2001 Outlook

Lincoln -- The question heading into the 2001 season for Nebraska Womens Gymnastics Coach Dan Kendig is what to do for an encore.

Last season, the Huskers went 25-5, won their first regional title in 17 seasons and placed fourth at the NCAA Championships, equaling the best finish at nationals in the programs 25-year history. In addition, Heather Brink won the NCAA all-around and vault titles, while also capturing the Honda Award, presented to the nations top collegiate gymnast.

Despite the difficult task of replacing Brink and All-American Nicole Wilkinson, Kendig is optimistic about the upcoming campaign. The Huskers return six letterwinners, including a trio of All-Americans, and regain the services of Bree Dority O Callaghan, who missed all of last season with a knee injury.

We are excited about the upcoming season, said Kendig, who is 123-26 in seven seasons at NU. We are going to miss Heathers consistency, but we will have a lot more routines to draw from because we gained five athletes and lost only two. On paper, we should be a better team than last season.

Much of the leadership will be provided by all-arounders Amy Ringo and A.J. Lamb, as the duo both earned All-America honors last season. The lone senior on the roster, Ringo was NUs most consistent all-arounder, scoring 39 or better in each of the last nine meets, placing fifth in the all-around at the Big 12 Championships and at the NCAA Region 3 Championships. Lamb made an immediate impact in her first season for the scarlet and cream, earning first-team All-America honors on floor exercise and finishing second in the all-around at regionals. She set freshman records in three events and was the Big 12 Co-Newcomer of the Year.

If the NCAA Championships were any indication, junior Laura Goss is poised to have a breakthrough season in 2001. The Austell, Ga., native scored 9.825 or better in all six of her routines at nationals, barely missing out on All-America honors on three events. She is also the Huskers top returning vaulter, placing second at the Big 12 Championships with a career-best 9.90.

If Dority O Callaghan can return to her freshman season form, the Huskers will have another top all-arounder in the lineup. She had an impressive freshman season in 1999, taking Big 12 Newcomer-of-the-Year honors and placing 17th in the all-around at the NCAAs in Salt Lake City with a career-best score of 39.175, barely missing out on All-America honors. OCallaghan suffered a knee injury and was redshirted, but has been in the gym working on her routines since last spring.

In addition to Lamb, a trio of freshmen were mainstays in the NU lineup in 2000, and all have the potential to contend for conference and national honors this season. Julie Houk is the Huskers third returning All-American. The sophomore from Hamilton, Ohio, won the Big 12 title on the uneven bars and was among the national leaders in the event all season. Fellow sophomores Jess Wertz and Jen French were both three-event performers last season. Wertz competed on all four events last season and is one of the Huskers top performers on uneven bars and floor exercise, while French was one of NUs top beam workers and led off the Husker vault lineup last year.

Joining the returnees is one of the nations top recruiting classes. Alecia Ingram was a former national team member who competed at the U.S. Nationals in late July. In addition, Gina Bruce, Tami Harris and Libby Landgraf all have extensive experience competing at Junior National competition.

Nebraska faces a tough schedule featuring the Masters Classic with LSU, North Carolina State and Denver the last weekend in February.