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Campus Compass - Ute gymnasts shine
by Clipper
Apr 28, 2008 | 82 views | 0 0 comments | 4 4 recommendations | email to a friend | print
OGDEN -- One night after Utah placed second in the NCAA Super Six team finals, Kristina Baskett and Ashley Postell picked up silver medals of their own. Baskett tied for second on vault and Postell did the same on the beam during the NCAA individual event championships, Saturday.

Baskett was the first vaulter of the night and launched two big ones -- receiving a 9.8438 average and setting a high bar for the nine gymnasts who followed. Postell earned her 9.90 beam score from the middle of an 11-member beam pack.

Baskett, who also placed sixth on bars (9.875), finished her championships on crutches. She injured her ankle on her first floor pass and fell to the mat. Baskett required assistance to get off the podium, but the injury was not believed to be serious upon initial evaluation.

Postell was the final competitor of the 2008 NCAA Championships and her floor routine received a 9.90 -- good for a fourth-place tie. Earlier, Postell placed 14th in a mammoth uneven bar field, scoring a 9.80 after taking a big hop on her landing.

Ute freshman Kyndal Robarts, competing at her first championships, placed 10th on vault. She scored an 8.5375 after falling on her first vault and taking a one-point deduction on her second for doing the same type of vault. It was a pity, since her second vault was a beauty that received a 9.875. On individual night, a vaulter is required to do two different vaults.

As individual event qualifiers, Postell, Baskett and Robarts earned first-team All-America status. Postell was a second-team All-America on vault, and Daria Bijak made the second team in the all-around and on floor. Utah totaled 12 All-America awards.

Postell finishes her career as the only 20-time All-America in NCAA history. It is the most All-America awards possible. Baskett increased her All-America cache to seven in three years. Sophomore Bijak is now a three-time All-American. It was the first All-America honor for Robarts, a freshman.

Friday night in the Super Six team finals, Utah placed second to Georgia in the closest NCAA Championships in six years. It marked the third-straight year Utah placed runner-up to Georgia in the championships. Utah beat Stanford, Florida and LSU in team finals. The Utes advanced to the Super Six from a strong field in Thursday's qualifying session, beating Stanford, UCLA, Michigan and Denver, and again finishing second to Georgia.
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