RELEASED:  Saturday, March 29, 2008

UW-La Crosse Wins NCGA Championship

Brockport, N.Y.--University of Wisconsin-La Crosse won its seventh National Collegiate Gymnastics Association (NCGA) Championship in the last eight seasons during team competition held on March 28 in Cory Gymnasium in the Park Center on the campus of SUNY-Cortland.

The Eagles won the 12th national title in program history after compiling 189.050 team points to surpass the second-place total of 188.425 set by SUNY-Brockport.  SUNY-Cortland took third with 188.375 points, Ursinus College (Pa.) fourth with 188.050, UW-Whitewater fifth with 187.200 and Winona State University (Minn.) sixth with 185.625.

UW-La Crosse head coach Barb Gibson was named the NCGA Co-Coach of the Year along with Jeff Schepers of Ursinus College (Pa.).

During individual competition on March 29, UW-La Crosse’s Gabi Hooper and UW-Whitewater’s Justine Weyer shared top honors in the vault with a score of 9.675.

Hooper secured the third vault national crown in program history, while Weyer is UW-Whitewater’s first individual event national champion since 2000 when Nicole Hoida claimed the balance beam. 

UW-Stout’s Naomi Delara won the balance beam title with a score of 9.800 to become the school’s first individual event national champion.

The NCGA also announced a 38-member All-Academic Team for the 2008 season.  Individuals from the WIAC receiving recognition included:  UW-Eau Claire’s Kristi Olson, UW-La Crosse’s Kasey Clausen and Jacqueline Schellinger, UW-Oshkosh’s Vanessa Virbitsky, UW-Whitewater’s Kira Fedyniak, Alison Lewis and Rachel Paney, Gustavus Adolphus’ Danielle Berg, Kelsie Droogsma and Kasey Lyng and Hamline’s Missy Gamble.

The top 10 individuals in the all-around competition secured NCGA All-America status, while competitors placing in the top six in the individual events were named All-America First Team and individuals finishing seven through 12 received All-America Second Team status.

WIAC All-Americans:
Vault:  Justine Weyer (UW-Whitewater-Champion), Gabi Hooper (UW-La Crosse-Champion), Alexandra Nugent (Winona State-Third), Jackie LaFleur (UW-La Crosse-Sixth), Allison Nelson (UW-Whitewater-12th)

Uneven Bars:  Kasey Clausen (UW-La Crosse-Second), Justine Weyer (UW-Whitewater-Third), Danielle Crinzi (UW-Whitewater-Seventh), Kelly Busacker (UW-Oshkosh-12th)

Balance Beam:  Naomi Delara (UW-Stout-Champion), Gabi Hooper (UW-La Crosse-Second), Alexandra Nugent (Winona State-Third), Mackenzie Howard (UW-La Crosse-Third), Melissa Baudhuim (Winona State-Fifth), Meghan Hargens (UW-Stout-Seventh), Eileen Strube (Winona State-Eighth), Kasey Clausen (UW-La Crosse-11th), Brynne Stenslie (Hamline-12th)

Floor Exercise:  Sarah Prosen (Hamline-Sixth), Ashley Timm (UW-Stout-Seventh), Alexandra Nugent (11th)

All-Around:  Justine Weyer (UW-Whitewater-Fifth), Alexandra Nugent (Winona State-Seventh), Mackenzie Howard (UW-La Crosse-10th), Meghan Hargens (UW-Stout-10th)