Utah Gymnasts Will Host NCAA North Central Region Championship

March 28, 2001

SALT LAKE CITY -

QUICKLY

Next up for the No. 5 ranked Utah gymnastics team is NCAA regional competition on Saturday, April 7 ... The Utes will host the NCAA North Central Region Championship, starting at 6 p.m. (MDT) in the Huntsman Center ... Utah is the top seed in the region ... The other five teams and their national rankings are: No. 8 Iowa State, No. 17 West Virginia, No. 24 Denver, No. 30 Utah State and No. 40 Air Force ... The top two finishers at regionals will gain a berth in the NCAA Championships ... Utah is 363-59-2 (75%) in postseason competition (regionals and nationals) ... Utah is the only program in the nation to qualify for all 19 NCAA Championships .... The Utes were runners-up to UCLA at the 2000 NCAA Championships ... Utah has won a record ten national championships, the last in 1995.

THEY'RE NUMBER ONE!

For the first time in school history, two Utes have tied for the regular season national "title" on an event. Sophomore Theresa Kulikowski and junior Shannon Bowles each finished the regular season with a 9.940 regional qualifying score on the balance beam to tie for first in the national rankings. Both gymnasts missed last season with injuries. Kulikowski tied for the NCAA balance beam championship in 1999 and Bowles placed fourth on the beam in both 1998 and 1999. More information on Utah's individual and event rankings is found later in this release under "Utes in the Rankings."

TICKET TALK

Tickets for the NCAA Regional Championships may be purchased by calling the Ute ticket office at 801-581-UTIX or on-line at www.UtahUtes.com. Ticket prices range from $3-$13. Adult reserved is $10 and $13, youth reserved is $8, family reserved is $5, adult general admission is $4 and youth general admission is $3.

PUBLIC PRACTICE

Practice in the Huntsman Center on Friday, April 6 is mandatory for all six teams and the practice sessions will be open, free of charge, to the public. Athletes and coaches will be available for media interviews around their practice schedules. Friday's practice schedule, by team, follows: 2:00 p.m. Utah, Air Force, Denver. 4:00 p.m. Iowa State, West Virginia, Utah State.

OTHER UTE PRACTICE TIMES

Week of March 26: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday (1:30-5:00 p.m.) in the Dumke Gymnastics Center. Week of April 2: Monday, Tuesday and Thursday (1:30-5:00 p.m.) in the Dumke Center, Friday at 2 p.m. in the Huntsman Center. All practices are open. Media interested in interviews on practice days other than April 6 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.

REGIONAL TRIVIA

Utah is the defending North Central Region (formerly Region 2) champion ... Since NCAA competition for women began in 1982, Utah has won15 of 19 NCAA regional titles and finished second in its region the other four times ... Utah is 7-0 in NCAA regional meets held in Salt Lake City ... The Utes have not hosted a regional championship since 1997 ... Air Force is making its first ever appearance as a team at an NCAA Division I regional meet ... Most of the top ranked teams in the country will be at home for regionals this year. An exception is No. 2 ranked Georgia, which will host the NCAA Championships. The 2001 region hosts are: Utah, UCLA, Nebraska, Alabama, Michigan and Florida ... For the first time, 18 teams were seeded into regionals. Each region contains three top 18 teams. In the past, 12 teams were seeded.

HOW DID THEY GET HERE?

Teams and individuals qualified into regionals by their regional qualifying score (RQS). A regional qualifying score is calculated by taking the top six scores, three of which must be from away meets, tossing out the high score and averaging the remaining five. Six teams, five all-arounders and four event specialists were eligible to qualify into each of the six regional sites this year (Utah's regional has only two all-arounders and three event specialists since so many North Central teams were seeded). At-large all-arounders and individual event qualifiers will rotate with a team at regionals. The top two teams, and top two all-arounders who are not on one of those teams, will qualify for nationals. An individual event specialist must win a region championship to advance to nationals.

LIVE ON THE `NET

Live scoring from the NCAA North Central Region Championship will be available on the Internet, starting at approximately 6:05 p.m. MT. To follow the meet in progress, go to Utah's web page at .

REGIONAL ROTATIONS

At each regional, there is a single session of six rotations, consisting of four events and two byes. A random draw to determine each team's rotation order was conducted by the NCAA office. Utah's order of competition will be: Bye, Floor, Vault, Bye, Bars, Beam.

GETTING TO NATIONALS

The top two teams from each region will automatically qualify for the 2001 NCAA Championships, regardless of their scores. The NCAA Championships will be held in Stegeman Coliseum on the University of Georgia campus from April 19-21. Once the national championship field has been determined, a random draw will be used to place the teams into the two preliminary sessions on April 19. Half of the winning teams from regionals will draw the afternoon session and half the evening session. The same random draw process will be followed for the second place teams from regionals. The exception will be Georgia, which as the NCAA Championships host, will receive an automatic berth in the evening session.

HEAD TO HEAD

Of the five opponents the Utes will face at the upcoming regionals, they have met only Utah State this year. Utah won the meet in Salt Lake City on Feb. 6 (197.125-194.325).

SERIES SHORTS

Utah vs. Iowa State: Utah leads 3-0 ... all 3 wins came in regular season competition in Salt Lake ... last meeting was in 1993 (Utah won 196.300-183.400). Utah vs. West Virginia: Utah leads 2-0 ... Utah is 1-0 in Salt Lake City (193.10-185.55 in 1990) ... two teams met at last year's regional in Minneapolis, where Utah took first (196.325) and WVU was second (195.475). Utah vs. Denver: Utah leads 9-0 overall and 2-0 in SLC ... Utes have 3-0 edge in postseason, including win at regionals last year (Utah was first, Denver was third). Utah vs. Utah State: Utah leads 75-3 in a series that began in 1978 ... Utah has won the last 73, dating back to 1979 ... Utah is 32-0 against USU in Salt Lake City, including win earlier this year, and 25-0 in postseason play. Utah vs. Air Force: First meeting.

THE RANKINGS

The final Top-25, released on Mar. 26 and based on regional qualifying score (RQS) follows: 1. UCLA 197.640, 2. Georgia 197.510, 3. (tie) Nebraska 197.285 and Alabama 197.285, 5. Utah 197.205, 6. Stanford 197.050, 7. Michigan 196.800, 8. Iowa State 196.650, 9. Arizona State196.490, 10. Penn State 196.415, 11. Brigham Young 196.395, 12. Florida 196.310, 13. Oregon State 196.175, 14. Iowa 196.090, 15. Washington 195.960, 16. Minnesota 195.925, 17. West Virginia 195.900, 18. Louisiana State 195.800, 19. Oklahoma 195.750, 20. Kent State 195.740, 21. Ohio State 195.735, 22. Maryland 195.495, 23. Arizona 195.415, 24. Denver 195.385, 25. Illinois State 195.270.

UTES IN THE RANKINGS

As a team, Utah finished the regular season ranked No. 1 on the balance beam (49.415 RQS), No. 3 on both the bars (49.440) and floor (49.500) and No. 8 on the vault (49.150). Individually, Theresa Kulikowski and Shannon Bowles tied for first in the final balance beam rankings, each with a 9.940 RQS. Kulikowski also tied for third on the bars (9.955). Veronique Leclerc tied for fifth in the vault rankings (9.915) and Deidra Graham is the nation's ninth ranked all-arounder (39.465). Graham (No. 16, 9.925) and Bowles (No. 20, 9.920) are both ranked on the floor as well.

LAST COMPETITION

Utah pulled away late to win a classic showdown with arch-rival BYU in the Huntsman Center on March 23. Both teams finished with school record scores, but Utah's 197.925 beat BYU's 197.375. In her first-ever all-around, Veronique Leclerc set a school freshman debut mark by scoring a 39.675. Leclerc, who won the all-around and also the vault (9.95), tied the seventh best all-around score in school history. Placing second all-around was senior Theresa Wolf, who posted a career-high 39.625. Wolf also tied for first on the bars (9.95) and beam (9.95). Sophomore Theresa Kulikowski tied for first on both bars (9.95) and beam (9.95) and junior Shannon Bowles tied for first on beam (9.95) and won floor with a perfect 10.0. Bowles' 10.0 highlighted a school-record floor set (49.80) by the Utes.

UTE NOTES

Utah finished second in the nation in home attendance this year, averaging 9,594 fans per home meet. Finishing ahead of Utah in the attendance race for the first time was Georgia (9,853 average). Utah has now won 18 of the last 20 attendance "championships," finishing second the other two times ... It has been a record-breaking year for the 2001 Utes, who have five of the top 10 scores in school history: 1st-197.925, 2nd-197.900, 7th-197.425 (scored twice), 8th-197.225 ... Theresa Kulikowski is Utah's victory leader with 18. She has won or tied for first in all but one bar competition this year ... Deidra Graham is second in wins with 15.

TRAINER'S TABLE

Junior All-American Deidra Graham expects to return to the all-around lineup for regionals. Graham missed one meet and most of another after hyperextending her knee in pre-meet warmups on March 17. Freshman Annie Medcalf should be back in the bar lineup for regionals, although she was still unable to practice early in the week. She missed Utah's final regular season meet after suffering a concussion in pre-meet warmups. Sophomore All-American Kim Allan was lost for the season after rupturing her left Achilles tendon in a practice accident on February 4. She underwent surgery on February 7 (for more information, see Allan Lost For Season).

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 (734-108-4). In regular season competition, Marsden is 371-49-2. 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 four-time All-American Deidra Graham, the 2000 NCAA Region 2 Gymnast of the Year, is the defending region all-around, vault and beam champion. She should have the opportunity to defend her all-around title at the upcoming North Central Region Championship, despite missing all or most of the last two meets with a knee injury. She hyperextended her knee during bar warmups when Utah competed at Florida on March 17 and missed the meet. She returned on one event, the bars, in Utah's regular season finale vs. BYU on March 23. Her knee is improving and she is scheduled to return to all-around status for regionals. Graham finished the regular season ranked No. 9 in the nation in the all-around with a 39.465 RQS. She is ranked No. 16 nationally on the floor exercise (9.925 RQS). Second on the team in victories this year (15), she has set career highs in the all-around (39.725 vs. ASU, Feb. 16) and on every event (9.950 on vault, bars and floor, and 9.925 on beam). Her 39.725 all-around best is tied for fifth best in school history. She has won six all-around competitions: Minnesota (39.200), Arizona (39.325), Utah State (39.275), BYU (39.475), Arizona State (39.725) and Oregon State (39.625). She has "hit" 39 of 41 routines this year, with one miss on beam in the season opener and a fall on bars in the season finale. Graham is 125-136 (92%) in career routines. 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 competing only on bars and beam this year while recovering from ACL surgery. She is having a great year on those two events. She finished the regular season tied for first in the nation on the balance beam with a 9.940 RQS. She spent the last four weeks of the regular season at the top of the beam rankings. She finished No. 3 in the nation on the uneven bars (9.955). Kulio has received a team-high three perfect 10.0s this season, bringing her career total to seven. Two of her 10.0s came on bars (BYU, Michigan) and one was on beam (Utah State). Despite her limited events, she leads Utah in wins with 18. She has won 21 of her last 22 regular season bar competitions, dating back to 1999, including 11 of 12 this year. She has "hit" 21-24 routines this year (the three misses were on the beam, where she was the 1999 NCAA champ) and is 81-88 (92%) for her career. Kulio, who missed most of last season after injuring her knee, has won 65 events and/or all-around titles in her career, including a school record 37 victories in 1999. The former U.S. National team member was the first alternate to the 1996 U.S. Olympic team. She was awarded a medical hardship extension by the NCAA after last year's knee injury, making her a sophomore in eligibility.

BOWLES `EM OVER

Four-time All-American and former U.S. National Team member Shannon Bowles is back to prime form in the all-around after almost a two-year absence. Bowles, who missed the entire 2000 season after breaking her neck on a preseason vault in practice, returned to the all-around lineup on February 16, 2001. A month later (March 17), she won the all-around at Florida with a season-best 39.525, her first all-around title since her freshman year in 1998. She, along with teammate Theresa Kulikowski, has been the best balance beam worker in the nation. The Ute duo finished the regular season tied for No. 1 in the beam rankings (9.940 RQS) and Bowles spent four weeks total at No. 1. She scored a 10.0 on the beam at Arizona, the second 10.0 of her career on the beam. She is having an outstanding year on all four events, setting or tying career highs on three. She received a perfect 10.0 on the floor exercise against BYU on March 23. She set a career-high on bars on March 10 (9.95). She ranks third on the team in victories with 13, seven on beam, four on floor, one on bars and one all-around. The junior has "hit" 37-42 routines this year and 121-135 (90%) 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 (eighth 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 left 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, four 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 competed on three events to count ... scored career-high 9.875 as last minute replacement on bars vs. BYU on Mar. 23 ... 9.650 on vault in season opener ... did Utah's very first routine this year (went first on vault in season opener) ... member of 1996 and 2000 Junior Olympic National teams ... four-time region all-around champ.

Veronique Leclerc, Fr.-Two-event performer for most of season went all-around in season finale and had best freshman debut in school history ... 39.675 all-around score on March 23 is tied for seventh best ever at Utah ... finished regular season tied for fifth in nation on vault (9.915 RQS) ... season event bests this year are: 9.975 on vault, 9.90 on bars, 9.875 on beam and 9.95 on floor ... 8 victories this year ranks fourth on team ... all 8 wins were on vault: Southern Utah (9.825), UCLA (9.90), Arizona (9.875), Utah State (9.85), BYU (9.90 and 9.95), ASU (9.95) and Oregon State (9.975) ... has five bar scores of 9.90 or better ... competed on floor in last two meets ... won vault (9.825) and tied for second on bars (9.90) in first collegiate meet ... has "hit" 25-27 routines ... five-year Canadian National Team member was ninth all-around at 2000 Canadian Olympic Trials.

Annie Medcalf, Fr.-Made lineup in fifth meet of season and has done seven bar and two beam routines ... scheduled to compete on bars and beam in regular season finale before suffering concussion in pre-meet uneven bar accident ... expected to return to bar lineup at regionals ... discounting fall on first bar routine, has averaged 9.825 on that event ... career-best 9.90 on bars vs. Oregon State on Mar. 10 ... has become reliable replacement on beam, where she has been last minute sub twice and stuck both routines, with career-best 9.875 at Florida on Mar. 17 ... has "hit" 7 of 8 routines ... 1997-99 U.S. National team member did not compete in 2000 due to injury ... won floor exercise and fourth all-around at 1998 Junior Olympic Championships.

Leah Sabo, So.-Vaulted in first 6 meets before suffering foot injury ... career-best 9.75 on vault vs. Utah State ... also competed to count on floor twice, scoring career-best 9.825 both times (Southern Utah, Utah State) ... without a fall in 8 routines this year (9.40 vault vs. Arizona was due to steps on landing) and is 8-9 in career routines.

Lindsay Tanner, Jr.-One of nation's best lead-off performers on floor exercise scored career-best 9.90 in three straight meets (Feb. 9, Feb. 16, Feb. 23) ... made floor lineup in 11 of 12 meets and vault lineup four times ... will compete on floor and possibly vault at regionals ... career-best vault score of 9.775 came at Washington on Mar. 4.

Melissa Vituj, Fr.-Freshman has performed on three events in all but two meets and should at regionals ... "hit" first 20 routines of her college career before a fall on vault, Feb. 23 ... career-bests are 9.95 on floor and 9.900 on vault and beam ... 9.90 or better on floor four times ... career-best 9.90 on vault three times ... 9.90 on beam twice ... tied for first on floor (9.85) against Minnesota ... has "hit" 29 of 31 routines this year ... 1999 Junior Olympic Level 10 balance beam champion.

Kylee Wagner, Jr.-Three-event specialist is having fantastic season on vault, beam and floor ... set or tied personal best on all three events in final meet of regular season on Mar. 23 (9.925 on vault, 9.875 on beam, 9.95 on floor) ... one of Utah's best vaulters will likely compete in No. 4 slot at regionals ... Utah's lead-off competitor on beam is third up on floor ... in last six meets, has averaged 9.89 on vault ... 9.90 or better on floor in five meets ... has "hit" 28-29 routines (miss was on vault) ... did not compete to count in season opener.

Theresa Wolf, Sr.-Team's lone senior and captain is having best season yet ... has gone all-around eight times and is probable to be in all-around lineup at regionals ... career-high all-around on March 23 is tied for ninth best score in school history (39.625) ... also set career highs this year on bars (9.95), beam (9.95) and floor (9.95) ... other top all-around scores of 39.45 on Feb. 9 and 39.425 on Feb. 16 ... five wins this year (2 on floor, 2 on bars and 1 on beam) ... has "hit" 39-44 routines this year and 127-146 (87%) for her career ... Utah's top all-arounder at last year's NCAA team finals scored 39.425.

UTE WINNERS IN 2001

Theresa Kulikowski (18) Bars (11) 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 10.00 vs. Brigham Young, Feb. 9 9.975 vs. Arizona State, Feb. 16 10.00 vs. Michigan, Feb. 23 9.925 vs. Washington/WMU, Mar. 4 9.950 vs. Oregon State, Mar. 10 9.900 vs. Florida/GWU/UNC, Mar. 17 9.950 vs. Brigham Young, Mar. 23 Beam (7) 9.900 vs. Southern Utah, Jan. 5 9.900 vs. Minnesota, Jan. 13 10.00 vs. Utah State, Feb. 6 9.950 vs. Arizona State, Feb. 16 9.950 vs. Michigan, Feb. 23 9.950 vs. Florida/GWU/UNC, Mar. 17 9.950 vs. Brigham Young, Mar. 23

Deidra Graham (15) All-Around (6) 39.200 vs. Minnesota, Jan. 13 39.325 vs. Arizona, Jan. 26 39.275 vs. Utah State, Feb. 6 39.475 vs. Brigham Young, Feb. 9 39.725 vs. Arizona State, Feb. 16 39.625 vs. Oregon State, Mar. 10 Vault (3) 9.850 vs. Minnesota, Jan. 13 9.850 vs. Utah State, Feb. 6 9.950 vs. Arizona State, Feb. 16 Bars (1) 9.950 vs. Oregon State, Mar. 10 Floor (5) 9.850 vs. Minnesota, Jan. 13 9.900 vs. Arizona, Jan. 26 9.950 vs. Arizona State, Feb. 16 9.950 vs. Michigan, Feb. 23 9.950 vs. Oregon State, Mar. 10

Shannon Bowles (13) All-Around (1) 39.525 vs. Florida/GWU/UNC, Mar. 17 Bars (1) 9.950 vs. Oregon State, Mar. 10 Beam (7) 9.900 vs. Southern Utah, Jan. 5 9.925 vs. UCLA, Jan. 21 10.00 vs. Arizona, Jan. 26 9.900 vs. Brigham Young, Feb. 9 9.950 vs. Michigan, Feb. 23 9.950 vs. Washington/WMU, Mar. 4 9.950 vs. Brigham Young, Mar. 23 Floor (4) 9.925 vs. Southern Utah, Jan. 5 9.950 vs. Brigham Young, Feb. 9 9.925 vs. Florida/GWU/UNC, Mar. 17 10.00 vs. Brigham Young, Mar. 23

Veronique Leclerc (8) Vault (8) 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 9.900 vs. Brigham Young, Feb. 9 9.950 vs. Arizona State, Feb. 16 9.975 vs. Oregon State, Mar. 10 9.950 vs. Brigham Young, Mar. 23

Theresa Wolf (5) Bars (2) 9.925 vs. Utah State, Feb. 6 9.950 vs. Brigham Young, Mar. 23 Beam (1) 9.950 vs. Brigham Young, Mar. 23 Floor (2) 9.925 vs. Utah State, Feb. 6 9.950 vs. Brigham Young, Feb. 9

Melissa Vituj (1) Floor (1) 9.850 vs. Minnesota, Jan. 13

REVIEWING THE REGION FIELD

Iowa State: 11-6 ... high score of 197.050 came at Big-12 Championships ... top all-arounders are Shelly Kringen (39.650), Sissy Huey (39.500) and Jessy Smith (39.375) ... Head Coach K.J. Kindler is 11-6 in her 1st year. West Virginia: 21-3 ... high score is 197.150 ... top all-arounders are Kristen Macrie (39.550), Dinorh Boyd (39.525) and TeShawne Jackson (39.500) ... Head Coach Linda Burdette is 450-180-3 in her 27th year. Denver: 13-8 ... high score is 196.625 ... top all-arounders are Ashley Shible (39.575) and Melanie Schiff (39.500) ... Head Coach Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart is 55-21 in her 3rd year. Utah State: 9-10 ... high score is 196.025 ... top all-arounders are Nicole Kilpatrick (39.325) and Tina Ellis (39.300) ... Head Coach Ray Corn is 389-329-2 in his 25th year. Air Force: 11-10 ... high score is 194.675 ... top all-arounder is Kim Broughton (39.125) ... Head Coach Lisa Woody is 11-10 in her 1st year.

MARSDEN SAYS

"I think this meet will be exciting for our fans because three of the teams (Utah, Iowa State and West Virginia) all competed at last year's NCAA Championships, which will make for a very competitive meet. Also, it has some local flavor with Utah and Utah State qualifying as teams, and Southern Utah qualifying several individuals ... I think we're in a pretty good situation as far as our lineup goes. Interestingly, our recent spate of injuries has actually made us deeper than we were a week or so ago. We're assuming that Deidra Graham's knee will be close to or at 100 percent and Annie Medcalf (concussion) should also be available to us for regionals. In their absence, some people really stepped up ... (The last meet) was the fourth meet in a row where we `missed' a different event. While none of the misses were catastrophic in terms of the outcome, they are a good reminder that we have to stay focused throughout the competition. It puts us in a situation where we can still improve going into the postseason. The mistakes we've made are resolvable and if we fix them, we have the opportunity to become an even better team. That's our plan, to improve our concentration and focus throughout all four events ...We'll work hard on landings and little execution errors in the gym in the time leading up to regionals. Our goal is to go into the meet confident and prepared. If you feel well prepared, that tends to take a lot of the nervousness away ... (About Utah's draw that has it finishing competition on the beam) We're a good beam team and, while obviously anyone can miss on beam at anytime, I'd much rather have it as the last event than the first event. Hopefully we will have competed well up to that point and most of the nerves should be out by then. Everyone in our beam lineup will have competed on something by the time we get to beam. We're certainly used to it because that's the event you end on in every away dual meet."

ALLAN LOST FOR SEASON

Ute sophomore All-American Kim Allan, a three-event performer ticketed for the all-around lineup the very week she was injured, 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.

BEEN THERE, DONE THAT

Now in its 26th year of varsity competition, Utah is the only school in the nation to qualify for the last 25 national championships, including all 19 NCAA Championships. The Utes have 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 second last year.

FAN FAVORITE

Utah, the highest drawing gymnastics team in NCAA history, has won 18 of the last 20 attendance titles. This year, Utah was edged by Georgia, which averaged 9,853 fans per home meet to Utah's 9,594. Over the last 10 years, Utah's average attendance at home meets is 10,627. That is more than any other gymnastics team has averaged in a single season. 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. Utah hosted the largest crowd ever to watch a collegiate gymnastics meet in the United States-15,238 vs. Cal State Fullerton in 1991.

THE STREAK

Utah's national record regular season home win streak has survived for a 22nd year. The Utes went 6-0 at home this year to improve their unprecedented win streak to 164 straight in the Huntsman Center. 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. In the last 15 years, just three 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 .55 in 2001, Oregon State by 0.75 in 1996 and Michigan by 0.75 in 2001. 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 314-15 (95%).

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