UW-L Falls at NCAA I Illinois State University; Hooper Wins Vault

For Immediate Release: Sunday, Feb. 22, 2009

Normal, Ill. – The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse gymnastics team fell 193.200-188.975 at NCAA Division I Illinois State University Sunday afternoon in Horton Field House. The Eagles set season-highs in the vault (48.175), uneven parallel bars (46.075), floor exercise (48.275) and team score (188.975).

UW-L's vault score set a new school record while its team score ranks fifth in schol history. The floor exercise mark Sunday is now tied for fourth in school history and the uneven parallel bars mark is tied for 10th.

The Eagles' Gabi Hooper captured the vault Sunday with a school record score of 9.900. She broke the record of teammate Jackie LaFleur (9.775) who set her mark Sunday after a third-place finish. Hooper was also fifth in the floor exercise (9.750) while LaFleur placed fourth in the all-around (36.675).

Kelsey Matula was second in the all-around Sunday as she set a school record with a score of 38.175. She also placed third on the balance beam (9.700) and fourth on the uneven bars (9.550).

Mackenzie Howard was third in the all-around with a score of 38.050, which ranks third in UW-L history. She finished fourth on the balance beam (9.650), tied for sixth on the vault (9.600) and was seventh on the uneven bars (9.300).

Other top finishers for UW-L included Rachel Budelier placing seventh on the balance beam (9.500) and Schaelyn McFadden eighth on the uneven bars (9.225). The Eagles' Courtney Gonzales was seventh on the floor exercise (9.725) while teammate Erin Sommer finished eighth (9.700).

For complete results, click here.

UW-L returns to action Tuesday, Feb. 24 at Winona State University (Minn.) at 6:30 p.m.