Utah Gymnastics Meet Vs. BYU Will Be Televised Live

Feb. 8, 2001

SALT LAKE CITY -

QUICKLY

The No. 3 Utah gymnasts (4-1) will compete on just two days' rest when they go to Provo, Utah, for a dual meet with No. 18 Brigham Young (6-0), Friday ... Meet time is 7:00 p.m. in the Marriott Center ... The meet will be televised live on KBYU (Ch. 11 in Salt Lake City) ... Utah is coming off a season-best 197.125 in a win over Utah State (194.325), Tuesday. It was the 10th best score in school history ... Head Coach Greg Marsden picked up career win No. 725 against Utah State. He is gymnastics' only 700-win coach ... Utah leads the series with BYU 64-2 (more information in Series Shorts) ... Live stats from the meet will be posted on Utah's web site at www.UtahUtes.com.

PRACTICE TIMES & INTERVIEW POLICY

Thursday (1:30-3:00 p.m.) in the Dumke Gymnastics Center. All practices are open to the public. 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.

THE RANKINGS

The Utes are ranked No. 3 in the most recent poll, issued February 5. The rankings, currently based on season average, follow: 1. UCLA (196.825), 2. Alabama (196.515), 3. Utah (196.025), 4. Georgia (195.990), 5. Stanford (195.862), 6. Nebraska (195.745), 7. Florida (195.555), 8. Michigan (195.210), 9. Oklahoma (194.775), 10. Penn State (194.750), 11. Minnesota (194.680), 12. Louisiana State (194.506), 13. Ohio State (194.505), 14. Iowa State (194.462), 15. Arizona State (194.300), 16. Illinois State (194.245), 17. West Virginia (194.105), 18. Brigham Young (194.067), 19. Oregon State (193.940), 20. Iowa (193.910), 21. Denver (193.900), 22. Illinois (193.881), 23. Kent State (193.821), 24. California (193.765), 25. Michigan State (193.531).

LAST COMPETITION

Deidra Graham won the all-around, Theresa Kulikowski scored a perfect 10.0 on the beam and the Utes rolled up the 10th best score in school history in a 197.125-194.325 win over Utah State in the Huntsman Center before 10,630 fans, Tuesday. Sophomore Kim Allan was scheduled to go all-around before tearing her Achilles tendon in practice on Sunday. Despite her absence, Utah went ahead with its upgrade plans and the result was season-high scores on vault (48.925) and bars (49.55). Graham and Veronique Leclerc tied for first on the vault with a 9.85 and Theresa Wolf tied for first on the bars with Kulikowski (9.925). Kulikowski was the solo winner on the beam with her first 10.0 of the year and Wolf won the floor exercise with a career-best 9.925.

SERIES SHORTS

Utah leads BYU 64-2 ... series began in 1976 with Ute victory ... Utah won 47 straight before losing in 1994 in Provo (194.125-125.800) ... BYU's other win was in 1998 in Provo (196.050-195.975) ... Utah has won 6 straight since then, including all 3 last year.

UTE NOTES

Utah is ranked No. 1 in the nation on the balance beam (49.019 average), No. 2 on the floor exercise (49.306) and No. 4 on the bars (49.169) ... The top ranked Ute individual is Theresa Kulikowski on the bars (No. 4 with a 9.912 average) ... Freshman Annie Medcalf performed her first collegiate routine vs. Utah State, replacing the injured Kim Allan on the bars. Medcalf fell off the bars as Utah's lead-off, but bounced back as an exhibition performer on the beam, where she scored a (non-counting) 9.75 ... Theresa Wolf posted a pair of career-best scores vs. Utah State and won both events (9.925 on bars and floor).

LINEUP LOOK

Utah plans to use a similar lineup against BYU to the one it put up against Utah State on Tuesday. Deidra Graham and Theresa Wolf will be the only Utes to go all-around, but look for Shannon Bowles, Kylee Wagner and Melissa Vituj to do three events apiece.

TRAINER'S TABLE

Sophomore All-American Kim Allan is lost for the season after rupturing her left Achilles tendon in a practice injury on February 4.

UTAH COACH GREG MARSDEN

Greg Marsden, the most successful coach in collegiate gymnastics history, is in his 26th year at the U. He is college gymnastics' only 700 win coach (725-108-3). In regular season competition, Marsden is 362-49-1. Marsden, who has spent his entire career at Utah, has won 10 ten national championships, double that of any other coach. Four of those titles came in the '90s (1990, '92, '94, '95). Fifteen of his teams have placed in the top-three nationally, including last year's NCAA runner-up squad. Marsden is a seven-time national coach of the year selection.

GOLDEN GRAHAM

Junior Deidra Graham, the 2000 NCAA Region 2 Gymnast of the Year and a four-time All-American, is the only Ute to compete in the all-around in all five meets this year. Graham has won three all-around competitions, against Minnesota (39.20), Arizona (39.325) and Utah State (39.275). She is tied for Utah's season victory lead with seven total. Graham opened the week ranked No. 18 in the nation in the all-around with a 39.119 average. Her 39.325 at Arizona was her best all-around score this year and she set a new personal best on the balance beam with a 9.925 in that meet. Graham has "hit" 19 of 20 routines this year and is 91-percent in career routines (105-115). The former U.S. National Team member finished 10th in the all-around at the 2000 NCAA Championships and made the All-America first team.

WAY KULIO

Theresa Kulikowski, the 1999 NCAA champion in the all-around and on the balance beam (NCAA runner-up on vault and floor), is back in the lineup after missing most of last year with a knee injury. However, while she continues to heal from last year's ACL surgery, she is competing only on bars and beam. She won her first four competitions this year and has seven total wins, tied for first on the team. Kulikowski received the fifth perfect 10.0 of her career and her first of 2001 on the beam vs. Utah State. She also tied for first on bars (9.925) in that meet. She has won 14 of her last 15 regular season bar competitions. She is currently ranked No. 4 in the nation on the bars with a 9.912 average (9.95 best). Kulio has won 51 events and/or all-around titles in her brief Ute career, including a school record 37 victories in 1999. She has "hit" 9-10 routines this year and is 70-74 (95%) for her career. The former U.S. National team member was the alternate to the 1996 U.S. Olympic team. She was awarded a medical hardship extension by the NCAA, making her a sophomore in eligibility.

BOWLES `EM OVER

Four-time All-American Shannon Bowles has been an outstanding three-event performer this year, marking an incredible comeback a fractured neck vertebrae that sidelined her all of last year. Bowles won the beam at Arizona with a perfect 10.0, the second of her career and first since her freshman year in 1998. She has won four event titles this year, including two on January 5 in her first meet since 1999. Three of her wins came on the beam and one was on the floor. The junior has "hit" 14-15 routines this year and 98-108 (91%) in her career. A two-time NCAA balance beam All-American who finished fourth in the nation on that event as both a freshman and sophomore, Bowles is also an All-American on the bars and in the all-around. The former U.S. National team member placed eighth in the all-around at the 1998 NCAA Championships.

MORE ON THE UTES

Kim Allan, So.-All-American as a freshman in 2000 suffered season-ending injury on Feb. 4 ... underwent surgery to repair torn Achilles on Feb. 7 ... three-event performer was scheduled to go all-around in Feb. 6 meet vs. USU before getting injured ... she had "hit" all 12 of her routines, 4 each on vault, bars and beam ... competed on three events at 2000 NCAA Championships, making second-team All-American on beam (9.85).

Shannon Bowles, Jr.-See previous section titled Bowles `Em Over.

Deidra Graham, Jr.-See previous section titled Golden Graham.

Theresa Kulikowski, So.-See previous section titled Way Kulio.

Tacia LaBatte, Fr.-Freshman vaulted in season opener and scored 9.65 ... has gone exhibition three times on bars, with a best score of 9.625 against Arizona ... vaulted as exhibition once (9.575) ... member of 1996 and 2000 Junior Olympic National teams ... four-time region all-around champ.

Veronique Leclerc, Fr.-Two-event performer is Utah's best vaulter ... four victories this year includes last three vault competitions ... vault wins were vs. Southern Utah (9.825), UCLA (career-best 9.90), Arizona (9.875) and Utah State (9.85) ... won vault (9.825) and tied for second on bars in first collegiate meet (9.90) ... has "hit" 9-10 events (miss was on vault) ... five-year Canadian National Team member was ninth all-around at 2000 Canadian Olympic Trials.

Annie Medcalf, Fr.-Led off Utah's bar set vs. Utah State and scored 9.325 due to fall ... also went exhibition on beam vs. USU and scored 9.75 ... 1997-99 U.S. National team member did not compete last year due to injury ... won floor exercise and fourth all-around at 1998 Junior Olympic Championships.

Leah Sabo, So.-Has vaulted in every meet and competed twice on floor ... expects to go two events again on Friday ... career-best 9.75 on vault vs. Utah State ... has scored career-best 9.825 in both floor routines (Southern Utah, Utah State) ... without a fall in 7 routines this year and is 7-8 in career routines.

Lindsay Tanner, Jr.-Nation's best lead-off floor exercise worker a year ago is working to regain her position in lineup ... led-off Utah's floor set in first four meets and tied career high (9.85) in season opener ... received 9.80 at both Minnesota and Arizona ... first pass features full-in.

Melissa Vituj, Fr.-Freshman three-event performer is posting consistently big scores on vault, beam and floor ... has "hit" all 14 routines ... career-high 9.875 on floor against UCLA and Utah State ... career-best 9.875 on beam vs. Utah State ... best vault score is 9.725 (vs. Utah State) ... tied for first on floor (9.85) against Minnesota ... also had 9.85 floor score at Arizona ... has gone three events in every meet but one (two vs. Arizona) ... 1999 Junior Olympic Level 10 balance beam champion.

Kylee Wagner, Jr.-Back in lineup on three events (vault, beam, floor) after not competing to count in season opener and performing on two events in three other meets ... scored 9.75 in first beam of year on Feb. 6 ... has scored 9.85 on floor in last three meets (UCLA, Arizona and Utah State) ... has "hit" 9-9 routines.

Theresa Wolf, Sr.-Team's lone senior and captain has gone all-around in last two meets ... 39.05 against Arizona and 39.00 vs. Utah State ... set career marks on bars (9.925) and floor (9.925) while winning both events vs. Utah State ... 9.90 on floor against UCLA ... has "hit" 14-17 routines this year and 102-119 (86%) for her career ... Utah's top all-arounder at last year's NCAA team finals scored career-tying 39.425.

UTE WINNERS IN 2001

Theresa Kulikowski (7)
Bars (4)
9.950 vs. Southern Utah, Jan. 5
9.925 vs. Minnesota, Jan. 13
9.900 vs. Arizona, Jan. 26
9.925 vs. Utah State, Feb. 6
Beam (3)
9.900 vs. Southern Utah, Jan. 5
9.900 vs. Minnesota, Jan. 13
10.00 vs. Utah State, Feb. 6

Deidra Graham (7)
All-Around (3)
39.200 vs. Minnesota, Jan. 13
39.325 vs. Arizona, Jan. 26
39.275 vs. Utah State, Feb. 6
Vault (2)
9.850 vs. Minnesota, Jan. 13
9.850 vs. Utah State, Feb. 6
Floor (2)
9.850 vs. Minnesota, Jan. 13
9.900 vs. Arizona, Jan. 26

Shannon Bowles (4)
Beam (3)
9.900 vs. Southern Utah, Jan. 5
9.925 vs. UCLA, Jan. 21
10.00 vs. Arizona, Jan. 26
Floor (1)
9.925 vs. Southern Utah, Jan. 5

Veronique Leclerc (4)
Vault (4)
9.825 vs. Southern Utah, Jan. 5
9.900 vs. UCLA, Jan. 21
9.875 vs. Arizona, Jan. 26
9.850 vs. Utah State, Feb. 6

Theresa Wolf (2)
Bars (1)
9.925 vs. Utah State, Feb. 6
Floor (1)
9.925 vs. Utah State, Feb. 6

BYU REVIEW

6-0 ... most recently won Missouri Cat Classic, beating host Missouri, Bowling Green and Illinois State ... Kelly Parkinson has won all three all-arounds this year, with a season-best 39.325 vs. Iowa State on Jan. 12 ... Head Coach Brad Cattermole is 136-109-1 in his 13th year.

MARSDEN SAYS

"The scheduling isn't ideal, having two meets in four days, but it will be a good challenge for our team. It will be important for our athletes to refocus because BYU is always at their best when they meet Utah in the Marriott Center. We haven't had any real training time since our meet on Tuesday so this meet is about going down to unfamiliar territory and have the same type of success that we did here at home with our upgrades."

ALLAN LOST FOR SEASON

Ute sophomore All-American Kim Allan, a three-event performer ticketed for the all-around lineup, ruptured her (left) Achilles tendon in practice on February 4. She underwent surgery to repair the tendon on February 7 and will miss the remainder of the season. The injury occurred on the takeoff for a double back on the floor exercise. Allan, an All-American on the balance beam as a freshman at last year's NCAA Championships, had "hit" all 12 of her routines this year. Her best scores this season were a 9.85 on the balance beam, a 9.80 on the uneven bars and a 9.675 on the vault. Prior to the injury, she was scheduled to do her first floor routine of the year on February 6 vs. Utah State, which would have put her in the all-around lineup. Allan was also planning to upgrade the start value of her vault to a 10.0 for the first time this year.

THE STREAK

Utah's unprecedented regular season home win streak now stands at 160. Not since February 20, 1979, when Utah lost to Cal State Fullerton and Clarion, has a Ute gymnastics team lost a regular season meet on its home floor. No other collegiate team of any kind, men's or women's, can make such a claim. Of the present Ute team, only senior Theresa Wolf was alive the last time Utah lost a regular season home meet. 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 in 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 310-15 (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 .

UTES WIN IN ATTENDANCE

Utah, the highest drawing gymnastics team in NCAA history, has won 18 of the last 19 attendance titles. Over the last 10 years, Utah has averaged 10,639 fans to its home meets-more than any other gymnastics team has averaged in a single season. The 2000 Utah gymnastics team averaged 9,808 spectators a meet in six home meets to finish ahead of Alabama (9,510 spectators in five home meets) and Georgia (8,857 in six meets). Last year's average was the seventh best in Utah history. The record single-season home attendance average, held by Utah, is 13,164 (in 1993). Utah, which holds 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.

BEEN THERE, DONE THAT

Now in its 26th year of varsity competition, Utah is the only school in the nation to qualify for each of the last 25 national championships, including all 19 NCAA Championships. The Utes own a record 10 national championships (1981-86, 1990, 1992 and 1994-95). They have never finished lower than 10th in the nation and were second last year.

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