Sooners Advance To National Championships

April 7, 2001

LINCOLN, Neb. -- The University of Oklahoma women's gymnastics team finished second at the NCAA South Central Regionals Saturday in Lincoln, Neb., and qualified for the National Championships for the first time in 12 years. The No. 19 Sooners (20-7), who led at the midway point of the meet, scored a 194.925, second only to No. 3 Nebraska (196.200).

The Sooners received a first-place finish from junior Mariana Goncalves on vault (9.875) as well as stellar performances from freshman Kasie Tamayo (fifth, all-around, 39.150) and sophomore Leticia Ishii (sixth, all-around, 39.050).

Nebraska's Tami Harris won the all-around (39.400) and the floor exercise (9.925).

"This is the happiest second-place finish I've ever had," said Oklahoma co-head coach Steve Nunno. "Our gymnasts really did the job tonight. Fortunately, our team is peaking at the right time. I'm proud of the way the athletes stuck with us and now understand that all the hard work they did this season has paid off."

Oklahoma next travels to Athens, Ga., to compete in the 2001 NCAA National Championships, hosted by the University of Georgia on April 19-21.

Team Scores 1. Nebraska 196.200 2. OU 194.925 3. Arizona 194.825 4. Penn State 194.775 5. Washington 194.450 6. Illinois State191.725

Oklahoma Team Scores 1. Vault 49.100 2. Uneven Parallel Bars48.775 3. Balance Beam 48.200 4. Floor Exercise49.150

All-Around 1. Tami Harris (NU)39.400 2. Emily Pritchard (UW)39.350 3. Kara Fry (UA)39.275

Top OU Scores 5. Kasie Tamayo 39.150 6. Leticia Ishii39.050 9. Mariana Goncalves 38.850

Vault 1. Mariana Goncalves(OU)9.875 Alecia Ingram (NU)9.875 Katie McAvoy (PSU)9.875

Top OU Scores 4. Carla DeMartini 9.850 9. Leticia Ishii 9.825 14. Leah Mueller 9.800

Uneven Parallel Bars 1. Emily Pritchard (UW) 9.900 2. Tami Harris (NU) 9.875 Randi Liljenquiest (UA)9.875

Top OU Scores 6. Mariana Goncalves 9.825 Kasie Tamayo 9.825 12. Carla DeMartini 9.800

Balance Beam 1. Mandi Klug (UW) 9.900 2. Alecia Ingram (NU) 9.850 Bree Dority (NU) 9.850 Chreyl Rubinger (UIC)9.850 Maria Taylor (PSU) 9.850 Stacy Wong (UW) 9.850 Emily Pritchard (UW) 9.850

Top OU Scores
9. Leticia Ishii 9.775 12. Kasie Tamayo 9.750 17. Patricia Aoki 9.700 Leah Mueller 9.700

Floor Exercise 1. Tami Harris (NU) 9.925 Randi Liljenquist (UA)9.925 Katie Rowland (PSU) 9.925

Top OU Scores 8. Mariana Goncalves 9.875 11. Leticia Ishii 9.850 Kasie Tamayo 9.850