College Sports

In case you aren’t aware, collegiate gymnastics, particularly women’s gymnastics, is huge.  By huge, I mean they fill coliseums for competitions… that’s right, coliseums where men’s basketball is played.  In fact, several schools can lay claim to outdrawing the men’s basketball team.

Last weekend, the 2008 Championships (called the Super Six) were held.  Georgia’s Gym Dogs won the title, their fourth in a row and ninth overall. That last mark ties them with Utah for most titles won.  Here are the team results with scores:

• Georgia - 197.450
• Utah - 197.125
• Stanford - 196.750
• Florida - 196.700
• LSU - 196.350 (highests finish ever, 1st Super Six)
• Alabama - 196.125

And the Dogs did it with a young team while missing one of their stars, Courtney Kupets, who tore her achilles tendon on March 1 during a floor routine.  You may remember Kupets as the bronze medal winner on uneven bars at the 2004 Olympics.

 Since 1998, Georgia has won 24 of its 33 NCAA meets.  Perhaps more impressive, the Gym Dogs have finished first in every session, both prelims and finals, in the last four years.

Individually, two members of the UGa team claimed titles.  Sophomores Courtney McCool (floor - 9.9625) and Grace Taylor (beam - 9.950) won Georgia’s 32nd and 33rd individual titles overall. 

Head coach Suzanne Yoculan, who has led the Gym Dogs to each of their titles and was named the 2008 National Coach of the Year, just completed her 25th year with the program.  She has announced her retirement following the 2009 season, and will be replaced by assistant coach Jay Clark, who has been with the team for 16 years… the last three as associate head coach.