No. 19 Pioneers Finish Fourth
at NCAA North Central Region Championships
DU will send a gymnast to the NCAA National Championships for seventh straight season

AMES, Iowa — Junior Casey Dobyns (Woodinville, Wash.) tied for the individual title on vault with a 9.9, but the 19th-ranked University of Denver gymnastics team wrapped up its season with a fourth-place finish Saturday night at the 2006 North Central Region Championships in front of 3,214 fans in Hilton Coliseum. The Pioneers tallied a team score of 195.250, behind Arizona State (196.675), Iowa State (195.725), and Arizona (195.400). DU finished in front of Minnesota (194.675) and BYU (192.125). Dobyns will join the Sun Devils and Cyclones at the 2006 NCAA National Championships April 20-22, as she earned an automatic berth by winning an individual event.

Denver started the meet on uneven bars, and a below-average performance on the event resulted in a team score of 48.450. After Nikki Brown (Louisville, Ky.) led off with a 9.7, junior Casey Dobyns (Woodinville, Wash.) followed with a 9.55. Katie Andrews (Crawfordsville, Ind.) turned in a 9.75 and following a mishap, Jessica López (Caracas, Venezuela) turned in a stellar performance for a team-high 9.8. Huffaker anchored DU’s lineup with a 9.65.

The Pioneers rebounded on their second event, posting a 49.050 on balance beam that was their third-highest score of the season. Four Pioneers turned in scores of 9.8 or higher, led by López’ team-high 9.85. Right behind her was Brown with a 9.825 and Huffaker and freshman Lauren Garan (Cos Cob, Conn.) followed as both scored 9.8. Following teams’ first two events, the Pioneers were in fifth place with a score of 97.500.

DU’s third event was floor exercise, and an off-night proved to be the Pioneers’ undoing as they posted a team score of 48.575. Sophomore Sasha Sullivan (Glen Allen, Va.) led the way for the Pioneers with a 9.825 and was followed with a 9.75 from Dobyns. Huffaker was third for DU with a 9.725 and Andrews turned in a 9.65.

Denver’s fourth event was vault, where the Pioneers turned in their best performance of the night. Four Pioneers registered scores of 9.825 or higher, led by Dobyns’ meet-winning 9.9. In second for DU was sophomore Liz Meals (Gibsonia, Pa.), who posted a career-high 9.85 to finish in a tie for fourth overall. Next for the Pioneers was Butler and Huffaker, who each posted scores of 9.825.

The Pioneers will return 12 letterwinners in 2007. Saturday’s meet was the final competition in the careers of seniors Cassidy Willingham (Mountain View, Calif.) and Alisha Stephenson (Boulder, Colo.).