Jan. 15, 2008

Walnut Creek, Calif. - UCLA's Anna Li has been named Pacific-10 Conference Gymnast of the Week for January 8-14, Commissioner Tom Hansen announced today.

Li, a sophomore from Aurora, Ill., won the all-around competition and three individual events - uneven bars, balance beam, and floor exercise - at the Lady Luck Invitational to lead UCLA to a first-place showing in the season opener. Her all-around mark of 39.45 was the highest by a UCLA gymnast in a season opener since 2005.

Li earned a 9.900 on the bars to earn one of just two 9.9+ scores in the competition and vaulted a 9.850 that helped the Bruins record the third-highest vault score in the nation so far this season. In the first national rankings of the season, Li stands at No. 3 on bars, No. 5 in the all-around, No. 13 on floor, and No. 16 on both beam and vault.

In addition, Stanford sophomore Carly Janiga was named the inaugural recipient of the Pac-10 Event Specialist of the Week award after winning balance beam with a 9.900 and placing fourth on uneven bars with a 9.825 against top-ranked Georgia.

ALSO NOMINATED:

Gymnast of the Week: Alexis Greene, ARIZ; Tiana Jean, ASU; Jessica Kelley, CAL; Mandi Rodriguez, OSU; Allyse Ishino, STAN; Ashley Houghting, WASH.

Event Specialist of the Week: Karin Wurm, ARIZ; Ashlee Hinkle, ASU; Avery Gee, CAL; Kera Bolen, OSU; Natalie Padilla, UCLA; Haley Bogart, WASH.

2008 Pac-10 Gymnasts of the Week: Jan. 14 - Anna Li, UCLA.

2008 Pac-10 Event Specialists of the Week: Jan. 14 - Carly Janiga, STAN.