Parsons Named Regional Gymnast of the Year

<?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Lincoln ? Sophomore Emily Parsons added another honor to her awards arsenal this week, as she was named the 2006 South Central Regional Gymnast of the Year, the National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches (NACGC-W) announced Wednesday.

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Parsons, a four-time All-American at Nebraska, follows in the footsteps of former Husker Richelle Simpson, who was honored with the same award after memorable campaigns in 2003 and 2005. Nebraska has had four athletes win five regional gymnast-of-the-year accolades in program history, as Courtney Brown and Heather Brink were presented with the honors in 1999 and 2000, respectively.

 

Parsons has found great success in her two seasons at Nebraska, having won regional titles in the all-around, vault and floor, as well as Big 12 conference vault and beam crowns, in her freshman and sophomore years. The St. Charles, Mo., native has claimed 34 individual event titles in 2006, bringing her to a career total of 50 event crowns.

 

“This is a tremendous achievement for Emily,” Assistant Coach Danna Durante said. “We are so proud of what she has done in the last two seasons for our program, and we hope this is just the beginning of her success going into the NCAA Championships.”

 

The award is annually voted on by head coaches in the South Central Region, which includes Nebraska, Oklahoma, Arizona State, Missouri, Arizona, Arkansas, Illinois-Champaign, Illinois-Chicago, Northern Illinois, Southeast Missouri State, Texas Woman's University and Illinois State.

 

Parsons will lead No. 12 Nebraska into its eighth straight NCAA Championships appearance, April 20-22, in Corvallis, Ore. The Huskers, who are 20-7-1 on the season, will compete in the first preliminary session on Thurs, April 20 at 1 p.m., vying against Utah, Alabama, Oklahoma, Michigan and LSU for one of three spots to advance to the NCAA Super Six Finals the following night at 7 p.m.