University of Minnesota Athletics
MaryAnne Kelley Named Women's Gymnastics MVP
5/19/2002 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
Kelley is one of just two Gopher gymnasts (Marie Roethlisberger) to earn multiple NCAA All-America honors, earning first-team All-America honors in floor exercise in 2002, second-team All-American in all around in 2002 and vault in 2001. Kelley led her team to its highest national finish (ninth) at the 2002 NCAA Championships and helped the Gophers advance to four post-season NCAA appearances in her career.
She was honored as the 2002 Big Ten Gymnast of the Year and was a 2002 All-Big Ten selection on floor exercise, the fourth All-Big Ten honor of her career. Kelley, a three-time team MVP and four-time Big Ten Gymnast of the Week, owns the Minnesota floor exercise record with a 9.975, she also owns the school all around record with a 39.600. Kelley scored 10 of the top 12 all around scores in Minnesota history.
First year gymnast Carolyn Yernberg (Blaine, Minn./Blaine) was honored as the team's most improved gymnast. Yernberg became of one the first gymnasts in Gopher women's gymnastics history to score a perfect 10. She competed on vault in every competition this season, winning three vault titles.
Sophomore Alicia Opsahl was awarded the Mariam Award, an honor that goes to the gymnast who does everything they possibly can to be their in the gym. Opsahl competed on balance beam and uneven bars in each competition during the 2002 season. She won the balance beam title against Illinois with a 9.825 score.
