University of Minnesota Athletics
WGM: 2005 Season Recap
5/16/2005 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
Minnesota completed the 2005 season with its highest team finish at the Big Ten meet since 2002, and a fourth-place showing at the NCAA Regional Championship. The Gophers were represented by Laura Johnson at the NCAA Championship.
Final Rankings
Minnesota is listed at No. 25 in the final edition of the GymInfo National Rankings. Other Big Ten teams in the top 25 were Michigan (No. 5) and Penn State (No. 10). The Gophers had a tough schedule this season, as evidenced by head-to-head competitions with five of the nation's top 10 teams during the 2005 campaign.
Johnson at the NCAA Championship
Minnesota was represented by junior all around performer Laura Johnson at the NCAA Championship. Johnson finished 16th in the all around in her session, and 26th overall. Among the individual qualifiers for the NCAA meet, Johnson finished second in the all around. Her all around score was 39.125 at the national meet, with event scores of 9.800 on the vault, and 9.775 on the bars, beam, and floor exercise.
The Gophers at the NCAA North Central Region Championships
The Golden Gophers earned a fourth-place finish at the NCAA North Central Regional Championship in Salt Lake City, Utah. The competition marked Minnesota’s 10th- consecutive NCAA Regional Championship appearance.
Utah won the regional competition with a mark of 196.800, followed by Brigham Young who placed second with a 195.975. Oregon State placed third with a 195.675, followed by Minnesota (193.975), Southern Utah (193.450), and Iowa (192.350).
Laura Johnson and Carolyn Yernberg each led Minnesota on two events to pace the Gophers. Johnson was Minnesota’s top performer on the bars (9.800) and beam (9.700), while Yernberg was the team’s top performer on the floor (9.900) and the vault (9.825). Johnson placed fourth in the all around with a score of 39.150, and earned a trip to to the NCAA Championship.
Minnesota started the meet with a bye in the first rotation, and moved to the bars in the second rotation. The Gophers earned a 48.450 on the event, led by junior Laura Johnson who tallied a score of 9.800 to tie for seventh place.
Laura Johnson again led the Gophers in their second event, earning a 9.700 on the balance beam to tie for 16th place. Minnesota was forced to count a fall on the event en route to a team score of 47.825.
After another bye rotation, Minnesota had its highest score of the evening on floor, earning a 49.150. Carolyn Yernberg led the way for the Gophers, earning a 9.900 to tie for third place. Also placing in the top 10 was Laura Johnson, who earned a 9.850 to tie for ninth place.
The Gophers finished the meet on the vault, earning a 48.550. Carolyn Yernberg was the top scorer for Minnesota with a 9.825 to tie for 10th place.
Minnesota at the Big Ten Championships
Minnesota finished in third place at the 2005 Big Ten Championships, which were held at the University of Iowa's Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Gophers earned a team score of 195.375 for their highest Big Ten finish since coming in second at the 2002 championship.
Minnesota had more than one individual event champion for the first time since the 1991 season, as freshman Ashley Mutchler tied for first on the vault, and senior Carolyn Yernberg tied for first on the floor. Mutchler is the first Gopher freshman to win a Big Ten title since Jessica Wolf won the Big Ten vault title as a freshman in 1991.
The Golden Gophers started the meet on the balance beam, and were led by freshmen Ashley Stanton and Ashley Mutchler, who each earned a score of 9.775 to tie for 10th place. The team score for Minnesota on the beam was 48.525.
The floor exercise was the second event of the evening for Minnesota. The Gophers earned a team score of 48.925. Minnesota's top finisher was Carolyn Yernberg, who earned a 9.850 to tie for first place with Michigan's Becca Clauson. Also in the top 10 for Minnesota on the floor was Laura Johnson, who finished in a tie for eighth place with a 9.800.
The Gophers scored a season-best 49.125 on the vault in their third event of the competition. Ashley Mutchler was the top scorer for Minnesota, earning a career-best 9.900 to tie for first place. Also scoring 9.900 to tie for first place were Michigan's Katie Lieberman and Jenny Deiley. Minnesota's other top-10 finishers on the vault were Carolyn Yernberg, who tallied a 9.875 to tie for fourth, and Laura Johnson who posted a 9.850 to tie for sixth.
Minnesota's last event was the uneven bars, where the Gophers scored a 48.800. Laura Johnson was the top scorer for Minnesota, tying for fourth place with a score of 9.850. Stephanie Funk was the other Minnesota gymnast in the top 10, earning a 9.825 to tie for ninth place.
In the all around, Laura Johnson finished fifth with a total score of 39.125.
Johnson and Yernberg Make Repeat Appearances on All-Big Ten Honor Teams
Two Minnesota gymnasts earned first-team All-Big Ten honors, announced at the conference championship banquet. Laura Johnson was a first-team honoree for the second-consecutive season, and made her third appearance on the all-conference list. Carolyn Yernberg was honored on the first team for the first time in her career after being a second-team All-Big Ten honoree in her sophomore and junior seasons.
Yernberg Co-Big Ten Gymnast of the Year
Golden Gopher senior Carolyn Yernberg was named the Co-Big Ten Gymnast of the Year. She shares the honor with Michigan’s Elise Ray. Yernberg won her first Big Ten individual title when she tied for first place in the floor exercise at the 2005 conference meet.
Yernberg has been an All-Big Ten honoree three times, earning second-team honors in her sophomore and junior seasons, and garnering first-team all-conference acclaim as a senior.
Yernberg competes on the vault and floor exercise, and owns a share of the school record in both events. As a freshman, she was the first Golden Gopher to score a perfect 10.0, doing so on the vault. In the first meet of her senior season, she tied the school record on the floor with a 9.975. This season, Yernberg has won floor exercise titles seven times, and won the vault at five meets.
Yernberg is the third Golden Gopher gymnast to win the Big Ten Gymnast of the Year award. Marie Roethlisberger won the honor in 1987, 1988 and 1989, and MaryAnne Kelley earned the award in 2002.
Big Ten Gymnast of the Week Honors
Gopher senior Carolyn Yernberg was honored as the Big Ten Gymnast of the Week for the week of March 14. She garnered the honor after winning both the vault (9.850) and floor titles (9.875) in the dual meet with Arizona State on March 12. The vault title was her fifth of the season, and the floor title was her sixth of the 2005 campaign.
Yernberg was also named the Big Ten Gymnast of the Week for the week of Jan. 10. Yernberg won both events in which she competed in the meet against Arkansas. She shared first place with teammate Angela Walker on the vault with a 9.80, and won the floor exercise with a school-record score of 9.975.
Changing the Record Book Early
Senior Carolyn Yernberg tied the school record in the floor exercise in the season opener against Arkansas. The judges awarded her scores of 10.0 and 9.95 to bring her average to 9.975 in the event. The school record was first set by MaryAnne Kelley in a meet versus North Carolina in the 2002 season. Yernberg’s score earned her a No. 2 ranking in the Jan. 10 edition of the national rankings.
Team Awards
The team awards were announced during the team’s annual banquet on Sunday, May 1. Junior all around performer Laura Johnson earned the Most Valuable Performer award, freshman Ashley Stanton was named the Most Improved Gymnast, and junior Kelly Stout earned the Mariam Award.
Johnson represented Minnesota at the NCAA Championships as an all around competitor, and finished 16th in her session and 26th overall with a score of 39.125. Among the individual performers at the NCAA meet, she finished third in the all around. She qualified for the national championship by finishing fourth in the all around (39.150) at the NCAA Regional Championship. She was Minnesota's top performer on bars this season, leading the team on that event in 10 meets. Johnson earned All-Big Ten honors for the third straight season, and was a first-team all-conference honoree for the second time. She also earned Academic All-Big Ten honors. Johnson is a two-time Team MVP after sharing the honor with Alicia Opsahl in 2003.
Stanton competed on the beam and floor in every meet this season, and had Minnesota's highest beam score of the season (9.900) in the meet at Denver. She anchored the Gophers on the beam, competing sixth in the lineup. On the floor, Stanton earned a career-best 9.850 at the Best of Minnesota meet. Her balance beam and floor exercise scores counted toward the team score at every competition.
Stout is a back-up performer for the Gophers on the vault and floor exercise. She was called into action on the vault at Iowa State, and earned a 9.625. Stout is this year's recipient of the Mariam Award, named for former Minnesota gymnast Mariam Pourshoushtari. The award is given each year to the gymnast who best embodies the character that Mariam displayed, showing drive and determination by putting her heart, mind, and body into becoming the best that she can be. Stout is an Academic All-Big Ten award winner, and is a NACGC/W Academic All-American.
Meet-By-Meet Reviews for the Regular Season:
Iowa State - March 18
No. 19 Minnesota lost its final regular-season meet to the 10th- ranked Cyclones of Iowa State by a score of 194.750-197.000.
On the vault, Minnesota was led by junior Laura Johnson, who tied for third place with a score of 9.850. Kelly Ganchan was also a highlight for the Gophers on beam, as she set a career-high with a 9.775 in the event. Junior Kelly Stout competed on the vault for the first time this season, and earned a 9.625. Minnesota’s team score was 48.775, while Iowa State earned a 49.175.
On the beam, Minnesota earned a team score of 48.425, led by Stephanie Funk, who placed sixth with a mark of 9.775. Iowa state tallied a 49.325.
Minnesota tallied a 48.525 on the beam, but lost the event to the Cyclones who earned a 49.025. Freshman Ashley Mutchler was the top scorer for the Gophers, earning a mark of 9.825 to tie for third place. Amanda Miles tied her best score of the season with a 9.800.
The Gophers scored their highest score of the evening on floor with a 49.025. Carolyn Yernberg led the charge for Minnesota on the floor, earning a 9.850 to place fifth. Maria Opsahl, Ashley Stanton, and Laura Johnson each earned scores of 9.800. Iowa State won the event with a team score of 49.475.
Arizona State - March 12
No. 19 Minnesota defeated the Arizona State Sun Devils by a score of 195.325-195.00 in the Gophers’ final home meet of the 2005 season. The win marked the second consecutive home victory for the Gophers as they defeated Iowa in their previous home meet.
The Gophers won on the vault by a score of 48.850-48.625. Gopher gymnasts Carolyn Yernberg and Laura Johnson, and Arizona State’s April Boone tied for first in the event with scores of 9.850. Yernberg’s event title marks her fifth of the season on vault, while Johnson earned her second vault title of the year.
The Sun Devils won on the uneven bars, earning a 49.125 to Minnesota’s 48.675. Laura Johnson tied for second place with Sun Devil Cassandra Jusino, earning scores of 9.850.
The Golden Gophers earned their highest score of the evening on the beam, but was outscored by Arizona State 49.325-49.075. Minnesota’s score was its highest of the season on beam. Stephanie Funk was the highest scorer for the Gophers in the event, tying her career-best mark of 9.850 to place third.
Minnesota won the floor exercise by a 48.725-47.925 margin. Carolyn Yernberg won her second event title of the evening, placing first on the floor with a mark of 9.875. The event title was Yernberg’s sixth this season on the floor. Ashley Stanton earned a 9.800 to place third.
Laura Johnson was second in the all around with a 39.175.
Nebraska - March 6
Minnesota took second place among three teams competing in a triangular meet at Nebraska. The host Huskers took first with a 196.150, while Minnesota was second with a 194.850 and Air Force placed third with a score of 188.875.
On the vault, the Golden Gophers placed second with a team score of 48.450. Leading the way for Minnesota was Carolyn Yernberg, who tied for fourth place with a 9.800.
Minnesota had its highest uneven bars score of the season with a 49.075 to place second. Maria Opsahl and Rehana Russell were the top scorers for the Gophers, each earning a season-high 9.850 to tie for second place.
On the beam, Minnesota tallied a 48.325 to finish second in the event. Minnesota's top performers were Kelly Ganchan and Ashley Stanton, who each earned a 9.800 to tie for third place. Ganchan's score was her highest of the season.
Carolyn Yernberg tied for first place on the floor, earning a 9.875. Maria Opsahl and Laura Johnson were also in the top three, and tied for third place after earning scores of 9.825. Minnesota's team score on the floor was 49.050, which tied Nebraska for first place in the event.
Laura Johnson won the all around title for the fourth time this season, tallying a 48.625.
Iowa - February 26
Minnesota defeated the Iowa Hawkeyes by a score of 195.775- 195.475. The Golden Gophers’ team score was the best of the season.
The Gophers outscored the Hawkeyes 48.925-48.825 on vault. Carolyn Yernberg and Laura Johnson were the top scorers in the event for Minnesota, each scoring a 9.850 to tie for second place.
On the uneven bars, Minnesota won with a team score of 48.950. Iowa tallied a 48.650. The Gophers swept the top three spots in the event, led by event champion Laura Johnson, who earned a season-best 9.850. Rehana Russell finished second on the bars with a career-best 9.825, while Stephanie Funk was third with a 9.800.
Iowa won the balance beam competition with a mark of 48.950. Minnesota earned a 48.625. Minnesota’s top finisher was Ashley Mutchler, who was fifth with a 9.775.
Minnesota earned its best score of the evening on the floor with a 49.275. Iowa finished with a 49.000 on floor. The Gophers swept the top three spots in the event, with Carolyn Yernberg winning on floor with a 9.900. Laura Johnson and Maria Opsahl tied for second with scores of 9.875.
In the all around, Laura Johnson won with a season-best 39.250.
Denver - February 19
No. 24 Minnesota bettered its previous season-high score by more than a point with a 195.625 against the Denver Pioneers. Denver won the meet with a score of 196.000. Minnesota’s previous season-best score was a 194.450 against Utah on February 6.
The Golden Gophers earned a 48.975 on the vault, and were led by senior Carolyn Yernberg. Yernberg finished in third place with a score of 9.875. Minnesota’s Kim Womack notched a career-high score of 9.725 on the vault. The Pioneers edged Minnesota to win the event with a team score of 49.050.
Minnesota defeated Denver on the bars by a score of 48.775-48.550. The highest finisher for the Gophers on bars was junior Laura Johnson, who tied for second place with a score of 9.825.
The Gophers scored a 48.850 on the beam, led by event champion Ashley Stanton who earned a 9.900. Stanton’s mark was her best of the season, and the best by a Gopher gymnast this year. The event title was the first of her career. Amanda Miles also tallied her season-best score on beam with a 9.800 to tie for fourth place.
In the floor exercise, Minnesota earned a team score of 49.025, while Denver won the event with a 49.350. Minnesota’s top scorer was junior captain Maria Opsahl, who finished in a tie for third place with a 9.875.
Laura Johnson finished second in the all around with a score of 38.825.
Best of Minnesota - February 12
No. 25 Minnesota took first place at the annual Best of Minnesota Meet with a Score of 194.425. Hamline was second with a 182.475, while Gustavus finished third with a 178.000.
Minnesota started the meet on the vault, and won the event with a 48.625. Carolyn Yernberg won the individual title, earning a 9.825. Laura Johnson finished second with a 9.800, and Ashley Mutchler finished third with a 9.725.
On the bars, Minnesota tallied a 48.475. Laura Johnson won the bars with a then- season-high score of 9.825. Andrea Cornelius and Rehana Russell each scored a 9.700 to tie for second place in the event.
The Golden Gophers faltered on the balance beam, and were forced to count a fall toward the team score, which was 48.100. Minnesota’s highlights on the beam were the performances of freshmen Ashley Mutchler and Ashley Stanton who tied for first place. Each scored a 9.825. Amanda Miles earned a 9.675 to place third.
Minnesota earned its highest score of the evening on the floor with a 49.225. The Gophers were led by Carolyn Yernberg with a 9.900. Maria Opsahl scored a season-best 9.875 to finish second, while Ashley Stanton scored a 9.850 to place third.
Laura Johnson was the all around winner with a 38.700.
Utah - February 5
No. 25 Minnesota tallied a 194.450 against No. 1 Utah. Utah won the meet with a 195.275.
Minnesota started the meet on the vault, and scored a 48.650. Laura Johnson had the highest score for the Golden Gophers with a 9.775 to tie for fourth place. Utah won the event with a team score of 49.025.
On the uneven bars, Minnesota scored a 48.125, while Utah won the event with a 48.875. Minnesota’s top performer on the bars was Laura Johnson, who scored a 9.700 to place sixth.
Minnesota earned a balance beam score of 48.650. Minnesota won the event as Utah tallied a 48.450. Ashley Stanton and Utah’s Ashley Postell tied for second with scores of 9.800.
Minnesota won the floor exercise, outscoring Utah 49.025-48.925. Carolyn Yernberg was the event champion with a 9.875. Laura Johnson and Maria Opsahl tied for third, each scoring a 9.825.
Washington - January 28
Minnesota tallied a team score of 193.700 to place third at the Washington Quad Meet. The Arizona Wildcats won the meet with a 194.800, while the host Huskies took second, scoring 194.575. Seattle Pacific finished fourth with a 191.025.
Minnesota started the meet on the balance beam, and tallied a 48.550 to win the event. Stephanie Funk led the Golden Gophers with a 9.775 to place third.
On floor exercise, Carolyn Yernberg and Ashley Stanton tied for Minnesota's top score, each earning a 9.825 to tie with Debra Huss of Seattle Pacific for third place. Minnesota posted a 48.650 in the event.
Laura Johnson and Ashley Mutchler tied for Minnesota's top score on the vault (9.825) to tie for second place in the event. Kelly Ganchan competed on the vault for the first time in 2005, and tallied a 9.675. The Golden Gophers earned a 48.800 in the event to tie for the meet's top score. Washington also scored a 48.800.
The Gophers finished the meet on the uneven bars, and posted a 47.700. Laura Johnson led the way for Minnesota with a 9.800 to tie her season-best score in the event. Johnson's score was good for fourth place.
In the all around, Laura Johnson took second place with a score of 39.075.
Iowa State - January 22
Minnesota lost to Iowa State, 192.450-196.850. The Gophers were outscored on every event in the loss and tallied their lowest team score of the season.
On the vault, Minnesota tallied a 48.550, while the Cyclones scored a 48.675 in the most closely-contested event of the evening. For the third straight week, Gopher senior Carolyn Yernberg won a share of the vault title, scoring a 9.825. Iowa State’s Janet Anson also scored a 9.825 to tie Yernberg for first place. Minnesota’s Angela Walker and Laura Johnson each scored a 9.750 to tie for third place on the vault.
On the uneven bars, Minnesota was forced to record a fall, and only managed to score a 48.025. Iowa State scored a 49.025 on the bars. Minnensota’s top performer was Laura Johnson, who tallied a 9.775 to place fifth.
Minnesota struggled on the balance beam, and had to record two falls. Iowa State outscored Minnesota by two full points on the event, 47.150-49.150. The top score for the Gophers was a 9.750 by Ashley Stanton, who placed sixth.
The floor exercise was the top-scoring event for the Gophers, who scored 48.725. Iowa State scored 49.000. Ashley Stanton came through for Minnesota once again, and tied teammate Maria Opsahl for the team’s best score with a 9.775, good for fifth place.
Ohio State - January 15
The Golden Gophers placed second in the Ohio State Quadrangular, scoring a 193.925. Third-ranked Michigan won the meet with a score of 196.025. The host Buckeyes finished third with a 192.675, followed by No. 15 Maryland with a team score of 191.550.
Junior Laura Johnson led the Gophers as one of Minnesota's top scorers in three of four events. On vault, she tied for first place with teammate Carolyn Yernberg and Michigan's Jenny Deiley and Katie Lieberman, scoring a 9.875. On bars, Johnson placed fifth with a 9.80. On beam, Johnson tied for ninth place with teammate Ashley Stanton, tallying a 9.75 for the team's top score in that event. In the all around, Johnson placed second with a 38.850.
Carolyn Yernberg was also a top performer for the Gophers, tying for first on the vault with a season-high 9.875. She was also Minnesota's top scorer in the floor exercise with a 9.70, good for sixth place in the event.
Arkansas - January 8
Minnesota senior Carolyn Yernberg tied the school record on the floor exercise with a 9.975 in the team's first meet of the season. Arkansas won the meet with a 194.250, while the Golden Gophers tallied a 193.800.
Junior Laura Johnson was the all around winner in the meet with a 38.950. Johnson's top score was a 9.90 on the floor exercise. Freshman Angela Walker also competed in the all around for Minnesota, and placed third with a total of 38.500.
The Gophers outscored Arkansas on the vault 48.775-48.400 behind strong performances from Carolyn Yernberg and Angela Walker, who each scored a 9.800 to tie for first placec in the event.
Arkansas won the bars and beam competitions with scores of 48.525 and 48.800, respectively.
Minnesota won the floor with a 49.250. Junior Laura Johnson earned a 9.900 while Carolyn Yernberg tied the school record with a 9.975. The mark was last reached by former Gopher MaryAnne Kelley during the 2002 season.
Coaching the Gophers
Jim and Meg Stephenson completed their 13th season at the helm of the Golden Gopher program. Jim served as the head coach while Meg was an assistant until 1998, when Meg joined Jim as a co-head coach. Minnesota’s coaches have earned Big Ten Coach of the Year honors four times during their tenure, and were honored with the Regional Coach of the Year award in 2002.
The duo has a 119-95-1 record as co-head coaches, while Jim has a 178-166-1 record in his tenure with the Golden Gophers.
Assistant coach Doug Day finished his eighth season with the program.
