Completed Event: Gymnastics versus NCAA Championships on April 16, 2026 ,
Final Score
Gymnastics
vs NCAA Championships
The University of Utah Athletics
Thursday, April 18
Tuscaloosa, Ala.
1:00 PM
University of Utah
at
NCAA Championships
Ute Gymnasts Win Qualifying Round At NCAA Championships
4/18/2002 12:00 AM | Gymnastics
April 18, 2002
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -
-The Utah gymnastics team beamed in on a shot at an 11th national title Thursday when the Utes rocketed into first place on the final event of the afternoon session at the NCAA Gymnastics Championships. Utah, which turned in a phenomenal effort on the balance beam to charge into first place, will advance to Friday's Super Six team finals with Georgia and Nebraska. The trio will meet the top three teams from the evening session in the national championship, starting at 7 p.m. CDT.
Utah received a 196.775 to beat Georgia (196.650), Nebraska (196.575), Michigan (196.175), Louisiana State (195.850) and Arizona (194.975).
The Utes were good to great on all four events, but with a berth in the Super Six on the line, they were absolutely sensational on the balance beam. All six members of the beam team "hit" their routines with ease and Theresa Kulikowski and Shannon Bowles capped the effort with back-to-back 9.95s.
In a session crammed with most of the nation's best teams, Kulikowski and Bowles separated themselves on more than just beam. Kulio gave herself a shot at a second NCAA all-around title by winning the session with a 39.600. Bowles was fourth in the session with a 39.450, tying her best score of the year. Their final places won't be known until the results of the evening session are in.
What is known is that the Utes are advancing to the Super Six as a session winner for their first time ever. While Utah has won two NCAA titles since the Super Six format went into effect in 1993, it has never won a qualifying session.
The Utes set the bar as soon as they got a chance to compete. After starting the day on a bye, they began competition on the floor exercise and five of six Utes were on top of their game. Lindsay Tanner started things off in her usual way, with a solid routine that scored a 9.775. It was the 53rd career routine for Tanner, who has never fallen in a competition. Her score would count toward Utah's 49.275 total, which received its biggest boost in the middle of the lineup. Annabeth Eberle followed Tanner's lead and scored a 9.80, then Bowles, Kulikowski and Melissa Vituj chalked up three straight 9.90s. But closer Deidra Graham stumbled coming out of her second double back and received a 9.775.
Graham ran into bigger troubles on vault, either touching the floor or barely missing it, depending on the vantage point of the four judges. They settled on a 9.40, which stepped up the pressure on the rest of the lineup. Vituj seemed oblivious to it, nipping a potential problem in the bud and scoring a 9.875, remarkable for the No. 2 gymnast in the lineup. Veronique Leclerc landed a 9.80 and the normally big-scoring Eberle got a 9.70 after taking a step back on her landing. Again, a Ute responded, this time Kulikowski with a beautiful 9.875. Vaulting sixth for the first time this year, Bowles went for her 10.0-valued handspring front pike half and nailed it for a 9.85, her best vault score this season. The vault team tallied a 49.100, which gave the Utes a 98.375 score, tied for first with Nebraska, headed into their final bye of the day. They would return a rotation later on the uneven bars.
The bye seemed to cool the Utes off. Four of Utah's six competitors encountered slight problems in at least one part of their set. Only Leclerc (9.80) and Kulikowski (9.875) had routines that went without a hitch. But Eberle (9.75), Kim Allan (9.725), Bowles (9.75) and Graham (9.775) had enough juice to get through their sets without a fall and Utah totaled a 48.95. Going into their final event, the balance beam, Utah was still in the race with a 147.325 three-event total.
That's when Utah took the meet over. On the event that most often makes or breaks a team at nationals, Utah made its way into first place with an astounding 49.450 performance that was the highest event score by any team. Eberle appeared flawless as Utah's leadoff and received a 9.825. Leclerc followed with a nice 9.775 routine and then Graham finally kicked into gear and stuck a bobble-free 9.85. That set up Vituj, who raced through a 9.875 routine. Bowles and Kulikowski finished neck and neck with 9.95s-to win the opening session beam crown.
Three Utes earned first-team All-America honors and they will all be competing on Saturday for individual event titles. Kulikowski will compete on bars (second, 9.875), beam (first, 9.95) and floor (third, 9.90), Bowles on beam (first, 9.95) and floor (9.90) and Vituj on floor (third, 9.90).
Gymnastics Media Availability | Pre-NCAA Championships
Wednesday, April 15
Utah: 197.500 | Ala.: 197.225 | OSU: 196.375 | DU: 195.950 | Gymnastics Post-Meet Press Conference
Saturday, April 04
Utah: 197.400 vs. UCLA: 197.850 | Gymnastics Post-Meet Press Conference
Sunday, March 15
Utah: 197.650 vs. BYU: 196.550, West Virginia: 195.300 | Gymnastics Post-Meet Press Conference
Sunday, March 08