It often takes over a month for a team to gauge where it stands
among the nation’s best. However, UCLA’s gymnastics
team will find out in its very first meet.
After losing three All-Americans from last season’s
national championship squad to graduation, the No. 1 Bruins will
find out quickly whether they are deserving of their ranking
tonight when they face No. 5 Utah at the Huntsman Center in Salt
Lake City. The two teams have won 14 NCAA championships between
them, creating arguably the strongest rivalry in the sport.
“Seeing as how USC doesn’t have a gymnastics team,
we consider Utah our USC ““ it’s like a crosstown
rivalry,” coach Valorie Kondos Field said.
Though these schools aren’t geographically close enough to
be considered natural rivals, their accolades in gymnastics have
been second to none over the years.
Utah boasts nine NCAA championships and its history of success
is just as likely to continue this year with a talented team that
includes three All-Americans, led by senior Annabeth Eberle.
“There’s no better way to prepare the team for the
upcoming season than to face a team as good as Utah,” Kondos
Field said.
The Utes boast a hefty 18-2 all-time record against the Bruins,
including last year’s season-opening victory over UCLA in
Pauley Pavilion by a score of 197.35-196.375.
The Bruins, however, have recently had the last laugh, finishing
ahead of Utah in the last six NCAA Championship meets, four of
which they won.
UCLA also has the distinction of being the team that ended
Utah’s incredible 23-year, 170-meet home-winning streak two
years ago.
This year, the Bruins will rely on a younger group to try to
accomplish the difficult feat of beating Utah at home.
That group includes the crown jewel of the freshman class, Tasha
Schwikert, along with her sister Jordan and another freshman,
Lindsey Vanden Eykel.
“If we make mistakes, it will be because of
over-enthusiasm,” Kondos Field said. “We want to
compete with confidence and stay healthy. If we hit all of our
routines we should score well.”
Kondos Field believes that with her prized freshman class and
senior Kristin Maloney and junior Kate Richardson returning, this
year’s squad is capable of being equally successful on the
road in Utah.
“I didn’t realize we would be this good,”
Kondos Field said. “We’re more ready this year than
we’ve ever been.”