AUBURN, Ala. “”mdash; Having completed two blazing rotations that left them .175 points ahead of second-place Georgia, a third consecutive NCAA Championship seemed just a hop, skip and a jump away for the UCLA gymnastics team. But after two falls and a bout of unsteadiness in their final two rotations, the Bruins’ dream of a […]
Author Archives: Eric Johnson
Gymnastics: UCLA advances to NCAA final
AUBURN, Ala. “”mdash; A third consecutive NCAA Championship is now just one step away for the UCLA gymnastics team. The Bruins, who entered Thursday’s preliminary meet ranked No. 2 in the nation, finished second in a field that was described as “the deepest I have seen in my 27 years of coaching” by Alabama coach […]
Gymnastics: Third-straight title within gymnasts’ reach
There isn’t much that the UCLA gymnastics program hasn’t accomplished so far this decade. The Bruins, led by longtime coach Valorie Kondos Field, have established themselves as the sport’s newest dynasty, winning four of the last five national titles. Yet, as second-seeded UCLA heads into competition tonight at the NCAA Championships in Auburn, Ala., in […]
Gymnastics: Injured gymnast intends to compete
It was designed to be a final preparation for the UCLA gymnastics team before it heads to the NCAA Championships this weekend, but Friday’s intrasquad meet gave the Bruins a giant scare. Senior Kristen Maloney, one of the nation’s top gymnasts, sprained her right ankle in the middle of her floor exercise routine on Friday […]
Gymnastics: Squad rises above pain
A UCLA women’s gymnastics team that has showcased its resiliency throughout the season once again overcame obstacles last weekend. UCLA coach Valorie Kondos Field had originally indicated that freshman Lindsey Vanden Eykel would see only limited competition, yet she finished the meet as an integral contributor. Vanden Eykel, a bars and beam specialist who jarred […]
Gymnastics: Gymnastics wins NCAA West Regional
Meet by meet, the questions have been answered. Questions about how untested freshmen and how nagging injuries would affect the team. Questions about how to improve upon low early-season floor exercise scores. But slowly, as Tasha Schwikert became a team leader, Jordan Schwikert established herself as a reliable and nationally ranked all-around competitor, and Lindsey […]
Gymnastics: No. 2 Bruins look to maintain solid record
For a team that has yet to reach its full potential, the postseason is looking pretty bright for the UCLA gymnastics squad. The second-ranked Bruins, who according to coach Valorie Kondos Field and junior gymnast Kate Richardson, still have room to improve upon their already solid routines, will head to Seattle, Wash., on Saturday to […]