2008 Woodie Awards
Team capsules - UCLA
Issue date: 4/24/08 Section: NCAA Gymnastics
UCLA
ROSTER
Name Events Height Year Hometown
Ariana Berlin AA 5-2 JR San Diego, CA (SCEGA/South Coast Gymnastics)
Marci Bernholtz UB, BB, FX 5-2 FR Unionville, ON (ASF Gymnastics)
Melissa Chan V, BB, FX 5-1 JR Los Gatos, CA (Airborne Gymnastics)
Shavahn Church UB 5-2 FR Tarzana, CA (Waller's GymJam Academy)
Kristina Comforte AA 5-4 JR Burr Ridge, IL (Illinois Gymnastics Institute)
Ashley Jenkins BB, FX 5-3 SO Laguna Niguel, CA (SCATS)
Talia Kushynski BB, FX 5-2 FR Sherman Oaks, CA (Waller's GymJam Academy)
Anna Li AA 5-4 SO Aurora, IL (Aerial Gymnastics)
Brittani McCullough AA 5-4 FR Corona, CA (SCEGA) - INJURED
Natalie Padilla AA 5-4 SR San Diego, CA (SCEGA)
Mizuki Sato AA 5-2 FR Fair Oaks, CA (Technique)
Jordan Schwikert AA 5-4 SR Las Vegas, NV (Gymcats)
Tasha Schwikert AA 5-3 SR Las Vegas, NV (Gymcats)
Allison Taylor UB, FX 5-3 FR Dallas, TX (WOGA)
Niki Tom AA 5-0 FR Northridge, CA (JAG)
Head Coach: Valorie Kondos Field (18th Year)
SCHEDULE
Date Opponent Event Location Result
Jan 4 Lady Luck College Invitational 1st, 194.975
Jan 20 at Cal State Fullerton (w/ Brown, Wisconsin-Eau Claire) 1st, 196.125
Jan 27 Stanford 195.050 (W)
Feb 1 at Washington 195.975 (W)
Feb 8 vs. Illinois, Stanford, Washington 1st, 196.875
Feb 17 at California 195.225 (W)
Feb 22 at Arizona 196.575 (W)
Feb 24 vs. Utah 197.450 (L)
Mar 2 vs. Oregon State 196.775 (W)
Mar 9 vs. Alabama, Arkansas, Cal State Fullerton 3rd, 195.800
Mar 15 at Georgia 196.925 (L)
Mar 29 at Pac-10 Championships 3rd, 196.200
Apr 12 at NCAA Southeast Regionals (Gainesville, Fla.) 2nd, 196.625
STATISTICS
Discipline Ranking RQS Average High
Overall No. 9 196.510 196.027 196.925
Vault No. 6 49.315 49.217 49.425
Bars No. 2 49.350 49.090 49.425
Beam No. 10 49.125 48.933 49.350
Floor No. 17 49.025 48.787 49.300
HOW THEY GOT HERE
UCLA enters the National Championship as the No. 9 seed out of 12 teams. The Bruins lost just two dual meets during the regular season, to powerhouses Utah and Georgia. The postseason has been a bit disappointing, as the Bruins were forced to count a fall on floor in the Pac-10 Championship, taking third place. UCLA earned a ticket to Athens after finishing a distant second to Florida in the Southeast Regional.
NCAA HISTORY
One of the blue-chip programs in women's gymnastics, the Bruins are one of the four teams to have ever captured a National Championship. In fact, UCLA is the last program other than Georgia to win the title, last holding the trophy in 2004. At that time, the Bruins had won four of five championships, but have not finished above fourth place in the nation since.
KEY PLAYERS
The Bruins' roster sports four gymnasts capable of performing in the all-around. Tasha Schwikert, who was the NCAA all-around champion as a freshman in 2005, will look to reclaim her title this season in the absence of Georgia's Courtney Kupets, who has won the last two seasons. She was kept out of the all-around in the Pac-10 Championship and returned with a 39.450 in the Southeast Regional, but head coach Valorie Kondos Field has been encouraged by Schwikert's performance in practice in the week leading up to the National Championship.
ROSTER
Name Events Height Year Hometown
Ariana Berlin AA 5-2 JR San Diego, CA (SCEGA/South Coast Gymnastics)
Marci Bernholtz UB, BB, FX 5-2 FR Unionville, ON (ASF Gymnastics)
Melissa Chan V, BB, FX 5-1 JR Los Gatos, CA (Airborne Gymnastics)
Shavahn Church UB 5-2 FR Tarzana, CA (Waller's GymJam Academy)
Kristina Comforte AA 5-4 JR Burr Ridge, IL (Illinois Gymnastics Institute)
Ashley Jenkins BB, FX 5-3 SO Laguna Niguel, CA (SCATS)
Talia Kushynski BB, FX 5-2 FR Sherman Oaks, CA (Waller's GymJam Academy)
Anna Li AA 5-4 SO Aurora, IL (Aerial Gymnastics)
Brittani McCullough AA 5-4 FR Corona, CA (SCEGA) - INJURED
Natalie Padilla AA 5-4 SR San Diego, CA (SCEGA)
Mizuki Sato AA 5-2 FR Fair Oaks, CA (Technique)
Jordan Schwikert AA 5-4 SR Las Vegas, NV (Gymcats)
Tasha Schwikert AA 5-3 SR Las Vegas, NV (Gymcats)
Allison Taylor UB, FX 5-3 FR Dallas, TX (WOGA)
Niki Tom AA 5-0 FR Northridge, CA (JAG)
Head Coach: Valorie Kondos Field (18th Year)
SCHEDULE
Date Opponent Event Location Result
Jan 4 Lady Luck College Invitational 1st, 194.975
Jan 20 at Cal State Fullerton (w/ Brown, Wisconsin-Eau Claire) 1st, 196.125
Jan 27 Stanford 195.050 (W)
Feb 1 at Washington 195.975 (W)
Feb 8 vs. Illinois, Stanford, Washington 1st, 196.875
Feb 17 at California 195.225 (W)
Feb 22 at Arizona 196.575 (W)
Feb 24 vs. Utah 197.450 (L)
Mar 2 vs. Oregon State 196.775 (W)
Mar 9 vs. Alabama, Arkansas, Cal State Fullerton 3rd, 195.800
Mar 15 at Georgia 196.925 (L)
Mar 29 at Pac-10 Championships 3rd, 196.200
Apr 12 at NCAA Southeast Regionals (Gainesville, Fla.) 2nd, 196.625
STATISTICS
Discipline Ranking RQS Average High
Overall No. 9 196.510 196.027 196.925
Vault No. 6 49.315 49.217 49.425
Bars No. 2 49.350 49.090 49.425
Beam No. 10 49.125 48.933 49.350
Floor No. 17 49.025 48.787 49.300
HOW THEY GOT HERE
UCLA enters the National Championship as the No. 9 seed out of 12 teams. The Bruins lost just two dual meets during the regular season, to powerhouses Utah and Georgia. The postseason has been a bit disappointing, as the Bruins were forced to count a fall on floor in the Pac-10 Championship, taking third place. UCLA earned a ticket to Athens after finishing a distant second to Florida in the Southeast Regional.
NCAA HISTORY
One of the blue-chip programs in women's gymnastics, the Bruins are one of the four teams to have ever captured a National Championship. In fact, UCLA is the last program other than Georgia to win the title, last holding the trophy in 2004. At that time, the Bruins had won four of five championships, but have not finished above fourth place in the nation since.
KEY PLAYERS
The Bruins' roster sports four gymnasts capable of performing in the all-around. Tasha Schwikert, who was the NCAA all-around champion as a freshman in 2005, will look to reclaim her title this season in the absence of Georgia's Courtney Kupets, who has won the last two seasons. She was kept out of the all-around in the Pac-10 Championship and returned with a 39.450 in the Southeast Regional, but head coach Valorie Kondos Field has been encouraged by Schwikert's performance in practice in the week leading up to the National Championship.
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