Huskers Advance to NCAA Championships

Lexington, Ky. – The 12th-ranked Nebraska women’s gymnastics team posted a score of 195.875 Saturday night at the University of Kentucky’s Memorial Coliseum to finish second at the NCAA Central Regional and earn a berth to the NCAA Championships in Gainesville, Fla. April 22-24.

“It’s good to get back to the big dance,” Head Coach Dan Kendig said. “This team has worked really hard all year. It’s for them, and that’s what it has always been about. It’s about the team, team above self all the way through this. Our coaching staff couldn’t be any prouder or happy. Although we could have done better, Alabama looked really good today, they separated themselves. It was just keeping doing your stuff so you can move on. I’ve really pleased and really proud.”

The Huskers (21-5) scored a 49.0 or better on vault, bars and floor to secure the 19th NCAA Championships appearance in school history. NU last advanced to the NCAA Championships in  2007. Nebraska finished behind No. 1 Alabama (197.40) and ahead of No. 13 Illinois (195.425), Central Michigan (195.125), No. 20 Kentucky (194.975), No. 24 and Michigan State (194.475).

Junior Erin Davis tied for first on vault with a score of 9.90. Junior Brittnee Habbib provided a stellar performance on bars, hitting a 9.90 and tying for first in the event. Senior all-arounder Maria Scaffidi came in sixth in the standings with a 39.10.

NU opened the competition on floor, where Maria Scaffidi and Lora Evenstad both notched scores of 9.90, the mark was a career-high-tying score for Scaffidi. Erin Davis and Maddie Steinauer both hit a 9.80. Brittany Skinner started her day with a score of 9.75, bringing the Huskers to a 49.15 finish on the event.

Nebraska then moved on to vault as Davis hit a 9.90 and Steinauer posted a 9.875. Scaffidi and Evenstad both added scores of 9.775, and Kristin Fyffe received a mark of 9.75. The Huskers tallied a 49.075 vault total and a running score of 98.225. At the halfway point of the meet the Huskers were in second behind Alabama (98.90), but ahead of Illinois (97.60), Central Michigan (97.60), Kentucky (96.70) and Michigan State (96.525).

Following a bye, Nebraska continued to bars, where Habbib scored a career-high 9.90. Following her lead was Evenstad with a 9.85 and Howard with a 9.825. Scaffidi hit a 9.80 and Janelle Giblin added a 9.725, helping NU to a 49.10 and a running score of 147.325.

The Huskers capped the evening on beam in the fifth rotation, where Howard and Habbib both tallied scores of 9.80. Fyffe posted a 9.75, while Steinauer hit a 9.675. Scaffidi notched a 9.625 to round out the event. Nebraska finished the event with a 48.65 and totaled a 195.875 on the night for a second-place regional finish.

“(We’re) very pleased with everything we did today,” Kendig said. “All in all, we’re very very happy and very very pleased. We’re elated to be going back to nationals. As far as I am concerned, it was good being back in Kentucky, we had a great contingent of fans, we had a lot of parents here and a lot of family here. Now we’re going to go out and celebrate a little bit.”

Nebraska will travel to Gainesville, Fla., April 22-24, for the NCAA Championships held at the University of Florida’s Stephen C. O’Connell Center. Tickets are available through the Florida ticket office at (352) 375-4683 or at www.gatorzone.com.

 

Name                           Vault      Bars        Beam      Floor       All-Around

Hannah Bower               ---            ---            ---            ---            ---

Erin Davis                   9.90         ---            ---            9.80           ---

Lora Evenstad             9.775      9.85         ---            9.90            ---

Kristin Fyffe               9.75            ---            9.75        ---            ---

Janelle Giblin              ---            9.725            ---         ---            ---

Brittnee Habbib           ---            9.90            9.80         9.70       ---

Kathryn Howard            ---            9.825        9.80        ---            ---

Kassandra Nathe         ---            9.65            9.025      ---            ---

Maria Scaffidi             9.775        9.80            9.625    9.90            39.10

Brittany Skinner         9.70            ---            ---            9.75            ---

Maddie Steinauer       9.875         ---            9.675        9.80            ---

Kylie Stone              ---            ---            ---            ---            ---

 

Team Score                  Vault            Bars            Beam            Floor            Total

Alabama                     49.375            49.375            49.125            49.525       197.40

Nebraska                    49.075            49.10            48.65            49.15            195.875

Illinois                       49.025            48.575            48.60            49.225          195.425

Central Michigan         49.00            48.50            48.65            48.95              195.125

Kentucky                  49.075            48.675            48.025            49.20           194.975

Michigan State           48.80            48.075            48.45            49.15             194.475