Top-ranked UCLA gymnastics will host No. 19 Michigan in the
final regular season home meet of the 2004 campaign Sunday
afternoon at Pauley Pavilion. For seven seniors, it will be their
last home meet. Jeanette Antolin, Jamie Dantzscher, Christy
Erickson, Kristen Maloney, Trishna Patel, Yvonne Tousek and Jamie
Williams will all be honored during post-meet ceremonies.
These members of UCLA’s squad have combined to capture two
NCAA titles, two Pac-10 titles, three regional titles and 23
All-America honors. In addition to the contest celebrating the
seven seniors’ time at UCLA, it is sure to feature great
gymnastics as well. Five Olympians will be competing in
Sunday’s contest between the two schools. Michigan’s
Elise Ray and UCLA’s Maloney and Dantzscher
were all on the 2000 Olympic squad together, with Ray serving as
team captain. Joining the plethora of Olympians are Canadian
Olympians Tousek and Kate Richardson. UCLA is
coming off its fourth loss of the year, this one to the University
of Washington. Antolin won the all-around competition for the
fourth straight meet, but it wasn’t enough for the Bruins to
eke out a victory. Regardless, UCLA looks strong heading into the
weekend matchup with Michigan. The team is ranked No. 1 overall in
the nation for the second week and ranks No. 1 in the nation on
bars, vault and beam and No. 4 in the nation on floor.
WOMEN’S WATER POLO: The UCLA
women’s water polo team’s first home games of the
season will be played this weekend. The Bruins 7-2 (1-0 MPSF) will
host California on Saturday and Pacific on Sunday. Both matches are
at the Sunset Canyon Recreation Center and will be held at 1 p.m.
“¢bull; UCLA sophomore center forward Kristina
Kunkel was been named MPSF Player of the Week on Thursday.
Kunkel scored 10 goals at last week’s Gaucho Invitational
tournament, including a school record (tie) six goals against
Hawai’i.
WOMEN’S SOCCER: UCLA sophomore forward
Iris Mora can book her trip to Athens, Greece, for
this summer’s Olympics. Her Mexican Women’s National
Team qualified for the Olympics after upsetting Canada, 2-1, in
CONCACAF Qualifying on Wednesday in San Jose, Costa Rica. “It
means so much to us and to Mexican women,” Mora said after
the game. “We’ve been working for seven years and have
never won anything. It’s just a fantastic feeling. It’s
almost unbelievable.” Mexico had been winless in its previous
10 meetings with the Canadians. The team will face the United
States in the finals today.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: UCLA guard
Noelle Quinn was named Pac-10 Freshman of the
Year, conference commissioner Tom Hansen announced
yesterday.
Quinn also was named to the Pac-10’s first team along with
sophomore guard Nikki Blue.
Another sophomore guard, Lisa Willis, earned
conference honorable mention honors.
Quinn, the Bruins’ leading scorer and rebounder, is averaging
16.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. She is the first Bruin to be
named Pac-10 Freshman of the Year since Maylana
Martin in 1996-97.
“¢bull; The UCLA-Arizona State Pac-10 Tournament quarterfinal
game Saturday will be radio broadcast live over KLAC (570 AM) with
Dave Marcus and Michael Sondheimer calling the action. If they win
and play beyond Saturday, the Bruins’ games will be broadcast
over XTRA Sports (690 and 1150 AM).
MEN’S TENNIS: Play begins today at the
115th Pacific Coast Doubles Championship, held at the La Jolla
Beach and Tennis Club.
Alberto Francis will join Kris
Kwinta to comprise UCLA’s No. 1 doubles team. Kwinta
and Francis are the tournament’s No. 5 seed.
Compiled by Eli Karon, David Regan and Gilbert
Quiñonez, Bruin Sports senior staff.