CORVALLIS, Ore. — Miscues on the bars proved to be the undoing for the Tiger gymnastics team as they missed advancing to the Super Six finals after finishing fifth in their preliminary round session, and eighth overall, at the NCAA Championships Thursday at Gill Coliseum.
Nebraska (196.325), Alabama (196.250) and Utah (196.175) advanced to Friday’s team finals from the first session after Michigan (196.000), LSU (195.650) and Oklahoma (195.525) missed the cut.
“I’m disappointed. Next year I am not going to give the team guns so they can’t shoot themselves in the foot,” Breaux quipped in reference to the mistakes on the uneven bars that resulted in a meet-low 48.650 that kept the Tigers out of the top three.
“We had two breaks and that is what cost us. In this type of competition, with these types of teams you just can’t afford to make mistakes like that,” said Breaux.
Despite the costly errors, LSU did turn in spectacular efforts on the other three events, notching a 49.200 on the floor and a pair of 48.900s on the vault and beam.
Individually, the upperclassmen shined as a school record-tying five Tigers earned All-American honors.
Senior April Burkholder was brightest star among the group, earning first-team All-American honors on each of the four events and in the all-around. The five accolades give the senior a school record 14 All-America awards for her career. She has also earned the right to compete in Saturday’s individual events finals in each of the four events.
Fellow seniors Terin Martinjak and Kelly Lea were named second-team All-America selections, as Martinjak was recognized on the beam and floor and Lea was honored on the bars.
“I don’t think we could have gotten anymore out of those three athletes,” said Breaux. “They have carried this team all season and they did it again tonight. I couldn’t be any more proud of their contributions.”
Also picking up second-team honors were junior Lisa Rennie on the bars and junior Kelly Phelan on the floor. For Rennie it marked the second-straight season she garnered All-America honors on the event, while the accolade was the first of Phelan’s career.
After sitting out the first rotation with a bye, LSU began competition on the floor with an electrifying 49.200 performance. The Tigers notched four scores of 9.800 or better as Burkholder punctuated the end of the rotation with a team-best 9.900 effort. Phelan was just off her pace with a 9.875, while Martinjak and sophomore Emily Ellis added scores of 9.850 and 9.800, respectively.
The Tigers carried that momentum into the third rotation, notching a solid 48.900 on the vault. Burkholder again led all scorers, posting a 9.875. Junior Nicki Butler followed with a 9.800 and Phelan turned in a 9.775.
With all six teams having competed on two events after three rotations, the Tigers stood in second place in the team standings with a 98.100. Alabama led the competition with a 98.275, while Nebraska was third (97.900), Michigan (97.850) was just one-half tenth behind the Huskers in fourth and Utah (97.725) and Oklahoma (97.675) rounded out the team scoring.
While Tigers sat out the fourth rotation with a bye Utah notched a 49.300 on the vault and Michigan tallied a 49.200 on the floor as both teams moved into a two-way tie for second with identical 147.050s. Alabama remained on top of the standings with a 147.175 after notching a 48.900 on the bars, while Oklahoma improved to fourth with a 146.550.
LSU moved to the bars in fifth rotation where a pair of costly miscues led to a 48.650, dropping the Tigers to fifth in the team standings with a 146.750. Burkholder was not deterred as she led all Tigers with a solid 9.850. Rennie and Lea were not far behind with identical scores of 9.825.
Despite essentially taking themselves out of the team race, the Tigers still fought back in the final rotation, adding a 48.900 on the beam behind Burkholder’s session-winning 9.875 and Martinjak’s 9.825.
The 9.875 by Burkholder wrapped up a sensation all-around effort for the senior. She finished third in the overall all-around standings with a 39.500 as she was bettered only by Utah’s Ashley Postell (39.525) in the first session and Georgia’s Courtney Kupets (39.575) in the second session.
Burkholder will conclude the 2006 season and a stellar career for the Tigers Saturday evening in the individual event finals. Action will begin at 9 p.m. (CT) from Gill Coliseum.
SESSION I RESULTS
TEAM
1. Nebraska — 196.325 (VT -49.100, UB — 49.075, BB — 48.825, FX — 49.325)
2. Alabama — 196.250 (VT — 49.000, UB — 48.900, BB — 49.075, FX — 49.275)
3. Utah — 196.175 (VT — 49.300, UB — 49.125, BB — 48.800, FX — 48.925)
4. Michigan — 196.000 (VT — 48.925, UB — 49.100, BB — 48.750, FX — 49.200)
5. LSU — 195.650 (VT — 48.900, UB — 48.650, BB — 48.900, FX — 49.200)
6. Oklahoma — 195.525 (VT — 48.75-, UB — 48.925, BB — 48.875, FX — 48.975)
INDIVIDUAL (Winner plus all LSU competitors)
All-Around — 1, Ashley Postell, UTAH, 39.525. 2, April Burkholder, 39.500. 12, Nicki Butler, 39.075. 20, Kelly Phelan, 38.475.
Vault — t1, Ashley Miles, ALA, 9.950. t1, Emily Parsons, NEB, 9.950. 4, April Burkholder, 9.875. t14, Nicki Butler, 9.800. t19, Kelly Phelan, 9.775. t27, Emily Ellis, 9.725. t27, Terin Martinjak, 9.725. 40, Lauren Klein, 9.575.
Bars — 1, Kristina Baskett, UTAH, 9.900. t4, April Burkholder, 9.850. t8, Kelly Lea, 9.825. t8, Lisa Rennie, 9.825. t19, Nicki Butler, 9.775. 40, Emily Ellis, 9.375. 41, Kelly Phelan, 9.150.
Beam — t1, April Burkholder, 9.875. t1, Terin Humphrey, ALA, 9.875. t5, Terin Martinjak, 9.825. t9, Lisa Rennie, 9.800. t26, Nicki Butler, 9.725. t31, Lauren Klein, 9.675. t31, Kelly Phelan, 9.675.
Floor — 1, Emily Parson, NEB, 9.950. t3, April Burkholder, 9.900. t6, Kelly Phelan, 9.875. t8, Terin Martinjak, 9.850. t25, Emily Ellis, 9.800. t31, Nicki Butler, 9.775. t31, Kelly Lea, 9.775.
NCAA Championships Afternoon Session
Corvallis, Ore.
April 20, 2006
Team Totals
1 Nebraska 196.325
2 Alabama 196.250
3 Utah 196.175
4 Michigan 196.000
5 Louisiana State 195.650
6 Oklahoma 195.525
All-Around Standings
1. Ashley Postell, Utah 39.525
2. April Burkholder, LSU 39.500
3. Ashley Miles, Alabama 39.425
4. Emily Parsons, Nebraska 39.400
5. Nicolle Ford, Utah 39.275
6. Terin Humphrey, Alabama 39.250
7. Kiara Redmond, Oklahoma 39.225
8. Brittney Koncak-Schumann, Oklahoma 39.175
Vault
1. Ashley Miles, Alabama 9.950
1. Emily Parsons, Nebraska 9.950
3. Ashley Postell, Utah 9.900
4. April Burkholder, LSU 9.875
4. Gritt Hofmann, Utah 9.875
4. Nicolle Ford, Utah 9.875
7. Jenny Deiley, Michigan 9.850
7. Katie Lieberman, Michigan 9.850
7. Kylie Stone, Nebraska 9.850
7. Kristina Baskett, Utah 9.850
Bars
1. Kristina Baskett, Utah 9.900
2. Lauren Mirkovich, Michigan 9.875
2. Ashley Postell, Utah 9.875
4. April Burkholder, LSU 9.850
4. Vanessa Meloche, Nebraska 9.850
4. Stephanie LoPiccolo, Oklahoma 9.850
4. Nicolle Ford, Utah 9.850
8. Terin Humphrey, Alabama 9.825
8. Kelly Lea, LSU 9.825
8. Lisa Rennie, LSU 9.825
8. Jenny Deiley, Michigan 9.825
8. Becky Bernard, Michigan 9.825
8. Michele Zabawa, Nebraska 9.825
8. Desire Sniatynski, Nebraska 9.825
Bars
1. Terin Humphrey, Alabama 9.875
1. April Burkholder, LSU 9.875
3. Tatjana Thuener-Rego, Michigan 9.850
3. Ashley Postell, Utah 9.850
5. Melanie Banville, Alabama 9.825
5. Terin Martinjak, LSU 9.825
5. Tricia Woo, Nebraska 9.825
5. Julie Dwyer, Auburn 9.825
Floor
1. Emily Parsons, Nebraska 9.950
2. Ashley Miles, Alabama 9.925
3. April Burkholder, LSU 9.900
3. Tricia Woo, Nebraska 9.900
3. Ashley Postell, Utah 9.900
6. Kelly Phelan, LSU 9.875
6. Carol McNamara, Michigan 9.875
8. Terin Humphrey, Alabama 9.850
8. Brittany Magee, Alabama 9.850
8. Terin Martinjak, LSU 9.850
8. Becca Clauson, Michigan 9.850
8. Tatjana Thuener-Rego, Michigan 9.850
8. Stephanie Carter, Nebraska 9.850
8. Kiara Redmond, Oklahoma 9.850
8. Brittney Koncak-Schumann, Oklahoma 9.850
8. Christine Robella, North Carolina 9.850