SEATTLE, Wash., April 20, 2007—Towson University’s Christina Ghani won the all-around on the first day of competition at the 2007 USA Gymnastics Women’s Collegiate Championships at Seattle Pacific University’s Royal Brougham Pavilion in Seattle. Towson, Centenary College, Seattle Pacific and defending team champion Texas Woman’s University (TWU) advanced to today’s final round in the team competition.
Ghani posted a score of 39.025 to claim the all-around crown. Placing second and third, respectively, were Seattle Pacific teammates Debra Huss and Brianna Schwartz. Huss’ 38.950 put her 0.075 points behind Ghani, while Schwartz earned a total of 38.825.
In addition to her all-around win, Ghani qualified for Saturday’s individual event finals on vault, uneven bars and floor exercise. Huss will compete on bars, beam and floor, while Schwartz advanced on bars and floor.
Courtney Arno of Texas Woman’s University and Meredith Smith of Centenary College are hoping to defend their 2006 titles on the balance beam and vault, respectively. In the prelims, Arno tied for fourth on beam and finished first on bars in the second session, while Smith was third on vault in the first session. The top five individuals, including ties, from events in each of the two preliminary sessions advanced to the individual event finals, April 21, at 4 p.m. PT.
In the team competition, Towson and Centenary College advanced from the opening preliminary session and will compete for the team title against Seattle Pacific and TWU, the top finishers in the second session. Towson’s 194.475 was the highest score of both sessions, followed by Seattle Pacific at 193.450, TWU at 193.050 and Centenary College at 190.400. Team finals are April 20 at 7 p.m. PT.
Rutgers University, Temple University, Cornell University and the College of William and Mary were eliminated from the team competition because only the top two teams from each preliminary session advanced to the finals.
The 2007 USA Gymnastics Women’s Collegiate Championships is sponsored locally by Leisure Care Inc.
Based in Indianapolis, USA Gymnastics is the national governing body for gymnastics in the United States. Its mission is to encourage participation and the pursuit of excellence in the sport. Its disciplines include men’s and women’s artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, trampoline and tumbling, and acrobatic gymnastics. For more information, log on to www.usa-gymnastics.org.
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2007 USA Gymnastics Women’s Collegiate Championships
Seattle Pacific University
Royal Brougham Pavilion
Seattle, Wash.
April 19, 2007
Day one of three
All-around finals and team preliminaries
All-around final standings
1. Christina Ghani, Towson, 39.025
2. Debra Huss, Seattle Pacific, 38.950
3. Brianna Schwartz, Seattle Pacific, 38.825
4. Decelia Willacy, Towson, 38.800
5. Kristina Menne, Centenary College, 38.750
6. Jackie Schweitzer, Towson, 38.675
7. Sarah Sullivan, Seattle Pacific, 38.325
8. Elizabeth Fittery, Rutgers, 38.300
Team competition preliminary standings
NOTE:  Top two from each session advanced to finals
Session 1
1. Towson University, 194.475
2. Centenary College, 190.400
3. Rutgers University, 189.950
4. Temple University, 187.500
Session 2
1. Seattle Pacific University, 193.450
2. Texas Woman’s University, 193.050
3. Cornell University, 192.625
4. College of William and Mary, 189.100
 
For individual finals, the top five from each of the two sessions advanced
Vault
Session 1
1. Courtney Hawkins, Centenary College, 9.875
2. Christina Ghani, Towson, 9.850
3. Meredith Smith, Centenary College, 9.825
4. Decelia Willacy, Towson, 9.800
5. Jackie Schweitzer, Towson, 9.750
Session 2
1. Kristin Bryant, Seattle Pacific, 9.875
2. Christina Padilla, William and Mary, 9.825
3. Sarah Sullivan, Seattle Pacific, 9.750
3. Colleen Davis, Cornell, 9.750
3. Catherine Schnoes, TWU, 9.750
Uneven bars
Session 1
1. Decelia Willacy, Towson, 9.775
1. Julia Cornelius, Centenary College, 9.775
3. Christina Ghani, Towson, 9.725
4. Christine McNeill, Temple, 9.700
4. Sarah Liebowitz, Temple, 9.700
Session 2
1. Courtney Arno, TWU, 9.825
2. Christina Padilla, William and Mary, 9.750
3. Debra Huss, Seattle Pacific, 9.725
3. Brianna Schwartz, Seattle Pacific, 9.725
5. Molly Parker, Cornell, 9.700
 
Balance beam
Session 1
1. Jackie Schweitzer, Towson, 9.750
1. Christine Logan, Towson, 9.750
1. Julia Cornelius, Centenary College, 9.750
4. Latara Northcutt, Rutgers, 9.700
5. Jess Hannah, Towson, 9.675
Session 2
1. Debra Huss, Seattle Pacific, 9.825
2. Kari Kucera, Cornell, 9.800
3. Rachel Zimmerman, TWU, 9.775
4. Christie Chinaka, Seattle Pacific, 9.750
4. Courtney Arno, TWU, 9.750
Floor exercise
Session 1
1. Christina Ghani, Towson, 9.900
2. Alise McDonald, Towson, 9.875
3. Kristina Menne, Centenary College, 9.850
4. Stacie Hogan, Towson, 9.800
4. Noelle Moore, Temple, 9.800
Session 2
1. Sarah Sullivan, Seattle Pacific, 9.825
2. Brianna Schwartz, Seattle Pacific, 9.800
2. Debra Huss, Seattle Pacific, 9.800
4. Kari Kucera, Cornell, 9.775
4. Amy Hulbert, TWU, 9.775