Nebraska Heads to NCAA Championships

Lincoln -- Coming off of its first NCAA Regional Championship in 17 seasons, the fifth-ranked Nebraska women's gymnastics team will seek its first national title next week as the Huskers travel to Boise, Idaho, for the 2000 NCAA Championships.

The Huskers, who are the No. 3 seed at the NCAA Championships because of their regional score, will face Michigan, UCLA, Iowa State, West Virginia and Penn State in the second of two preliminary sessions scheduled for Thursday, April 13, at 8 p.m. (central) at the BSU Pavilion. The top three teams in the session will advance to the Super Six Finals on Friday, April 14, at 8 p.m.

The Huskers will look to earn their third Super Six appearance in the past four seasons, while Michigan and UCLA, the top two teams in the nation at the end of the regular season, placed second and fifth, respectively, at last year's NCAA Championships.

Nebraska is making its fifth trip to the NCAA Championships in seven seasons under Head Coach Dan Kendig, placing sixth in both 1997 and 1999.

The teams in the first session, which is scheduled for 2 p.m. (central) include Georgia, Utah, Alabama, Louisiana State, Brigham Young and Oregon State.

Nebraska's Travel Plans and Media Information
The Huskers will leave on Tuesday, April 11, at 6:55 a.m. from Lincoln and will arrive in Boise late Tuesday morning. Nebraska is staying at the Doubletree Riverside (phone: 208-343-1871; fax: 208-344-1079). Assistant Sports Information Director Shamus McKnight will accompany the team in Boise and can be reached at the Doubletree or by e-mail at smcknight@huskers.unl.edu.

In addition, color headshots (at 300 dpi) of Nebraska gymnasts and coaches are available for downloading on the University's athletic department website (http://huskerwebcast.com/1999_2000mugshots/2000Wgym/). The following is a schedule of events in Boise.

April 12 -Press conference at the Pavilion Auxiliary Gymnasium at 4 p.m. (central) - Head Coach Dan Kendig and Heather Brink will be Nebraska's representatives. The Huskers will work out from 5 to 6:30 p.m. (central) in the Pavilion Arena.

April 13 -Two sessions at 2 and 8 p.m. (central) - Top three teams advance to Friday's Super Six Finals; all-around champion is crowned, while the top four finishers on each event (including ties) will advance to Saturday's individual event finals.

April 14 - Super Six Finals at 8 p.m. (central) - Team champion is determined.

April 15- Individual Event Finals at 8 p.m. (central) - Champions on each of the four events are determined.

All-session passes are $31.50 and can be purchased by calling the Boise State Athletic Ticket Office: (208) 426-4737.

Nebraska's NCAA History
Nebraska is making its 11th NCAA Championship appearance in 19 seasons (1982-83-87-88-89-90-95-96-97-99-2000), and has appeared in five of the past six NCAA Championships. NU also made AIAW National Championship appearances in 1979 and 1980.

The Huskers' best finish at the NCAA Championships was a fourth-place showing in 1989, followed by a fifth-place mark the next season. Individually, 10 Nebraska gymnasts have earned 30 All-America certificates in NCAA history, including 21 under coach Dan Kendig, the first coach to guide the Huskers to five NCAA appearances.

In terms of All-Americans, the most successful season was in 1997 when four Huskers earned a total of 10 awards. Michele Bryant is the only Husker to win an NCAA title, finishing first on vault with a 9.85 in 1990. Brink also leads all Huskers female gymnasts with six All-America certificates, including four first-team citations.

Scouting the Evening Session
Michigan (27-5 record; 196.55 regional score) comes into nationals as the No. 5 seed after winning the Region 5 Championships with a score of 196.55 at Penn State...Last season's NCAA runner-up, the Wolverines finished the regular season as the nation's top-ranked team (197.255 RQS)...Michigan is ranked first on balance beam (49.235) and floor exercise (49.45), second on vault (49.41) and fourth on uneven bars (49.37)...Senior and Grand Island, Neb., native Sarah Cain is MU's and the nation's top all-arounder (39.645 Regional Qualifying Score) as she is ranked in the top five on vault (first, 9.965), uneven bars (4th, 9.905) and floor exercise (9.935)...she was selected the region 5 gymnast of the year...the Huskers and Wolverines met at the Super Six Challenge in January (Michigan was third; Nebraska fourth)...Michigan's website is www.mgoblue.com

UCLA (30-5 record; 197.025) is the No. 2 seed after winning the Region 1 Championship at Oregon State with a score of 197.025...The Bruins, who placed fifth at last season's NCAA Championships, are ranked in the top six on all four events, including first on vault (49.10), second on uneven bars (49.38), third on floor (49.41) and sixth on beam (49.07)...Mohini Bhardwaj and Heidi Moneymaker joined Brink on the United State's World University Games team last summer...Bhardwaj is ranked second nationally in the all-around (39.585) and is ranked in the top 20 on all four events, including first on uneven bars (9.945)...Moneymaker, the defending NCAA vault champion is also ranked in the top 20 on all four events, including seventh on floor (9.925), uneven bars (9.915) and vault (9.905)...Nebraska defeated UCLA 193.325-193.225 at the Super Six Challenge in the season opener...UCLA's website is www.uclabruins.com

Iowa State (15-7 record; 196.10 regional score) is making its first NCAA appearance in school history after finishing second to Alabama at the Region 4 Championships in Tuscaloosa, Ala. The Cyclones, who won the Big 12 Championships by .025 (196.775-196.75) over the Huskers, are led by Big 12 all-around champion Betsy Hamm, who placed third at regionals with a score of 39.35...ISU is ranked in the top 12 in all four events, including fifth on uneven bars (49.26), ninth on floor (49.22) and 10th on vault (48.985)...Hamm is eighth in the all-around (39.415), third on uneven bars (9.92), ninth on beam (9.88) and 14th on floor (9.905), while senior Kelli More is third nationally on beam (9.910)...Nebraska won two of three meetings with ISU, winning in Ames on Jan. 14 and in Lincoln on Feb. 15 before finishing second to ISU at the Big 12 Championships...Iowa State's website is www.gocyclones.com.

Penn State (17-4 record; 195.925 regional score) is making its sixth straight NCAA appearance after placing second to Michigan at the Region 5 Championships in State College, Pa...Freshman Katie Rowland paced the Lady Lions to a runner-up finish in the all-around at regionals (39.325)...PSU is ranked 13th on beam (48.80), 16th on vault (48.79), 20th on floor (49.035) and 28th on uneven bars (48.86)...senior Nikki Smith is the only Penn State gymnast ranked in the top 20, as she is tied for seventh on balance beam (9.885)...the Lions are seeded eighth at the NCAA Championships and are looking for their first top-five finish since 1992...Nebraska did not face Penn State during the regular season...Penn State's website is www.psu.edu/sports.

West Virginia (23-11 record; 195.475 regional score) makes its second straight NCAA appearance after finishing second to Utah at the Region 2 Championships in Minneapolis, Minn....The 11th seed, WVU earned its way to nationals, finishing just .025 ahead of Denver (195.475 -195.45)...ranked in the top 20 on all four events, including fifth on vault (49.075)...The Mountaineers have a pair of athletes ranked in the top 10 nationally, as senior Danielle Lilly is second on balance beam (9.92), while freshman TeShawne Jackson is tied for fourth on vault (9.92)...Nebraska defeated West Virginia (196.775-195.475) at the Masters Classic on Feb. 27...WVU's website is www.msnsportsnet.com

Against the NCAA Field
During the season, NU faced nine of the 11 other teams competing at the NCAA Championships, posting a 7-5 record. The Huskers faced every team except for Utah and Penn State. The following is a listing of NU's meets against the other NCAA foes this year. In comparison, NU was just 2-1 against the other NCAA teams in 1999.

 

Evening Session
Team (Result; Date)
vs. Michigan (L, 194.925-193.325; 1/8)
vs. UCLA (W, 193.325-193.225; 1/8)
vs. Iowa State (W, 195.65-194.475; 1/14)
(W, 196.60-192.25; 2/15)
(L, 196.775-196.75; 3/18)
vs. West Virginia (W, 196.775-195.475; 2/27)
vs Penn State did not meet

Afternoon Session
vs. Alabama (L, 195.75-193.325; 1/8)
vs. Georgia (L, 195.40-193.325; 1/8)
vs. Oregon State (L, 196.975-196.80; 3/4)
vs. LSU (W, 196.875-195.65; 4/1)
vs. BYU (W, 196.80-194.975; 3/4)
(W, 196.775-194.325; 3/13)
vs Utah did not meet

Last Meet: Huskers Win First Regional Title Since 1983
The fifth-ranked Nebraska women's gymnastics team captured its first regional title since 1983, winning the NCAA Region 3 Championships at the McKale Center in Tucson, Ariz., on April 1

The Huskers, who won their third regional title in school history (also in 1979), tied their school record with a 196.875, set against Iowa on March 13. Seventh-ranked LSU edged 17th-ranked Arizona State for second, finishing with scores of 195.65 and 195.50, respectively. LSU needed a 9.95 from Nicki Arnstad on floor exercise on the final routine of the evening to pull ahead of the Sun Devils for second place and a berth into the NCAA Championships.

NU senior Heather Brink (Lincoln, Neb.) continued her amazing run, tying or setting school records in the all-around (39.70), vault (10) and uneven bars (9.975) to pace the Huskers. She won all three events and became NU's first two-time regional all-around champion, also winning the all-around at 1998 Midwest Regional. Brink, who has won six regional titles during her career, also tied for second on balance beam with a score of 9.875 and was fourth on floor exercise with a 9.85, as she was selected as the Region 3 Gymnast of the Year.

In addition to the team score, NU also set a school record with a 49.475 on uneven bars, topping the previous mark of 49.40 at the 1998 Big 12 Championships, as Brink and freshmen Julie Houk (Hamilton, Ohio) and A.J. Lamb (Lincoln, Neb.) swept the top three spots on the event. Houk tied NU's previous uneven bars mark with a 9.95, while Lamb tied her career best with a 9.90 to finish third. Lamb, who placed in the top 10 on all four events, finished second to Brink with a 39.375 in the all-around, while junior Amy Ringo (Phoenix, Ariz.) finished fifth with a score of 39.125.

Nebraska used one of its strongest vaulting performances of the season, scoring a 39.325 to break open a tight three-team race during the fourth rotation. Brink's third 10 of the season on vault capped the rotation, as all six Huskers scored 9.80 or better. Lamb and sophomore Laura Goss (Austell, Ga.) each scored 9.85 to tie for sixth, while Jen French (Greensboro, N.C.), who only competed on one event because of a groin injury, scored a 9.825 to place 10th.

The Huskers opened with a solid performance on beam, scoring 49.00, their sixth score of 49 or better in the last seven meets. Brink posted NU's top score with a 9.875, tying her season high, while Goss (9.825) and Lamb (9.80) both scored 9.8 or better. After a bye in the second rotation, the Huskers continued to hit, scoring a 49.075 on floor exercise. Brink led NU with a 9.85, while Lamb and Ringo each scored a 9.825, NU drew ahead as LSU counted a fall on uneven bars en route to a 48.325, putting the Tigers and Sun Devils into a battle for second that would continue until the evening's final performance.

Nebraska scored 49.0 or better on all four events for the fifth time this year. Heading into the 2000 season, the Huskers had accomplished that feat only one time in school history. NU has scored 196.75 or better in six consecutive meets heading into the NCAA Championships. Coming into this season, 196.75 was the school record team score.

Following the competition, Nebraska swept the three regional awards, as senior Heather Brink was chosen as the Region 3 Gymnast of the Year, marking the second straight season an NU gymnast had earned the honor (Courtney Brown in 1999). Dan Kendig was honored as the Region 3 Coach of the Year, while Rhonda Faehn was selected as the Region 3 Assistant Coach of the Year (along with Missouri's Karen Tierney).

Last Season: Huskers Reach Super Six Finals for Second Time in Three Years
Nebraska reached the Super Six Finals for the second time in school history, as the Huskers concluded the 1999 NCAA Championships with a sixth-place finish.

During the preliminary session that featured five of the nation's top seven teams, Nebraska qualified for the Super Six Finals with a 196.225 to place third, defeating host Utah in the process. The Huskers were led by Heather Brink's fifth-place finish in the all-around with a score of 39.40 to earn first-team All-America honors. In addition to Brink, Misty Oxford earned second-team All-America honors, finishing with a 39.25, while freshman Bree Dority (Kearney, Neb.) scored a career-best 39.175 to place 17th. In the Super Six, the Huskers struggled, counting a fall on both uneven bars and balance beam to fall out of contention early. Despite a sixth-place finish, Brink tied NU's school record (since broken) with a 9.95 on vault to pace the Huskers. In the individual event finals, Brink tied for fourth on floor exercise with a 9.85 and was 12th on vault (9.50), while Oxford finished 11th on floor exercise with a 9.625. In all, three Huskers earned All-America honors, including Brink, who earned first-team honors in the all-around, vault and floor exercise. Oxford was a first-team honoree on floor and earned second-team honors in the all-around, while senior Courtney Brown was a second-team selection on floor exercise, vault and balance beam. In addition, NU Coach Dan Kendig was selected as NCAA Coach of the Year.

Nebraska in the Rankings
Three Huskers are ranked in the final top 25 nationally this week. Senior All-American Heather Brink is ranked in four categories including third in the all-around (39.505 regional qualifying score or RQS), second on vault (9.955), eighth on floor exercise (9.92) and 23rd on uneven bars (9.89).

In addition to Brink, freshman Julie Houk is third nationally on uneven bars (9.92) and freshman A.J. Lamb is 14th on floor exercise (9.905). As a team, NU is ranked in the top eight in all four events, including fourth on vault (49.22), sixth on floor exercise (49.225), seventh on balance beam (49.05) and eighth on uneven bars (49.19). Entire NCAA rankings can be found at www.troester.com/gym.

Huskers Sweep Conference Awards
For the first time in the league's four-year history, one school swept all three conference awards as Heather Brink, A.J. Lamb and Head Coach Dan Kendig were honored following the conference championships.

Brink was selected as Big 12 Gymnast of the Year by a vote of the conference coaches. A four-time Big 12 Gymnast-of-the-Week selection, she leads the Big 12 with seven all-around titles, including a school and conference-best score of 39.675 in a win over Iowa State on Feb. 15. She is the first Husker selected as Big 12 Gymnast of the Year. This season, Brink has recorded five of the top 10 all-around totals in school history, as she is ranked third nationally and leads the Big 12 in the all-around with a regional qualifying score (or RQS) of 39.505. On the year, she has won 26 event titles, including 11 on vault, five on floor exercise and three on uneven bars. Against Iowa State, Brink became the first Nebraska gymnast to record a 10, setting the school record on vault - one of 12 straight scores of 9.90 or better on the event this season. She later posted her second 10 of the season on vault against BYU on March 13. Brink also tied NU's floor exercise record on two occasions, most recently at the Big 12 Championships.

Lamb becomes the third Husker in the past four seasons to earn conference newcomer honors, sharing the award with Iowa State's Betsy Hamm. Lamb, who is also ranked 14th nationally on floor exercise, has won nine event titles this season, second only to Brink, and set freshman records in the all-around (39.425 against Missouri) and on floor exercise (9.925 on three occasions).

Kendig earned Big 12 Coach-of-the-Year honors after guiding the Huskers to a 25-5 record and No. 5 national ranking this season, despite replacing a pair of All-Americans. NU posted its three best scores in school history and completed a 4-0 mark in conference duals.

Brink Named AAI Award Finalist
Heather Brink was selected as one of six finalists for the AAI All-America Award on March 25. The senior from Lincoln joins Stanford's Larissa Fontaine, Arizona State's Elizabeth McNabb, Florida's Chrissy Van Fleet, Arizona's Heidi Hornbeek and Massachusetts' Mandy Mosby as the other finalists for the award, which will be presented at the NCAA Championships on April 15. The award combines athletics and academics and is presented to the nation's top senior gymnast.

The most decorated female gymnast in school history, Brink is a six-time All-American who has led the Huskers to a pair of NCAA Super Six Finals appearances in her career. She has won eight conference titles, tying for the second-highest total in conference history, including the vault and floor exercise titles at the 2000 Big 12 Championships on March 18.

This season, Brink has recorded five of the top 10 all-around totals in school history, as she is ranked fifth nationally in the all-around with a regional qualifying score (or RQS) of 39.505.

In 1999, she won the Big 12 all-around and floor exercise titles, and finished fifth in the all-around at the NCAA Championships, the highest all-around finish by a Nebraska gymnast. She also represented the United States at the 1999 World University Games in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. She currently owns or shares school records on vault (10.0), uneven bars (9.975) floor exercise (9.95) and the all-around (39.70). Brink and Florida's Chrissy Van Fleet are the only two finalists to qualify for the NCAA Championships.

Kendig Becomes NU's Winningest Coach
Despite a second-place finish at the Big 12 Championships on March 18, University of Nebraska Coach Dan Kendig reached a milestone, becoming the winningest coach in school history. Kendig now has a 123-26 (.826) record in seven seasons at Nebraska, passing Rick Walton, who compiled a 121-52 (.628) record from 1984 to 1993.

A six-time conference coach of the year, Kendig has guided the Huskers to six straight conference titles and five NCAA Championship appearances in the past six seasons, including NCAA Super Six Finals appearances in 1997 and 1999. He was selected as the Region 3 Coach of the Year this season, guiding the Huskers to a 25-5 regular season record and a No. 5 national ranking.

Kendig is assisted by second-year coach and former U.S. Olympian Rhonda Faehn, who was recently selected as one of the Region 3 Assistant Coaches of the Year (along with Missouri's Karen Tierney) and former men's NCAA all-around champion Dennis Harrison, who is completing his first year after two years at the University of Florida.

NU Places Five on Academic All-Big 12 Team
For the third straight season, Nebraska placed the most gymnasts on the Academic All-Big 12 team announced March 24. Heather Brink, Laura Goss, Arica Lamb (Lincoln, Neb.) and Nicole Wilkinson (London, Ontario, Canada) were all first-team selections, while Amy Ringo was a second team honoree. Even more impressive is that the five honorees were the most NU could have had, as freshmen can't be nominated and athletes must compete in 60 percent of the competitions. Of the five remaining Huskers, four are freshmen, while Bree Dority, a first-team honoree last season, missed most of the season with a knee injury.

Under Coach Dan Kendig, NU has placed in the top 20 in the NACGC Scholastic Team standings in each of his six seasons, including a first-place showing in 1994-95 and a runner-up finish in 1993-94.

Huskers Enjoying Record Breaking Year
The 2000 season has been one of the most successful years in school history. In addition to the 25 regular-season wins, which ranks second in school history, and the first regional title in 17 seasons, numerous individual and team records were broken as the Huskers enter the NCAA Championships as the No. 3 seed.

As a team, the Huskers have recorded the five best scores in school history, including a school-record of 196.875 at the Region 3 Championships and against Iowa. NU also posted its two best road scores in the program's history, including a 196.80 at the Shanico Inn-vitational at Oregon State on March 3. NU set records for team average on each of the four events this season. The following is a partial list of the team and individual events broken this season.

Records Tied or Broken
Team score - 196.875 (vs. Iowa and at Region 3 Champs)
Road score - 196.875 (at Region 3 Champs)
Postseason score - 196.875 (at Region 3 Champs)
Team conference score -196.75 (tied)
Team uneven bars - 49.475 (at Region 3 Champs)
Highest NCAA Ranking - Third (Jan. 18)
Team Regional Qualifying Score (RQS) - 196.675
Team Balance Beam RQS - 49.05
Team Uneven Bars RQS -49.19

Individual Records
Individual All-Around - 39.70 by Heather Brink
Individual Vault - 10.0 by Brink (three times)
Individual Uneven Bars - 9.975 by Brink
Individual Floor Exercise - 9.95 by Brink (twice tied)

Freshman Records Tied or Broken
All-Around - 39.425 by A.J. Lamb
Floor Exercise - 9.925 by Lamb (three times)
Balance Beam - 9.90 by Lamb (tied)
Uneven Bars - 9.95 by Julie Houk (three times)

Senior Trio Wrapping Up Impressive Run
Nebraska's senior class of Heather Brink, Arica Lamb and Nicole Wilkinson is wrapping up one of the most successful runs in school history. During the trio's career, NU has recorded an 80-13 record (.860 winning percentage), winning three Big 12 titles, recording two of the three 20-win seasons in the program's history and reaching the NCAA Super Six Finals in both 1997 and 1999. In all, the NU seniors finished their career with a perfect 19-0 home record after a March 13 win against BYU.

Undefeated at Devaney
The Huskers have won 31 straight regular-season meets at the Devaney Center, including all 27 under head coach Dan Kendig. The last time the Huskers did not win a regular-season home meet was at the 1993 Masters Classic. The only times Nebraska has not taken first at home under Kendig were the 1995 Midwest Regional, when Nebraska finished second to NCAA champion Utah, and at the 1999 Region 3 Championships when the Huskers finished second to NCAA runner-up Michigan.

NU Women Celebrate 25th Anniversary
The 1999-2000 season marks the 25th anniversary of women's intercollegiate athletics at the University of Nebraska. The Husker gymnastics team has enjoyed a long history of success, winning 15 conference titles, including each of the last six conference titles. In all, 11 gymnasts have combined to win 30 All-America certificates, while five gymnasts have earned GTE/CoSIDA Academic All-America honors. The women's gymnastics celebration took place on Sunday, March 12, against Iowa, as many former Husker gymnasts watched the Huskers break the team record for the third straight meet.

Nebraska sponsors 13 athletic programs for women, the most in the Big 12 Conference. The gymnastics team was one of six varsity sports that began offering scholarships in the fall of 1975, joining basketball, volleyball, indoor track and field, outdoor track and field and swimming and diving. In all, NU's women's programs have won five national titles and the Huskers' Big 12 title in women's soccer this past fall marked the 100th by a Nebraska women's team.

Husker Health Watch
Sophomore Bree Dority underwent successful knee surgery on Feb. 11, and will redshirt the 2000 season. Last season's Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, Dority suffered a right knee injury (strain in retinaculum patellar tendon) in late December and missed Nebraska's first three meets before competing against Missouri on Jan. 29, her only competition of the season. Jen French competed on only one event at regionals with a groin injury, but she is expected to be close to 100 percent for nationals, while Jess Wertz suffered a left ankle sprain on April 4, and may be limited to uneven bars at the NCAAs. A.J. Lamb had been out of the balance beam lineup for three meets because of a right foot bruise, but she returned to score a 9.80 on the event at regionals.

Noting the Huskers
*-Nebraska recorded its highest ranking in school history earlier this season when the Huskers were ranked third in the NACGC Poll on Jan.18. Nebraska has been ranked in the top 10 every week this season. NU's previous best ranking was fourth following the 1989 season.

* - Nebraska has traveled almost 17,000 miles this season to competitions heading into the NCAAs. In fact, the Huskers have traveled 16,721 miles to meets in seven states (Georgia, Iowa, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Florida, Oregon, Arizona and Idaho) and Bermuda.

*- A pair of Big 12 schools (Nebraska and Iowa State) qualified for the NCAA Championships this season, marking the first time in 11 years that a pair of Big 12/Big Eight conference schools qualified for nationals in the same season. NU (fourth) and Oklahoma (ninth) accomplished the feat in 1989, while Nebraska (eighth) and Oklahoma State (ninth) also reached nationals together in 1982.