UCLA Aims for Special Feat
UCLA is one of only four schools to win the NCAA women’s gymnastics championships and, beginning today in Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum at Auburn, Ala., has the opportunity to achieve something that hasn’t been done in 19 years.
The Bruins are attempting to win their third consecutive national title, a feat that no team has accomplished since Utah won the first five championships from 1982 to 1986. To reach Friday night’s Super Six team finals, they need to finish in the top three when they compete against Alabama, Florida, Iowa State, Georgia and Brigham Young in the evening session.
Senior Kristen Maloney, who had five surgeries on her right leg over a two-year span, is among the favorites in the all-around individual competition. She has led the Bruins to Pacific 10 Conference and West Regional titles.
To win their sixth NCAA title and fifth in six years, the Bruins must beat favored Utah, college gymnastics’ most successful program with a record 10 national titles -- but none since 1995.
Utah dealt the Bruins one of their three losses, 197.675 to 197.300, at Salt Lake City on Jan. 7.
The Utes are competing in the afternoon session.
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Eric Stephens
Go beyond the scoreboard
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