University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Prepare for NCAA North Central Region Championships
4/11/2008 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
The University of Minnesota is one of six institutions to host a regional championship in 2008. The other five sites and host institutions are: Baton Rouge, La. (LSU), University Park, Pa. (Penn State), Norman, Okla. (Oklahoma), Gainesville, Fla. (Florida), and Corvallis, Ore. (Oregon State).
CATCH THE ACTION: Tickets are available and may be ordered online at www.gophersports.com, or by calling the athletics ticket office at 612-624-8080 or toll free at 1-800-U-GOPHER. All seats are reserved, so fans are encouraged to order tickets in advance to get the best seats. Chairback seats are sold out, but bench seats are available.
For those unable to attend, results from the meet will be updated throughout the competition online at www.gophersports.com. Click on the link for live stats. A live webcast of the meet will also be available on www.gophersports.com. Andy Cornelius, former Gopher gymnast and current student assistant coach, will provide audio commentary for the webcast.
WHAT’S AT STAKE: Two teams from each of the six regional championship sites will advance to the NCAA National Championship, which will be hosted by the University of Georgia on April 24-26, 2008.
MINNESOTA’S ROTATION AT REGIONALS: The rotation order for the NCAA Regional Championship was determined by a random draw. Minnesota will start the meet on floor, followed by vault, a bye, bars and beam. The Gophers will have a bye in the sixth and final rotation.
Event specialists from Utah State University, who qualified individually for the regional meet, will rotate with Minnesota throughout the meet. Jasmine Minion will join the Gophers on vault, Nicole Simoneau will compete on bars, Lyndsie Boone will compete on beam, and Megan Tschida will compete on floor.
NATIONAL RANKINGS: Minnesota is ranked No. 28 this week, down three spots from the team’s No. 25 ranking last week. In the event rankings, Minnesota is No. 18 on bars (RQS 48.910), No. 19 on bean (RQS 48.950), No. 33 on floor (RQS 48.855), and No. 40 on vault (RQS 48.635).
LAST YEAR AT THE REGIONAL MEET: The Golden Gophers finished the 2007 season with a score of 192.900 to finish fifth at the NCAA North Central Region Championships, hosted by the University of Denver. Angela Walker was Minnesota’s top scorer in all three events in which she competed, earning marks of 9.800 on bars and beam, and scoring a 9.725 on floor. Walker placed in the top 10 on both bars and beam.
Minnesota’s first event of the evening was the floor exercise, where the Gophers tallied a 48.500. Juniors Ashley Stanton and Angela Walker were the highest scorers for the team, each earning a 9.725 to tie for 17th place.
The Gophers moved to vault in the second rotation, and were led by freshman Alexis Russell. Russell earned a 9.825 to lead Minnesota to a team score of 48.675, the Gophers’ highest event score of the competition. Russell’s score was good enough to tie for eighth place on vault.
The Gophers tallied a 47.850 on bars, led by Angela Walker, who earned a 9.800 to tie for ninth place. Walker has led the Gophers on bars at six meets this season.
Minnesota finished the meet on beam, where the Gophers earned a 47.875. Minnesota’s top performer was Angela Walker, who earned a 9.800 to tie for 10th place.
Minnesota had two all around competitors, Alexis Russell and Carmelina Carabajal. Russell earned a 38.100, while Carabajal scored a 37.675 in the all around.
THE LAST TIME MINNESOTA HOSTED AN NCAA REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP: The last time Minnesota hosted the NCAA North Central Region Championships was in 2000. Three of the six teams in the 2008 regional field also competed in the 2000 regional in Minneapolis: Minnesota, Utah, and Southern Utah.
In 2000, Utah and West Virginia earned trips to the NCAA Championship by placing first and second at the regional meet. Utah won the North Central Region title with a score of 196.325. West Virginia placed second with a 195.475. Denver narrowly missed a trip to the NCAA Championship, earning a team score of 195.450 to place third, just .025 behind West Virginia. Minnesota was fourth with a 194.750, Utah State was fifth with a 192.950, and Southern Utah was sixth with a 191.800.
MINNESOTA’S HISTORY IN THE NCAA REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP: The Gophers have not won any team titles at an NCAA Regional Championship, but finished as high as second in 2002 and 1983.
In the Stephenson era, Minnesota has finished second at one regional (2002), finished third once (2001), finished fourth four times (1997, 1999, 2000, 2005), finished fifth five times (1994, 1998, 2003, 2006, 2007), and was sixth twice (1996, 2004).
Five Minnesota gymnasts have won a total of 12 individual regional titles. The most recent NCAA Regional Champion was MaryAnne Kelley, who won on floor in 2002. Marie Roethlisberger owns the most individual regional titles in Gopher history with six, including all around titles in 1989 and 1990.
THE GOPHERS AGAINST TEAMS IN THE REGIONAL FIELD: In the 2008 season, Minnesota is 0-3 against teams competing in the North Central region meet. The Gophers lost to Utah on Feb. 1 by a score of 194.100-197.750. Minnesota lost to Iowa in a dual meet on Feb. 29 in Iowa City by a score of 194.725-195.900. Minnesota also lost to Iowa at the Big Ten Championship as Iowa placed fifth with a score of 194.775 while Minnesota was sixth with a mark of 194.425. Minnesota has not faced Arkansas, Arizona, or Southern Utah this season.
GOPHERS BOAST THREE ALL AROUNDERS: For the first time in the Stephenson era, Minnesota has three regular all around competitors in the line up: Carmelina Carabajal, Alexis Russell, and Angela Walker. All three have had great results this season. Carabajal has achieved her personal-best all around score, 39.300, twice this season, and has scored 39.0 or better in nine meets. Angela Walker set her best all around mark with a 39.150 at Iowa State (3/2), and has scored 39.0 or higher three times this season. Alexis Russell earned her best mark of the year, a 39.100, against Oklahoma (3/22), a score that was just .025 shy of her career-high all around score of 39.125, set last season.
GOPHERS EARN BEST SCORE VS. OKLAHOMA: Minnesota earned its highest team score of the year in the dual meet against Oklahoma. The Gophers tallied a 195.625, beating the previous season-best score by .300.
LEADING THE WAY: Carmelina Carabajal owns or is tied for the team’s top score in three of four events plus the all around this season. She is tied with Kristin Furukawa for the best bars score (9.875), owns the top beam score (9.925), and owns the top floor score (9.875). She also leads the way in the all around with a best score of 39.300, which she’s accomplished twice this year.
Carabajal has the team’s best average score on all four events: 9.774 on vault, 9.737 on bars, 9.777 on beam, and 9.806 on floor.
WINNING WAYS: Seven Gopher gymnasts have won event titles this season, earning a total of 29 titles between them. Minnesota has the most event titles on beam with eight. The Gophers have also claimed seven titles on bars, five titles on floor, four in vault, and four in the all around.
Carabajal has the most titles this season, winning 19 event titles so far, including six on beam, four on vault, three on bars, two on floor, and four in the all around.
Kristin Furukawa has three event titles this season, all coming on bars. Angela Walker has two event titles to her name this season, with both of her titles coming on floor. Ashley Stanton has two balance beam titles this season.
Amanda Miles has won one floor title, Jamie Bullock has one vault title, Yuri Nagai has one bars win.
TWO OF THE BEST ON BEAM: Minnesota tallied a 49.225 on beam against Iowa State on March 2, and matched the score against Oklahoma (3/22). The scores of 49.225 are the team’s best beam score since earning a 49.500 at Arizona State on March 12, 2004. The score of 49.225 ranks No. 3 on the program’s all-time top scores list.
In the beam rotation against Oklahoma, the Gophers counted five scores of 9.800 or better. Carmelina Carabajal led the way with a 9.875, while Amanda Miles, Ashley Stanton and Angela Walker each earned marks of 9.850. Alexis Russell had a 9.800 to round out the counting scores for Minnesota.
ONE FOR THE HISTORY BOOKS: Carmelina Carabajal’s score of 9.925 on beam against UIC was the best individual score in by a Gopher gymnast in any event in more than three years. The last time a Minnesota gymnast scored 9.925 or better was on Jan. 8, 2005, when Carolyn Yernberg earned a 9.975 on floor.
Carabajal’s all around score of 39.300 against UIC (2/23) and against Okalhoma (3/22) puts her in a tie with Judy Cavazos for fifth place on Minnesota’s all-time top performers list.
FRESHMAN BOLSTER BARS LINE UP: Minnesota regularly competes with three freshman in the bars line up, and the results have been impressive this season. The Gophers tallied a 49.075 on bars against Illinois-Chicago, the best bars score since the 2006 season. The Gophers also surpassed the 49 mark with a 49.075 on Feb. 4, 2006 at New Hampshire. Minnesota earned a 49.000 on bars against Oklahoma (3/22). While the Gophers never scored over 49 on bars last season, they have surpassed the 49 mark three times so far this season.
SENIORS CARRY BEAM TEAM: While the Gophers use youth to their advantage on bars, Minnesota relies on the experience of its senior class to lead the beam team. All three seniors regularly compete on beam. Amanda Miles has earned career-best scores of 9.850 twice this year. Ashley Mutchler earned her season-best score, 9.775, twice this season. Ashley Stanton has been one of the strongest and most consistent beam performers throughout her collegiate career. Stanton has a season average of 9.715 on beam, and matched her personal-best score with a 9.900 against Illinois-Chicago.
THE GOPHERS: BREAKDOWN BY EVENT Vault: Alexis Russell notched the team’s best vault score of the year when she earned a 9.850 against Oklahoma. Russell was one of the team’s top vaulters in 2007, but this year she competed with a modified vault for several meets and missed five competitions this year due to a knee injury. Carmelina Carabajal owns six scores of 9.825 this season, and has five event titles to her name this season. Carabajal has been the team’s top performer on vault at 10 of 13 competitions this season, and has the team’s best average score on vault with a 9.774. Jamie Bullock notched her personal-best vault score with a 9.825 at the Best of Minnesota (2/9). Jade Beattie has been the team’s top scorer on vault twice this season, and has tallied her personal-best score of 9.800 twice this season. Minnesota’s top vault score is a 48.775, earned in the meet at Iowa State (3/2).
Bars: Freshman Kristin Furukawa was the winner on bars against Illinois-Chicago (2/23) with a 9.875, and was also the event winner at Iowa (2/29) with a 9.850. Furukawa is tied with Carmelina Carabajal for the team’s top bars score this season. Furukawa has the team’s second-highest bars average (9.681), and has the best bars RQS on the squad (9.810). Carabajal earned her career-best 9.875 at the Best of Minnesota (2/9). Carabajal has the team’s best average score with a 9.738 average. Yuri Nagai had the team’s best bars score against New Hampshire, a 9.650 to place second overall. Nagai set her personal best with a 9.825 at the Best of Minnesota (2/9). Nagai won her first bars title, tying with teammates Carabajal and Furukawa for first with a 9.750 against North Carolina (3/7). Minnesota’s top team score on bars is a 49.075 and came in the dual meet with Illinois-Chicago (2/23).
Beam: Carmelina Carabajal owns the team’s top beam score this year, a 9.925 earned against UIC on Feb. 23. Carabajal has the team’s best average beam score, a 9.781. Carabajal tallied a 9.900 at Iowa State (3/2) and a 9.875 at home against Iowa State (1/26), giving her three of the team’s top five scores of the year. Ashley Stanton also owns two of the team’s top scores on beam, with her best score (9.900) coming in the meet against UIC (2/23). Stanton also notched an event-winning 9.875 at Michigan (2/16). As a team, Minnesota’s top team score is a 49.225, scored against Iowa State (3/2) and Oklahoma (3/22). Angela Walker matched her career-high score on beam with a 9.875 against UIC (2/23). Floor: Carmelina Carabajal owns the top floor score of the year with a 9.875 vs. UNC on March 7. She also earned a 9.850 against Illinois-Chicago (2/23) and again at Iowa State (3/2). Carabajal has an average floor score of 9.806 to lead the team. Amanda Miles has competed on floor at nine meets this season, missing three meets with a foot injury. In her nine performances, she led the team four times, and owns three scores of 9.850 this season. Alexis Russell matched her career-high floor score of 9.825 against UIC (2/23). Against Iowa State on Jan. 26, Angela Walker set her career-high mark on floor with a 9.850 to place second against North Carolina (3/7). Minnesota tallied its best team score on floor (49.050) at West Virginia on March 15, where all five of the Gophers’ counting scores were 9.800 or better.
COACHING THE GOPHERS Jim and Meg Stephenson are in their 16th 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. The duo has a 158-130-1 record as co-head coaches.
Players Mentioned
