April 12, 1999
NEXT WEEK - UCLA (20-5, seeded No. 2) will seek its second NCAA team title when it competes in the NCAA Gymnastics Championships Apr. 22-24 in Salt Lake City, UT.
COMPETITION FORMAT - The three-day competition begins on Thursday, Apr. 22 at the University of Utah's Huntsman Center with two sessions (1:00 pm and 7:00 pm MT) of preliminary team as well as all-around competition. The Top 3 teams from each Thursday session will advance to the team finals (The "Super Six"), which will begin at 7:00 pm on Friday, Apr. 23. The individual event finals competition will be held Saturday, Apr. 24 at 7:00 pm.
THE TEAMS - Competing in the Championships (in order of seed) are Georgia (197.375 regional score), UCLA (197.025), Michigan (196.750), Alabama (196.625), Utah (196.425), Nebraska (196.325), Penn State (196.325), West Virginia (195.275), Florida (195.225), Arizona State (195.1), Stanford (194.675) and LSU (194.6).
UCLA TO COMPETE IN AFTERNOON SESSION - In a blind draw conducted by the NCAA, UCLA drew the afternoon (1:00 pm) session, along with Alabama, Stanford, West Virginia, Arizona State and LSU. Georgia, Michigan, Utah, Nebraska, Penn State and Florida will vie for three spots in the Super Six during the evening session.
ROTATION ORDER - UCLA will begin the preliminary competition on a bye before floor. The Bruins will then move to vault, bye and bars before ending on beam. Below is the complete rotation order for the first preliminary session:
V Bye UB BB Bye FX I WVU ASU LSU Stan. UCLA Ala. II Ala. WVU ASU LSU Stan. UCLA III UCLA Ala. WVU ASU LSU Stan. IV Stan. UCLA Ala. WVU ASU LSU V LSU Stan. UCLA Ala. WVU ASU VI ASU LSU Stan. UCLA Ala. WVUUCLA AT THE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS - The Bruins won its first-ever NCAA Championship in 1997, breaking the Utah-Georgia-Alabama triumvirate which had won all the other previous titles. This is UCLA's eighth consecutive and 16th overall appearance in the 18 NCAA Championships. UCLA and Georgia are the only two teams to qualify for every Super Six.
UCLA PRACTICE SCHEDULE - UCLA will be practicing Tuesday-Friday, Apr. 13-16 at Yates Gym in the John Wooden Center from 2:15-5:00 pm. If any members of the media would like to attend practice for interviews, please call Liza David in the UCLA Media Relations Office to make arrangements. The team will leave for Utah on Tuesday, Apr. 20.
MONEYMAKER SEEKS BARS REPEAT - Bruin junior Heidi Moneymaker will attempt to defend her NCAA uneven bars title in Salt Lake City. Last season, in her home arena, Moneymaker became UCLA's first-ever NCAA bars champion, scoring a 9.95 to win the title. She was the only gymnast to win an event title outright last year.
INDIVIDUAL NCAA HISTORY - Four Bruins have won NCAA titles - Kim Hamilton (1987-89 floor, 1989 vault), Jill Andrews (1988 vault, 1989 beam), Stella Umeh (1995 and 1998 floor), and Heidi Moneymaker (1998 bars). Two other Bruins won AIAW national titles - Sharon Shapiro (1980-81 all-around and vault, 1980 bars, 1980 beam, 1980 floor) and Diane Dovas (1981 bars). Shapiro remains the only gymnast ever to sweep the all-around and all four events in one year. Hamilton is the only woman to win three consecutive floor titles.
LAST YEAR AT THE NCAAs - UCLA won its preliminary session to advance to the Super Six, but three falls on the beam put UCLA out of contention in the first rotation of the team finals. However, the Bruins battled back like the defending champions they were, posting a meet-high 49.5 on floor and 49+ scores on both vault and bars to place fifth. Stella Umeh provided UCLA a memorable moment by scoring the first 10.0 of her career on the floor exercise. She also received a perfect 9.9 score on vault. The next day at event finals, Umeh won the floor title, and Heidi Moneymaker captured the bars crown.
NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP NOTES -
ERICKSON EARNS PAC-10 ACADEMIC HONORS - Senior Susie Erickson earned second-team Pac-10 All-Academic honors with a 3.4 GPA in Environmental Studies. Erickson earned honorable mention acclaim the last two seasons.
BRUINS WIN REGIONALS TO EARN NCAA BERTH - Needing to place in the Top 2 at Regionals to qualify for the NCAA Championships, UCLA won its regional Apr. 10 in Corvallis, OR with a score of 197.025, the second-highest mark in all six Regionals. UCLA hit all 24 of its routines en route to the win.
MONEYMAKER WINS ALL-AROUND TITLE - With amazing consistency in all four events, Heidi Moneymaker won the Region 1 all-around title with a score of 39.525, edging out Utah freshman sensation Theresa Kulikowski (39.5). Moneymaker had scores of 9.85 or higher on all four events - 9.85 on vault (second place), 9.925 on bars (second place), 9.875 on beam (eighth place) and 9.875 on floor (sixth place). The all-around win was Moneymaker's second consecutive. She also won the Pac-10 crown Mar. 20.
MONEYMAKER REGION 1 GYMNAST OF THE YEAR - In a vote by Region 1 judges, Heidi Moneymaker was selected the Region 1 Gymnast of the Year. Moneymaker won 18 event titles this season, including the Regional and Pac-10 all-around crowns.
BRUIN ALL-AROUNDERS SHINE - All four of UCLA's all-around competitors placed in the Top 5 at Regionals with scores of 39+. Heidi Moneymaker was the champion with a 39.525. Kiralee Hayashi tied her career-high in the all-around with a 39.4 while placing third. Mohini Bhardwaj set a new career-high with a fourth-place score of 39.375, and Lena Degteva placed fifth with a 39.35.
HILEY PROVIDES HI-LIGHT ON VAULT - Senior Lisa Hiley ended UCLA's successful regional meet with a bang, scoring a career-high 9.8 (fourth place) on her vault (handspring front pike with a half-twist). Hiley, a walk-on who began competitive gymnastics just six years ago, worked her way not only into the vault lineup, but into the anchor spot for the fifth-ranked vaulting team in the nation.
UCLA's Past NCAA Championship History
Year Finish Winner 1998 5th Georgia 1997 1st UCLA 1996 2nd Alabama 1995 4th Utah 1994 5th Utah 1993 4th Georgia 1992 9th Utah 1991 - Alabama 1990 4th Utah 1989 2nd Georgia 1988 3rd Alabama 1987 3rd Georgia 1986 7th Utah 1985 - Utah 1984 2nd Utah 1983 6th Utah 1982 6th UtahUCLA's Returning All-Americans
Year Name Event 1998 Mohini Bhardwaj V, UB Lena Degteva AA*, V Susie Erickson BB* Kiralee Hayashi AA, V*,UB, BB* Heidi Moneymaker AA*, V*, UB 1997 Lena Degteva AA*, V Kiralee Hayashi BB* 1996 Luisa Portocarrero BB