Brink Wins All-Around; Huskers Qualify for Super Six

Boise, Idaho - Behind NCAA all-around champion Heather Brink (Lincoln, Neb.), the Nebraska women's gymnastics team qualified for the NCAA Super Six Finals for the third time in four years late Thursday evening at the BSU Pavilion in Boise, Idaho.

Brink became the first Husker female gymnast to win a national all-around title, scoring a 39.60 to edge out Sarah Cain and Mohini Bhardwaj by .025. Brink was tied for third place after three events, but tied NU's school record with a 9.95 on floor exercise to take the title, as Cain and Bhardwaj tied for second with a 39.575. The Big 12 and Region 3 Gymnast of the Year, Brink scored 9.85 or better on all four events, qualifying for Saturday's event finals on vault, uneven bars and floor exercise. Her total of 39.60 is the third-best all-around score in school history and marked the sixth time this season where she scored 39.50 or better.

Brink the second Nebraska gymnast to win an NCAA title, joining Michele Bryant, who won the vault title in 1990. Brink's 9.95 on floor capped an amazing comeback which saw Nebraska jump from fifth place halfway through the meet to pass Michigan for second in the final rotation.

UCLA won the evening session with a 197.25, topping the Huskers' total of 196.00, while Michigan placed third with a 195.95, as all three teams qualified for the Super Six Finals Friday evening. Georgia, Alabama and Utah qualified in Thursday's first session. Penn State, which trailed NU by a tenth of a point after three events, placed fourth with a 195.35, just .025 ahead of Iowa State's total of 195.325. West Virginia placed sixth with a 194.174.

The Huskers will be making their third Super Six appearance, placing sixth in both 1997 and 1999. Friday's competition begins at 8 p.m. (CDT).

Brink earned first-team All-America honors on vault, where she placed fourth in the session with a 9.90, uneven bars, where she tied UCLA's Heidi Moneymaker for first with a 9.90, and floor exercise, where she was the top finisher with her 9.95. Freshman A.J. Lamb (Lincoln, Neb.) also earned first-team All-America honors on floor exercise, as she tied for third in the session with a 9.90.

Leading Penn State by .10 entering the final rotation, NU needed a 48.775 on floor exercise to pass ISU, which had already finished the competition, for third place and the final berth for the Super Six, and a 39.375 to pass Michigan for second. All six Huskers scored 9.825 or better, including junior Amy Ringo (Phoenix, Ariz.), whose score of 9.875 helped NU to its third-best floor exercise set in school history. Ringo finished 13th in the all-around with a 39.125, while Lamb finished 29th in the all-around with a 38.525.

The Huskers opened the session on vault, scoring a 49.05 to tie UCLA for second place after the first rotation. Heather Brink led the Huskers with a 9.90, while sophomore Laura Goss (Austell, Ga.) added a 9.85 to aid the NU effort. The score was NU's lowest total since a 49.025 at the Masters Classic on Feb. 27. Michigan, paced by a 9.90 by Sarah Cain, raced out to a score of 49.30 on floor exercise to take the early lead. UCLA also opened with a 49.05 on balance beam.

While the Huskers were on a bye during the second rotation, the Wolverines continued to perform well, scoring a 49.45 on vault, as Cain (9.975), freshman Janessa Grieco (9.90) and Christine Michaud (9.90) scored 9.90 or better. Iowa State, making its first NCAA appearance, was in second with a 97.50, turning in solid performances on uneven bars (48.70) and balance beam (48.80).

The Huskers ran into serious problems on the third rotation, counting a fall on uneven bars and scoring a 48.425. Senior Nicole Wilkinson (London, Ontario, Canada) opened the set with a fall, marking her first fall since moving to the lead-off spot in early February, and scored a 9.20. After Amy Ringo (9.80) and Jess Wertz (Hamilton, Ohio) (9.75) hit their routines, Lamb hit the bar on her release move, forcing the Huskers to count Wilkinson's 9.20. Brink and Julie Houk (Lebanon, Ohio) helped the Huskers, scoring 9.90 and 9.80, respectively, to keep NU within striking distance of the leaders. After three rotations, the Huskers were in fifth place with a score of 97.475, but less than a tenth behind Iowa State's third-place score of 97.55.

The Huskers began to climb on balance beam, putting together its third-highest set of the season with a 49.10, as NU hit all six routines, including 9.85s by Brink and Wilkinson and 9.825s by Lamb and sophomore Laura Goss (Austell, Ga.), setting the stage in the final rotation.

In the afternoon's first session, Georgia, Utah and Alabama advanced to Friday's Super Six Finals, as all three teams scored above 196.00. The Gym Dogs accumulated a score of 196.775, easily topping Utah (196.125) and Alabama (196.075). Louisiana State (194.95), Oregon State (194.75) and Brigham Young (194.50) rounded out the session, placing fourth through sixth respectively.

Session 1 Results
Team	Vault	Bars	Beam	Floor	Total
Georgia	49.425	49.05	48.95	49.35	196.775
Utah	48.925	48.925	49.05	49.225	196.125
Alabama	49.10	49.20	48.65	49.125	196.075
Louisiana State	49.00	48.85	48.175	48.925	194.95
Oregon State	48.825	48.325	48.55	49.05	194.75
Brigham Young	48.875	48.575	48.325	48.725	194.50

Session 2 Results
Team	Vault	Bars	Beam	Floor	Total
UCLA	49.525	49.30	49.05	49.375	197.25
Nebraska	49.05	48.425	49.10	49.425	196.0
Michigan	49.45	49.025	48.15	49.30	195.925
Penn State	48.80	48.55	48.825	49.175	195.35
Iowa State	48.85	48.70	48.80	48.975	195.325
West Virginia	48.775	48.475	48.175	48.75	194.175

Nebraska
Vault
Nicole Wilkinson 9.775 (23)
Laura Goss 9.85 (11)
Jen French 9.675
A.J. Lamb 9.75
Amy Ringo 9.775 (23)
Heather Brink 9.90 (4)
Total 49.05

Uneven Bars
Nicole Wilkinson 9.20
Amy Ringo 9.775 (15)
Jess Wertz 9.75 (17)
A.J. Lamb 9.05
Heather Brink 9.90 (1)
Julie Houk 9.80 (8)
Total 48.425

Balance Beam
Heather Brink 9.85 (7)
A.J. Lamb 9.825 (10)
Laura Goss 9.825 (10)
Jen French 9.60
Amy Ringo 9.75 (20)
Nicole Wilkinson 9.85 (7)
Total 49.10

Floor
Jen French 9.825 (22)
Laura Goss 9.85 (11)
Julie Houk 9.85 (11)
Amy Ringo 9.875 (6)
A.J. Lamb 9.90 (3)
Heather Brink 9.95 (1)
Total 49.425