UCLA Bruins gymnastics

UCLA Women's Gymnastics
Founded: 1974 (1974)
University	University of California, Los Angeles
Conference	Pac-12
Location	Los Angeles, CA
Head Coach	Valorie Kondos Field (1991-present year)
Home Arena	Pauley Pavilion (Capacity: 13,800)
Known As	UCLA Bruins
Colors	True Blue and UCLA Gold
National Championships
6 (1997, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2010) NCAA Championships
NCAA Regional Champions
21 (1982, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015) Regional Champions
Conference Champions
17 (2012, 2010, 2009, 2007, 2005, 2003, 2002, 2000, 1999, 1997, 1995, 1993, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1987, 1981) Pac-12 Championships

The UCLA Bruins women's gymnastics team represents the University of California at Los Angeles and competes in the Pac-12 Conference. They currently compete in Pauley Pavilion, Los Angeles, CA. The team, coached by Valorie Kondos Field, has won 21 Regional titles and 6 NCAA National Championships, most recently in 2010.^[1]

The Bruins are known for recruiting top elite gymnasts from both the US and Canada.^[2] Some notable former UCLA gymnasts include Dr. Onnie Willis Rogers and current stuntwoman Heidi Moneymaker and Olympic gymnasts Jamie Dantzscher, Mohini Bhardwaj, Kate Richardson, Tasha Schwikert, Kristen Maloney, Yvonne Tousek, Stella Umeh, Luisa Portocarrero, Elyse Hopfner-Hibbs, Sam Peszek, Peng Peng Lee, Jennifer Pinches, Jordyn Wieber, and Kyla Ross.

UCLA also fielded a men's gymnastics team until 1994, when it was discontinued due to budget cuts.

Highlights

• 2008 Canadian Olympic Gymnastics team member Elyse Hopfner-Hibbs attended UCLA, a member of the team in 2008-2009 season.
• The Bruins won the 2009 Pac-10 title, their 14th, and was 7th seeded in the NCAA National Championships. They competed at the NCAA North Central Regionals at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Saturday, Apr. 4 with Florida (#6), Minnesota (#18), Denver (#20), Iowa State (#23) and Iowa (#28). The Bruins came in second behind Florida.^[3]
• 2009 – In the second session of the national championships, the Bruins finished tie for third place with Utah. But Utah won the tie breakers by counting all the scores of the six competitors in each event and advanced to the Super Six team finals.^[4]
• 2010 – The team won its 15th Pacific-10 Championship, with Anna Li scoring a perfect 10 on uneven bars. Vanessa Zamarripa won all-around and vault, and was named 2010 Pac-10 Gymnast Of The Year.
• 2010 – UCLA Gymnastics won the Los Angeles Regional and qualified for the NCAA Championships in Gainesville, Florida.^[5] Anna Li again scored a perfect 10 on the uneven bars at Pauley Pavilion, where both of her parents, Li Yuejiu and Wu Jiani won medals at the 1984 Olympic Games.
• 2010 - USA Olympic team silver medalist Sam Peszek is attending UCLA, and is a new member of the 2011 UCLA gymnastics team.
• 2010- The team won its sixth ncaa title at the O'Connell Center in Gainesville, FL.
• 2011 – UCLA finished second in the national competition; Athens Regional champions; Sam Peszek was first in balance beam with a 9.90 score.
• 2012 – Third place finish in team competition; Olivia Courtney was third in uneven bars, and Elyse Hopfner-Hibbs was second in floor exercise.
• 2013 – UCLA was 4th in the team competition held at its own Pauley Pavilion; Four Bruins finished as top-eight performers in individual competition, three (Olivia Courtney, Kaelie Baer, and Vanessa Zamarripa) on vault and one (Danusia Francis) on beam.
• 2014 - UCLA did not qualify to Saturday night's Super Six competition in Birmingham, AL. Two Bruins competed on Sunday in event finals, Sam Peszek and Olivia Courtney.
• 2015 – UCLA captured the team's 21st Regional Championship with a score of 197.500 points at the NCAA Columbus Regional. Samantha Peszek was the All Around Co-Champion with 39.6 points; Samantha Peszek also won the balance beam with a 9.950 score.

Head coaches

record includes invitationals and conference championships as of 2014.

Current roster (2016)

• Head Coach: Valorie Kondos Field
• Associate Head Coach: Chris Waller
• Assistant Coach: Randy Lane
• Volunteer Assistant Coach: Dom Palange

Gymnasts who have committed to attend UCLA in the future:^[7]

• 2016-17
  • Felicia Hano - US National Team member, Pan American Championships gold medalist
  • Veronica Hults - 2013 U.S Junior National Team Member, 3rd at 2013 P&G National Championships, junior division
  • Madison Kocian - 2014 World Champion (team), 2015 World Champion (team, uneven bars)
  • Kyla Ross - 2012 Olympic gold medalist with US team, 2013 & 2014 World Championships medalist
• 2017-18
  • Nia Dennis - Senior US National Team member
• 2018-19
  • Norah Flatley - Junior US National Team member

NCAA Championships

Banners honoring the NCAA national championships won by UCLA.

With the titles in 2015, UCLA now has 33 NCAA individual titles and six team titles:^[8]

Awards and honors

Honda Award Winners

• Kristen Maloney, 2005
• Onnie Willis, 2003
• Mohini Bhardwaj, 2001
• Jill Andrews, 1990
• Sharon Shapiro, 1981

AAI Award (National Senior of the Year)

• Vanessa Zamarripa, 2013
• Jamie Dantzscher, 2004
• Mohini Bhardwaj, 2001
• Donna Kemp, 1984

National Coach of the Year

• Valorie Kondos Field, 2001, 2000, 1997, 1996, 1989
• Jerry Tomlinson, 1989

National Asst. Coach of the Year

• Chris Waller, 2004
• Randy Lane, 2000

Men's team

The Bruins men's gymnastics team won two NCAA national champions in 1984 and 1987. The program was discontinued during university budget cuts in 1993 despite a record of athletic and academic success.^[9]

Notable alumni of UCLA men's gymnastics include:

• Tim Daggett, 1984 Olympic gold medallist
• Mitch Gaylord, 1984 NCAA all-around champion & Olympic gold medallist
• Scott Keswick, 1992 US Olympian
• Stephen McCain, 2000 US Olympian
• Peter Vidmar, 1982 NCAA all-around champion & 1984 Olympic gold medallist
• Chris Waller, 1990 NCAA high bar champion and current women's team assistant coach

References

External links

• UCLA Gymnastics official website

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