Huskers Finish Fourth at NCAA Championships

Boise, Idaho - The Nebraska women's gymnastics team equaled its best showing in school history with a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Super Six Finals Friday evening.

The Huskers finished with a score of 196.725, the eighth-best team total in school history, as Nebraska tied the 1989 team for the highest NCAA finish in school history. It is Nebraska's best finish under Head Coach Dan Kendig, as the Huskers' placed sixth in both 1997 and 1999.

"We thought we had a good chance to finish second or third, but we are happy to finish fourth," Nebraska Coach Dan Kendig said. "We did a good job on every event. We had one fall, but didn't count it. The difference in the meet was the way that Georgia and Utah vaulted, that is where they passed us."

"It was an incredible team effort," Kendig said. "That is what we preached all season and that's what makes it worthwhile. I was proud of the effort. They have done everything we asked for and then some all season. They continue to amaze me"

UCLA won its second team title in four years, placing first with a score of 197.30. Utah placed second with a 196.875, followed by Georgia's total of 196.80. Alabama (196.50) and Michigan (195.725) rounded out the team finishes. UCLA ended Georgia's string of back-to-back NCAA crowns.

"UCLA was lights out tonight and they were the best team tonight,". Kendig said. "They hit all 24 routines, and we knew coming in that if they hit, they would be the team to beat."

The Huskers turned in solid performances, scoring 48.975 or better on all four events, as senior NCAA all-around champion Heather Brink (Lincoln, Neb.) paced the Huskers with a 39.60 in the all-around. Freshman A.J. Lamb (Lincoln, Neb.) and Amy Ringo (Phoenix, Ariz.) also scored 39 or better in the all-around, finishing with scores of 39.25 and 39.15, respectively.

Entering the last rotation, the Huskers were in fourth place, trailing Alabama by .20, but leading Georgia by .05. The Huskers finished with a 39.35 on floor exercise, paced by Brink and Lamb's score of 9.90. In all, each Husker gymnast scored 9.85 or better, as NU posted the third-best team score on floor. Alabama struggled to a 48.925 on beam to place fifth, while Georgia passed the Huskers with a 49.475 on vault, capped by Kristi Lichey's 10, the best score of any gymnast on the evening.

In the first rotation, the Huskers opened with a 49.15 on vault to finish the rotation in second place behind UCLA, which opened with a 49.375. Nicole Wilkinson opened with a 9.80, while Laura Goss (9.85) and Heather Brink (9.95) turned in solid performances.

After sitting out the second rotation on a bye, the Huskers rebounded from Thursday evening's performance on uneven bars, hitting all six routines for a team score of 49.25. Brink and Houk led NU with scores of 9.925, second only to UCLA's Mohini Bhardwaj's 9.95.

The NCAA Championships conclude Saturday evening, as the four event champions are crowned, beginning at 8 p.m. (CDT). Heather Brink will compete on vault, uneven bars and floor exercise, while A.J. Lamb will compete on floor exercise.