY

PRESEASON POLL

SCARY SCHEDULE

UTAH LAST YEAR

A GLANCE AT THE UTES

BOWLES OUT

TRAINER'S TABLE

LINEUP LOOK

UTAH COACH GREG MARSDEN

SERIES SHORTS

THIS MEET LAST YEAR

UTE NOTES

MORE ON THE UTES

RETURNERS' WINS IN 1999

Completed Event: Gymnastics versus NCAA Championships on April 16, 2026 ,

Completed Event: Gymnastics versus NCAA Regional Final on April 5, 2026 , , 197.500 (3rd of 4)

Completed Event: Gymnastics versus NCAA Regional Second Round on April 3, 2026 , , 197.500 (1st of 4)

Completed Event: Gymnastics versus Big 12 Championship on March 21, 2026 , , 1st of 6 (197.675)

Completed Event: Gymnastics at #4 UCLA on March 14, 2026 , Loss , 197.400, to, 197.850

Completed Event: Gymnastics versus BYU on March 7, 2026 , Win , 197.650, to, 196.550

Completed Event: Gymnastics versus West Virginia on March 7, 2026 , Win , 197.650, to, 195.300

Completed Event: Gymnastics at #16 Denver on March 1, 2026 , Win , 197.200, to, 196.100

Completed Event: Gymnastics versus Southern Utah on February 20, 2026 , Win , 197.425, to, 195.825

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