2010 NCGA Championships

Springfield, Mass. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse gymnastics team captured its third consecutive and 14th overall National Collegiate Gymnastics Association (NCGA) Championship Friday night in Blake Arena on the campus of Springfield College. The Eagles finished with a season-high team score of 186.775.

UW-L scored 47.075 on the vault; 46.425 on the uneven parallel bars (season-high); 45.750 on the balance beam and 47.525 on the floor exercise.

SUNY-Brockport placed second (186.200) Friday with UW-Whitewater third (184.750). SUNY-Cortland finished fourth (183.425), Springfield College (Mass.) fifth (184.425) and WInona State University (Minn.) sixth (181.950).

It is UW-L's ninth national title in the last 10 years and 11th in the last 14 seasons. The Eagles' 14 overall national crowns are the most in NCGA history.

UW-L head coach Barb Gibson, in her 25th year at the helm of the Eagles' gymnastics program, has now led the team to all 14 national titles.

The Eagles' Courtney Gonzales finished sixth in the all-around (37.625) Friday to earn NCGA All-America honors. It is her second career All-America honor after placing fourth on the floor exercise last season.

Gabi Hooper placed 13th in the all-around (36.450) for UW-L.

Kira Oldham Curtis of Ursinus College (Pa.) took the all-around title (38.375).

In individual events Friday, Gonzales tied for seventh on the balance beam (9.425) and finished in a tie for 11th on the uneven parallel bars (9.275) and floor exercise (9.525). Hooper tied for fourth on the floor exercise (9.625).

UW-L's Kelsey Matula was fourth on the balance beam (9.650) and eighth on the uneven parallel bars (9.350) while Hailey Sommer tied for third on the uneven parallel bars (9.450).

On the vault, Kahlynn Hunt tied for 11th (9.500) and Tegan Oare was 14th (9.475) while Kendra Klein tied for 11th on the floor exercise (9.525) with Gonzales.

The top-14 finishers in each individual event Friday, plus ties, advance to the individual finals Saturday, March 27. In the individual events scheduled for Saturday, the first through sixth-place finishers will be named first team All-Americans while the seventh through 12th-place finishers earn second team All-American honors. Individual scores from Friday do not carry over to Saturday's competition.

Individual competition begins at 1:30 p.m. (CT) Saturday.