Pac-12 champs UCLA gymnastics to capitalize on mental strength in NCAA regional
Senior Katelyn Ohashi was named this year’s Pac-12 Specialist of the Year for the second straight year, marking the first time a gymnast has ever won the award in back-to-back years. Ohashi has notched six perfect scores on floor exercise this season. (Amy Dixon/Photo editor)
By Riley Segal
April 5, 2019 1:17 a.m.
The Bruins are one step closer to another national title.
No. 2 UCLA gymnastics (9-1) is heading to the NCAA regionals this weekend in Ann Arbor, Michigan. On Friday, the team will face off against No. 14 Nebraska (5-3), No. 27 West Virginia (0-1) and No. 29 Illinois (4-3), which earned the spot after winning a dual meet with No. 30 Central Michigan (8-2) on Thursday.
The top two teams from the quad meet will continue on to Sunday’s competition – the NCAA regional final – where they will meet the top two teams from the quad meet between No. 7 Michigan (5-2), No. 10 Alabama (5-4), No. 23 Penn State (1-6) and No. 26 Ohio State (5-3). From there, the two highest scoring teams will head to the NCAA championships.
The Bruins are the No. 1 seed in the Ann Arbor region. Of the three other teams UCLA will face Friday, it has only competed against Nebraska, beating the Cornhuskers 197.250-195.700 on Jan. 4.
Senior Katelyn Ohashi said the Bruins are calm despite the pressure of being the favorite.
“Mentally, we’re pretty solid,” Ohashi said. “No one’s really disclosed any nerves. I think we’ve prepared really well for (the postseason) all season and this is where it kind of comes into play. I think everyone’s really ready.”
And coach Valorie Kondos Field agreed.
“I feel we’re right on track,” Kondos Field said. “We have done really well, the team is extremely tight and connected. They’ve gone through some serious team meetings with me where I’ve challenged them to make some better choices outside of the gym and they’ve responded very well and are holding each other and themselves accountable.”
UCLA posted a 198.400 in the Pac-12 championships March 23, taking home first place and garnering the highest score in the nation so far this season.
However, freshman Margzetta Frazier said that the Bruins’ biggest takeaway from that meet was not the win, but rather the energy and focus the athletes displayed.
“The main message (we tell ourselves) is the phrase ‘all in,’” Frazier said. “We’ve been saying that nonstop, ‘all in, all in’ because we only have 18 days left and we want to have no regrets. We’re pushing ourselves 100% so no matter how the season ends, we’re happy with ourselves and we can send (off) our coach (with) a nice farewell.”
As UCLA wades deeper into the postseason, it is also moving toward the end of Kondos Field’s career as head coach. However, that fact has not altered the Bruins’ focus on winning the national title.
“I honestly forget until someone brings it up because it feels so natural with (Kondos Field) here,” Frazier said. “It just feels like any other day, and I don’t think it’ll hit me until probably after championships. But it just makes every moment more special because this is literally history.”
