Nebraska Hosts Big 12 Championships

The 11th-ranked <?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Nebraska women’s gymnastics team will play host to the 2006 Big 12 Championships this Saturday, March 25, for its final home competition of the season at the BobDevaneySportsCenter at 7 p.m. In what could be the most closely contested conference meet in the 10 years of Big 12 competition, four of the nation’s top teams -- No. 4 Iowa State, No. 6 Oklahoma, the No. 11 Huskers and No. 13 Missouri -- will battle for a team championship. Nebraska has won a league-leading seven Big 12 titles, while IowaState and Oklahoma have each earned one.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

With last Sunday’s 196.475-195.90 win over No. 19 Arkansas, the Huskers improved to 14-5-1 on the season while scoring a 49.0 or better on all four events in their finest showing since a win at Oklahoma on Feb. 4. Nebraska swept the individual event titles against the Razorbacks, as sophomore Emily Parsons captured her seventh all-around crown of the year with a 39.325. The four-time All-American also won the vault title with a career-best 9.975, as well as the floor title with a 9.90.

 

Reviewing the Weekend: Nebraska vs. Arkansas

*NU swept the individual event titles, with sophomore Emily Parsons grabbing first-place finishes in the all-around (39.325), vault (9.975) and floor exercise (9.90).

*Redshirt freshman Vanessa Meloche won her fifth uneven bars title of the season with a 9.875.

*Freshman Tricia Woo finished first on the balance beam with a solid 9.875, earning her second beam title of 2006.

*Freshman Kylie Stone shattered her career-high vault score with a 9.875 to finish second on the event. Stone also tied her season-best on beam with a 9.80 and finished second in the all-around (39.20).

*Sophomore Brittney Williams set a new season-high vault score with a mark of 9.70, while tying her floor high (9.75).

*Nebraska leads the all-time series against Arkansas, 3-0.

 

Taking it to TV: Fox Sports Net to Televise Big 12 Meet

The 2006 Big 12 Championships will be aired by Fox Sports Network on tape delay throughout the week following the annual conference meet. Television schedules are as follows:

    Day                                     Fox Station                            Time (Time Zone)

    Thursday, March 30        FSN Arizona                          12 p.m. (MST)

    Thursday, March 30        FSNBay Area                       12 p.m. (PST)

    Thursday, March 30        FSN Detroit                           12 p.m. (EST)

    Thursday, March 30        FSN Midwest (Non-Blues) 11 a.m. (CST)

    Thursday, March 30        FSN Northeast                     12 p.m. (EST)

    Thursday, March 30        FSN North (Minnesota)      12 p.m. (CST)

    Thursday, March 30        FSN North (Wisconsin)      12 p.m. (CST)

    Thursday, March 30        FSN Northwest                    12 p.m. (PST)

    Thursday, March 30        FSN Ohio (Non-Caveliers) 12 p.m. (EST)

    Thursday, March 30        FSN Pittsburgh                    12 p.m. (EST)

    Thursday, March 30        FSN Rocky Mountain          12 p.m. (MST)

    Thursday, March 30        FSN South                             3 a.m. (EST)

    Thursday, March 30        FSN Southwest                    12 p.m. (CST)

    Friday, March 31              FSN Chicago                        12 p.m. (CST)

    Friday, March 31              FSN Midwest                        12 p.m. (CST)

    Friday, March 31              FSN New England               1:30 p.m. (EST)

 

Kendig Builds One of Nation’s Top Programs at Nebraska

Head Coach Dan Kendig is the all-time winningest coach in the 30 years of Nebraska women's gymnastics history. In 13 seasons at Nebraska, Kendig is 299-109-4 overall and 215-41-2 in regular-season meets. Kendig is in his 23rd year of coaching and owns a career record of 412-221-4.

 

A six-time Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year, Kendig has guided the Huskers to eight conference championships and three straight regional championships in 2000, 2001 and 2002.

 

He has also led Nebraska to 10 NCAA Championships appearances in the past 12 seasons, including NCAA Super Six Finals appearances in 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2005. Kendig was honored as the NCAA Coach of the Year in 1999 and 2003, a year in which the Huskers finished with a final ranking of fourth in the nation.

 

Under Kendig's tenure in 2005, Nebraska finished with a 21-13 overall record. The Huskers placed second (196.30) in the NCAA South Central regional behind Michigan and also placed sixth (196.425) in its seventh consecutive NCAA Championships appearance. Four of Kendig's gymnasts -- Emily Parsons (AA, V, BB, FX), Kristi Esposito (BB), Michele Zabawa (UB) and Desire’ Sniatynski (UB) -- earned a total of seven All-America honors.

 

Kendig is assisted by Danna Durante, who is in her fourth season with Nebraska, and Adrian Burde, who enters his fifth year on the Husker staff.

 

Scouting the Competition: No. 4 IowaState Cyclones

*Head Coach: K.J. Kindler (Sixth Year)      *2006 Record: 13-3

*2006 High Score: 197.25 (vs. Iowa, 3/17/06)

*2005 NCAA Finish: 8th (195.975)

*Last Meet: vs. Iowa, 3/17/06 (W, 197.25-194.225)

Quick Facts about the Cyclones...

*IowaState finished second at the 2005 Big 12 Championships after posting a score of 196.00.

*ISU Head Coach K.J. Kindler was honored as the 2005 NACGC Coach of the Year, marking the first time the sixth-year coach was presented with the award.

*Junior Janet Anson and senior Erin Dethloff are the only two Cyclones to be named Big 12 Gymnast of the Week in 2006. Anson earned the honor on Feb. 14, March 7 and March 14, the latter of which came after a season-high 39.625 all-around performance at ArizonaState.

*Dethloff was named Big 12 Gymnast of the Week on Feb. 21 after winning four event titles and one all-around crown in ISU’s two wins over OregonState and Nebraska on Feb. 17 and Feb. 19, respectively.

*Nebraska last faced IowaState on March 5 at the DevaneyCenter, falling 196.25-196.125 to the Cyclones.

*The Big 12 Conference rival Cyclones returned three All-Americans to their 2006 squad: seniors Erin Dethloff (AA, BB) and Laura-Kay Powell (V, FX), and junior Janet Anson (AA, V, FX).

 

Scouting the Competition: No. 6 Oklahoma Sooners

*Head Coach: Steve Nunno (Sixth Year)      42006 Record: 9-6

*2006 High Score: 197.05 (vs. Texas Woman’s University, 3/3/06)

*2005 NCAA Finish: 12th (194.425)

*Last Meet: at KentState, 3/17/06 (W, 196.575-193.90)

Quick Facts about the Sooners...

*Oklahoma finished third at the 2005 Big 12 Championships in Norman, Okla., last year with a score of 195.50.

*Junior Brittany Koncak-Schumann is the only Oklahoma gymnast to win Big-12-Gymnast-of-the-Week honors in 2006, claiming the award the weeks of Jan. 24, Feb. 28 and March 21.

*The last two Big 12 Gymnasts of the Year have been Sooner competitors: Erin LaBarr (2005) and Kasie Tamayo (2004). NU’s Richelle Simpson preceded Tamayo and LaBarr in winning the conference award in 2003.

 

Scouting the Competition: No. 13 Missouri Tigers

*Head Coach: Rob Drass (Sixth Year)      *2006 Record: 13-8

*2006 High Score: 196.025 (Cat Classic, 2/24/06)                       

*2005 NCAA Finish: Did Not Qualify

*Last Meet: vs. SoutheastMissouriState, 3/17/06 (W, 195.25-192.575)

Quick Facts about the Tigers...

*Missouri achieved its highest national ranking in program history this year, occupying the No. 7 spot in the Jan. 30 poll.

*MU’s top performer is senior Lauren Schwartzman, who is tied for first nationally on beam with Georgia standout freshman Courtney Kupets. Schwartzman also finished second on floor (9.90) and fourth on beam (9.825) at the 2005 NCAA South Central Regional in Lincoln.

*Missouri is the nation’s fifth-ranked balance beam team in the latest national polls, just barely behind Georgia, Iowa State, Utah and Florida.

*The Tigers placed fourth at the 2005 Big 12 Championships with a score of 194.875.

 

Parsons Featured in Sports Illustrated’s Faces in the Crowd

Sophomore Emily Parsons was featured in the Feb. 6 issue of Sports Illustrated in “Faces in the Crowd” for her career-high all-around performance (39.625) against Michigan on Jan. 13. One of six athletes chosen nationally for the weekly feature, Parsons is also recognized for her Big-12-Gymnast-of-the-Week accolades. The St. Charles, Mo., native earned her fourth Big 12 Gymnast-of-the-Week honors of the year on Feb. 7 and was also named for the weeks of Jan. 10, Jan. 17 and Jan. 31. She has earned a total of six gymnast-of-the-week honors in less than two seasons at Nebraska.

 

The award is the most recent addition to a growing list of conference, regional and national accolades. Parsons’ Feb. 7 recognition also makes her the first gymnast to be named the Big 12’s top weekly performer four times in one season since former Husker Richelle Simpson accomplished the feat in 2003 on her way to the NCAA all-around and floor exercise titles.

 

Super Sophomore Parsons Leads NU in 2006 Season

Sophomore Emily Parsons is leading the Huskers in 2006, after earning four All-America awards as a freshman in 2005. The St. Charles, Mo., native finished third on floor exercise in the individual event finals at the NCAA Championships to garner first-team All-America honors, while also grabbing second-team accolades on vault, balance beam and in the all-around.

 

In 2005, Parsons was also named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year and shared the conference beam title with former Husker All-American Richelle Simpson. In a season that saw Parsons earn two All-Big 12 nods (vault and beam), she went on to claim NCAA South Central regional titles on vault and floor, as well as the all-around crown over 2000 Olympian Elise Ray of Michigan.

 

The beginning of Parsons’ sophomore season has been just as impressive as her freshman campaign, as she captured the all-around crown against Michigan with a career-high 39.625. Parsons also tied for the vault title with fellow Husker Stephanie Carter (9.90), and added first-place finishes on beam with a career-best score of 9.925 and floor, where she tied her best-ever mark of 9.95. Just one week earlier at the Super Six Challenge in Baton Rouge, La., Parsons earned the vault crown by tying her career high of 9.95, landing in a tie for first place with two-time NCAA vault champion Ashley Miles of Alabama. Parsons’ achievements have garnered her Big-12-Gymnast-of-the-Week honors for the weeks of Jan. 10, Jan. 17, Jan. 31 and Feb. 7.

 

After finishing first in the all-around, balance beam and floor exercise at Alaska on Saturday, Parsons now owns 45 overall individual event crowns in less than two full seasons at Nebraska.

 

Stone Gives Rock-Solid Performance in All-Around at PennState

The Huskers’ meet at PennState on Feb. 10 marked a solid beginning for freshman Kylie Stone, as she captured her first career all-around title (39.25) and tied for the floor exercise crown with sophomore Emily Parsons (9.90). The Calgary, Alberta, native added a third-place finish on the uneven bars (9.80) and a fourth-place showing on balance beam (9.75), while also finishing 11th on vault (9.80).

 

Before her three appearances this season, Stone last competed as an all-arounder in her senior elite days at the 2005 Canadian National Championships in Vancouver, British Columbia, in May. Stone finished second in the all-around (36.15) behind Alabama’s Melanie Banville. At the next day’s event finals, Stone captured the silver medal on floor (9.60) and bronze on vault (8.825). She also finished fifth on bars (8.70) and beam (8.55).

 

Husker All-Arounders Produce Career Bests

Nebraska has found its core in its all-around competitors this season, as junior Stephanie Carter and sophomores Emily Parsons and Desire’ Sniatynski all produced career-high cumulative scores against Michigan on Jan. 13. Parsons bettered her old career mark of 39.55 set at the 2005 NCAA Super Six Finals by scoring a nation-leading 39.625 in the Huskers’ last meet, while Sniatynski improved her best to 39.20 to finish second. Carter, who was a mainstay in the team’s vault, beam and floor lineups in her first two seasons, has emerged as a strong four-event competitor in 2006, scoring a 39.10 in just her second career all-around appearance at Nebraska.

 

Freshman Kylie Stone is the latest addition to NU’s four-event competitors, as she won her first all-around title at PennState with a score of 39.25.

 

A Bright Future: The New Husker Class Contributes to NU Lineup

Four of Nebraska’s five freshman gymnasts have competed in the 2006 regular season -- redshirt freshman Vanessa Meloche and true freshmen Sabrina Long, Kylie Stone and Tricia Woo. While Meloche made her collegiate debut by tying for the uneven bars crown at the Super Six Challenge with a score of 9.875, she added a 9.925 against Missouri to nab a second bars title. She added a third bars crown against Oklahoma, scoring a 9.875, and most recently too home her fourth title at the Masters Classic with a career-best 9.95.

 

Woo has been crucial to NU’s balance beam and floor exercise lineups in her own right. The native of Milpitas, Calif., had a spectacular showing in the Huskers’ first home meet against Michigan, earning a 9.875 on beam to finish third and a thundering 9.925 on floor to place second behind event champion Emily Parsons (9.95). Woo won her first career individual event title at Oklahoma, tying with Parsons for the floor crown (9.90).

 

Long has competed on vault, beam and floor throughout the year as well. A native of Tulsa, Okla., and a product of Krafft Academy of Gymnastics -- the same program that produced NU assistant coach Danna Durante -- Long has shown steady improvement on vault in her first season. After opening her collegiate career with a 9.60 at the Super Six Challenge, she increased her score almost every week for a month, highlighted by her career-best vault score to a 9.85 at PennState. The 2003 Level 10 Junior Olympic national vault champion, Long also posted a season-high 9.775 on floor against the Sooners in early February.

 

Canadian Duo Headlines Freshman Class

Nebraska’s youngest class includes a pair of Canadian National Team members in redshirt freshman Vanessa Meloche and true freshman Kylie Stone. Meloche, who missed the 2005 season due to foot and knee injuries that kept her out of gymnastics for the past two years, entered the new season fully recovered and poised to contribute on the uneven bars and balance beam. A seven-year Canadian National Team member, Meloche has excelled on the two events, as evidenced by her 2002 national bars title and a third-place finish on vault and bars at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England, that same year.

 

Meloche’s first competition as a Husker was nothing short of the NU coaching staff’s expectation, as she finished in a four-way tie for first on bars with junior Michele Zabawa (9.875) at the Super Six Challenge. She most recently established a new career high on bars with a scintillating 9.95 at the Masters Classic on Feb. 26.

 

Headlining the heralded freshman class is Stone, who joined the Huskers after the fall semester. Stone competed in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, and finished 14th in the all-around standings at the 2003 World Championships in Anaheim, Calif., making her the highest-finishing Canadian female all-arounder in World Championships history. A native of Calgary, Alberta, she was the 2004 Canadian National all-around, beam and floor exercise champion, as well as a national titleholder on beam in 2003.

 

Stone’s first competition at the DevaneyCenter produced a solid performance for the freshman, as she notched a score of 9.80 on bars and a 9.75 on beam. She showcased her top performances an all-arounder at PennState on Feb. 10, finishing first with a career-best mark of 39.25 while claiming top honors on floor (9.90) with sophomore Emily Parsons. Stone also contributed a 9.80 for 11th on vault, a third-place 9.80 on bars, a 9.75 for fourth.

 

Three Former Huskers Make Big 12 10th Anniversary Team

Former Nebraska gymnasts Richelle Simpson, Heather Brink and Julie Houk were named to the Big 12 Conference 10th Anniversary Team, the league office announced Wednesday. Selected by the Big 12’s head coaches, gymnasts were categorized by event and must have been an event winner at a Big 12 Championship in the last 10 seasons.

 

Simpson, a nine-time All-American, was included on the team three times for her efforts in the all-around, balance beam and floor exercise. She claimed all-around titles in 2003 and 2005, along with floor and beam crowns in 2002, 2003 and 2005, while also being honored as a 12-time All-Big 12 selection in her Husker career. The 2003 NCAA all-around and floor exercise champion, Simpson led Nebraska to a first-ever No. 1 national ranking in 2005 and a sixth-place finish at the 2005 NCAA Championships. With her outstanding accomplishments, the Huskers won Big 12 team championships in three of the last four seasons.

 

Brink, the 2000 NCAA all-around and vault champion, was honored on the Big 12 Anniversary Team on vault. Brink won seven conference titles in four years at Nebraska, including vault crowns in 1998 and 2000, as well as the all-around (1998 and 1999), uneven bars (1997 and 1998) and floor (1999 and 2000). For her efforts, she was selected as the Honda Award winner for gymnastics in 2000 and closed her collegiate career with 11 All-America awards.

 

Houk is Nebraska’s final conference team honoree. A four-time All-American, she captured Big 12 titles on bars in 2000 and 2003. Houk, who earned second-team All-America awards as a freshman and sophomore, also finished 10th and ninth in the NCAA Individual Event Finals in 2002 and 2003, respectively. As one of the finest Husker competitors on bars in school history, Houk was part of three Big 12 Championship teams at Nebraska.

    Event                                  Gymnast, School                           Event Winner

    All-Around                         Richelle Simpson, Nebraska      2003, 2005

    Vault                                   Heather Brink, Nebraska             1998, 2000

    Uneven Bars                    Julie Houk, Nebraska                   2000, 2003

    Balance Beam                 Richelle Simpson, Nebraska      2002, 2003, 2005

    Floor Exercise                  Richelle Simpson, Nebraska      2002, 2003, 2005

 

Carter, Zabawa Named Academic All-Big 12

Nebraska juniors Stephanie Carter and Michele Zabawa were two of 18 student-athletes named to the 2006 Academic All-Big 12 Gymnastics Team on Tuesday. Carter, a business administration major at Nebraska, was a first-team honoree as a sophomore and has been named to the Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll each of the last five semesters. Zabawa, an elementary education major, is an academic all-conference honoree for the first time in her career and is a four-time Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll honoree.

 

To qualify student-athletes must maintain a 3.00 GPA or higher either cumulative or the two previous semesters and must have participated in 60 percent of her team’s scheduled contests.