Regionals Results
INDIANAPOLIS, April 4, 2011 – Twelve teams advanced from six NCAA Regional Championships to compete in the 2011 NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championship in Cleveland, Ohio, April 15-17 at the Wolstein Center. Twelve all-around competitors and 12 individual event specialists who are not on a qualifying team also advanced. Competition begins on Friday, April 15, at noon ET with the semifinals.
The top two teams and top two all-around competitors, who were not on an advancing team, from each regional received automatic bids to the national championship. The following teams advanced to Cleveland:
- Athens (Ga.) Regional – University of California-Los Angeles and University of Georgia
- Norman (Okla.) Regional – University of Oklahoma and University of Utah
- Ann Arbor (Mich.) Regional – University of Michigan and Kent State University
- Corvallis (Ore.) Regional – Oregon State University and University of Nebraska
- Tuscaloosa (Ala.) Regional – University of Alabama and University of Illinois
- Denver (Colo.) Regional – University of Florida and University of Arkansas
Defending NCAA Champion UCLA won the NCAA Athens Regional last Saturday afternoon. The Bruins dominated the competition and won with a score of 197.425, the highest team score at any of the regionals. Host team Georgia qualified for the NCAAs with a second-place score of 196.75. Bruin freshman Olivia Courtney won the all-around with a career-high 39.500, while UCLA junior Elyse Hopfner-Hibbs took second, scoring 39.475.
The fifth-ranked Oklahoma women’s gymnastics squad posted its program-best postseason score with a 197.300 en route to winning the Norman Regional. No. 7 Utah posted a 49.275 on uneven bars in the final rotation to finish in second place to qualify for its 36th-consecutive NCAA Championships. University of North Carolina’s Morgan Evans edged Aliza Vaccher of the University of Washington, 39.300 to 39.250, to win the all-around. No. 9 Michigan overcame a fall in the very first routine of the Ann Arbor Regional to earn a 197.075, the Wolverine’s highest team score of the year, to win the regional title in Crisler Arena. Regional underdog Kent State pulled off a historic upset, catching No. 4-ranked Stanford and outdueling No. 16 Ohio State and No. 23 Minnesota in the final rotation to finish second and punch its ticket to nationals. Wolverine senior Kylee Botterman captured the all-around crown (39.500), with Kent State’s Christina Lenny finishing second (39.350).
Host Oregon State posted a 197.025 at Gill Coliseum to win the Corvallis Regional. No. 10 Nebraska posted a score of 196.550 to finish second and secure its 20th NCAA Championships appearance. Leslie Mak of Oregon State won the all-around title (39.475) and University of Iowa’s Rebecca Simbhudas finished second (39.325).
No. 2 Alabama won its 26th NCAA Regional Championship, advancing to its 29th consecutive NCAA Championship with a 197.275 in the Tuscaloosa Regional at Coleman Coliseum. The battle for second place came down to the last balance beam routine of the night, with No. 3 seeded Illinois just edging No. 2 seed Pennsylvania State University, 195.925-195.825. Alabama senior Kayla Hoffman won the all-around with a 39.650, the second highest score of her career. Tide junior Geralen Stack-Eaton finished second at 39.450.
Arkansas knocked off No. 1 Florida for the second time this season, 196.550 to 196.425, to win the Denver Regional and advance to the NCAA Gymnastics Championship. Arkansas posted the school’s second-best score to earn its second event regional championship, and Florida edged Boise State by a mere 0.025 for the second advancing position. In the all-around, Gator freshman Alaina Johnson earned the all-around title with a 39.525, and Razorback Katherine Grable was second with a 39.475.
Kent State and the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission will play host to the 2011 NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championship. The championship field will consist of 12 teams, as well as 12 all-around competitors and event specialists, vying to be crowned the nation’s best. Approximately 200 gymnasts will compete in team and individual events, including the all-around, vault, uneven bars, balance beam and floor exercise. The top three teams from each semifinal will advance to the Super Six Team Finals on April 16 and the top four individuals from each semifinal in each event (plus ties) will advance to the individual event finals on April 17. The all-around champion is named on April 15, after the conclusion of the two semifinal rounds. Fans looking to join the action can buy tickets now through the Wolstein Center.
For more information on the 2011 NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championship, including seeding and ticket information, go to http://www.ncaa.com/championships/gymnastics-women/d1.
Field for 2011 NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championship
Team competition
| Team | Regional | Regional Score | National Qualifying Score |
| University of Alabama | Tuscaloosa | 197.275 | 394.395 |
| University of California, Los Angeles | Athens | 197.425 | 394.110 |
| University of Oklahoma | Norman | 197.350 | 394.045 |
| Oregon State University | Corvallis | 197.025 | 393.795 |
| University of Florida | Denver | 196.425 | 393.615 |
| University of Michigan | Ann Arbor | 197.075 | 393.575 |
| University of Georgia | Athens | 196.750 | 393.285 |
| University of Utah | Norman | 196.475 | 393.045 |
| University of Nebraska | Corvallis | 196.550 | 392.825 |
| University of Arkansas | Denver | 196.550 | 392.610 |
| University of Illinois | Tuscaloosa | 195.925 | 391.850 |
| Kent State University | Ann Arbor | 195.450 | 390.695 |
All-around individual qualifiers
| Qualifiers | Regional | Regional Score |
| Sharaya Musser, Pennsylvania State University | Tuscaloosa | 39.425 |
| Rebecca Simbhudas, University of Iowa | Corvallis | 39.325 |
| Morgan Evans, University of North Carolina | Norman | 39.300 |
| Houry Gebeshian, University of Iowa | Corvallis | 39.300 |
| Amy Glass, Boise State University | Denver | 39.275 |
| Kylie Shields, Auburn University | Tuscaloosa | 39.250 |
| Brianna Springer, University of Denver | Denver | 39.250 |
| Aliza Vaccher, University of Washington | Norman | 39.250 |
| Kayla Slechta, University of Minnesota | Ann Arbor | 39.125 |
| Kaleigh Dickson, Louisiana State University | Athens | 39.075 |
| Michelle Shealy, Iowa State University | Ann Arbor | 39.050 |
| Stephanie Ouellette, North Carolina State University | Athens | 38.950 |
Individual event qualifiers
| Beam | Regional | Regional Score |
| Rebecca Best, Ohio State University | Ann Arbor | 9.90 |
| Bekah Gher, Boise State University | Denver | 9.90 |
| Jorie Hall, University of Denver | Denver | 9.90 |
| Floor exercise | Regional | Regional Score |
| Katie Valleau, San Jose State University | Corvallis | 9.90 |
*NCAA.com contributed to this report.