Cougar gymnasts score 194.475 at NCAA Regionals

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Putting a wrap on a successful season, the BYU women’s gymnastics team finished with a 194.475 at the NCAA regional meet on Saturday night at the Coleman Coliseum.

BYU finished in fifth place at the meet. No. 3 Alabama and No. 9 Utah took the top two spots to advance to the NCAA Championships in Los Angeles on April 19-21 with a 197.400 and 196.400, respectively. Iowa State finished in third with a 195.400 and No. 15 Denver posted a 195.275. No. 23 Kent State finished with 193.500 to round out the scoring.

The team started the event on bars and was led by Haylee Rollins earning a 9.800. Some miscues slowed down the Cougars' pace but veteran Raquel Willman added a 9.750 to give BYU a 48.100 to start.

The toughest event, the balance beam, was next and the Cougars had two gymnasts notch a 9.725 to lead the way. Megan Bain and Summer Raymond posted BYU’s top scores and Willman and Emily Vidmar added 9.650’s en route to a 48.350 in the second event.

After a third rotation bye, the Cougars went to the floor exercise and made a strong comeback. BYU posted a 49.075 with the help of all five scorers picking up at least a 9.800. Rollins, Bain and Makenzie Johnson took the top marks for the team with matching 9.825’s, tying a career best for Johnson. Willman and Eliane Kulczyk added a 9.800 apiece. Jordan Schult, the Cougars sixth competitor, was right with the rest of the team with a 9.725.

BYU finished competition on the vault with a 48.950. Johnson scored a 9.850 and Kulczyk added 9.825. Rollins scored a 9.775 and two Cougars scored a 9.750 in Mikaela Jones and Willman to round out the scoring.

Johnson and Willman finished the all around competition tied for sixth with a score of 38.950 each and Bain scored a 38.400 for 13th place.

The Cougars finished the 2013 season with another NCAA regional berth, its 22nd in 25 years. The team also scored over 195 seven times, the most since the 2005 season.

BYU returns several contributors for next season and will use the 2013 campaign to build on for the future.

Complete results