Huskers Advance to NCAA Championships

Berkeley, Calif. ? The sixth-ranked Nebraska women’s gymnastics team posted a score of 196.650 Saturday night at California’s Haas Pavilion to finish second at the NCAA West Regional and earn its ninth consecutive berth to the NCAA Championships in Salt Lake City, Utah, April 26-28.

The Huskers (23-5) scored a 49.0 or better on all four events to secure the 18th NCAA Championships appearance in school history. Nebraska finished behind No. 7 Utah (197.325) and ahead of No. 18 Missouri (194.30), California (193.90), Washington (193.30) and Sacramento State (191.725).

Utah’s 197.325 tied Florida for the best mark of the 12 teams qualifying to the NCAA Championships, while NU’s score of 196.675 was the fifth-highest around the nation on Saturday night.

Junior Emily Parsons took titles on vault and floor exercise with scores of 9.925, tying Utah’s Kristina Baskett on vault. Parsons, a native of St. Charles, Mo., and a seven-time All-American, has earned top honors on vault and floor each of the last three seasons. Sophomore Kylie Stone was Nebraska’s highest finisher in the all-around with a fourth-place 39.325.

NU opened the competition on bars, where Stone, senior Michele Zabawa and junior Brittney Williams led the way with matching scores of 9.85 to finish fourth. Senior Stephanie Carter followed with a 9.75, and Parsons added a 9.725, bringing the Huskers to a 49.025 finish on the event and second-place standing behind Utah (49.35).

Nebraska then moved on to beam, where sophomore Tricia Woo posted a solid 9.875 performance to finish third. Freshman Kathryn Howard followed with a 9.85 for fourth, while Zabawa put in a 9.825 to take sixth-place honors. Junior Desire’ Sniatynski added a 9.775, and Stone earned a mark of 9.725, bringing the Huskers to a 49.05 beam total and a running score of 98.075.

Following a bye, Nebraska continued to floor, where Parsons delivered her usual stellar performance with a score of 9.925 to finish first, followed by Stone’s second-place 9.90.  Sniatynski added a 9.85 to finish fifth, while freshman Maria Scaffidi earned a score of 9.825. Carter also contributed a 9.80, helping NU to a 49.30 and a running score of 147.375.

The Huskers capped the evening on vault in the fifth rotation, where Parsons was NU’s event leader with a 9.925 to tie for first. Stone, Zabawa and Carter equaled each other with marks of 9.85 for sixth, and Scaffidi notched a strong 9.825. Nebraska finished the event with a 49.30 and totaled a 196.675 on the night for a second-place regional finish.

The 10 remaining teams that will make up this year’s NCAA Championships field include: Florida (197.325), Georgia (197.275), Alabama (196.70), Stanford (196.60), Oregon State (196.075), Michigan (196.05), UCLA (195.975), LSU (195.95), Oklahoma (195.925) and Denver (195.825).

“Our team is excited about qualifying to the NCAA Championships,” head coach Dan Kendig said. “It’s never a guarantee anymore with so much parity, but we were very prepared coming in here. We went 24-for-24 tonight and never had a major break. I am very pleased with the performance of our whole team.”

Nebraska will travel to Salt Lake City, Utah, April 26-28, for the NCAA Championships held at the University of Utah’s Huntsman Center. Tickets are available through the Utah ticket office at 801-581-8849 or at www.utahutes.com.

Name                                     Vault      Bars       Beam     Floor       All-Around
Stephanie Carter                 9.85        9.75                        9.80
Kathryn Howard                                                   9.85
Sabrina Long                      
Vanessa Meloche                              
Molly Ohnoutka                   
Emily Parsons                     9.925      9.725      9.675      9.925      39.25
Maria Scaffidi                       9.825                                      9.825
Desire’ Sniatynski              9.775      9.70        9.775      9.85        39.10
Kylie Stone                            9.85        9.85        9.725      9.90        39.325
Brittney Williams                                  9.85
Tricia Woo                                                             9.875      9.70
Michele Zabawa                  9.85        9.85        9.825
Team                                     Vault      Bars       Beam     Floor       Total
Nebraska                      49.30      49.025   49.05      49.30      196.675
Utah                             49.35      49.35      49.35      49.275   197.325
Missouri                        48.85      48.875   48.00      48.575   194.30
Washington                   48.95      48.325   47.10      48.925   193.30
Sacramento State               48.125   48.35      47.40      47.85      191.725
California                      48.75      48.525   48.425   48.20      193.90