Jan. 8, 2013

Senior Vanessa Zamarripa (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon Township HS) of the UCLA gymnastics team was selected as the UCLA/Muscle Milk Student-Athlete of the Week for Dec. 31-Jan. 6.

Zamarripa won the all-around and two events to lead second-ranked UCLA to a season-opening victory over Southern Utah, 196.150-194.875. Zamarripa closed the competition with a career-high 9.975 on floor exercise, earning a 10.0 from one judge to capture first place on the event. Zamarripa also won the balance beam with a 9.875, tying for first with Southern Utah's Alyssa Click. Competing the hardest vault in the competition (Yurchenko half-on, front layout half), she scored 9.825 to place second on that event. She also earned 9.8 on bars while performing a new routine. Her score on bars helped the Bruins earn 49.3, the highest in the nation this weekend. Her 9.975 on floor helped the Bruins achieve a 49.475 team total on floor, second-highest in the nation

This is Zamarripa's first UCLA/Muscle Milk Student-Athlete of the Week honor of the season and seventh of her career.

Also nominated: Erynne Lee, W. Golf; Shabazz Muhammad, M. Basketball; Atonye Nyingifa, W. Basketball; Robart Page, M. Volleyball.