UCLA Starts Title Defense Today at Home

The NCAA women’s gymnastics meet begins today at Pauley Pavilion and continues through Saturday, with UCLA seeking to defend its 1997 national title against a field led by top-ranked and undefeated Georgia.

“A lot of people know what it’s like to hear, ‘So, Coach, can you win again? Are you going to repeat?’ ” UCLA Coach Valorie Kondos said. “Anyone who’s been in that position knows every year is a different team. Whether you lose many athletes or not, the chemistry changes.

“I don’t know [if UCLA will win again]. I’d like to. But I have no idea.”

Six teams will be eliminated after today’s two preliminary sessions, with the remaining “super six” advancing to Friday night’s team finals. The individual event finals are Saturday night.

Georgia has won three NCAA titles. But Utah, seeded sixth, has won a record 10 NCAA titles, and Alabama, seeded third, has won three.