Ray Named Michigan's 2004 Most Valuable Performer
5/1/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Senior/junior Elise Ray (Columbia, Md./Wilde Lake HS) was named the University of Michigan women's gymnastics team's Most Valuable Performer at the annual postseason banquet on Saturday (May 1). Ray, the 2004 Northeast Region Gymnast of the Year, earned her third straight postseason award. In 2002 as a sophomore, she was co-MVP with Calli Ryals (Elyria, Ohio/Midview HS). Though she redshirted last season due to injury, Ray was given the 10.0 Spirit Award for her efforts on the sidelines.
Ray |
Her all-around score (39.800) at the Big Ten Championships included event titles on bars (10.0), beam (9.950) and floor (9.950). Ray's perfect score on bars makes her the only U-M gymnast in program history to record of 10.00 on three events (vault, uneven bars, floor exercise) and a 9.975 on the third (balance beam). Her all-around (39.438) and balance beam season averages (9.855) rank first in all-time U-M history, while her uneven bars average (9.896) ranks second.
Sophomore Becca Clauson (St. Paul, Minn./Cretin-Derham HS) was named the team's Most Courageous Gymnast. She fought through injuries to compete consistently on three events (vault, balance beam, floor exercise) for the Wolverines in 2004, tying her career high on beam (9.900) three times. Clauson had her best meet of the season at the Big Ten Championships (March 20), where she stuck her vault to tally a leadoff 9.850. Clauson's season-high performance sparked her teammates, who rallied to combine for a season-high total on vault. Clauson then went on to earn shares of second (balance beam) and fourth (floor exercise).
Senior Christine Mantilia (New Canaan, Conn./New Canaan, HS) earned the team's Most Improved award. Prior to this year, Mantilia had competed almost exclusively on the uneven bars, and she was forced to sit out the 2003 season due to knee surgery. However, her off-season rehab efforts proved fruitful as she came back to earn spots in the vault and floor exercise lineups in her final season. Mantilia's stuck vault at West Virginia with Maryland (Feb. 22) earned her a career-high 9.875, besting her previous high by over seven-tenths of a point. She recorded her career high on floor (9.850) three times.
For the third season in a row, first-year athletes were given the U-M Coaches' Award. Freshmen Lindsey Bruck (Marietta, N.Y./Marcellus HS) and Carol McNamara (Hastings, Minn./Hastings HS) received the honor for their efforts during the season. McNamara was a staple in the vault lineup and posted a career-high 9.900 to share third place at the Big Ten Championships (March 20). She also saw action on the floor exercise, averaging 9.819.
Bruck became just the third U-M freshman to collect NCAA All-America first team honors on the balance beam by virtue of her performance at the NCAA Championships (April 15). She qualified to the individual event finals, where she finished tied for sixth place (9.850). Bruck entered the record books with her balance beam season average (9.823), which ranks third all-time and is the highest for a freshman in program history. Bruck also contributed on the uneven bars, including a career-high 9.900 performance at the Big Ten Championships (March 20), and floor exercise, in which her season average (9.863) ranks ninth all-time.
Freshman Sarrie Rubin (Sudbury, Mass./Lincoln-Sudbury Regional HS) was given the 10.0 Club Spirit Award. Though injuries limited her efforts on the competitive floor, Rubin was a valuable asset behind the scenes. Her energy, spirit, and positive attitude contributed to the Wolverines' success this season.
Michigan finished fifth in its NCAA Championships preliminary session, in addition to winning its 13th Big Ten Conference championship. U-M gymnasts combined for five NCAA All-America honors, accounted for five spots on the All-Big Ten team, and earned five Academic All-Big Ten awards.
Contact: Jessica Steyers (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
