UW-L Wins WIAC Championship/NCGA West Regional

For Immediate Release: Saturday, March 8, 2008

St. Paul, Minn. – The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse gymnastics team captured its 12th straight WIAC Championship and sixth consecutive NCGA West Regional title Saturday afternoon at Hutton Arena on the campus of Hamline University. With the regional win, UW-L advances to the NCGA Championships in Cortland, New York March 28-29.

The Eagles finished with a team score of 186.200 while UW-Whitewater was second at 186.025. Winona State University placed third (183.225) followed by UW-Eau Claire (179.750), UW-Stout (178.925), UW-Oshkosh (178.250), Gustavus Adolphus College (176.750) and Hamline University (174.950).

UW-L’s Jackie LaFleur finished third in the all-around Saturday (37.400) while Erin Sommer placed fourth (37.075) and Mackenzie Howard 11th (36.175).

Gabi Hooper took the balance beam title (9.625) while also tying for third in the vault (9.500).

LaFleur finished second on the uneven parallel bars (9.500) while tying for fifth on the floor exercise (9.450) and ninth on the vault (9.350). Howard was eighth on the uneven bars (9.350) and tied for eighth on the floor exercise (9.450) with Sommer. Sommer also tied for seventh on the balance beam (9.400).

The Eagles’ Kelsey Matula finished third on the balance beam (9.575). UW-L’s Kasey Clausen was sixth on the uneven bars (9.350) while Jessalyn Kimball and Schaelyn McFadden tied for ninth (9.250).

Clausen was also selected the WIAC Co-Scholar-Athlete.

UW-L returns to action Friday, March 28 at the NCGA Championships.