Host Michigan Places First at NCAA Northeast Regional

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- After a disappointing Big Ten Championships, the ninth-ranked University of Michigan women's gymnastics team placed first at the NCAA Northeast Regional with a 196.000 on Saturday night (April 8) to advance to the 2006 NCAA Championships. Fifth-year senior Lauren Mirkovich (Burlingame, Calif./Notre Dame) captured her third career regional event title on the uneven bars (9.900), and junior Lindsey Bruck (Marietta, N.Y./Marcellus) placed second in the all-around (39.300) for the Wolverines.

The University of Utah also advanced to nationals with a runner-up score of 195.700, and New Hampshire's Amanda Hall (all-around) and Auburn's Lindsey Puckett (vault) earned nationals trips as individuals by either finishing in the top five in the all-around or winning an event with a score of at least 9.8.

Michigan took a 0.100 lead over second-place Utah after the first rotation, posting a 49.050 on vault. Mirkovich led off the Wolverines with a 9.750 and Bruck followed with a beautiful Yurchenko full for a 9.800. Senior Jenny Deiley (Dayton, Minn./Elk River) earned a 9.825 in the fourth spot, while sophomore Katie Lieberman (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest) anchored the lineup with a sky-high, stuck Yurchenko full for a 9.875 to tie for second overall on the event.

Coming off a bye in the second rotation, the Wolverines extended their lead over Utah to 0.325 and over third-place Auburn to 0.450 after the third rotation with a solid showing on the uneven bars. Sophomore Nellie Kippley (St. Cloud, Minn./Tech) posted a 9.800 in the leadoff spot, while Big Ten Freshman of the Year Tatjana Thuener-Rego (Miami, Fla./American School) nailed her double layout dismount to earn a 9.850 and second place overall on the event. Mirkovich wowed the judges with her stuck full-twisting double layout dismount for a 9.900 in the fifth spot for the event title.

In the fourth rotation, balance checks early in the lineup narrowed Michigan's lead over Utah to 0.125 after three events. Highlights included a solid 9.800 for Kippley in the third spot and nearly flawless routines from senior Becca Clauson (St. Paul, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall) and Bruck to close out the rotation.

Coming off a bye in the fifth rotation, the Wolverines marched onto the floor exercise determined to maintain their lead, and U-M did just that.

Despite stumbles in the middle of the lineup, the Wolverines posted four scores of 9.825 to secure the NCAA Northeast Regional championship.

Bruck led off the rotation with a solid 9.825, followed by Deiley, who in her last routine at Crisler Arena earned a 9.875 and a share of second place for her performance. After stumbles in the final passes of the third and fourth competitors, Thuener-Rego brought the Wolverines back on track with a 9.825 in the fifth spot. Lastly, Lieberman dazzled the judges in the anchor spot, garnering a 9.875 for a share of second place on the event.

Michigan earns a trip to the NCAA Championships, which will be held April 20-22 in Corvallis, Ore., on the campus of Oregon State.