UCLA climbed to the top of the gymnastics world in 2010, but the Bruins’ journey in 2011 will be tougher after two significant offseason injuries.
The first casualty of the injury bug game came before the winter break, when it was announced that junior Vanessa Zamarripa would be out for the 2011 season after rupturing her right Achilles tendon in practice on Dec. 7. Sunday brought more bad news when freshman Samantha Peszek broke her foot in practice.
Zamarripa will redshirt the upcoming year and still have two years of eligibility remaining.
“(Zamarripa’s) injury was not a result of a fall or miscue in her gymnastics,” coach Valorie Kondos Field said in a press release. “She was punching for a tumbling pass on floor and felt it pop. It’s an unfortunate injury, but we know that she will recover well. However, for this season, this is a huge loss to our team.”
Peszek’s diagnosis is slightly better, as the star recruit will miss only the first half of the season.
“It was an unfortunate fluke accident,” Kondos Field said of Peszek’s injury. “We’re thankful that it’s not more serious than that, and we’re looking forward to having her ready by mid-season.”
One look at the accolades the two injured gymnasts have garnered gives an idea of how much the pair will be missed.
In addition to helping UCLA win the team championship at last year’s NCAA Championships, Zamarripa won the individual championship in vault. Over the summer, she competed for the U.S. National Team and was the national runner-up on vault.
Peszek comes to UCLA with an Olympic silver medal, having been a part of the U.S. National Team in 2008 that earned second-place honors behind China at the Beijing Olympics.
UCLA opens its season on Friday at Utah.
Compiled by Ryan Menezes, Bruin Sports senior staff.