Leiter wins all-around, Nebraska places third at MPSF Team Championships

The No. 9 Nebraska men's gymnastics team posted a season-high score of 228.225 Friday night to place third at the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championships in Colorado Springs, Colo. The Huskers were led by Lincoln Southeast product Derek Leiter, who scored a career-high and meet-winning mark of 58.3 in the all-around.

Second-ranked Oklahoma captured the league title with a 230.675. No. 7 California was second with a season-high 230.625, No. 11 Stanford was fourth (226.0), No. 10 BYU placed fifth (225.875), No. 16 Air Force finished sixth (218.5) and No. 19 California-Santa Barbara was seventh (212.25).

With their score, which was nearly four points higher than their previous 2000 best, the Huskers improved to 9-7 overall and secured a trip to the NCAA Championships March 30-April 1 in Iowa City, Iowa. The nation's top 12 teams will earn a NCAA berth.

"The guys did a really nice job," NU Coach Francis Allen said. "I think they really feel like they have some momentum for nationals now. Before, with the injuries (to national champions Jason Hardabura and Marshall Nelson), that momentum just wasn't there. Now, I think their goals have kind of changed. We're going to make something of this season yet."

. Leiter qualified in every event but the floor exercise and posted Friday's highest marks on parallel bars (9.65) and vault (9.85). Classmate Asher Lichterman advanced to on vault (9.7) and still rings (season-high 9.75). Junior Grant Clinton, who had been sidelined with back spasms for the past two months, tied a career-high on rings with a 9.70. Clinton, who competed in four events for the only the second time this season, also produced a season-best 9.525 on high bar. Sophomore Martin Fournier added his own season-best performance with a 55.6 in the all-around.

Five Huskers qualified for Saturday's MPSF individual event finals. Leiter qualified in four events after posting Friday's highest marks on parallel bars (9.65) and vault (9.85), but he failed to place among the top three competitors in any event final Saturday. The senior co-captain finished fifth on vault (9.525) and pommel horse (9.65) and eighth on high bar (8.25).

Classmate Asher Lichterman boasted the best overall individual finish of any Husker Saturday, claiming third on vault with a 9.6. Lichterman also took fifth on still rings (9.675) and eighth on parallel bars (8.6).

Sophomore Dusty Jakub shattered his career-high on parallel bars with 9.725, good for second place in that event. Jakub's career-best entering the 1999 season on parallel bars was 8.90.

In other event finals, junior Grant Clinton, who had been sidelined with back spasms for the past two months, tied a career-high on rings with a 9.70 Friday but placed eighth in Saturday's event final with a 9.4. Senior Blake Bukacek was eighth on pommel horse with a 9.15.

Team Finish
1. Oklahoma 230.675
2. California 230.625
3. Nebraska 228.225
4. Stanford 226.0
5. Brigham Young 225.875
6. Air Force 218.50
7. Santa Barbara 212.25

Top three finishers (Nebraska gymnasts in bold)
All-Around
Name Team Score
1. Derek Leiter NU 58.3
2. Guard Young BYU 58.0
3. Tal Moscovitz CU 57.925