NCAA Travels With Women's Gymnastics: Tuesday
4/22/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
Follow the Wolverines at the NCAA Championships with daily news and notes. The trip commenced Tuesday, April 22, with a flight from Detroit Metro to Atlanta followed by a bus ride to Athens, Ga.
STUDENT ASSISTANT SLASH TOUR GUIDE
Student assistant Lindsay Bourdon grew up in Cartersville, Ga., ("No, it's not named after Jimmy Carter," Lindsay says) and is our acting guide to Athens during the NCAA Championships. Growing up a gymnast in Georgia, Lindsay was naturally a GymDog fan.
"Every Georgia gymnast goes to those meets," said Lindsay with a grin. "Hey, I didn't know Michigan then."
Lindsay also used to swim, and the state swim meet was always held in Athens. She recalls special trips to a famous Athens pizzeria that's name escapes her. Maybe she's just keeping the secret to herself.
As for Athens etiquette, Lindsay recommends that visitors take long walks through campus ("It was founded in 1811," she says, off the top of her head) and take in all the great live music that the city has to offer. She does counsel against doing the Gator Chomp or calling Georgia "the Yellow Jackets." It's probably also a good idea not to wear Tennessee colors in Sanford Stadium.
"You should probably stay away from purple and yellow too," she says. "Stick to red, black and white."
TUESDAY QUICK NOTES
Despite suffering a season-ending injury at Regionals two weeks ago, sophomore Kelsey Knutson traveled with the team to nationals, crutches and all. Also making the trip is freshman Trish Wilson, who suffered a season-ending injury in the Georgia dual meet on March 7. Wilson had surgery around the Big Ten Championships and is bouncing back nicely with rehab. Even the Atlanta airport was no challenge for the tough freshman.
Assistant coach Scott Sherman will join the team in Athens on Wednesday, spending one more day with his newborn daughter Danielle and wife Shannon. Danielle was born at 8:40 a.m. on April 18. Scott and Shannon also have a two-year-old son, Nicholas. No word on whether either has verbally committed to the men's or women's gymnastics programs at the University of Michigan yet.
The biggest and heaviest piece of luggage checked on the flight from Detroit to Atlanta A massage table. Sara Martens, a private massage therapist, was brought along for the trip to work on the team's aches and pains. She worked with the squad a few times already this year after being recommended by head coach Bev Plocki, who has been a client for more than a year.
Players Mentioned
