April 22, 2006

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Corvallis, Ore. - UCLA senior Kate Richardson won her third career NCAA individual title by taking first on floor exercise with a 9.95, capping off a successful event finals for the Bruins, who also finished second and third on vault. Freshman Kristina Comforte placed second on vault with a 9.9, and Richardson was third with a 9.83125.

On floor exercise, Richardson performed ninth out of 11 competitors and needed to beat a 9.9375 posted by leader Courtney Kupets of Georgia. In her last competitive routine in her illustrious career, Richardson hit a nice double layout mount, and planted her high double pike dismount. She earned two perfect 10s to score a 9.95 to take over the lead. Her score held up after the last two competitors finished, giving Richardson her fifth NCAA trophy in her four years. She previously won NCAA team titles in 2003 and 2004 and the NCAA bars and beam titles in 2003.

Richardson was the fourth gymnast to compete on vault. Needing above 9.825 to place ahead of leader Janet Anson of Iowa State, Richardson first scored a 9.7875 on a Yurchenko full, getting good height on the vault. She nearly stuck the landing but had to take a step back at the last moment. On her second vault, she had the tiniest hop on her Omelianchik (Yurchenko half-on, pike front off) and scored a 9.875 for a two-vault average of 9.83125, good for first place. Richardson's lead was short-lived, however, after two-time vault champion Ashley Miles recorded a 9.975 on her first vault and finished with an average of 9.9375.

Comforte, who warmed up seven different vaults in the warm-up session, settled on a Yurchenko full and a layout Podkopayeva (Yurchenko half on, layout front half off). She stuck her Yurchenko full for the second-straight night and earned two more 10s from the six judges and a first-vault score of 9.9625. She had a powerful Podkopayeva on the second vault, taking just a small step back to score a 9.8375. Her average of 9.9 was good for second place, ahead of Richardson. UCLA has now won 26 NCAA individual titles, second only to Georgia, who has 29. The Bruins have won either team or individual titles every year since 1997.

Vault Results
1. Ashley Miles (Alabama), 9.9375
2. Kristina Comforte (UCLA), 9.9
3. Kate Richardson (UCLA), 9.83125
4t. Emily Parsons (Nebraska), Janet Anson (Iowa State), 9.825
6. April Burkholder (LSU), 9.8188
7. Nicolle Ford (Utah), 9.7875: 8. Ashley Postell (Utah), 9.78125
9. Tiffany Tolnay (Georgia), 9.775; Gritt Hofmann (Utah), 9.725

Uneven Bars Results
1t. Courtney Kupets (Georgia), Kristina Baskett (Utah), 9.85
3. Ashley Kelly (Arizona State), 9.8375
4. Katie Heenan (Georgia), 9.8
5. Nicolle Ford (Utah), 9.775
6. Ashley Postell (Utah), 9.7675
7. Lauren Mirkovich (Michigan), 9.7625
8. April Burkholder (LSU), 9.75
9. Tabitha Yim (Stanford), 9.325
10. Vanessa Meloche (Nebraska), 9.2375
11. Stephanie LoPiccolo (Oklahoma), 9.075

Balance Beam Results
1t. April Burkholder (LSU), Courtney Kupets (Georgia), 9.9125
3. Tiffany Tolnay (Georgia), 9.85
4. Terin Humphrey (Alabama), 9.825
5t. Corey Hartung (Florida), Nikki Childs (Georgia), 9.8125
7. Ashley Postell (Utah), 9.8
8. Tatjana Thuener-Rego (Michigan), 9.7625

Floor Exercise Results
1. Kate Richardson (UCLA), 9.95
2. Courtney Kupets (Georgia), 9.9375
3t. Tabitha Yim (Stanford), Ashley Miles (Alabama), Janet Anson (Iowa State), 9.9125
6. Emily Parsons (Nebraska), 9.9
7. Kelsey Ericksen (Georgia), 9.85
8t. April Burkholder (LSU), Corey Hartung (Florida), 9.8375
10. Tricia Woo (Nebraska), 9.75
11. Savannah Evans (Florida), 9.6625