Complete Release in PDF Format

Jan. 16, 2008

THIS WEEK IN THE PAC-10:
Pac-10 gymnastics opened the 2008 campaign with leaps and bounds, landing six out of seven Conference teams in the Top 25 National Rankings after the first two weekends of competition. Conference action starts this week and promises to provide some of the country's most astonishing athletic prowess and entertainment on the gym floor. WASHINGTON makes the first Pac-10 road trip of the season when it travels to No. 16 OREGON STATE on Fri., Jan. 18. ARIZONA, which currently sits in the No. 12 position that the preseason coaches poll predicted, heads to No. 5 STANFORD for the Cardinal's first match-up since an impressive season-opener against then-top-ranked Georgia. No. 22 CALIFORNIA hosts its closest competition in the national rankings, No. 23T ARIZONA STATE. No. 10 UCLA joins a quad-meet featuring Brown and Wisconsin-Eau Claire at Cal State Fullerton on Sunday.

COMPETITION SCHEDULE, JAN. 15-21:
*All times are Pacific

Friday, January 18
OREGON STATE vs. WASHINGTON, 7 p.m.

Sunday, January 20
ARIZONA at STANFORD, 2 p.m.
ARIZONA STATE at CALIFORNIA, 2 p.m.
UCLA, Brown, Wisconsin-Eau Claire at Cal State Fullerton, 2 p.m.

PAC-10 NOTES:
ARIZONA - The Wildcats emerged victorious in a tri-meet against No. 25 N.C. State and Alaska-Anchorage. The Cats (2-0) won the meet with a final score of 194.100 and Alexis Greene took the all-around title with a 38.800. Karin Wurm set a meet-best 9.875 on the bars. Arizona overcame a pair of falls on beam to post a meet-high 47.775. Next opponent: No. 5 STANFORD on Sun., Jan. 20.

ARIZONA STATE - Despite career-bests in the all-around competition by Tiana Jean (38.900) and Beaté Jones (38.600), Arizona State fell to then-No. 7 Nebraska. Freshman Mary Atkinson's score of 9.725 on vault, the Sun Devils' most dominant apparatus of the meet, also marked a career high. Next opponent: No. 22 CALIFORNIA on Sun., Jan. 20.

CALIFORNIA - The Golden Bears defeated UC Davis and Towson in a tri-meet at UC Davis. It is the first time since 2005 that Cal has started a season 2-0. Junior Jessica Kelley claimed the all-around title (38.700) behind a first-place finish on floor (9.775) and tallies of at least 9.6 in every event. Joanna Bennett, tying for first on vault (9.825), and Sophia Hocinini, third on beam (9.750), set new personal bests. On the uneven bars and balance beam, the Bears finished three in the top four. Next opponent: No. 23T ARIZONA STATE on Sun., Jan. 20.

OREGON STATE - Against Pac-10 rivals UCLA and ARIZONA STATE, the Beavers placed second at the Lady Luck Invitational in Las Vegas on Jan. 4. Mandi Rodriguez finished second on vault and third in the all-around. After suffering a few unfortunate falls on beam and floor exercise, the Beavers' vaulters settled the team by recording four scores of 9.8 or better. Jami Lanz, Kera Bolen and Jen Kesler finished the meet with matching team-high scores of 9.775 on bars. Next opponent: WASHINGTON on Fri., Jan. 18.

STANFORD - Though unable to take down three-time defending champion Georgia, Stanford gave their best with several scores of 9.9 on the day: Allyse Ishino and Nicole Ourada on vault, Grace Taylor on bars, and Carly Janiga, the Pac-10 Event Specialist of the Week, on beam. Overall, the Cardinal hit 23 of 24 routines. Next opponent: ARIZONA on Sun., Jan. 20.

UCLA - The Bruins won the Lady Luck Invitational in Las Vegas. Anna Li, the Pac-10 Gymnast of the Week, won the all-around with a 39.450 and claimed event honors on bars (9.9), beam (9.825), and floor (9.875). Brittani McCullough placed second in the all-around and tied Li for first on floor. Kristina Comforte vaulted her way to a 9.925 and the win. Next opponent: Brown, Cal State Fullerton, and Wisconsin-Eau Claire on Sun., Jan. 20.

WASHINGTON - Despite a season-opening loss to No. 15 Denver, the Huskies won two event titles by junior Ashley Houghting, who captured first place on vault (9.875) and floor (9.850). Washington's freshmen made strong collegiate debuts: Haley Bogart turned in a third place finish on vault with a 9.825, while Kristen Linton and Samantha Walior finished fourth and fifth, respectively, on bars. Next opponent: No. 16 OREGON STATE on Fri., Jan. 18.