Issue date: 3/31/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Abby Harvey Senior Brittany Adams competes on the balance beam in a meet against Winona State Feb. 7. Adams took seventh in the event.

UW-Eau Claire sent six gymnasts to NGCA National Championships this weekend; seniors Brittany Adams and Kristi Olson, junior Anna Sutherland, sophomore Samantha Howard, and freshmen Kerri Ritshe and Lauren Strecker. Among them, they covered each of the four events - vault, balance beam, uneven bars and floor - with Olson participating in the all around competition.

While none of the six gymnasts scored high enough to earn spots in the top 14, which moved onto day two at the event in Cortland, N.Y., several of the women achieved a personal best of the season.

"Nationals went really well," Olson said. She felt Nationals was a great way to end her career at Eau Claire and Adams' career as well, because they are both seniors.

Olson achieved a season high in the all around competition with a score of 36.9250 in 15th place. She was only .325 points away from 14th place and moving onto the second day.

Olson said Nationals was a good experience, especially for the three women who made their first trip this year - Howard, Ritshe and Strecker.

Howard scored 8.500 on the uneven bars. Ritshe, who competed on vault, scored 8.7750.

Strecker scored a personal best on the floor exercise, with 9.3750. Strecker also competed at Nationals on the uneven bars and earned a score of 8.5250.

The only Blugold gymnast to qualify for Nationals on the balance beam, Adams, continued the streak of personal bests with a score of 9.3250.

Sutherland also achieved a personal best at the competition, scoring 9.500 on the vault and tying for 20th place with another gymnast.

The gymnasts found a form of group success at Nationals, which both Sutherland and Adams mentioned.

"We didn't take any falls," Sutherland said.

Sutherland said it was cool to be among the best gymnasts in the nation and that they felt good overall. Sutherland also mentioned some changes that the team will face next year, as well as goals.

"We're losing solid performers," Sutherland said. The team this year was very unified, she added, which only benefitted the Blugold gymnastics team. Sutherland said the team will gain 7 or more freshmen next year.

Sutherland said that after seeing the competition at Nationals, the team next year will need to work and build off of their skills and solid foundation, as well as be more consistent. She said she would like UWEC to qualify for Nationals as a team.

Other UW System gymnasts participated at the event, and UW-La Crosse and UW-Whitewater competed as two of the six teams that qualified for the event. UW-La Crosse took first place overall and UW-Whitewater followed in fifth place.

For Adams and Olson, this was the last meet of their gymnastics career. Olson felt bittersweet about this, and Adams agreed.

"It was an exciting way to end our careers. It's sad that I'm done," Olson said, adding that it was good to end on a strong note.

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