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The University of Utah Athletics
Ute Gymnasts Compete at USU Tonight.
2/7/2000 12:00 AM | Gymnastics
Feb. 7, 2000
SALT LAKE CITY -
QUICKLY
No. 4 ranked Utah (3-1) has its second meet in four days, when the Utes take on unranked Utah State (1-2) tonight at 7 p.m. in Logan ... The Utah-Utah State meet will be televised live on KJZZ from the Spectrum ... Utah is coming off an emotional 196.300-195.800 come-from-behind win over Brigham Young in Salt Lake City, Friday ...Utah State was edged by Cal State Sacramento 190.475-190.450 on the road ... Utah improved its NCAA record regular season home win streak to 154 in a row with its victory over BYU ... Utah is 0-1 on the road this year, losing to LSU on Jan. 28 ... USU is 1-0 at home, with a 191.625-190.100 win over Boise State on Jan. 28 ... Live stats of the meet can be found on Utah's web site at
TV TALK
Two of Utah's next three meets will be televised live on KJZZ: The Utah-Utah State meet in Logan tonight and the Utah-UCLA meet in Salt Lake City on Feb. 14. Steve Brown will call the "play by play" and former Ute All-American and U.S. Olympian Missy Marlowe will provide color commentary. Audrey Piper will be on the sidelines.
PRACTICE TIMES & INTERVIEW POLICY
Tuesday (1:30-5:00 p.m.), Thursday (2:00-5:00 p.m.) and Friday (1:30-5:00) in the Dumke Gymnastics Center. All practices are open. Media interested in interviews should plan to be in the Dumke Gymnastics Center thirty 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.
THE RANKINGS
Utah, ranked as high as No. 1 this year, opens the week at No. 4 (Feb. 1 rankings). The new rankings will be released late Tuesday, February 8. Led by the country's top ranked all-arounder and defending NCAA champion, Theresa Kulikowski (now gone for the year with a knee injury), Utah achieved a No. 1 ranking on January 25. It marked the first time Utah had been No. 1 since Feb. 27, 1995, also the year of its most recent NCAA Championship. The Top-10 as of Feb. 1 follows. The complete poll can be found on page 5 of this release and on Utah's web site
LAST WEEK
The closest regular season meet in the Huntsman Center in more than 20 years saw the Utes charge back from a .20 deficit on the final event to beat rival BYU 196.300-195.800 last Friday in the Huntsman Center. Deidra Graham, who won the all-around with a career-best 39.55, along with Denise Jones and Ashley Kever, led the comeback in Utah's first full meet without defending NCAA champion all-arounder Theresa Kulikowski. Graham and Jones, who tied for first on vault with a 9.875, helped Utah to a first rotation lead. The lead nearly disappeared on the next rotation after Utah's worst bar performance in three years, although Jenny Schmidt (9.90) won the event. Utah bounced back on beam with a 49.05, but BYU's 49.325 on floor put the Cougars up by two tenths of a point. But Jones (9.95), Graham (9.90) and Kever (9.925) finished Utah's best floor set of the year (49.525) with a flourish to secure the win, Utah's 154th straight at home.
TRAINER'S TABLE
Utah is now without its top two gymnasts, both All-America all-arounders, because of injuries. Sophomore All-American and 1999 NCAA champion Theresa Kulikowski (knee) is out for the season after tearing her ACL on January 28 at LSU. Junior first-team All-American Shannon Bowles (neck) will likely take a redshirt year due to a fractured cervical vertebrae suffered on November 22. There is a slight chance Bowles will return this year. More information on the injured All-Americans can be found at the end of this release. Freshman Erin Prewitt will have ankle surgery and will also redshirt this season.
UTAH COACH GREG MARSDEN
Greg Marsden, the most successful coach in collegiate gymnastics history, is in his 25th year at the U. He became college gymnastics' first 700-win coach with Utah's win over Minnesota on January 21. Marsden is now 701-102-3 (all meets). His regular season record is 351-45-1. 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 72-3 ... Utes are 21-2 in Logan ... Utah's 72 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) ... Utah won previous contest this year 195.475-190.375 in Salt Lake City on Jan. 14.
BAR NONE
Utah's bar team, the best in the nation for the last several years, is again ranked No. 1 with a 49.3833 average. However, Utah will likely drop when the new poll is released on Feb. 8 after counting a fall on Friday. Theresa Kulikowski, now out for the season with a knee injury, was also No. 1 (9.950 average). Deidra Graham was sixth (9.8917). Graham scored a 9.875 against BYU.
UTE NOTES
Utah's 48.650 bar score on Feb. 4, which included two falls, was its worst bar effort since March 15, 1997 ... Utah is minus two-and-a-half all-arounders for a second straight meet: sophomore defending NCAA all-around and balance beam champion Theresa Kulikowski is out for the season with a torn ACL, junior All-America all-arounder Shannon Bowles has been out all year with a cracked vertebrae and senior Angelika Schatton can do just bars and beam due to a sprained ankle suffered on Jan. 28 at LSU ... Sophomore Kylee Wagner will likely replace freshman Leah Sabo in the floor lineup tonight ... Utah drew a season-high crowd of 12,201 for last Friday's meet with BYU. The Utes are now averaging 9,806 spectators per meet at home ... Utah has already faced Utah State once this year, beating the Aggies handily (195.475-190.375) in Salt Lake in the season opener on January 14.
MORE ON THE UTES
Kim Allan, Fr.-Will compete on two events for a second straight meet (vault and bars) ... 9.70 in first vault to count (Feb. 4) ... fell in bar debut (8.650) ... scored 9.675 in exhibition on floor vs. Utah State and 9.70 on vault vs. Minnesota ... 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. Shannon Bowles, Jr.-All-America all-arounder will likely end up redshirting this year after breaking her neck (fracture of the seventh cervical vertebrae) on Nov. 22 in a practice accident ... fracture is healing, but Jan. 19 evaluation indicated four more weeks on the sidelines ... next MRI is scheduled for Feb. 14 ... had successful off-season shoulder surgery ... former U.S. National team member is a four-time NCAA 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.-Two straight career all-around highs (39.200 on Jan. 28 and 39.55 on Feb. 4) ... won all-around (39.55), vault (9.875) and beam (9.90) vs. BYU ... career bests on three events this year: vault (9.875), beam (9.90) and bars (9.95) ... against Minnesota, she was second on vault (9.80), bars (9.875) and floor (9.90) ... All-American on bars as a freshman finished 10th in the nation ... won collegiate all-around debut on Feb. 5, scoring 39.10 ... has "hit" 48 of 55 career routines and is 14 of 15 this year. Denise Jones, Sr.-Back in all-around lineup after going exhibition on floor against Minnesota on Jan. 21 ... tied career all-around best (39.45) on Feb. 4 ... won floor, with career-best 9.95, and tied for first on vault (9.875) on Feb. 4 vs. BYU ... 1998 All-America all-arounder (second team) ... 19 career 39.00-or-better all-around scores ... career-best all-around is 39.45 (1999 and `00) ... 11 career victories ... has "hit" 91% of her career routines (147 of 162). Ashley Kever, Sr.-Outstanding two-event performer is Utah's final competitor on both beam and floor ... won floor exercise on Jan. 28 at LSU with 9.875 ... career-best 9.925 on floor vs. BYU clinched victory for Utes ... averaging 9.87 on floor ... season-best 9.875 on beam vs. BYU ... "hit" 26 of 27 routines last year and is 7 of 8 this year. Theresa Kulikowski, So.-1999 NCAA all-around and beam champion (and runner-up on vault and floor) will miss remainder of season after tearing her ACL on Jan. 28 at LSU ... won 7 of 10 events before injury ... won all three bar competitions, both beam and floor routines, and both all-around competitions (did just two events at LSU) ... in poll just prior to her injury, she ranked No. 1 nationally in the all-around (39.4625 average), third on beam (9.8875) and fourth on floor (9.900) ... was No. 1 on bars in ranking immediately following injury (Feb. 1) ... scored 39.00 or better in all 13 of her career all-around attempts and has "hit" 61 of 64 routines (10 of 10 this year) ... 46 career victories includes 10 all-around wins ... great student has perfect 4.0 GPA in her first three semesters at Utah ... NACGC Scholastic All-American ... first alternate for 1996 U.S. Olympic Team. Erin Prewitt, Fr.-Is taking a redshirt year and will undergo ankle surgery for an injury she incurred prior to coming to Utah ... 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. Leah Sabo, Fr.-Fell on last pass of first floor routine to count (Feb. 4) and scored 9.350 ... great exhibition floor routine at LSU (9.875) would have been good for first-place tie had it been to count ... also did exhibition floor routine in season opener ... did not compete vs. Minnesota (flu) ... member of 1998-99 U.S. Junior Olympic National team ... won floor exercise and placed 12th all-around at 1998 J.O. Nationals ... third on vault and seventh on bars at 1999 J.O. Nationals. Angelika Schatton, Sr.-Won all-around berth this year and scored career-best 38.65 vs. Utah State on Jan. 14 ... limited to two events vs. BYU due to ankle sprain ... has career bests this year on three individual events (9.875 on bars, 9.825 on beam and 9.85 on floor) ... career-best 9.875 in first-ever bar routine to count (Jan. 14) ... went all-around in Utah's first three meets. Jenny Schmidt, Sr.-Has been sensational on bars ... won first event title of her career vs. BYU on Feb. 4, scoring career-best 9.90 ... scores on bars have been 9.875 vs. USU, 9.825 vs. Minnesota, 9.85 vs. LSU and 9.90 vs. BYU ... competed primarily in exhibition capacity last year following two knee surgeries ... 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 ... 4 of 4 this year. Lindsay Tanner, So.-Leads off Utah's floor lineup with full-in ... career best 9.85 on Feb. 4 ... has twice scored 9.825 this year ... will continue to figure into Utah's floor score this year after competing mostly exhibition as a freshman ... came to Utah on an academic scholarship. Kylee Wagner, So.-Scheduled to compete on three events tonight, marking return to floor lineup ... won first-ever event title vs. Utah State on Jan. 14, capturing vault with 9.775 ... career-tying 9.80 on vault vs. BYU (Feb. 4) ... hit three events in exhibition and received 39.00 as exhibition all-arounder vs. USU ... best meet was on Jan. 21 (9.725 on vault, 9.75 on beam and 9.80 on floor) ... 9.825 on floor vs. USU. Theresa Wolf, Jr.-Is back in all-around lineup after excelling on three events (vault, bars and beam) in first three meets ... 38.75 all-around vs. BYU included fall on bars ... won vault competition against Minnesota (9.825) ... tied career bar high vs. Minnesota (9.825) ... season-best 9.80 on beam twice (LSU and BYU) ... in first floor routine of the year, tied career high with 9.90 vs. BYU ... has "hit" 11 of 12 routines ... missed final half of 1999, after winning one all-around and placing second twice ... career all-around best is 39.225 (1999).
UTE WINNERS IN 2000
Theresa Kulikowski (9) All-Around (2) 39.400 vs. Utah State, Jan. 14 39.525 vs. Minnesota, Jan. 21 Bars (3) 9.975 vs. Utah State, Jan. 14 9.950 vs. Minnesota, Jan. 21 9.925 vs. LSU, Jan. 28 Beam (2) 9.825 vs. Utah State, Jan. 14 9.950 vs. Minnesota, Jan. 21 Floor (2) 9.875 vs. Utah State, Jan. 14 9.925 vs. Minnesota, Jan. 21Deidra Graham (3) All-Around (1) 39.550 vs. Brigham Young, Feb. 4 Vault (1) 9.875 vs. Brigham Young, Feb. 4 Beam (1) 9.900 vs. Brigham Young, Feb. 4
Denise Jones (2) Vault (1) 9.875 vs. Brigham Young, Feb. 4 Floor (1) 9.950 vs. Brigham Young, Feb. 4
Kylee Wagner (1) Vault (1) 9.775 vs. Utah State, Jan. 14
Theresa Wolf (1) Vault (1) 9.825 vs. Utah State, Jan. 14
Ashley Kever (1) Floor (1) 9.875 vs. LSU, Jan. 28
Jenny Schmidt (1) Bars (1) 9.900 vs. Brigham Young, Feb. 4
USU REVIEW
1-2 ... top score is 191.625 (Jan. 28) ... top all-arounder is Christy Denson, who has 39.100 best this year.
"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 LOSE NCAA CHAMP
Sophomore Theresa Kulikowski, the defending NCAA all-around and balance beam champion and vault and floor runner-up, is gone for the season after injuring her knee on the vault vs. LSU on January 28. Kulikowski, who entered the meet ranked No. 1 in the nation in the all-around and on bars, tore the ACL in her left knee after landing her first vault. The injury will require surgery. She had ACL surgery on her right knee before coming to Utah. Kulikowski will petition for a medical hardship from the NCAA.
NOT KULI
Sophomore Theresa Kulikowski, the 1999 NCAA champion in the all-around and on balance beam, and the NCAA runner-up on vault and floor, will miss the remainder of the year after tearing her ACL on January 28 at LSU. Kulio, the first alternate to the 1996 U.S. Olympic Team and a five-time NCAA All-American as a freshman, won seven of 10 events this year. In two and a half meets, she won all three bar competitions and both beam and floor routines. She won both of her all-around attempts (did just two events at LSU). Kulio finished the current season ranked No. 1 nationally in the all-around (39.4625 average) and on bars (9.9625). She was ranked third on beam (9.8875) and fourth on floor (9.900). She has scored a 39.00 or better in all 13 of her career all-around attempts and has "hit" 61 of 64 routines (10 of 10 this year). She set the school record for wins in a season last year with 37 and now has 46 career victories. Ten of those were in the all-around.BROKEN BOWLES Junior All-American Shannon Bowles, who sustained a neck injury on November 22, is at least another couple of weeks away from competition and full training and will likely take a redshirt year. The injury, which occurred while she was attempting a yurchenko front half vault, resulted in a fracture of her seventh cervical vertebrae. Bowles was reevaluated on January 19 and, although the healing process was evident, the fracture had not completely healed. Her next MRI is scheduled for Feb. 14. She is able to condition and do dance throughs, and once she receives medical clearance, will not be at risk to tumble or vault. One of the nation's top all-arounders, Bowles is a former member of the U.S. National Team.
THE STREAK
Utah hung on to its national record regular season home win streak, barely, with a 196.300-195.800 win over BYU on Feb. 4. It was the closest a team has come to Utah in the Huntsman Center during the regular season in more than 20 years. Utah, which has now won an unprecedented 154 consecutive regular season home meets (a record for any sport), last lost a regular season meet at home 20 years ago on Feb. 20, 1979 to Cal State-Fullerton. In the last 15 years, just two opponents have come within a point of Utah in a regular season meet in the Huntsman Center: Utah defeated BYU by 0.5 on Feb. 4, 2000 and Oregon State by 0.75 in 1996. Two others came within a point and a half: LSU (1.225 in 1999) and Georgia (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 305-15 (95%).
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 gymnastics 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. The Utes are averaging 9,806 fans in two home meets this year.
BEEN THERE, DONE THAT
Now in its 25th year of varsity competition, Utah is the only school in the nation to qualify for each of the last 24 national championships. 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.
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.
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