UW-Oshkosh To Host WIAC Championship, NCGA Regional
The main gymnasium of Kolf Sports Center takes center stage for women's gymnastics on Saturday (March 9) as the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh hosts the 2013 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) and National Collegiate Gymnastics Association (NCGA) West Regional.
Joining the host Titans in the quest for conference and regional titles are teams from Gustavus Adolphus College (Minn.), Hamline University (Minn.), UW-Eau Claire, UW-La Crosse, UW-Stout, UW-Whitewater and Winona State University (Minn.). Saturday's competition celebrates the 40th anniversary of the WIAC Championship and the 16th reunion of the NCGA West Regional. It's the ninth time that the two meets have been held simultaneously.
UW-La Crosse claimed its league-leading 21st title last season with 187.70 points. UW-Whitewater placed second with 185.50, UW-Eau Claire third with 183.025, Winona State University fourth with 181.30, UW-Stout fifth with 180.65, Hamline University sixth with 180.60, UW-Oshkosh seventh with 176.175 and Gustavus Adolphus College eighth with 172.450.
UW-Whitewater is the top-ranked team in the NCGA with an average score of 188.338. UW-La Crosse and Winona State University are tied for fourth at 185.375. Also in the top 10 are sixth-ranked UW-Stout at 185.088 and ninth-ranked UW-Eau Claire at 183.706.
Four of the nation's top five all-around gymnasts hail from the West Region. Hamline University's Courtney Benson ranks second with an average score of 37.65, while UW-Stout's Brittany DeZiel lists third at 37.606, UW-Stout's Katherine Prouty fourth at 37.55 and UW-La Crosse's Christa Booman fifth at 37.313.
On the vault, Prouty ranks third at 9.60 and Benson fifth at 9.569. The uneven bars feature top-ranked Katie Thompson (9.594) of UW-Whitewater and fourth-ranked Danielle Thenell (9.563) of Winona State University.
Booman stands second nationally with her balance beam average of 9.581, while UW-Whitewater's Siri Wischmann is fourth at 9.563. The leading floor exercise performer in this region is UW-La Crosse's Katie Palluck, who ranks eighth at 9.631.
This year's meet features seven individuals who are aiming for a second conference title. UW-La Crosse's Morgan Shene is the defending champion in the all-around competition, while Booman will attempt to defend her title on the uneven bars.
Benson earned the floor exercise crown a season ago, while Prouty was victorious on the vault. UW-Whitewater's Allyse Dieringer hopes for back-to-back titles on the balance beam.
UW-Eau Claire's Danielle Schulzetenberg won the balance beam in 2010, while Winona State University's Jena Jondahl captured the vault at the 2011 championship.
Student-athletes from 27 different states and one from Canada will be represented at Saturday's meet. The breakdown features women from Minnesota (59), Wisconsin (23), Illinois (18), Colorado (6), Missouri (6), Tennessee (6), Michigan (5), Georgia (4), Florida (3), Ohio (3), Oregon (3), Mississippi (2), New Hampshire (2), South Dakota (2), Alaska (1), California (1), Indiana (1), Iowa (1), Massachusetts (1), Nebraska (1), New Jersey (1), North Carolina (1), North Dakota (1), Texas (1), Utah (1), Virginia (1) and Washington (1).
UW-Oshkosh owns the second-most WIAC championships with 14. UW-Whitewater won its two crowns in 2010 and 2011.