Blais Captures Balance Beam Title At WIAC Championship

UW-Whitewater won the WIAC Women's Gymnastics Championship at UW-Oshkosh's Kolf Sports Center on March 9.

The Warhawks collected the third conference crown in program listings with a score of 187.650.  UW-La Crosse, the defending champion, placed second with 187.025, UW-Eau Claire third with 186.650, Winona State University (Minn.) fourth with 185.250, UW-Stout fifth with 184.400, UW-Oshkosh sixth with 183.050, Hamline University (Minn.) seventh with 181.300 and Gustavus Adolphus College (Minn.) eighth with 178.075.

The conference championship also served as the West Region qualifier for the National Collegiate Gymnastics Association (NCGA) Championship that will be held at UW-Whitewater March 22-23.  UW-Whitewater, UW-La Crosse and UW-Eau Claire earned spots into the national event by placing in the top three.

UW-Whitewater's winning effort was aided by a pair of individual titles. Delina Phillips claimed the vault with a score of 9.525, while Allyse Dieringer won the uneven bars with a 9.625.

UW-Eau Claire's Danielle Schulzetenberg and UW-La Crosse's Sheree Romesburg shared the floor exercise title with a score of 9.825.

UW-Oshkosh's Leane Blais (So. • Salisbury, N.C.) was victorious on the balance beam with a 9.625, while the all-around title was claimed by UW-La Crosse's Christa Booman with a score of 38.000. Blais also finished second on the uneven bars with a score of 9.50.

Krystal Walker (Fr. • Chicago, Ill.) earned all-conference awards in two areas for the Titans. She placed second on the balance beam with a score of 9.575 and third in the all-around competition with a figure of 36.80.