NCAA Women’s Gymnastics : UCLA’s Gigi Zosa Is Introduced as Runner-up Twice

This was the first time the NCAA women’s gymnastics championships had ever been held east of the Mississippi.

So, going into the final night of competition at the University of Florida, perhaps it was only natural that there was some confusion about Western teams other than high-profile, six-time national champion Utah.

One of the local papers referred to Arizona State as “the Lady Titans.”

The usual owner of the nickname, Cal State Fullerton, also heard a number of queries along the lines of “Where are you guys from, again?” even though the Titans have not missed a national in 11 years and never finished out of the top five.

But, UCLA’s Gigi Zosa along with Fullerton’s Tami Elliott did their best to make Southeastern Conference fans more familiar with West Coast gymnastics Saturday night in the individual competition.

Zosa, an 18-year-old freshman, was nearly spectacular, placing second in both events in which she qualified--the uneven parallel bars (9.6) and the balance beam (9.65).

Elliott broke her school record by finishing third (37.70) in the all-around Friday night, fifth (9.5) in the bars and a three-way tie for third (9.5) in the balance beam.

Lucy Wener of Georgia won the uneven bars, and Jackie Brummer of Arizona State won the balance beam with scores of 9.8, both NCAA national championship records.

When Zosa mounted the victory stand, the flag which was hoisted in triumph behind her was . . . gold and black. Hmmm, Vanderbilt colors.

“I went back and looked and they didn’t have any blue and gold flags,” said Bruin Coach Jerry Tomlinson. “I thought everybody knew UCLA, whether you’re in California or Florida.”

The organizers will get a chance to straighten out such details when next year’s meet reverts to its more usual site, Utah. At this early date, the Bruins would appear to be a shoo-in for another trip.

Ten freshman joined the team this season, and Tanya Service, Zosa and Amy Lucena all made contributions beyond their years during the season.

Tomlinson was clearly delighted with his young upstarts, who placed seventh in the team competition Friday, although Service had the flu and competed in just two events. Last year, the Bruins didn’t make nationals.

“We weren’t even in the top 20 last year and to land in seventh the next season, that’s got to be about the biggest jump anyone’s made,” he said. “It feels good to know we’re back.”

Zosa, who was born in Winnipeg and moved to Huntington Beach about 10 years ago, competed for the SCATs gymnastics club and graduated from Marina High School. She is Filipino, the daughter of a pediatrician, and a student in microbiology at UCLA.

She said her experience on the Canadian Olympic team in 1984, when she placed 28th in all-around Olympic competition, helped her maintain her composure in her first year of collegiate events.

Saturday, she worked her routines with a cool regality and authority not often seen in a 5-2, 109-pound freshman.

“It helped me know how to take each competition and how to handle the stress and the pressures,” she said.