Returning national champions to lead Huskers in 2000

Nebraska gymnastics coach Francis Allen doesn't mince words when discussing his 31st Husker team. Without hesitation, Allen predicts a successful run that could end with the Huskers, who finished third in the nation in 1999, winning their ninth NCAA Championship in school history.

And who can blame Allen for his lofty goals? Consider the facts:

At the top of the Huskers' roster sit two national champions. Junior Jason Hardabura (Oakville, Ontario) claimed the 1999 NCAA all-around and floor exercise titles. Senior Marshall Nelson (Greeley, Colo.), who missed last season while rehabilitating from knee surgery, won the 1998 and 1997 NCAA parallel bars title and was the 1997 NCAA horizontal bar champion.

But Nebraska's experience doesn't stop there. Returning All-American Blake Bukacek (Lincoln, Neb.) captured the NCAA horizontal bar runner-up title last season, and All-American Derek Leiter (Lincoln, Neb.) ranked fourth nationally in the all-around for most of 1999.

Others to watch include senior transfer Asher Lichterman (Cape Town, South Africa), who won the 1999 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation vault title, and sophomore Martin Fournier (St. Hubert, Quebec), who ranked in the top 20 nationally in both the all-around and the horizontal bar in 1999.

"I think that we are going to be one of the teams - if not the team - to beat in the country this season," Allen said. "In Hardabura, we've got the guy that everyone wants to beat, and we've got a very experienced group that knows how to win."

Hardabura would certainly appear to be the man to beat in 2000. The nation's top all-arounder last year, Hardabura set a school record for most all-around scores of 58 or better by an individual in a single season. Hardabura surpassed the 58 mark six times, including a national championship score of 58.05 at the NCAA Championships April 22 at the Bob Devaney Sports Center in Lincoln.

Hardabura posted team-high marks for the season in the floor exercise (9.80), still rings (9.80), horizontal bar (9.90) and all-around (58.15) during the 1999 season.

Already one of the most accomplished gymnasts in school history, Hardabura will attempt to win a second-straight all-around title in 2000.

"Jason's the defending national champion, and we expect nothing less of him this year," Allen said. "He's the guy to beat in the nation."

A three-time national champion Nelson hopes to join Hardabura with an NCAA medal of his own in April. Nelson won back-to-back parallel bars titles during his sophomore and junior seasons but missed out on trying for a third-straight championship when he suffered a season-ending knee injury in the fall of 1998. The injury forced Nelson to redshirt in 1999 as he recovered from surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament on his left knee.

Allen said that Nelson, who qualified for the 1999 national meet on four events, is recovered and ready for another great season in 2000.

"You have to respect a guy like Marshall," Allen said. "He has proven what he can do. He's a three-time national champion, and we expect him to be back to form. He's much more mature than he was two years before the injury."

Another NU gymnast hoping to challenge for a national title is Leiter. An All-American, Leiter finished fifth (57.075) in the all-around at nationals in 1998 and ranked fourth nationally in the event in 1999 (57.217). Leiter also ranked first nationally on vault, 13th on horizontal bar and 15th on floor exercise.

Leiter ranked second on the team in 1999 with 14 event titles. He posted team-best scores for the season on parallel bars (9.85), vault (9.90) and pommel horse (9.80). Leiter also claimed runner up honors in the all around at the MPSF Championships and the West Regional.

"We expect Derek to reach 58 or better in the all-around this year," Allen said. "That's comparable to a four-minute mile. It's a lot to ask, but Derek is a tremendous all-arounder."

Bukacek is the fourth returning All-American for the Huskers. However, concern over the Lincoln High product's health does exist. Bukacek, who won horizontal bar runner-up honors at the NCAA Championships April 24, tore his right ACL while practicing a floor exercise routine in early November. Bukacek who competed on five of six events for NU in 1999, ranked sixth nationally on horizontal bar and was one of the Huskers' best vaulters.

Allen hopes the two-time NCAA qualifier will return for the latter half of the season.

With the injury to Bukacek, the Huskers will count on Lichterman to pick up a large part of the scoring slack. Lichterman, who transferred to Nebraska for his senior season after New Mexico dropped its program last spring, is a three-time NCAA qualifier. His best events are vault and still rings. Lichterman won the 1999 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation vault title and advanced to the NCAA individual event finals on still rings for the second straight season.

Lichterman also brings international experience to the Huskers. A native of Cape Town, South Africa, Lichterman was a member of the 1997 and 1999 South African National teams.

"Asher is a great addition for us," Allen said. "He is someone who can compete for an NCAA Championship on rings. He will come in and provide stability and fill some holes for us."

Nebraska's other top returners include sophomore Martin Fournier (St. Hubert, Quebec) and junior Grant Clinton (Katy, Texas).

Fournier will probably be Nebraska's fourth all-arounder after competing in the event every meet his freshman season. Fournier ranked 17th nationally in the all-around (55.967) and 20th on high bar (9.558). At the 1999 MPSF Championships, Fournier finished fifth in the all-around with a score of 55.65, including a second-place finish on parallel bars (9.5875).

Allen said that Fournier has improved on his weakest event, the pommel horse, and should be a more consistent all-arounder in 2000.

"Martin will be a much more seasoned gymnast this year," Allen said. "I think that he will average 57 or better in the all-around after knocking on the door all last season."

Clinton, who joined the Huskers one week before the start of the 1999 season after transferring to Nebraska from Texas Tech, ranked 14th nationally on still rings (9.621) and competed on every event but pommel horse for NU in 1999. This year, Allen will ask Clinton, along with Lichterman, to fill the void left by the loss of All-American Jim Koziol, the Huskers' best still rings performer in 1999. Clinton may also compete in the all-around for the first time this season.

"Grant is really coming into his own this year," Allen said. "It took him a year to learn how to work out Nebraska style. He really has a lot of tools that are important to this team."

Sophomores Dustin Jakub (Lincoln, Neb.) and Jeff Kelly (Grand Island, Neb.) will provide the Huskers with depth in the individual events. Allen will use Jakub, who missed half of last season with a broken ankle, on parallel bars, vault and pommel horse.

"It was hard on us and hard on him last season with the injuries," Allen said. "We were planning on relying on him pretty heavily inthe pommel horse and parallel bars. Hopefully, that will happen this year."

Kelly competed in one meet last season, but Allen said the vault and still rings specialist could contribute more in 2000.

"Jeff had done a good job of continuing to improve," Allen said. "It should be easy to see the differences in him between his freshman season and this season."

Nebraska will welcome three freshmen for the 2000 season: Nicholas Batliner (Lincoln, Neb.), Erick Frank (Austin, Texas) and Ryan Sneed (Omaha, Neb.).

Of the three, Batliner may have the best chance to contribute immediately. Allen said could see spot duty on four events, including the floor exercise, horizontal bar, pommel horse and vault.