Esposito, Parsons Earn Top Three Finishes at NCAA Individual Event Finals

 Auburn, Ala. ? Two Nebraska gymnasts competed at the NCAA Individual Event Finals on Saturday night, earning top three finishes on their respective events at AuburnUniversity’s Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum. Freshman Emily Parsons placed third on the floor exercise (9.925), and sophomore Kristi Esposito competed on balance beam, finishing as the national runner-up with a score of 9.9125. Esposito is a two-time first-team All-American on beam, while Parsons earned first-team All-America honors on floor, as well as second-team accolades on vault, beam and in the all-around.

 

“Emily and Kristi did an incredible job tonight,” Head Coach Dan Kendig said. “They came out and hit their routines. Kristi had the best beam routine she’s had all year, and I’m really proud of her. She tied for second out of a group with six Olympians with a routine loaded with difficulty and stuck her landing. She should be proud of the performance she gave out there.

 

“Emily just continues to amaze us with her talent and how she goes out to perform,” Kendig said. “What another spectacular floor routine. She and Kristi made Nebraska and the Big 12 Conference proud tonight.”

Parsons posted a score of 9.925 on floor, tying for third with Tabitha Yim of Stanford. Courtney Bumpers of North Carolina earned a unanimous 10.0 to win the individual title for the second consecutive year, while Alabama’s Ashley Miles scored a 9.975 for second. Parsons was awarded three 9.95s and three 9.90s from the six-judge panel, equaling an average of 9.925.

 

Esposito, who was a first-team All-American on beam and in the all-around in 2004, again gave a stellar performance on beam to tie for second with Michigan’s Elise Ray. Esposito, a native of Slidell, La., earned two 9.95s, three 9.90s and a 9.85 from the six judges, giving her an average of 9.9125. She finished behind Kristen Maloney of UCLA, who scored a 9.9375.