With the departure of Theresa Kulikowski, the U gymnastics team is now looking for new leaders heading into the 2004 season, with Annabeth Eberle and Melissa Vituj as prime candidates to take on the role.
The two star gymnasts led the team throughout the 2003 season and must continue to do the same if the Utes wish to compete for the NCAA Championship in 2004.
Last season, nationals were a nightmare for the team, as the Utes had constant struggles in the Super Six competition.
The problems began in the very beginning of the competition, as Kulikowski fell off the uneven bars and injured her shoulder.
Utah never recovered, and the team finished dead last in the competition.
And now, Kulio is gone.
“It’s the nature of college athletics,” U coach Greg Marsden said. “She was one of the most talented athletes ever involved in college athletics, and we will miss her.”
The Red Rocks have no choice but to move on, and it all starts at the top with Vituj and Eberle.
“The team is really depending on us and we are ready to carry the team,” Eberle said.
Vituj was named the NCAA North Central Region Co Gymnast of the year and the led the Utes in wins (22).
Eberle got stronger as the season went on to win the all-around competition at the North Central Regionals. She scored an all-around score of 39.750 against BYU, marking the fourth-best score in school history.
“[Annabeth and Melissa] are very accomplished and they led us in the all-around all of last year,” Marsden said. “I know they are both working hard this summer and Annabeth has already had a great summer.”
Eberle has her sights set very high for the upcoming season.
“I am working out every day and my first priority is to get this team to the NCAA Championships and win it,” Eberle said.
Eberle and Vituj are the cornerstones for the team, yet the rest of the building blocks will still be significant factors in determining whether or not the Utes can compete for a national title.
Eight gymnasts are returning from last year’s squad. Besides Eberle and Vituj, Dominique D’Oliveira, Gritt Hofmann, Veronique Leclerc, Natalie Nicoloff, Gabriella Onodi and Kristen Riffanacht are all back for another season.
“I know my returning kids are going to be very determined,” Marsden said.
The only other senior on the team besides Vituj is Leclerc, who was exceptional at the National Championships despite regular-season struggles.
She finished third in the nation in the uneven bars, but was inconsistent throughout most of the year.
“Historically, Veronique has been inconsistent in the early part of the season, but at nationals she was phenomenal and she seems to know what time to turn it on,” Marsden said. “If I had a choice of having a person who is consistent in the season and didn’t turn it on versus Veronique, then of course I would choose Veronique.”
The biggest improvement for the Utes should come from the gymnasts who were freshmen last season. Riffanacht and Nicoloff were the two freshmen that saw a lot of time in the lineup, and both of them went through plenty of difficulty.
Riffanacht spent more time in the lineup than Nicoloff did, but both will see an immense increase in time this season.
D’Oliveira and Onodi spent most of last season on the sidelines due to injuries, but are now expected to come back and play a significant role in the Utes’ run this year.
D’Oliveira competed in several meets last year and Marsden expects even more from her.
“Last year Dominique only was able to compete on the uneven bars, but now that she is healthy, we are expecting a lot of things from her,” Marsden said.
Eberle knows the biggest difference from last year will be the improvement of the sophomores.
“With a year under their belts they will be much better and we are going to have to rely on them this season,” Eberle said.
Hofmann, like Eberle, is a junior and will have a more expansive role this season. During last season, she competed on the beam for the majority of the season before she eventually found a regular spot on the floor.
“She really came around for us in the middle of last season and we are expecting more this season,” Marsden said.
Just like last season, the team’s roster holds four freshmen, most of whom will see action during the season.
“We have a very strong freshman class coming in,” Marsden said.
The list of freshmen includes Jacey Draper, Nicole Ford, Stephanie Limm and Rachell Tidd.
“They should really impact the team this season,” Marsden.
But the fear in having freshmen compete is the unpredictability of their performances, given their relative inexperience.
“They are really talented freshmen,” Eberle said. “They will make an impact this year.”
Last season, the same sense of uncertainty was prevalent and it hurt the Utes significantly.
“Having four freshmen lends itself to the possibility that if we are using those people in the early part, they will struggle a little bit,” Marsden said.
But even with that possibility for the 2004 squad, Marsden believes the team can have a better season than it did last year.
“I think we can be a top three team this season,” Marsden said. “There is always a transition period the freshmen go through, but if we can get through that and be consistent, I think we will be just fine.”
Eberle knows the team can be better this year.
“If we learn from last year and not make the same mistakes, we should be really good,” Eberle said.