University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota Women's Gymnastics Pre-NCAA Championships Notes
4/1/2002 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
For the second time in the history of the program, the University of Minnesota women's gymnastics team has qualified for the team competition at the NCAA Championships, April 18-20, hosted by the University of Alabama. The No. 11 Gophers earned a bid after finishing second in the 2002 NCAA Southeast Regional Championships, April 6 in Morgantown, W.Va.
The competition begins Thursday afternoon with the Gophers competing in the evening session. The top three teams from each session will advance to Friday's finals. The competition concludes Saturday with the individual event championships.
The NCAA Championships
Minnesota is one of 12 teams to qualify for the NCAA Championships in Tuscaloosa, Ala. The six winners of the Regional competitions automatically qualified for the championships, while the next six teams with the highest scores received at large bids. The event winners in the regional competition who scored at least a 9.80 also advanced if they were not part of a qualifying team or an all-arounder qualifier.
Gophers Will Compete in Evening Session At NCAA Championships
The Gopher women's gymnastics team will be among the six teams competing in the evening session of the preliminary team competition at the NCAA Gymnastics Championships.
The preliminary team competition will take place on Thursday, April 18. The Gophers will be joined by host Alabama, UCLA, Florida, Oregon State and Stanford in the evening session, which will begin at 7 p.m. Arizona, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Nebraska and Utah will compete in the afternoon session, which will take place at 1 p.m.
The top six scores from Thursday advance to Friday's competition April 19, at 7 p.m. The top four individuals from each session in each event (plus ties) from the preliminary team and all-around competition will compete in the individual-event competition Saturday, April 20, at 7 p.m. All times listed are according to the central time zone.
Minnesota in the NCAA Championships
This year's invitation to the NCAA's marks only the second time Minnesota has made an appearance in the national championships. The 1997 season was the first ever Gopher appearance, in which Minnesota finished 10th in the nation with a score of 194.775.
That year, former Gophers Mindy Knaeble and Judy Cavazos earned All-America honors (Knaeble earned first team honors on floor exercise and Cavazos was named second-team All-America on uneven bars). It marked the first time that Minnesota had two athletes earn All-America honors in the same year during the NCAA era.
Minnesota Against the Competition
The Gophers have competed against six of the teams that have advanced to this year's championships, posting a 2-5 record. The Gophers defeated the Stanford Cardinal, 195.800-194.675, on Jan. 12 and topped Arizona in Tucson 196.850-196.125 on March 14. Minnesota fell twice to conference rival Michigan, and once to Alabama (at the Southeast Regionals), UCLA and Utah.
About Minnesota
This season has shaped up to be a record-setting year for the Gopher women's gymnastics team. Minnesota has set or tied individual records in all events including the all around competition. In team scores, Minnesota tied the school record this season, scoring a 196.850 and set a new team vault score of 49.600.
The Gophers' talented squad is equipped with two all around competitors in Big Ten Gymnast of Year MaryAnne Kelley (Barrington, Ill./Fremd) and Mary Skokut (Carmel, Ind./Carmel). Minnesota's lineup consists of three seniors, three juniors, four sophomores and one newcomer over the four events.
Big Ten uneven bars champion Annie Laatsch (Lakeville, Minn./Burnsville) and senior Megan Beuckens (above)(Brandon, S.D., Brandon Valley) have competed on more than two events for the Gophers this season. School record-holder Courtney Norman (Minneapolis, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall) leads the squad on vault, while Kelley leads on floor exercise and balance beam.
Minnesota's Possible Rotation
Minnesota's lineup could be the same formula that has worked so well for the Gophers for most of the season. Here is a look at the probable lineup: Vault: Mary Skokut, Carrie Hortsch, MaryAnne Kelley, Carolyn Yernberg, Leigh Dixon, Courtney Norman
Bars: Megan Beuckens, Alicia Opsahl, Kelly Watson, MaryAnne Kelley, Mary Skokut, Annie Laatsch
Beam: Alicia Opsahl, Megan Beuckens, Mary Skokut, Annie Laatsch, Jenny Alf, MaryAnne Kelley
Floor: Mary Skokut, Megan Beuckens, Jenny Alf, Annie Laatsch, Courtney Norman, MaryAnne Kelley
NCAA All Americans
Only four gymnasts have earned NCAA All-America honors in Gopher history. Minnesota great national champion Marie Roethlisberger was honored four times, once in 1987 and three times in 1990. In 1997, Minnesota had two gymnasts be named to the All-America team, Mindy Knaeble (first team on floor exercise) and Judy Cavazos (second team on uneven bars).
The most recent gymnast to earn All-America accolades is current Gopher MaryAnne Kelley (right). She was named to the second team after finishing fifth on vault last year.
Event-By-Event
Vault-
Minnesota broke the school record on vault in the UCLA Invitational with a 49.600 team score. That meet marked the first time in Gopher history that any gymnast recorded a perfect 10. Courtney Norman and Carolyn Yernberg (Blaine, Minn./Blaine) each recorded 10s for Minnesota on vault.
Norman recorded at least a 9.80 in the last seven meets for the Gophers, earning the vault title three times. Prior to tying the school record and setting a new school record, Norman's highest vault score was an impressive 9.925-a previous school record.
Newcomer Yernberg has competed on vault in every meet this season, helping set the school record with her perfect 10 at UCLA. She is a consistent vaulter, taking the event title three times.
Senior MaryAnne Kelley has had a solid career on vault. Kelley earned her first perfect score on vault scoring a 9.90 against UCLA (with a start value of 9.90). She has scored at least a 9.90 five times this season winning the vault title once this season against Illinois.
Leigh Dixon (left) (Rancho Santa Fe, Calif./The Bishop's School) remains a constant fixture on Minnesota's vault team. She set a career high against Arizona scoring a 9.925. She has competed in every meet this year, earning at least a 9.80 five times.
Sophomore Carrie Hortsch (Apple Valley, Minn./Eastview) has competed on vault in every meet this year and earned a career-high 9.825 against Arizona.
Uneven Bars-
The Gophers' highest score on bars this season was 49.275 at home against Iowa State on Feb. 23.
Sophomore Mary Skokut continues to be a strong force for the Gophers' bar team. Skokut earned all conference honors at the 2002 Big Ten Championships. She has earned two bars titles, and scored a 9.80 or better in 11 of 14 competitions.
Annie Laatsch is also consistent on bars, winning five bars titles this season, including the first place at the conference championships. Twelve times this season she has earned at least a 9.80.
MaryAnne Kelley has finished first on bars twice this season. She has earned a 9.80 or better in 11 of 14 meets this year. Her highest score has been a 9.875, which she has reached twice this season.
Junior Kelly Watson (Brampton, Ont./Centennial) has only missed competing on bars once this season. In the first meet of the season, she took the bars title over Illinois with a 9.775. Watson owns a career-high 9.875, set at home against Iowa State this year.
Sophomore Alicia Opsahl (Forest Lake, Minn./Forest Lake) earned a career high this year on bars scoring a 9.825 against Iowa. She has competed on bars each meet.
Balance Beam-
The balance beam can appear to be intimidating, but senior MaryAnne Kelley accepts the challenge and has led Minnesota all season in the event.
Kelley has taken the top spot on beam six times this season. She has scored a 9.925 twice this season and a near perfect 9.95 twice. Nationally this season, she ranks sixth on beam with an average of 9.802.
Annie Laatsch earned the beam title once against Ohio State and reached a personal best mark of 9.90 twice this season. She has not missed a beam competition all season.
Senior Megan Beuckens has competed in the beam rotation all year for the Gophers. She owns a season's best 9.80 in the event.
Mary Skokut has provided consistency all season on beam. She has competed on beam all season, and has scored at least a 9.80 in four times.
Alicia Opsahl earned a beam title this season against Illinois after scoring a career-high 9.825.
As a team, Minnesota ranks 11th on beam, with a season high 49.175.
Floor Exercise-
The floor exercise is traditionally Minnesota's strongest event and this year is definitely no exception. The team has scored higher on floor exercise than the other three events in the last four meets. Minnesota set a season high on floor with a 49.475 in the last meet of the regular season against Arizona. The school record is 49.500 set two seasons ago against Iowa State. Three gymnasts have recorded at least a 9.90 this season.
MaryAnne Kelley leads the way with an average of 9.855. Kelley earned all conference on floor exercise at the 2002 Big Ten Championships. At home against North Carolina, Kelley re-wrote the Gopher record books by setting the school record with a 9.975. Prior to that stunning performance, she recorded a 9.925 three times this season and a 9.95 twice. Kelley has won or tied for first on floor seven times this season.
Courtney Norman is another gymnast who excels on floor exercise.
She scored a personal-best 9.925 at Iowa earlier this season. She earned first place on floor at home in the Best of Minnesota meet with a 9.90 to lead the Gophers.
Megan Beuckens has competed on floor all season for Minnesota, earning a season high 9.90 at home against Iowa State. Her career high is a 9.925, last reached two years ago.
Annie Laatsch lends versatility to the floor exercise. She earned a career-high against Arizona with a 9.95. She has been consistent all year, earning at least a 9.825 in 12 of 14 meets.
Mary Skokut averages 9.752 on floor and owns a career-high 9.875 set against Iowa State at home earlier this season.
All Around-
Senior MaryAnne Kelley broke the school record with a total of 39.6 at Iowa, surpassing the previous mark of 39.525, set by Kelley last year. She has won six all around titles this season and earned All-Big Ten honors at last year's championships. She owns 10 of the top 12 scores in Gopher history.
Mary Skokut has competed in the all around 13 of the last 14 meets. Earlier this season she earned her first title. She averages 38.985.
The Southeast Regionals in Review
The University of Minnesota women's gymnastics team advanced to the NCAA Championships with a second place finish in the 2002 NCAA Southeast Regional Championships hosted by West Virginia University on April 6. Minnesota tallied a 196.050, while No. 2 Alabama took first place in the competition, scoring an impressive 197.900. The No. 11 Gophers have not qualified for the national championship as a team since the 1997 season. Minnesota co-head coaches Jim and Meg Stephenson were also honored as Regional Coaches of the Year.
Senior MaryAnne Kelley paced Minnesota with a second place showing in the all around with a score of 39.300 and a first- place tie on floor exercise with a 9.95.
Alabama's Jeana Rice won the all around with a 39.625, finishing in the top three in three of four events.
Senior Courtney Norman (below) led Minnesota on vault after scoring a 9.875, good for a tie for third place.
Sophomores Annie Laatsch and Mary Skokut topped the Gophers on uneven bars with a third place finish, each scoring a 9.90.
The highest finish on beam for the Gophers was Kelley's 11th place finish with a 9.825 mark.
Individuals Finish High
Minnesota had at least one gymnast finish in the top five in three of four events at the NCAA Southeast Regional Championships. On vault, Courtney Norman placed third (9.875). Annie Laatsch and Mary Skokut each tied third place on uneven bars with scores of 9.90. Three gymnasts finished in the top six on floor exercise, MaryAnne Kelley tied for first place with a 9.95, while Laatsch and Norman both tied fourth place with 9.90s.
Laatsch Wins Bars Title at Big Tens
Sophomore Annie Laatsch tied the school record on uneven bars with a 9.95 at the Big Ten Championships. Laatsch became the first Gopher gymnast to earn individual honors since Cathy Keyser took the balance beam title in 1998.
Four Gopher Gymnasts Named to All-Big Ten Team
Minnesota gymnasts earned four All-Big Ten awards, three of which were on uneven bars. Annie Laatsch earned her first All-Big Ten acclaim as she tied the school record on uneven bars with a career-high 9.95.
Sophomore Mary Skokut and senior Megan Beuckens both tied for third place on uneven bars to earn all conference honors after scoring 9.85 each.
MaryAnne Kelley earned all-conference honors on floor exercise for the second time in her career after scoring a 9.875.
MaryAnne Kelley Named Big Ten Gymnast of the Year
Senior MaryAnne Kelley took home Big Ten Gymnast of the Year honors capping off her career with another solid performance at the 2002 Big Ten Championships hosted by Ohio State on March 23.
Kelley, a three-time All-Big Ten performer, finished fourth in the all around scoring 39.100 points and was an All-Big Ten honoree based on her fifth place finish on the floor exercise.
Kelley broke three Gopher records this season and she owns the highest all around (39.600), balance beam (9.95) and floor exercise (9.975) scores in Minnesota history.
Kelley is the first Gopher gymnast to be named Big Ten Gymnast of the Year since Marie Roethlisberger tied for gymnast of the year honors in 1989.
Jim and Meg Stephenson Named Big Ten Coaches of the Year
The Stephensons were honored as Coaches of the Year after leading Minnesota to one of the best seasons ever in Minnesota history. The Stephensons were last honored as Coaches of the Year in 1998 when the Gophers won the Big Ten Championship.
Minnesota Co-Head Coaches Jim and Meg Stephenson
This season marks 20 years of partnership for co-head coaches Jim and Meg Stephenson. The Stephensons have combined both knowledge and experience to create a successful coaching team year after year.
Jim Stephenson is in his 10th season as co-head coach of the Golden Gophers. Meg Stephenson is in her fifth season as co-head coach after five seasons as an assistant coach.
Assistant Coach Doug Day
Doug Day is in his fifth year as the assistant coach for Minnesota women's gymnastics. Day brings a host of technical, judging and coaching experience to the Golden Gophers. Prior to coming to Minnesota, he served as the assistant men's gymnastics coach at the University of New Mexico from 1986-97. During his time at New Mexico, he also taught physical education courses.
Minnesota Qualifies For NCAA Championships
For the second time in the history of the program, the University of Minnesota women's gymnastics team has qualified for the team competition at the NCAA Championships, April 18-20, hosted by the University of Alabama. The No. 11 Gophers earned a bid after finishing second in the 2002 NCAA Southeast Regional Championships, April 6 in Morgantown, W.Va.
The competition begins Thursday afternoon with the Gophers competing in the evening session. The top three teams from each session will advance to Friday's finals. The competition concludes Saturday with the individual event championships.
The NCAA Championships
Minnesota is one of 12 teams to qualify for the NCAA Championships in Tuscaloosa, Ala. The six winners of the Regional competitions automatically qualified for the championships, while the next six teams with the highest scores received at large bids. The event winners in the regional competition who scored at least a 9.80 also advanced if they were not part of a qualifying team or an all-arounder qualifier.
Gophers Will Compete in Evening Session At NCAA Championships
The Gopher women's gymnastics team will be among the six teams competing in the evening session of the preliminary team competition at the NCAA Gymnastics Championships.
The preliminary team competition will take place on Thursday, April 18. The Gophers will be joined by host Alabama, UCLA, Florida, Oregon State and Stanford in the evening session, which will begin at 7 p.m. Arizona, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Nebraska and Utah will compete in the afternoon session, which will take place at 1 p.m.
The top six scores from Thursday advance to Friday's competition April 19, at 7 p.m. The top four individuals from each session in each event (plus ties) from the preliminary team and all-around competition will compete in the individual-event competition Saturday, April 20, at 7 p.m. All times listed are according to the central time zone.
Minnesota in the NCAA Championships
This year's invitation to the NCAA's marks only the second time Minnesota has made an appearance in the national championships. The 1997 season was the first ever Gopher appearance, in which Minnesota finished 10th in the nation with a score of 194.775.
That year, former Gophers Mindy Knaeble and Judy Cavazos earned All-America honors (Knaeble earned first team honors on floor exercise and Cavazos was named second-team All-America on uneven bars). It marked the first time that Minnesota had two athletes earn All-America honors in the same year during the NCAA era.
Minnesota Against the Competition
The Gophers have competed against six of the teams that have advanced to this year's championships, posting a 2-5 record. The Gophers defeated the Stanford Cardinal, 195.800-194.675, on Jan. 12 and topped Arizona in Tucson 196.850-196.125 on March 14. Minnesota fell twice to conference rival Michigan, and once to Alabama (at the Southeast Regionals), UCLA and Utah.
About Minnesota
This season has shaped up to be a record-setting year for the Gopher women's gymnastics team. Minnesota has set or tied individual records in all events including the all around competition. In team scores, Minnesota tied the school record this season, scoring a 196.850 and set a new team vault score of 49.600.
The Gophers' talented squad is equipped with two all around competitors in Big Ten Gymnast of Year MaryAnne Kelley (Barrington, Ill./Fremd) and Mary Skokut (Carmel, Ind./Carmel). Minnesota's lineup consists of three seniors, three juniors, four sophomores and one newcomer over the four events.
Big Ten uneven bars champion Annie Laatsch (Lakeville, Minn./Burnsville) and senior Megan Beuckens (above)(Brandon, S.D., Brandon Valley) have competed on more than two events for the Gophers this season. School record-holder Courtney Norman (Minneapolis, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall) leads the squad on vault, while Kelley leads on floor exercise and balance beam.
Minnesota's Possible Rotation
Minnesota's lineup could be the same formula that has worked so well for the Gophers for most of the season. Here is a look at the probable lineup: Vault: Mary Skokut, Carrie Hortsch, MaryAnne Kelley, Carolyn Yernberg, Leigh Dixon, Courtney Norman
Bars: Megan Beuckens, Alicia Opsahl, Kelly Watson, MaryAnne Kelley, Mary Skokut, Annie Laatsch
Beam: Alicia Opsahl, Megan Beuckens, Mary Skokut, Annie Laatsch, Jenny Alf, MaryAnne Kelley
Floor: Mary Skokut, Megan Beuckens, Jenny Alf, Annie Laatsch, Courtney Norman, MaryAnne Kelley
NCAA All Americans
Only four gymnasts have earned NCAA All-America honors in Gopher history. Minnesota great national champion Marie Roethlisberger was honored four times, once in 1987 and three times in 1990. In 1997, Minnesota had two gymnasts be named to the All-America team, Mindy Knaeble (first team on floor exercise) and Judy Cavazos (second team on uneven bars).
The most recent gymnast to earn All-America accolades is current Gopher MaryAnne Kelley (right). She was named to the second team after finishing fifth on vault last year.
Event-By-Event
Vault-
Minnesota broke the school record on vault in the UCLA Invitational with a 49.600 team score. That meet marked the first time in Gopher history that any gymnast recorded a perfect 10. Courtney Norman and Carolyn Yernberg (Blaine, Minn./Blaine) each recorded 10s for Minnesota on vault.
Norman recorded at least a 9.80 in the last seven meets for the Gophers, earning the vault title three times. Prior to tying the school record and setting a new school record, Norman's highest vault score was an impressive 9.925-a previous school record.
Newcomer Yernberg has competed on vault in every meet this season, helping set the school record with her perfect 10 at UCLA. She is a consistent vaulter, taking the event title three times.
Senior MaryAnne Kelley has had a solid career on vault. Kelley earned her first perfect score on vault scoring a 9.90 against UCLA (with a start value of 9.90). She has scored at least a 9.90 five times this season winning the vault title once this season against Illinois.
Leigh Dixon (left) (Rancho Santa Fe, Calif./The Bishop's School) remains a constant fixture on Minnesota's vault team. She set a career high against Arizona scoring a 9.925. She has competed in every meet this year, earning at least a 9.80 five times.
Sophomore Carrie Hortsch (Apple Valley, Minn./Eastview) has competed on vault in every meet this year and earned a career-high 9.825 against Arizona.
Uneven Bars-
The Gophers' highest score on bars this season was 49.275 at home against Iowa State on Feb. 23.
Sophomore Mary Skokut continues to be a strong force for the Gophers' bar team. Skokut earned all conference honors at the 2002 Big Ten Championships. She has earned two bars titles, and scored a 9.80 or better in 11 of 14 competitions.
Annie Laatsch is also consistent on bars, winning five bars titles this season, including the first place at the conference championships. Twelve times this season she has earned at least a 9.80.
MaryAnne Kelley has finished first on bars twice this season. She has earned a 9.80 or better in 11 of 14 meets this year. Her highest score has been a 9.875, which she has reached twice this season.
Junior Kelly Watson (Brampton, Ont./Centennial) has only missed competing on bars once this season. In the first meet of the season, she took the bars title over Illinois with a 9.775. Watson owns a career-high 9.875, set at home against Iowa State this year.
Sophomore Alicia Opsahl (Forest Lake, Minn./Forest Lake) earned a career high this year on bars scoring a 9.825 against Iowa. She has competed on bars each meet.
Balance Beam-
The balance beam can appear to be intimidating, but senior MaryAnne Kelley accepts the challenge and has led Minnesota all season in the event.
Kelley has taken the top spot on beam six times this season. She has scored a 9.925 twice this season and a near perfect 9.95 twice. Nationally this season, she ranks sixth on beam with an average of 9.802.
Annie Laatsch earned the beam title once against Ohio State and reached a personal best mark of 9.90 twice this season. She has not missed a beam competition all season.
Senior Megan Beuckens has competed in the beam rotation all year for the Gophers. She owns a season's best 9.80 in the event.
Mary Skokut has provided consistency all season on beam. She has competed on beam all season, and has scored at least a 9.80 in four times.
Alicia Opsahl earned a beam title this season against Illinois after scoring a career-high 9.825.
As a team, Minnesota ranks 11th on beam, with a season high 49.175.
Floor Exercise-
The floor exercise is traditionally Minnesota's strongest event and this year is definitely no exception. The team has scored higher on floor exercise than the other three events in the last four meets. Minnesota set a season high on floor with a 49.475 in the last meet of the regular season against Arizona. The school record is 49.500 set two seasons ago against Iowa State. Three gymnasts have recorded at least a 9.90 this season.
MaryAnne Kelley leads the way with an average of 9.855. Kelley earned all conference on floor exercise at the 2002 Big Ten Championships. At home against North Carolina, Kelley re-wrote the Gopher record books by setting the school record with a 9.975. Prior to that stunning performance, she recorded a 9.925 three times this season and a 9.95 twice. Kelley has won or tied for first on floor seven times this season.
Courtney Norman is another gymnast who excels on floor exercise.
She scored a personal-best 9.925 at Iowa earlier this season. She earned first place on floor at home in the Best of Minnesota meet with a 9.90 to lead the Gophers.
Megan Beuckens has competed on floor all season for Minnesota, earning a season high 9.90 at home against Iowa State. Her career high is a 9.925, last reached two years ago.
Annie Laatsch lends versatility to the floor exercise. She earned a career-high against Arizona with a 9.95. She has been consistent all year, earning at least a 9.825 in 12 of 14 meets.
Mary Skokut averages 9.752 on floor and owns a career-high 9.875 set against Iowa State at home earlier this season.
All Around-
Senior MaryAnne Kelley broke the school record with a total of 39.6 at Iowa, surpassing the previous mark of 39.525, set by Kelley last year. She has won six all around titles this season and earned All-Big Ten honors at last year's championships. She owns 10 of the top 12 scores in Gopher history.
Mary Skokut has competed in the all around 13 of the last 14 meets. Earlier this season she earned her first title. She averages 38.985.
The Southeast Regionals in Review
The University of Minnesota women's gymnastics team advanced to the NCAA Championships with a second place finish in the 2002 NCAA Southeast Regional Championships hosted by West Virginia University on April 6. Minnesota tallied a 196.050, while No. 2 Alabama took first place in the competition, scoring an impressive 197.900. The No. 11 Gophers have not qualified for the national championship as a team since the 1997 season. Minnesota co-head coaches Jim and Meg Stephenson were also honored as Regional Coaches of the Year.
Senior MaryAnne Kelley paced Minnesota with a second place showing in the all around with a score of 39.300 and a first- place tie on floor exercise with a 9.95.
Alabama's Jeana Rice won the all around with a 39.625, finishing in the top three in three of four events.
Senior Courtney Norman (below) led Minnesota on vault after scoring a 9.875, good for a tie for third place.
Sophomores Annie Laatsch and Mary Skokut topped the Gophers on uneven bars with a third place finish, each scoring a 9.90.
The highest finish on beam for the Gophers was Kelley's 11th place finish with a 9.825 mark.
Individuals Finish High
Minnesota had at least one gymnast finish in the top five in three of four events at the NCAA Southeast Regional Championships. On vault, Courtney Norman placed third (9.875). Annie Laatsch and Mary Skokut each tied third place on uneven bars with scores of 9.90. Three gymnasts finished in the top six on floor exercise, MaryAnne Kelley tied for first place with a 9.95, while Laatsch and Norman both tied fourth place with 9.90s.
Laatsch Wins Bars Title at Big Tens
Sophomore Annie Laatsch tied the school record on uneven bars with a 9.95 at the Big Ten Championships. Laatsch became the first Gopher gymnast to earn individual honors since Cathy Keyser took the balance beam title in 1998.
Four Gopher Gymnasts Named to All-Big Ten Team
Minnesota gymnasts earned four All-Big Ten awards, three of which were on uneven bars. Annie Laatsch earned her first All-Big Ten acclaim as she tied the school record on uneven bars with a career-high 9.95.
Sophomore Mary Skokut and senior Megan Beuckens both tied for third place on uneven bars to earn all conference honors after scoring 9.85 each.
MaryAnne Kelley earned all-conference honors on floor exercise for the second time in her career after scoring a 9.875.
MaryAnne Kelley Named Big Ten Gymnast of the Year
Senior MaryAnne Kelley took home Big Ten Gymnast of the Year honors capping off her career with another solid performance at the 2002 Big Ten Championships hosted by Ohio State on March 23.
Kelley, a three-time All-Big Ten performer, finished fourth in the all around scoring 39.100 points and was an All-Big Ten honoree based on her fifth place finish on the floor exercise.
Kelley broke three Gopher records this season and she owns the highest all around (39.600), balance beam (9.95) and floor exercise (9.975) scores in Minnesota history.
Kelley is the first Gopher gymnast to be named Big Ten Gymnast of the Year since Marie Roethlisberger tied for gymnast of the year honors in 1989.
Jim and Meg Stephenson Named Big Ten Coaches of the Year
The Stephensons were honored as Coaches of the Year after leading Minnesota to one of the best seasons ever in Minnesota history. The Stephensons were last honored as Coaches of the Year in 1998 when the Gophers won the Big Ten Championship.
Minnesota Co-Head Coaches Jim and Meg Stephenson
This season marks 20 years of partnership for co-head coaches Jim and Meg Stephenson. The Stephensons have combined both knowledge and experience to create a successful coaching team year after year.
Jim Stephenson is in his 10th season as co-head coach of the Golden Gophers. Meg Stephenson is in her fifth season as co-head coach after five seasons as an assistant coach.
Assistant Coach Doug Day
Doug Day is in his fifth year as the assistant coach for Minnesota women's gymnastics. Day brings a host of technical, judging and coaching experience to the Golden Gophers. Prior to coming to Minnesota, he served as the assistant men's gymnastics coach at the University of New Mexico from 1986-97. During his time at New Mexico, he also taught physical education courses.
