Huskers Match Best Finish in School History

The Nebraska women's gymnastics team matched their best finish at the NCAA Championships in school history in Cleveland, Ohio, placing fourth in the team competition and taking away and overall record of 22-12 on the year. Nine Huskers earned 11 All-America honors at the event, while six competitors (Davis, Giblin, Schleppenbach, Scaffidi, Wong and Evenstad) qualified for individual event finals. Nebraska's appearance at the NCAA Championships was its 20th overall in program history, while marking its 10th overall Super Six appearance.

Senior Erin Davis has forever earned a spot in the Husker record books after ending her Nebraska career at the NCAA Championships in Cleveland. A native of Round Rock, Texas, Davis entered her senior season defending her status as one of the nation's best on vault and floor, continuing the dominance and consistency she showed in 2010. She was named a first-team All-American on vault and floor at the 2011 NCAA Championships and earned 10 individual titles in 2011, including eight on vault and two on floor. Davis achieved her second career 10.0 with a perfect score on vault against Arizona State on March 6. She also tallied a career-high 9.90 on floor two times over the course of the season.

Davis claimed two event wins at the Big 12 Championships on March 19, finishing first on vault (9.925) and floor (9.90). She earned All-Big 12 honors on vault and All-Big 12 Championship accolades on vault and floor. She was also selected as the Big 12 Event Specialist of the Year. Davis tabbed the second regional event of her career on April 2 at the NCAA Corvallis Regional. Davis tallied a 9.875 on vault to tie for first in the event. She came in third at the NCAA Championships on vault, averaging a score of 9.8188. The last time a Husker placed in the top-five at the NCAA Championships was in 2007. In addition, she was consistently ranked No. 1 on vault throughout much of the 2011 season. 

Senior Brittnee Habbib was named a second-team All-American at the 2011 NCAA Championships, earning accolades on beam. She remained a valuable bars, beam and floor specialist for NU in her final season. The 2010 NCAA Lexington Regional bars champion, she captured a career high of 9.85 on beam as a senior. In addition, she posted season-high scores of 9.85 on bars and 9.825 on floor. Habbib captured four event titles in 2011, including one on bars and three on beam. She also led NU in the community, earning second-team Academic All-Big 12 accolades on well as being named to the Big 12 Commissioner's Fall 2010 Honor Roll. She also earned a spot on that Big 12 Winter Community of Champions.

Senior Maria Scaffidi tallied the first All-America honors of her career at the 2011 NCAA Championships, earning first-team accolades on bars. She excelled as a bars, beam and floor specialist for the Huskers and boasted career highs of 9.925 on bars and 9.85 on beam, in addition to a season high of 9.875 on floor. Scaffidi captured six titles on the season, including five on bars and one on floor. Her accomplishments are highlighted by being named the Big 12 bars champion at the conference championships on March 19. She posted a score of 9.90 on the event and earned All-Big 12 Championship Team accolades. She placed 10th on bars at the NCAA Championship Event Finals with a mark of 9.825. Scaffidi was also honored with a first-team Academic All-Big 12 selection and earned a spot on the Big 12 Commissioner's Fall 2010 Honor Roll.

Senior Maddie Steinauer tabbed a second-team All-American honor on beam at the 2011 NCA A Championships, as she excelled in her second year with the Huskers on vault, beam and floor. She posted career highs of 9.90 on beam and 9.875 on floor as a senior. She was the Huskers' lead-off performer on beam all season and was also named to the first-team Academic All-Big 12.  

Junior Lora Evenstad became a two-time All-American at the 2011 NCAA Championships, earning first-team honors on floor. She proved herself as one of Nebraska's top performers for the third year in a row. She claimed career-high scores of 9.95 on vault, 9.925 on bars, 9.725 on beam, 9.925 on floor and 39.275 in the all-around. Evenstad captured nine floor titles on the season and one bars crown. She also notched All-Big 12 honors on vault and floor and was named to the All-Big 12 Championship team for her accomplishments on bars and floor at the Big 12 Championships. In addition, she tallied first-team Academic All-Big 12 honors. Evenstad earned the first regional title of her career at the NCAA Corvallis Regional where she posted a 9.90 on floor to tie for first-place. She finished 11th on floor at the NCAA Championship Event Finals to close her junior season.

Junior Kassandra Nathe, a second-team All-American on bars in her sophomore season,was sidelined with an injury in 2011.

Junior Kaitlin Reid joined the Huskers after spending two seasons at Cal State Fullerton, where she was a bars and beam specialist for the Titans. She earned a 9.60 on bars at the Metroplex Challenge in her Husker debut.

Sophomore Janelle Giblin became a three-time All-American at the 2011 NCAA Championships, earning first-team honors on vault and second-team accolades in the all-around. She was a solid and consistent contributor for Nebraska in 2011. Giblin debuted as an all-arounder for Nebraska against Iowa State and tallied career highs of 9.90 on vault, 9.875 on bars, 9.85 on beam, 9.85 on floor and 39.275 in the all-around. Giblin earned five event titles on the season, including two on bars, one on beam and two in the all-around. She was also named an All-Big 12 performer on bars and earned All-Big 12 Championship Team accolades on vault, in addition to tabbing a spot on the Big 12 Commissioner's Fall Honor Roll. She earned a fifth-place finish on vault at the NCAA Championship Event Finals to end her sophomore campaign.

Sophomore Brittany Skinner tabbed second-team All-America awards on beam as a sophomore, adding to her first-team All-American accolades on vault as a freshman. She performed as a three-event specialist for NU on vault, bars and beam in her sophomore season. Skinner tabbed career-high scores of 9.90 on vault and 9.875 on bars in 2011, in addition to a season high of 9.80 on beam. She earned one bars title as a sophomore and also tallied All-Big 12 Championship Team accolades on bars.

Freshman Deanna Barmore entered her first year with the Huskers ready to make an impact in NU's vault and beam lineups. Nebraska looked to her for depth at both positions throughout the entire season. She tied her career-high on vault with a 9.725 at the NCAA Corvallis Regional on April 2.

Freshman Jamie Schleppenbach earned first-team All-America honors on vault and proved herself as a key asset to NU's vault and beam lineups throughout the entire season. She claimed career highs of 9.95 on vault, 9.80 on beam and 9.775 on floor. Schleppenbach was named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Week twice and earned All-Big 12 and All-Big 12 Championship Team honors on vault. She closed the season with a 12th-place finish on vault at the NCAA Championship Event Finals.

Freshman Emily Wong earned first-team All-America honors on bars at the 2011 NCAA Championships. A native of Grand Forks, N.D., she catapulted NU's bars, beam and floor lineups in 2011 while tallying career highs  of 9.90 on bars, 9.90 on beam and 9.875 on floor as a freshman. She notched four event titles on the season, including three on bars and one on beam. Wong posted a 9.90 on beam at the Big 12 Championships and earned All-Big 12 Championship Team honors for her efforts. She finished her freshman campaign with an 11th-place finish on bars at the NCAA Championship Event Finals.  

With the Huskers' 22-12 record, Head Coach Dan Kendig finished his 18th season at Nebraska with a program-best 416-163-4, continuing his impressive career as the winningest coach in NU women's gymnastics history. During Kendig's tenure, the Huskers have qualified for the NCAA Championships 14 times, making 10 appearances at the Super Six Finals. Kendig has coached 39 All-Americans to 113 first- or second-team honors.

2011 Season Highlights

• NU finished with a 22-12 record and placed fourth at the NCAA Championships, matching the best finish in school history.
• Nine Huskers earned a total of 11 All-America awards: senior Erin Davis (V, FX), sophomore Janelle Giblin (V, AA), freshman Jamie Schleppenbach (V), senior Maria Scaffidi (UB), freshman Emily Wong (UB), senior Maddie Steinauer (BB), senior Brittnee Habbib (BB), sophomore Brittany Skinner (BB), junior Lora Evenstad (FX).
• Four Huskers earned five All-Big 12 honors: Davis (V), Evenstad (V, FX), Schleppenbach (V), Giblin (UB).
• Seven Huskers earned Academic All-Big 12 accolades: Evenstad (first-team), Giblin (first-team), Scaffidi (first-team), Steinauer (first-team), Habbib (second-team), Davis (second-team), former Husker Stephanie Seich (second-team).  
• Two Huskers earned two regional titles at the NCAA Corvallis Regional: Davis (V), Evenstad (FX).
• Two Huskers earned three conference titles at the 2011 Big 12 Championships: Davis (V, FX), Scaffidi (UB).
• Three Huskers were named Big 12 Gymnast, Event Specialists or Newcomers of the Week at least once in 2011: Davis (Event Specialist- Jan. 25, Feb. 1, Feb. 8, March 1, March 8), Evenstad (Gymnast- Feb. 1) and Schleppenbach (Newcomer- March 8 and March 15).
• 11 gymnasts were named to the Big 12 Commissioner's Fall Honor Roll: freshman Deanna Barmore, former Husker Hannah Bower, Davis, Evenstad, former Husker Kristin Fyffe, Giblin, junior Kassandra Nathe, junior Kaitlin Reid, Scaffidi, former Husker Stephanie Seich and Wong.
• 13 gymnasts were named to the Big 12 Commissioner's Spring Honor Roll: Barmore, Davis, Evenstad, Fyffe, Giblin, Habbib, former Husker Kathryn Howard, Nathe, Reid, Scaffidi, Schleppenbach, Seich and Wong.