Tumblers falter at NCAA Championships

By Alex Prosperi, Michigan Daily

May 1, 2007

Ann Arbor, MI (CSTV U-WIRE) -- Down three all-around competitors all season, a trip to the NCAA Championships seemed unlikely for this group of gymnasts. But the Michigan women's gymnastics team, after a rollercoaster season, competed in the program's fifteenth-straight NCAA Championships last Friday night.

Facing teams full of superior talent, the Wolverines needed their best performances of the year to move on to the Super Six Finals.

Michigan came up short, scoring 195.100, good enough for last place in Salt Lake City. Despite the team's disappointing finish, junior Katie Lieberman was first team All-America on floor exercise, scoring a 9.850 during team competition.

Coming off a solid performance at the NCAA Northeast Regional, the team seemed ready for its biggest meet of the season.

But after putting up a respectable 49.125 on vault, the Wolverines struggled. The team posted a season-low score on beam (48.150) and its second lowest score of the season on bars (48.700).

The beam, as it has many times this season, proved to be Michigan's weakest event. With one fall and two near falls, the event unofficially closed the book on the Wolverines' dream season.

The individual event finals took place on Saturday, and Lieberman was Michigan's only participant.

"I could hear the crowd really getting into it near the end," said Lieberman through the athletic department. "I just tried to think of it as another meet but I was a little nervous, I'm not going to lie."

Lieberman's routine was going as planned until the final tumbling pass, where she fell for the first time this season. The fall was costly, giving Lieberman last place with a score of 9.2375.

Nonetheless, she became the first Wolverine since 2003, and the 12th in school history, to compete in floor exercise at this stage. The All-America first team honors were Lieberman's second; she received the honor as a freshman on vault.

Junior Nellie Kippley's 9.900 on vault earned her second team All-America honors. And sophomore Becky Bernard recorded her second straight All-America second team honor by scoring a 9.900 on bars.

If nothing else, this season can serve as a reminder that adversity can be overcome through execution and concentration, two things the Wolverines improved on throughout the season. Moreover, a trip to the NCAA Championships is proof of the consistency Michigan coach Bev Plocki brings to this program

And with just three seniors leaving, the future looks bright for this group of Wolverines.