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Since 1995, some amazing gymnasts have passed through the U gymnastics program. Names like Theresa Kulikowski, Melissa Vituj, Deidra Graham, Annabeth Eberle and Nicolle Ford all share one thing in common: They all left Utah without a national championship.
Part of the Red Rocks plan when they travel to Athens, Ga., for the 2008 National Championships will be to end Utah’s 12-year national championship drought. Another part will be to ensure Ashley Postell doesn’t add her name to that distinguished list of gymnasts who don’t know what it’s like to stand on top of the national podium.
“She deserves it, she’s earned it,” Kristina Baskett said of Postell. “I think, especially this year, she’s put it all together. We care about each other individually.”
But the energy that has emanated from the Dumke Center for the previous two week isn’t all about ensuring Postell gets a proper send-off. Because of the hard word the Red Rocks have put in this season, the team philosophy heading into Thursday’s preliminary meet is, “Why not us?”
When asked if she thought this year’s team was special, Baskett responded with a phlegmatic “yes” before stumbling onto the brink of tears.
“I think everybody feels it,” Baskett said. “I think the pieces could all fit.”
Baskett isn’t the only one.
Head coach Greg Marsden has witnessed some special times during the 12-year dry spell. Some years the Red Rocks get bested by a better team. Sometimes, like in 1999 when Utah had three falls on beam and didn’t even make it to the Super Six, potential goes flying out the window before it gets to materialize. Marsden feels like this crop of gymnasts have become one of those special teams.
With special teams come expectations, and the Red Rocks are carrying their fair share.
“We kind of set that standard and high expectation,” Marsden said of his team. “To be honest, that’s the way I want it. I want people’s expectations to be high,”
The gymnasts feel those expectations came as part of the package of getting recruited to an annual national championship contender.
“That’s why we were recruited here to live up to those expectations,” Baskett said. “I think all the girls came here because they wanted to win national championships. I think we all came here knowing that’s what’s expected of us, to train for that. I think we want it more than the university does.”
Last year the Red Rocks came into Nationals a bit under the radar. Before exploding into the national picture at regionals, where they tied for the highest regional score with a 197.325, Utah hadn’t broken the 197-point mark all season and were considered to be somewhat of an underdog. This year, Utah has already reached the 197-point mark six times to go along with a No. 2 ranking at the end of the regular season. The Red Rocks won’t be able to use the same subterfuge that it used last year. One thing, however, remains the same: the team the Utes will be chasing.
Georgia has won three-straight national championships. With this year’s finale being held in the Gym Dogs’ home gym, Georgia stands in a good position to win a record fourth-straight. This year Georgia is different, yet ironically the same as last season.
Georgia’s two-time defending all-around champion Courtney Kupets is sidelined with an Achilles injury, but the Gym Dogs are no strangers to pulling of miracles when important pieces of the team go down. Just last season, Georgia lost Kupets’ older sister, Ashley Kupets and senior Kelsey Ericksen before rallying with an impressive and decisive first-place finish.
Georgia is one of five teams Utah will compete with in the evening session of national prelims.
UCLA, Michigan, Stanford and Denver make up the other four teams of the evening session six. Utah is 3-0 against teams in the evening session with two of its wins coming on the road in impressive fashion against Michigan and UCLA. The Red Rocks also beat Georgia at home in the season opener, although neither team was at the point it is at today.
Competing in the SEC heavy afternoon session will be Florida, Alabama, Louisiana State, Arkansas, Oregon State and Oklahoma. The top three teams in each session move onto the Super Six on Friday. Nationals concludes with individual finals on Saturday.
Check out www.dailyutahchronicle.com for up-to-date coverage of the 2008 nationals.