Velasco Is Beaming With Joy at UCLA

When the UCLA women’s gymnastics team competes at Cal State Fullerton in a dual meet tonight, it will be a homecoming for Bruin sophomore Valerie Velasco.

Velasco graduated from Rosary High in Fullerton.

“It’s fun to go back home to compete in Fullerton and see my friends and family,” she said.

Velasco joined the Bruin team last season as a walk-on and became one of the team’s top four all-around performers. She was selected the team’s rookie of the year.

“She really proved herself last year,” UCLA Coach Valorie Kondos said.

Velasco competed in the all-around four times last season, averaging 38.15 points. Her best score was 38.85 at Arizona State when she finished fourth.

Velasco had three individual event career highs in the Pacific 10 Championships. She scored 9.75 on the vault, 9.775 on the uneven bars and 9.85 in the floor exercise. She competed in the floor exercise in 13 of 14 meets last season.

Velasco probably will compete on only the beam against the Titans.

“I think the beam is probably going to be my best event this season,” Velasco said. “My routine has a lot of difficulty, and I feel I’m especially strong in that event right now.”

Another Bruin gymnast from Orange County, Alison Stoner of Laguna Hills, is sidelined this season after having surgery last April on a knee she injured in the NCAA championships.

Stoner, a sophomore, averaged 9.74 in the floor exercise last season, including 9.8 in the last eight meets.

UCLA is ranked eighth nationally.

NOTEWORTHY

Clay McKnight’s perfect streak at the free-throw line this season ended Thursday night when the Pacific guard missed in the Tigers’ victory at Boise State. McKnight, who played at Mater Dei, had made 33 in a row going into the game, but was two of three against Boise State. The Big West Conference record is 52 in a row by Vince Washington of Utah State in 1985.

Sophomore Anna Lembke (Ocean View High) has started 12 of 14 games for the Pepperdine women’s basketball team. She is averaging 7.7 points and six rebounds and shooting 48% from the field. Sophomore Jennifer Saari (Brea Olinda High) is a reserve guard, averaging two points. She redshirted last season after an early-season knee injury.

Freshman Debby Caine (San Clemente High) is a reserve guard for the UC Santa Barbara women’s basketball team. She is averaging 8.6 minutes a game and 1.6 points.