DENVER -- A strong performance on vault and several good individual efforts were not enough for the No. 23 BYU gymnastics team to overcome great nights from three top 15 teams and stiff judging to advance NCAA Nationals.
"I thought we did well," BYU coach Brad Cattermole said. "We would have liked to have done better. We did good though. The girls finished up like champions. They fought hard all the way through."
The Cougars ended their season with a 193.300, good for fourth place at the NCAA North Central Regional in Denver. No. 2-ranked Georgia won the competition with a 197.275 while host Denver finished second at 195.825 and No. 11 Penn State placed third with a 195.775. Minnesota (192.900) and Utah State (192.525) rounded out the competition. The Gym Dogs and 14th-ranked Pioneers advance to Nationals as the top two finishers.
BYU's gymnasts took to the beam to start the night. The Cougars saw some struggles and a few wobbles in the early going, but they still turned in some solid performances on the event. Dayna Smart, the No. 20 ranked beam worker in the country, once again showed her prowess on the apparatus to lead BYU with a 9.750. Freshman Kaylee Gallup also turned a good showing with a 9.625 in the first regional competition of her career. Senior Kacie Capra-Callens was right behind at 9.600.
After a bye, the Cougars found themselves on floor, their strongest event the last three meets. BYU once again turned in good performances on the event. Capra-Callens led the way at 9.775. Smart and Lisa Willis also showed well and were close behind with identical 9.700 marks.
After a bye, a series of strong vaults was just what the Cougars needed in their third rotation. Despite facing tough judging on the apparatus, BYU stuck several good vaults. Alethea Boon, who was nursing a leg injury, tied for 11th place with a 9.800 to lead the way. Smart was close behind with a 9.775 to tie her for 15th place. Sophomore Hayley Jensen stuck a 9.700 and freshmen Danielle Goldman and Kiki Berrett each recorded 9.675 scores.
BYU finished the night with solid routines on the uneven bars. Willis tied her second-best mark of the season with a 9.700. Kylee Draper swung her way to a personal-best Regionals mark with a 9.750, good for a 14th place tie. Capra-Callens landed a 9.800 to lead the Cougars and record the highest Regionals finish of her career, a ninth-place tie.
The Gym Dogs' Courtney Kupets won the all-around competition with a 39.525. No BYU gymnasts competed on all four events.
The Cougars will now bid farewell to seniors Capra-Callens and Willis, who competed in their last collegiate meets. Despite losing the two experienced competitors, BYU returns 10 gymnasts who competed in this season's Regionals, including co-captains Smart, Boon and Draper, back for the 2008 season.
"This was a great experience for those girls coming back," Cattermole said.
Women's Gymnastics Meet Results
Host:University of Denver
Meet:North Central Region ChampionshipsApril 14, 2007
Location:Magness ArenaHome Meet
Contents:Event ResultsTeam Results
VaultTeam Standing
Uneven Parallel BarsUniversity of Denver
Balance BeamBrigham Young
Floor ExerciseGeorgia
All AroundMinnesota
Penn State
Utah State
Team StandingTop
Place TeamScore
1 Georgia197.275
2 University of Denver195.825
3 Penn State195.775
4 Brigham Young193.300
5 Minnesota192.900
6 Utah State192.525
University of Denver
Head Coach: Melissa Kutcher-RinehartTop
GymnastVault Bars Beam Floor AllArr
Katie Andrews 9.700
Nikki Brown 9.800 9.500
Courtney Butler9.800 9.850
Casey Dobyns9.800
Gretchen Goerlitz 9.825
Kelley Hennigan9.700 9.725
Heather Huffaker9.875 9.650 9.800 9.850 39.175
Jessica Lopez 9.800 9.675 9.825
Ellen McCarthy 9.750 9.850 9.775
Liz Meals9.775
Sasha Sullivan9.650 9.750 9.725 9.875 39.000
Team Totals48.950 48.950 48.775 49.150 195.825
Brigham Young
Head Coach: Brad CattermoleTop
GymnastVault Bars Beam Floor AllArr
Kiki Berrett9.675 9.575
Alethea Boon9.775 9.675 9.150
Kacie Capra Callens 9.800 9.600 9.775
Brittany Fischer9.000
Kylee Draper 9.750 9.625
Kaylee Gallup 9.625
Danielle Goldman9.675
Hayley Jensen9.700 9.500
Heidi Poulson 9.600
McKell Poulson 9.525
Dayna Smart9.800 9.750 9.700
Aimee Walker-Pond 9.500
Lisa Willis 9.700 9.350 9.700
Team Totals48.625 48.450 47.825 48.400 193.300
Georgia
Head Coach: Suzanne YoculanTop
GymnastVault Bars Beam Floor AllArr
Nikki Childs 9.850 9.850
Adrienne Dishman9.775
Kelsey Ericksen9.775 9.925 9.850
Katie Heenan9.875 9.875 9.925 9.750 39.425
Courtney Kupets9.900 9.900 9.825 9.900 39.525
Courtney McCool 9.900 9.950
Marcia Newby9.850
Grace Taylor 9.875 9.850 9.675
Tiffany Tolnay9.950 9.850 9.850 9.300 38.950
Team Totals49.350 49.425 49.375 49.125 197.275
Minnesota
Head Coach: Meg StephensonTop
GymnastVault Bars Beam Floor AllArr
Jade Beattie9.725 8.800
Carmelina Carabajal9.650 9.025 9.325 9.675 37.675
Andy Cornelius 9.700 9.675
Kelly Ganchan9.750
Amanda Miles 9.725 9.175
Ashley Mutchler9.675 9.250
Alexis Russell9.825 9.750 8.825 9.700 38.100
Rehana Russell 9.575
Ashley Stanton9.700 9.775 9.725
Angela Walker 9.800 9.800 9.725
Team Totals48.675 47.850 47.875 48.500 192.900
Penn State
Head Coach: Steve ShephardTop
GymnastVault Bars Beam Floor AllArr
Lindsay Borkan 9.725 9.275
Ashley Mehrer 9.725
Lindsey Montross 9.725
Brandi Personett9.900 9.775 9.850 9.900 39.425
Corissa Pirkl 9.725 9.750 9.650
Casey Rohrbaugh9.775 9.725 9.800
Rosie Smith9.825 9.800
Stephanie Sullivan 9.750 9.800
Allie Southard9.725
Katie Perret9.775 9.850 9.825
Aslynn Satterfield9.100 9.775
Team Totals49.000 48.825 48.950 49.000 195.775
Utah State
Head Coach: Ray CornTop
GymnastVault Bars Beam Floor AllArr
Ashley Barr 9.725
Nicki Felley9.625 9.525 9.750 9.475 38.375
Heather Heinrich9.450 9.650 9.675 9.675 38.450
Meagan Lewis9.675 9.650 9.475 9.800 38.600
Devin Markle9.775 9.575
Alex Martin 9.525 9.275
Katie Omann9.700 8.750
Jessica Parenti-Otte9.700 9.125 9.550 9.650 38.025
Megan Tschida 9.550
Team Totals48.475 48.075 47.725 48.250 192.525
Vault ResultsTop
Place Gymnast TeamScore
1 Tiffany Tolnay Georgia9.950
2 Courtney Kupets Georgia9.900
2 Brandi Personett Penn State9.900
4 Heather Huffaker University of Denver9.875
4 Katie Heenan Georgia9.875
6 Marcia Newby Georgia9.850
6 Elise Wheeler Southern Utah9.850
8 Alexis Russell Minnesota9.825
8 Rosie Smith Penn State9.825
8 Shayla Garcia Southern Utah9.825
11 Courtney Butler University of Denver9.800
11 Casey Dobyns University of Denver9.800
11 Dayna Smart Brigham Young9.800
11 Jennifer Simbhudas Iowa9.800
15 Liz Meals University of Denver9.775
15 Alethea Boon Brigham Young9.775
15 Devin Markle Utah State9.775
15 Kelsey Ericksen Georgia9.775
15 Adrienne Dishman Georgia9.775
15 Casey Rohrbaugh Penn State9.775
15 Katie Perret Penn State9.775
15 Katie Burke Iowa9.775
23 Kelly Ganchan Minnesota9.750
24 Jade Beattie Minnesota9.725
24 Allie Southard Penn State9.725
26 Kelley Hennigan University of Denver9.700
26 Hayley Jensen Brigham Young9.700
26 Ashley Stanton Minnesota9.700
26 Katie Omann Utah State9.700
26 Jessica Parenti-Otte Utah State9.700
31 Kiki Berrett Brigham Young9.675
31 Danielle Goldman Brigham Young9.675
31 Ashley Mutchler Minnesota9.675
31 Meagan Lewis Utah State9.675
31 Leah Sakhitab Southern Utah9.675
36 Sasha Sullivan University of Denver9.650
36 Carmelina Carabajal Minnesota9.650
38 Nicki Felley Utah State9.625
39 Heather Heinrich Utah State9.450
40 Aslynn Satterfield Penn State9.100
40 Kara Pinjuv Iowa9.100
42 Brittany Fischer Brigham Young9.000
Uneven Parallel Bars ResultsTop
Place Gymnast TeamScore
1 Kelsey Ericksen Georgia9.925
2 Courtney Kupets Georgia9.900
3 Grace Taylor Georgia9.875
3 Katie Heenan Georgia9.875
5 Courtney Butler University of Denver9.850
5 Nikki Childs Georgia9.850
5 Tiffany Tolnay Georgia9.850
5 Katie Perret Penn State9.850
9 Nikki Brown University of Denver9.800
9 Jessica Lopez University of Denver9.800
9 Kacie Capra Callens Brigham Young9.800
9 Angela Walker Minnesota9.800
13 Brandi Personett Penn State9.775
14 Sasha Sullivan University of Denver9.750
14 Ellen McCarthy University of Denver9.750
14 Kylee Draper Brigham Young9.750
14 Alexis Russell Minnesota9.750
14 Stephanie Sullivan Penn State9.750
14 Katie Burke Iowa9.750
20 Ashley Barr Utah State9.725
20 Lindsey Montross Penn State9.725
20 Corissa Pirkl Penn State9.725
20 Lindsay Borkan Penn State9.725
20 Jennifer Simbhudas Iowa9.725
25 Lisa Willis Brigham Young9.700
25 Andy Cornelius Minnesota9.700
25 Kellie Dangerfield Southern Utah9.700
28 Alethea Boon Brigham Young9.675
29 Heather Huffaker University of Denver9.650
29 Heather Heinrich Utah State9.650
29 Meagan Lewis Utah State9.650
29 Leah Sakhitab Southern Utah9.650
33 Rehana Russell Minnesota9.575
34 McKell Poulson Brigham Young9.525
34 Alex Martin Utah State9.525
34 Nicki Felley Utah State9.525
37 Aimee Walker-Pond Brigham Young9.500
38 Jessica Parenti-Otte Utah State9.125
39 Elise Wheeler Southern Utah9.100
40 Carmelina Carabajal Minnesota9.025
41 Jade Beattie Minnesota8.800
Balance Beam ResultsTop
Place Gymnast TeamScore
1 Katie Heenan Georgia9.925
2 Courtney McCool Georgia9.900
3 Ellen McCarthy University of Denver9.850
3 Grace Taylor Georgia9.850
3 Nikki Childs Georgia9.850
3 Tiffany Tolnay Georgia9.850
3 Brandi Personett Penn State9.850
8 Courtney Kupets Georgia9.825
8 Katie Perret Penn State9.825
10 Heather Huffaker University of Denver9.800
10 Angela Walker Minnesota9.800
10 Stephanie Sullivan Penn State9.800
10 Leah Sakhitab Southern Utah9.800
14 Ashley Stanton Minnesota9.775
15 Dayna Smart Brigham Young9.750
15 Nicki Felley Utah State9.750
15 Corissa Pirkl Penn State9.750
18 Kelley Hennigan University of Denver9.725
18 Sasha Sullivan University of Denver9.725
18 Amanda Miles Minnesota9.725
18 Casey Rohrbaugh Penn State9.725
22 Katie Burke Iowa9.700
23 Jessica Lopez University of Denver9.675
23 Heather Heinrich Utah State9.675
23 Elise Wheeler Southern Utah9.675
26 Kaylee Gallup Brigham Young9.625
27 Kacie Capra Callens Brigham Young9.600
27 Kellie Dangerfield Southern Utah9.600
29 Jessica Parenti-Otte Utah State9.550
29 Kara Pinjuv Iowa9.550
31 Nikki Brown University of Denver9.500
31 Hayley Jensen Brigham Young9.500
33 Meagan Lewis Utah State9.475
34 Lisa Willis Brigham Young9.350
35 Carmelina Carabajal Minnesota9.325
36 Alex Martin Utah State9.275
36 Lindsay Borkan Penn State9.275
38 Ashley Mutchler Minnesota9.250
39 Alethea Boon Brigham Young9.150
40 Jennifer Simbhudas Iowa9.025
41 Alexis Russell Minnesota8.825
42 Katie Omann Utah State8.750
Floor Exercise ResultsTop
Place Gymnast TeamScore
1 Courtney McCool Georgia9.950
2 Courtney Kupets Georgia9.900
2 Brandi Personett Penn State9.900
4 Sasha Sullivan University of Denver9.875
5 Heather Huffaker University of Denver9.850
5 Kelsey Ericksen Georgia9.850
7 Gretchen Goerlitz University of Denver9.825
7 Jessica Lopez University of Denver9.825
9 Meagan Lewis Utah State9.800
9 Rosie Smith Penn State9.800
9 Casey Rohrbaugh Penn State9.800
12 Ellen McCarthy University of Denver9.775
12 Kacie Capra Callens Brigham Young9.775
12 Aslynn Satterfield Penn State9.775
12 Elise Wheeler Southern Utah9.775
16 Katie Heenan Georgia9.750
17 Ashley Stanton Minnesota9.725
17 Angela Walker Minnesota9.725
17 Ashley Mehrer Penn State9.725
17 Leah Sakhitab Southern Utah9.725
17 Jennifer Simbhudas Iowa9.725
22 Katie Andrews University of Denver9.700
22 Lisa Willis Brigham Young9.700
22 Dayna Smart Brigham Young9.700
22 Alexis Russell Minnesota9.700
22 Tehani Keeno-Douglas Southern Utah9.700
22 Katie Burke Iowa9.700
28 Andy Cornelius Minnesota9.675
28 Carmelina Carabajal Minnesota9.675
28 Heather Heinrich Utah State9.675
28 Grace Taylor Georgia9.675
32 Jessica Parenti-Otte Utah State9.650
32 Corissa Pirkl Penn State9.650
34 Kylee Draper Brigham Young9.625
35 Heidi Poulson Brigham Young9.600
35 Kara Pinjuv Iowa9.600
37 Kiki Berrett Brigham Young9.575
37 Devin Markle Utah State9.575
39 Megan Tschida Utah State9.550
40 Nicki Felley Utah State9.475
41 Tiffany Tolnay Georgia9.300
42 Amanda Miles Minnesota9.175
All Around ResultsTop
Place Gymnast TeamScore
1 Courtney Kupets Georgia39.525
2 Katie Heenan Georgia39.425
2 Brandi Personett Penn State39.425
4 Heather Huffaker University of Denver39.175
5 Sasha Sullivan University of Denver39.000
6 Tiffany Tolnay Georgia38.950
7 Katie Burke Iowa38.925
8 Leah Sakhitab Southern Utah38.850
9 Meagan Lewis Utah State38.600
10 Heather Heinrich Utah State38.450
11 Elise Wheeler Southern Utah38.400
12 Nicki Felley Utah State38.375
13 Jennifer Simbhudas Iowa38.275
14 Alexis Russell Minnesota38.100
15 Jessica Parenti-Otte Utah State38.025
16 Carmelina Carabajal Minnesota37.675