UCLA victorious at regional championship

By Adam Karon
Daily Bruin Staff

TEMPE, Ariz. “”mdash; The UCLA gymnastics team left the
competition in the desert dust this weekend, leaving Arizona and
Arizona State to battle it out for second place at the 2002 NCAA
Regionals.

The Bruins hit for a 49.475 in their first rotation on the bars,
never looking back en route to their fourth consecutive regional
championship. UCLA also tallied 49.475 on the floor, which along
with their bars score was good for the highest individual even
total of the evening.

Bruin sophomore Jamie Dantzscher claimed all-around honors with
a score of 39.7. She won three of four events, tying for third on
the beam. Teammate Onnie Willis was second in the all-around with
39.575. Dantzscher was also named the region’s gymnast of the
year.

UCLA was the only team to score above 49 on each event. Arizona
and ASU broke that plateau once each, but the rest of the teams
were outclassed by a Bruin squad that seemed bent on returning to
the NCAA finals for a chance to win their third championship in a
row.

“I was pleased that we went out and hit well because they
were shaky the first event or two,” UCLA head coach Valorie
Kondos Field said. “You can choose to let the nerves or
shakes get you, or you can choose to hit. You can’t take
anything for granted.”

The Bruins displayed their depth by using nine different
gymnasts in competition, including four different leadoffs and
anchors. Sophomore Jeanette Antolin competed for the first time
this year on the floor, cashing in a 9.8. She also performed well
in a leadoff role on the bars and scored a meet high 9.9 on the
vault.

“It was good to have the six teams because that’s
what it’s going to be like at the nationals and the Super
Six,” junior Doni Thompson said. “It’s been kind
of nice to change up our lineups. It’s good to get a lot of
consistency.”

The real interest came in the battle for second place. The
Arizona schools kept it interesting in their battle for the final
spot at the NCAA finals April 20 in Tuscaloosa, Ala. The Wildcats
edged out the Sun Devils by just under one-tenth of a point.

For the Bruins, the best part of the meet was that no one was
injured. Hampered all year by lower-extremity problems, UCLA
avoided major injury and will compete in Tuscaloosa at nearly full
strength.

“All we have to do is stay healthy,” Thompson said.
“We have the talent and ability to make it.”