University of Minnesota Athletics
GOPHER GYMNAST PREPARES FOR NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
4/11/2000 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
Beuckens will rotate with the University of Utah, starting with a bye before floor and ending on the balance beam. She will compete in the first of two sessions on Thursday, beginning at 1 p.m. Mountain time. The top three teams from each session advance to the Super Six competition, to be held on Friday. The top four individuals on each event from Thursday's competition advance to the individual finals on Saturday.
ABOUT MEGAN BEUCKENS - Megan Beuckens tied for fourth in the all around at the NCAA Region 2 Championships on April 1 with a total of 39.125. She also tied for first on the floor exercise with a score of 9.85. In the national rankings, Beuckens is tied for 20th on the floor exercise with a regional qualifying score of 9.90. She was also ranked in the top 25 in the all around the first six weeks of the season.
Beuckens is Minnesota's first individual to qualify for the NCAA Championships since Marie Roethlisberger in 1990, when she won the uneven bars title.
MINNESOTA HISTORY AT THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS - The Golden Gophers competed as a team in 1997, finishing 10th. Minnesota individuals competed at the NCAA Championships in 1983 and 1986-90.
Marie Roethlisberger won the NCAA title on uneven bars in 1990. That year she also tied for fourth on the floor exercise and finished seventh in the all around. She also earned All-America honors in 1987, placing second on the uneven bars.
In 1997, Mindy Knaeble earned first-team All- America honors in 1997 by placing ninth on the floor exercise. Judy Cavazos (Monterrey, Mexico/Mexicana del Noreste) earned second-team All-America honors the same year on the uneven bars.
NCAA Championships 1997 Mindy Knaeble (9th FX), Judy Cavazos (UB) 1990 Marie Roethlisberger (1st UB, tie-4th FX, 7th AA) 1989 Marie Roethlisberger (15th UB, 23rd AA) Lisa Wittwer (27th AA) 1988 Marie Roethlisberger (AA) Lisa Wittwer (AA) 1987 Marie Roethlisberger (2nd UB) 1986 Shelley Brown (VT, UB, BB, FX, AA) 1985 Laurie Kaiser (AA - did not compete due to injury) 1983 Robin Huebner (39th VT, tie-11th UB, 36th BB, 17th FX, 24th AA)
