Michigan
NCAA Individual Event Finals
Uneven-Bars Titlist Ray Wins Third Career NCAA Crown
4/17/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- University of Michigan senior/junior All-American Elise Ray (Columbia, Md./Wilde Lake HS) posted a near-perfect 9.975 on the uneven bars to claim the third national title of her career Saturday (April 17) in the NCAA Women's Gymnastics Championships Individual Event Finals at UCLA's Pauley Pavilion. Ray also tied for third on the balance beam (9.900), while freshman All-American Lindsey Bruck (Marietta, N.Y./Marcellus HS) tied for sixth on the beam with a 9.850.
Ray, the all-around co-champion in 2001 and balance beam winner in 2002 before sitting out the 2003 season due to injury, was the third gymnast to compete on the uneven bars. Demonstrating precise handstand positions and a flowing swing, Ray finessed through a sequence of toe on to handstand, hop full, hop full, and ended by sticking her full twisting double layout dismount, earning a 9.975.
Earlier in the night, Ray was the first Wolverine to compete, on the balance beam. She moved smoothly through her flight series (back handpsring, back handspring, layout), landing without a wobble. She continued with her signature double turn to an immediate beat jump and stuck her cartwheel to gainer full dismount for a 9.900.
Bruck, fourth up on beam, began her routine with a solid punch front mount. She refused to wobble on her flight series (back handspring, layout) and remained perfectly vertical after her switch leap to back handspring 1/4, immediate 1/2 turn in handstand. Bruck suffered an uncharacteristic wobble on a simple transition skill but recovered well to stick her 1 1/2 twist dismount for a 9.850, which tied her for sixth place.
Michigan closed its full-squad season with an eighth-place overall finish in the NCAA Championships on Thursday (April 15). The Wolverines were fifth in the second session of the NCAA Team Preliminaries with a 196.500.
Final Results
VAULT
1. Ashley Miles, Alabama 9.9438
2. Annabeth Eberle, Utah 9.9188
3. Natalie Foley, Stanford 9.8938
4. Erinn Dooley, Florida 9.8750
April Burkholder, LSU 9.8750
6. Janet Anson, Iowa State 9.8438
7. Tiffany Willin, Oklahoma 9.8125
8. Chantelle Tousek, Florida 9.7438
9. Kate Richardson, UCLA 9.5875
UNEVEN BARS
1. Elise Ray, U-M 9.9750
2. Kristen Maloney, UCLA 9.9375
3. Kate Richardson, UCLA 9.9000
4. Jeanette Antolin, UCLA 9.8875
Nicolle Ford, Utah 9.8875
6. Ashley Miles, Alabama 9.8750
Erin LaBarr, Oklahoma 9.8750
8. Cory Fritzinger, Georgia 9.8500
9. Caroline Fluhrer, Stanford 9.8250
10. Natalie Foley, Stanford 9.8125
11. Libby Landgraf, Nebraska 9.7500
12. Jamie Dantzscher, UCLA 9.7375
13. Jeana Rice, Alabama 9.2625
BALANCE BEAM
1. Ashley Kelly, Arizona State 9.9500
2. Jeana Rice, Alabama 9.9125
3. Elise Ray, U-M 9.9000
Kristi Esposito, Nebraska 9.9000
5. Yvonne Tousek, UCLA 9.8750
6. Lindsey Bruck, U-M 9.8500
Lindsay Wing, Stanford 9.8500
8. April Burkholder, LSU 9.8375
9. Erinn Dooley, Florida 9.7875
10. Orley Szmuch, Florida 9.7500
11. Samantha Lutz, Florida 9.7375
12. Nicolle Ford, Utah 9.6750
FLOOR EXERCISE
1. Ashley Miles, Alabama 9.9375
Courtney Bumpers, UNC 9.9375
3. Jeanette Antolin, UCLA 9.9000
Melissa Vituj, Utah 9.9000
5. Alexis Brion, Alabama 9.8875
Alexis Maday, Iowa 9.8875
Caroline Fluhrer, Stanford 9.8875
8. Chelsa Byrd, Georgia 9.8750
9. Natalie Foley, Stanford 9.8500
N O T E S
• By virtue of her top-four finish in Thursday's preliminary session, Lindsey Bruck became the third U-M freshman to earn All-America honors on the balance beam.
• Elise Ray shared the 2001 NCAA all-around championship with UCLA's Onnie Willis and was the 2002 NCAA balance beam champion.
• Elise Ray's event title tonight ties her with Beth Wymer (1992-95) for most career event titles won by a Wolverine (3). Wymer won uneven bars from 1993-95.
Q U O T E S
Freshman Lindsey Bruck
On her sixth-place finish on beam ... "It was so exciting to compete in my first NCAA Championships event finals. It was a little nerve-wracking, but having my team in the stands to support me helped a lot. I'm really excited and happy with how I did."
2004 National Champion Elise Ray
On her uneven bars title ... "Three titles in three years, it definitely crossed my mind. I was so ready to compete after watching yesterday, and I just was in the zone on bars. It felt so good."
Contact: Jessica Steyers (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
