DULUTH, Ga. — Sophomore sensation April Burkholder was named the SEC Gymnast of the Year in leading the fifth-ranked LSU gymnastics team to a third-place showing at the 2004 SEC Championships Saturday night at the Gwinnett Center.
Burkholder, who earned All-SEC honors in the all-around by finishing third with a 39.600, is the first athlete in LSU history to receive the honor.
“I don’t know if anyone has ever been named SEC Freshman of the Year and then followed that up by being named the SEC Gymnast of the Year,” said LSU head coach D-D Breaux. “I think it shows the great amount of respect the coaches in the conference have for April and what a special athlete and person she is.
“She’s all about the team, yet she’s able to focus on her individual routines. She’s a rock and we couldn’t have asked anymore of her tonight.”
Burkholder wasn’t the only Tiger to garner conference accolades as senior Lindsay Beddow and junior Annie Gagnon each earned All-SEC honors on the bars and freshman Lisa Rennie received all-conference honors on the beam.
In the team race, Georgia took home their 13th conference crown scoring a 198.175, while defending SEC champion Alabama finished in second with a 197.950. Florida was fourth with a 197.225, Auburn finished in fifth (195.925) and Arkansas and Kentucky followed in sixth (194.825) and seventh (193.850), respectively.
“I couldn’t ask for more from this team tonight,” said Breaux. “For as young as this team is they came in and were composed and competitive and did what they have been doing the last three-quarters of the season.
“All I can ask is all they can do and this team did that tonight.”
The Tigers started the meet on the floor exercise, turning in a solid 49.275 to position themselves behind Alabama who took the early lead, scoring a 49.325 on the bars.
Burkholder led all Tigers on the event, notching a 9.925. Sophomore Terin Martinjak followed with a 9.900 and freshman Kelly Phelan added a 9.850.
After sitting out the second rotation with the first of three byes, LSU returned to action on the vault, recording a 49.225. The mark has enough to hold onto second place in the team standings as the Crimson Tide led the Tigers, 98.650-98.500.
Burkholder and freshman Nicki Butler paced the squad with marks of 9.925 and 9.875, respectively, while Phelan and sophomore Rikki L’Heureux added a pair of 9.825s.
While LSU sat out the fourth rotation with a bye, Georgia added a 49.375 on the bars to its earlier 49.550 on the vault to move into second in the team standings with a 98.925.
The Tigers turned in a phenomenal fifth rotation, scoring a meet-best and season-high tying 49.400 on the bars, a mark that ranks as the eighth-best in school history on the event.
Burkholder and senior Lindsay Beddow lead the way with matching 9.900s, while junior Annie Gagnon and freshman Lisa Rennie turned a pair of 9.875s. Butler rounded out the scoring on the event with a 9.850.
LSU capped off the evening’s competition with an impressive 49.375 on the beam before sitting out the seventh and final rotation with a bye.
Rennie and Gagnon both turned in career-high marks of 9.950 and 9.900, respectively, while Burkholder and Martinjak followed with a pair of 9.850s.
LSU will take a weekend off before returning action Friday, April 2, when they host the NCAA Central Regional Championships at the Maravich Center beginning at 6 p.m. (CST).
TEAM RESULTS
1. Georgia 198.175
2. Alabama 197.950
3. LSU 197.275
4. Florida 197.225
5. Auburn 195.925
6. Arkansas 194.825
7. Kentucky 193.850
INDIVIDUAL RESULTS (Top three plus all LSU competitors)
Vault – 1, Jeana Rice, ALA, 9.975. t2, Brittanmy Smith, UGA, 9.950. t2, Ashley Miles, 9.950. t4, April Burkholder, 9.925. t12, Nicki Butler, 9.875. t20. Rikki L’Heureux, 9.825. t20, Kelly Phelan, 9.825. t25, Annie Gagnon, 9.775. 40, Lindsey Thompson, 9.225.
Bars – t1, Cory Fritzinger, UGA, 9.950. t1, Jeana Rice, 9.950. t3, Lindsay Beddow, 9.900. t3, April Burkholder, 9.900. t12, Annie Gagnon, 9.875. t12, Lisa Rennie, 9.875. t14, Nicki Butler, 9.850. t16, Rikki L’Heureux, 9.825.
Beam – 1, Cory Fritzinger, UGA, 10.000. 2, Jeana Rice, ALA, 9.975. 3, Lisa Rennie, 9.950. t6, Annie Gagnon, 9.900. t13, April Burkholder, 9.850. t13, Terin Martinjak, 9.850. t29, Lindsay Beddow, 9.750.
Floor – t1, Marline Stephens, UGA, 10.000. t1, Ashley Miles, ALA, 10.000. 3, Chelsa Byrd, UGA, 9.975. t6, April Burkholder, 9.925. t11, Terin Martinjak, 9.900. t19, Kelly Phelan, 9.850. t27, Brittany Brown, 9.800. t27, Lisa Rennie, 9.800. 39, Nicki Butler, 9.300.
All-Around – 1, Jeana Rice, ALA, 39.850. 2, Chelsa Byrd, 39.700. 3, April Burkholder, 39.600.