© Scott Bruhn, Nebraska Media Relations
LINCOLN, Neb., April 18, 2009 – 2004 Olympic team silver-medalist Courtney Kupets, a senior at the University of Georgia, added three individual event titles to her 2009 NCAA team and all-around crowns at the 2009 National Collegiate Women’s Gymnastics Championships, held at the University of Nebraska’s Bob Devaney Sports Center in Lincoln, Neb. Kupets won uneven bars and balance beam, and tied for first on floor exercise with Louisiana State University’s Ashleigh Clare-Kearney. Clare-Kearney claimed the vault crown.
Kupets now has nine career NCAA individual titles, surpassing the mark of eight set by the University of Kentucky’s Jenny Hansen in 1993-95. Her individual titles are: three in the all-around (2006-07, 2009), two on uneven bars (2006, 2009), two on balance beam (2006, 2009), one on vault (2007) and one on floor exercise (2009). She also won three team national championships (2006-07, 2009). Kupets missed the 2008 NCAA Championships with a torn Achilles tendon.
On uneven bars, Kupets scored a 9.9500 to finish first, with Stanford University’s Carly Janiga placing second at 9.9125 and the University of Florida’s Alicia Goodwin and the University of Utah’s Kristina Baskett tying for third at 9.9000.
Kupets and Georgia teammate Courtney McCool, also a 2004 Olympic team silver-medalist, placed first and second, respectively, on balance beam with scores of 9.9875 and 9.9500. Sharing third place with scores of 9.9000 were Baskett, the University of Alabama’s Ashley Priess and University of Arkansas’ Sarah Nagashima.
Kupets and Clare-Kearney each posted a 9.9500 to top the field on floor exercise. Florida’s Corey Hartung finished third with a 9.9000. Clare-Kearney won vault with a 9.9000, followed by LSU teammate Susan Jackson in second with a 9.8938. Kupets and Baskett shared third place after each scored a 9.8563.
2009 National Collegiate Gymnastics Championships
University of Nebraska
Bob Devaney Sports Center
Lincoln, Neb.
April 18, 2009
Day three of three, individual event finals
Vault
1. Ashleigh Clare-Kearney, Louisiana State University, 9.9000
2. Susan Jackson, Louisiana State University, 9.8938
T3. Courtney Kupets, University of Georgia, 9.8563
T3. Kristina Baskett, University of Utah, 9.8563
5. Michelle Stout, University of Arkansas, 9.8375
6. Jessica Lopez, Denver, 9.8313
7. Mandi Rodriguez, Oregon State, 9.7875
T8. Whitney Bencsko, Pennsylvania State University, 9.7813
T8. Vanessa Zamarripa, University of California – Los Angeles, 9.7813
10. Staci Schwitkis, Louisiana State University, 9.6813
11. Sarah Shire, University of Missouri, 9.5000
12. Maranda Smith, University of Florida, 9.4063
Uneven bars
1. Courtney Kupets, University of Georgia, 9.9500
2. Carly Janiga, Stanford University, 9.9125
T3 Alicia Goodwin, University of Florida, 9.9000
T3. Kristina Baskett, University of Utah, 9.9000
T5. Kathryn Ding, University of Georgia, 9.8875
T5. Ariana Berlin, University of California – Los Angeles, 9.8875
T7. Melanie Sinclair, University of Florida, 9.8625
T7. Michelle Stout, University of Arkansas, 9.8625
9. Ashleigh Clare-Kearney, Louisiana State University, 9.8500
T10. Nicole Ourada, Stanford University, 9.8125
T10. Morgan Dennis, University of Alabama, 9.8125
12. Ashley Priess, University of Alabama, 9.8000
13. Alexandra Brockway, Pennsylvania State University, 9.7875
13. Elise Wheeler, Southern University of Utah, 9.7875
15. Grace Taylor, University of Georgia, 9.4625
16. Summer Hubbard, Louisiana State University, 9.0500
Balance beam
1. Courtney Kupets, University of Georgia, 9.9875
2. Courtney McCool, University of Georgia, 9.9500
T3. Ashley Priess, University of Alabama, 9.9000
T3. Sarah Nagashima, University of Arkansas, 9.9000
T3. Kristina Baskett, University of Utah, 9.9000
6. Elise Wheeler, Southern University of Utah, 9.8750
T7. Megan Ferguson, University of Oklahoma, 9.8375
T7. Melissa Fernandez, University of Illinois, 9.8375
9. Alex LaChance, University of Arkansas, 9.8250
10. Ricki Lebegern, University of Alabama, 9.8000
11. Vanessa Zamarripa, University of California – Los Angeles, 9.7625
Floor exercise
T1. Courtney Kupets, University of Georgia, 9.9500
T1. Ashleigh Clare-Kearney, Louisiana State University, 9.9500
3. Corey Hartung, University of Florida, 9.9000
4. Brandi Personett, Pennsylvania State University, 9.8875
5. Daria Bijak, University of Utah, 9.8750
T6. Mandi Rodriguez, Oregon State University, 9.8625
T6. Vanessa Zamarripa, University of California – Los Angeles, 9.8625
8. Brittani McCullough, University of California – Los Angeles, 9.8500
9. Kylee Botterman, University of Michigan, 9.7000