2008-09 WIAC Women's Gymnastics Season Headlines

Two Claim Academic All-America Women’s At-Large Honors

RELEASED:  Thursday, June 11, 2009

MADISON, Wis.--Two Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) individuals have been named to the 2009 CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America College Division Women’s At-Large Team.

UW-La Crosse’s Chelsea Hoff was a first team selection, while Winona State University’s Melissa Baudhuin and UW-La Crosse’s Jackie LaFleur were second team picks.  UW-Whitewater’s Ingrid Stensvaag secured third team recognition.

Eligible sports are bowling, crew, fencing, field hockey, golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, rifle, skiing, swimming, tennis and water polo.

Hoff, a junior from Middleton, Wis., is a member of the Eagle swimming team and carries a 4.00 grade point average, while majoring in fitness and physical therapy.  She is one of three individuals on the 15-member first team to achieve at least a 4.00 grade point average.  Hoff becomes the third person in program history to secure Academic All-America accolades.

A sophomore gymnast from Oshkosh, Wis. (West), Baudhuin is majoring in chemistry and boasts a 4.00 grade point average.  She is the third individual in Warrior listings to capture Academic All-America recognition.

LaFleur, a senior gymnast from New Brighton, Minn. (Irondale), owns a 3.85 grade point average and is majoring in computer science.  She is the fourth gymnast in Eagle history to secure Academic All-America accolades.

A member of the tennis squad, Stensvaag is a junior from Palatine, Ill.  She maintains a 4.00 grade point average and is majoring in health and human performance.  Stensvaag is the first Warhawk tennis player to earn Academic All-America honors and first from the WIAC since UW-Eau Claire’s Alison Hover and UW-Oshkosh’s Debra Ashenbrenner in 2003.

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Four Claim Women’s Academic All-District Accolades

RELEASED: Wednesday, May 27, 2009

MADISON, Wis.--Four Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) individuals have been named to the 2009 CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Five College Division Women’s At-Large Team.

UW-La Crosse’s Chelsea Hoff and Jackie LaFleur, UW-Whitewater’s Ingrid Stensvaag and Winona State University’s (Minn.) Melissa Baudhuin were first team picks, while UW-Whitewater’s Ashley George and Winona State University’s Alexandra Nugent were second team selections.

The team is comprised of all NCAA Division II, Division III and NAIA student-athletes from Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and Minnesota and is voted on by members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).  Eligible sports are bowling, crew, fencing, field hockey, golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, rifle, skiing, swimming, tennis and water polo.

Hoff, a junior swimmer from Middleton, Wis., is majoring in fitness and pre-professional therapy and boasts a 4.00 grade point average.  LaFleur is a senior gymnast from New Brighton, Minn. (Irondale), and carries a 3.85 grade point average, while majoring in computer science.

Stensvaag, junior tennis player from Palatine, Ill., maintains a 4.00 grade point average and is majoring in health and human performance.  Baudhuin, a sophomore gymnast from Oshkosh, Wis. (West), holds a 4.00 grade point average and is majoring in chemistry.

All four first team representatives are eligible for the Academic All-America Team that will be announced June 11.  Hoff, Stensvaag and Baudhuin represent three of four individuals on the 10-member first team that boast a 4.00 grade point average.

A senior gymnast from East Dubuque, Ill., George maintains a 3.90 grade point average and is majoring in early childhood education, while Nugent is a senior gymnast from Sheboygan, Wis. (North). Nugent was a first team choice a year ago and is majoring in education and Spanish, while carrying a 3.95 grade point average.

NACGC/W Announces Regional Winners

RELEASED:  Thursday, April 23, 2009

MADISON, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Stout all-arounder Meghan Hargens has been named the 2009 National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches/Women (NACGC/W) Division III West Region gymnast of the year, while Winona State University’s Beckie Rolbiecki was named the coach of the year.  Blue Devil assistant coach Jeremy Manthey was named the regional assistant coach of the year, while UW-Whitewater Athletics Director Paul Plinske claimed the administrator of the year prize.

Hargens, a junior from Rosemount, Minn., won her first Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) all-around title and finished second at the National Collegiate Gymnastics Association (NCGA) championship in the all-around.  Hargens also earned individual All-American awards on the uneven bars and the floor exercise and was the WIAC uneven bars champion.

Hargens was the only NCAA Division III level gymnast to advance to the NCAA Division I regional meet.

Throughout the course of the season, Hargens hit on all 50 of her routines. Translation: she did not fall in any of her exercises all season long.  Hargens finished first in the all-around in her first 10 meets of the year.

A team captain, Hargens holds 14 of the top 15 all-time all-around scores in UW-Stout history.  She was the first UW-Stout gymnast to break 38.00 in the all-around, shattering her own school record with a 38.450 at Arizona in February.  She broke 38.00 six times this season and only once slipped below a 37.00.

Hargens' top individual event is the uneven bars.  She set a school record on the first night of the NCGA championship with a 9.725 and went on to finish fourth in the event.  Of the top 15 UW-Stout scores on the uneven bars, Hargens owns 12 of those scores.  Hargens' name is also sprinkled liberally in all-time scores for the vault, beam and floor exercise.

Rolbiecki is in her fourth season in charge of the Warriors and directed the squad to a third-place finish at this year’s WIAC championship and a fourth-place standing at the NCGA meet.  She also claimed WIAC coach of the year honors.

Manthey just completed his third year as an assistant for the Blue Devils.  He has worked seven seasons at the illustrious Camp Owens Gymnastics camp in northern Wisconsin.  Manthey has been coaching gymnastics since 2000, and got his start at the South Wood County YMCA. 

Plinske earned the administrative prize for the second straight year.  He is in his fifth season as Athletics Director at UW-Whitewater.  Plinske is the chair of the NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championships Committee and a member of the NCGA Division III Executive Committee.

UW-Eau Claire To Host NCGA Championship

RELEASED:  Thursday, April 16, 2009

MADISON, Wis.--The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Athletics program will host the 2011 National Collegiate Gymnastics Association (NCGA) Championships, March 25 and 26, NCGA officials recently announced.

“We appreciate the opportunity the NCGA has given us to host this prestigious event,” UW-Eau Claire Director of Athletics Scott Kilgallon said.

2011 will be the second time the Blugolds have hosted the event with the last time being 2003. It will also be the second year in a row the Blugolds will be a national championship site as they will host the NCAA Division III Softball Championships in 2010.

Blugold gymnastics head coach Jean DeLisle is also excited about the opportunity to showcase the Blugolds and UW-Eau Claire on a national level.

“With the history UW-Eau Claire has hosting large tournaments, along with the major renovations the McPhee Physical Education Center has had over the last year, nationals will be a great opportunity to showcase both our student-athletes and campus.”

The NCGA is an organization made up of 16 member institutions that compete at the NCAA Division III level.  In 2010, nationals will be held at Springfield College in Springfield, Mass., March 26 to 27.

The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference has captured 15 NCGA championships with UW-La Crosse earning titles in 1986, 1988, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2009 and UW-Oshkosh winning the crown in 1989 and 2007.

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Hargens Wraps Up Season At Division I Regional

RELEASED: April 4, 2009

IOWA CITY, Iowa--UW-Stout's Meghan Hargens finished 18th in the all-around at the NCAA Division I North Central Gymnastics Regional Saturday at the Carver-Hawkeye Arena at the University of Iowa Saturday.

Hargens, the only NCAA Division III gymnast competing in any of the NCAA regional meets, was 18th in the all-around with a score of 38.325, only .125 points off her own school record.

Hargens was 39th on the vault (9.525), 35th on the uneven bars (9.60), 35th on the balance beam (9.425) and 22nd on the floor exercise (9.775).

Hargens is the first Stout gymnast to compete in an NCAA Division I championship meet since several men gymnasts did in the early 1980s.

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UW-Stout’s Hargens To Participate In NCAA Division I Regional

RELEASED:  Thursday, March 26, 2009

MADISON, Wis.--University of Wisconsin-Stout’s Meghan Hargens will participate in the NCAA Division I North Central Regional at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa, on April 4.  She is the only NCAA Division III gymnast that will compete in the event.

Division I, II and III gymnasts have the opportunity to qualify to the NCAA Division I Regionals. The NCAA counts the gymnasts' top six all-around scores of the current season. Hargens, who last year was a second alternate to the Division I meet, averaged 37.995, enough to earn the fifth and final all-around spot at the North Central Region, just edging past Danielle Goldman of Brigham Young.  All-arounders compete on all four events - vault, uneven bars, balance beam and floor exercise.

Teams that have qualified to the 2009 North Central Region include Florida, UCLA, Minnesota, Denver, Iowa State and Iowa. Utah State, coached by former UW-Stout coach Jeff Richards, will have several individual performers and alternates at the regional meet, as will the Air Force Academy and Brigham Young. The top two teams and top two all-arounders (who are not on an advancing team) receive a berth to the NCAA Division I Championship at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, Neb., on April 16-18.

The UW-Stout all-around gymnast has hit successfully on all 46 of her routines this season.  In 10-of-11 meets, Hargens finished first in the all-around - including when the Blue Devils went up against NCAA Division I Arizona and Brown University.  She also claimed the all-around and vault titles at this year’s Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship. 

A team captain, Hargens holds 14 of the top 15 all-time all-around scores in UW-Stout history.  She was the first Blue Devil gymnast to break 38.00 in the all-around, shattering her own school record with a 38.450 at Arizona in February.  She has broken 38.00 five times this season and only once slipped below a 37.00.

Hargens' top individual event is the uneven bars.  She set a new school record on the first night of the National Collegiate Gymnastics Association championships with a 9.725 and went on to finish fourth in the event.  Of the top 15 UW-Stout scores on the uneven bars, Hargens owns 12 of those scores.

She has earned seven total All-America awards.

UW-La Crosse Captures Second Straight NCGA Championship

RELEASED:  Sunday, March 22, 2009

ST. PAUL, Minn. --University of Wisconsin-La Crosse won its second straight National Collegiate Gymnastics Association (NCGA) championship during team competition held at Hamline University (Minn.) on March 20.

The Eagles secured the 13th title in program listings, and ninth in the last 11 seasons, with 186.875 team points to surpass SUNY-Brockport’s second-place sum of 184.950 points.  UW-Whitewater finished third with 184.850 points, while Winona State (Minn.) was fourth with 184.600, Ithaca College (N.Y.) fifth with 183.600, SUNY-Cortland sixth with 182.750 and Hamline University seventh with 179.200.

UW-Whitewater head coach Jennifer White was named the NCGA Coach of the Year.

During individual competition on March 21, UW-Whitewater’s Ashley George won the national crown in the uneven bars with a mark of 9.750.  She is third individual in program history to earn a first-place finish at the national meet.

Hamline’s Kristen Weniger and UW-Stout’s Naomi DeLara shared the national title in the floor exercise with Kira Oldham-Curtis of Ursinus College (Pa.) with a score of 9.750.  DeLara was the national champion in the balance beam last year.

The NCGA also announced a Senior Academic All-America Team that included: UW-Eau Claire's Leah Gilseth, Staci Solin and Anna Sutherland, UW-La Crosse's Jackie LaFleur and Erin Sommer, UW-Oshkosh's Anne Austad, UW-Whitewater's Allison Annala, Katie Cosentino, Danielle Crinzi, Ashley George and Angel Simonini, Gustavus Adolphus' Christina Askham, Aryn Bell, Jessica Dolan, Laura Hansen, Meghan Johnson, Julia Kruchoski, Catherine Osterhaus and Jaime Tsurusaki, Hamline University's Alisha Anderson, Ali Clausen, Jessica Ferguson, Alexandra Hughes, Brynn Stenslie, Andrea Stroymeyer and Kristen Weniger and Winona State's Heidi Kick, Renae Lee, Alexandra Nugent, Eileen Strube, Melissa Vodvarka and Jory Waldron.

The top 10 individuals in the all-around competition secured NCGA All-America status, while competitors placing in the top six in the individual events were named All-America First Team and individuals finishing 7 through 12 received All-America Second Team status.

WIAC All-Americans:
Vault:  Gabi Hooper (UW-La Crosse-Second), Jackie LaFleur (UW-La Crosse-Third), Kristen Weniger (Hamline-Third), Allison Nelson (UW-Whitewater-Sixth), Alexandra Nugent (Winona State-Eighth), Melissa Baudhuin (Winona State-12th)

Uneven Bars:  Ashley George (UW-Whitewater-Champion), Meghan Hargens (UW-Stout-Fourth), Schaelyn McFadden (UW-La Crosse-Fourth), Mary Ann Oehlerking (UW-Oshkosh-Seventh), Mackenzie Howard (UW-La Crosse-Ninth), Kelsey Matula (UW-La Crosse-12th)

Balance Beam:  Melissa Baudhuin (Winona State-Second), Katie Gregory (Winona State-Fourth), Justin Weyer (UW-Whitewater-Fifth), Eileen Strube (Winona State-Sixth), Danielle Doll (UW-Whitewater-Eighth), Amanda Cotter (Winona State-Eighth), Rachel Budelier (UW-La Crosse-10th), Erin Sommer (UW-La Crosse-12th)

Floor Exercise:  Naomi DeLara (UW-Stout-Champion), Kristen Weniger (Hamline-Champion), Courtney Gonzales (UW-La Crosse-Fourth), Gabi Hooper (UW-La Crosse-Fourth), Meghan Hargens (UW-Stout-Fourth), Jackie LaFleur (UW-La Crosse-Eighth), Alexandra Nugent (Winona State-10th), Kelsey Matula (UW-La Crosse-12th), Erin Sommer (UW-La Crosse-12th)

All-Around:  Meghan Hargens (UW-Stout-Second), Justine Weyer (UW-Whitewater-Fifth), Jackie LaFleur (UW-La Crosse-Sixth), Alexandra Nugent (Winona State-Seventh), Kelsey Matula (UW-La Crosse-Eighth), Stacie Jenkins (UW-Oshkosh-Ninth)

Winona State’s Nugent Secures Women’s Gymnastics Scholar-Athlete Award

RELEASED:  Tuesday, March 10, 2009

MADISON, Wis.--Winona State University’s Alexandra Nugent has been named the 2009 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Judy Kruckman Women’s Gymnastics Scholar-Athlete.

A senior from Sheboygan, Wis. (North), Nugent boasts a 3.95 grade point average and is majoring in TESOL/Spanish education.  She was named to the 2008 CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America College Division Women’s At-Large Second Team.  Hughes is a three-time National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches/Women Scholar All-American and has been recognized on Winona State’s Dean’s List every semester.  She has received numerous academic scholarships from her institution.

Nugent claimed National Collegiate Gymnastics Association All-America First Team honors in three events last season - placing third in the vault and balance beam and seventh in the all-around.  She added All-America honorable mention recognition in the floor exercise with an 11th-place finish.  Nugent is a four-time All-WIAC performer, finishing third in the vault a year ago, and in 2007, she recorded a fourth-place finish in the all-around and a sixth-place standing in the balance beam.  In 2006, Nugent posted a sixth-place finish in the balance beam.

Nugent is a member of the VOCES Spanish Club and the Spanish National Honor Society.  She has volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, Spruce-Up Winona, Chinese Club, Chartwells and language exchange.  Nugent has served as a tutor and teach at her institution.

Also nominated for this year’s scholar-athlete award were:  UW-Eau Claire’s Anna Sutherland (Sr., Arden Hills, Minn./Roseville), UW-La Crosse’s Jackie LaFleur (Sr., New Brighton, Minn./Irondale) and Erin Sommer (Sr., Racine, Wis./Horlick), UW-Whitewater’s Danielle Crinzi (Sr., New Berlin, Wis./Eisenhower) and Ashley George (Sr., East Dubuque, Ill.), Gustavus Adolphus’ Christine Askham (Sr., Arvada, Colo.), Laura Hansen (Sr., Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Simley), Julia Kruchoski (Sr., Chisholm, Minn.) and Catherine Osterhaus (Sr., Eagan, Minn.) and Hamline’s Ali Clausen (Newport, Wash.), Alexandra Hughes (Sr., Sioux Falls, S.D.), Brynn Stenslie (Sr., Renton, Wash.) and Kristen Weniger (Sr., Eagan, Minn.).

The WIAC Scholar-Athlete Award is named after Judy Kruckman who served as Assistant Commissioner for the WIAC from 1996-98.  Prior to this appointment, she functioned as Commissioner of the Wisconsin Women's Intercollegiate Athletic Conference from October, 1984 - September, 1996.

In order to be nominated for the scholar-athlete award, a student-athlete must have a minimum 3.25 grade point average, be in their last year of competition, or on schedule to graduate this academic year, and have competed for a minimum of two years.

Winona State’s Rolbiecki Named Women’s Gymnastics Coach of the Year

RELEASED:  Tuesday, March 10, 2009

MADISON, Wis.--Winona State University women’s gymnastics head coach Beckie Rolbiecki has been named the 2009 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Coach of the Year, based on a vote of the league coaches.

Rolbiecki is in her fourth season in charge of the Warriors and directed the squad to a third-place finish at this year’s WIAC championship.   She also earned the conference award during the 2006 campaign.

UW-La Crosse Captures 13th Consecutive Women’s Gymnastics Crown

RELEASED:  Saturday, March 7, 2009

WINONA, Minn.--University of Wisconsin-La Crosse claimed its 13th consecutive Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Women’s Gymnastics Championship at Winona State University’s (Minn.) McCown Gymnasium on the campus of Winona State University (Minn.) on March 6.

The meet also served as the West Region qualifier for the National Collegiate Gymnastics Association (NCGA) Championship.

The Eagles secured the 20th WIAC championship in program history, and seventh straight NCGA West Region crown, with 187.200 team points to surpass UW-Whitewater’s second-place total of 185.100 points.  Winona State finished third with 182.925 points, while UW-Stout was fourth with 180.850, UW-Oshkosh fifth with 179.925, Gustavus Adolphus College (Minn.) sixth with 179.400, Hamline University (Minn.) seventh with 178.875 and UW-Eau Claire eighth with 173.450.

UW-La Crosse, UW-Whitewater, Winona State and Hamline advance to the NCGA championship that will be hosted by Hamline on March 20-21.

UW-Stout’s Meghan Hargens claimed the all-around title with a score of 38.050 and the floor exercise with a mark of 9.650.  She is the first individual in program history to win the floor exercise and just the second to secure the all-around crown (Tasha Pasch-2001, 2002).   Hargens was followed in the all-around standings by UW-La Crosse’s Kelsey Matula (37.725), Hamline’s Kristen Weniger (37.600), UW-Whitewater’s Justine Weyer (37.525) and Ashley George (37.425) and UW-La Crosse’s Jackie LaFleur (37.300).

In the floor exercise, Hargens topped UW-La Crosse’s Courtney Gonzales (9.625), UW-Stout’s Naomi DeLara (9.625), UW-La Crosse’s Erin Sommer (9.600) and Gabi Hooper (9.575) and Gustavus Adolphus’ Christine Askham (9.550), UW-Oshkosh's Jaslyn Essman (9.550) and Weniger (9.550).

Weniger and Hooper shared the vault with a WIAC championship-tying score of 9.675.  They were followed by UW-Whitewater’s Allison Nelson (9.575), LaFleur (9.550), Weyer (9.550), DeLara (9.500) and Hargens (9.500).

UW-Whitewater’s Justine Weyer was victorious in the uneven bars for the second consecutive season with a mark of 9.400.  They were trailed by Hargens (9.400), UW-Stout’s Rachel Manz (9.375), UW-Whitewater’s Danielle Crinzi (9.375), Matula (9.350) and UW-Eau Claire’s Theresa Lynch (9.300).

UW-La Crosse’s Mackenzie Howard earned the balance beam crown with a score of 9.650.  She also won the event at the 2006 meet.  This year, she was followed by Matula (9.600), UW-Whitewater’s Ashley George (9.550), Hargens (9.500), Hooper (9.350) and UW-Whitewater’s Leah Applin (9.300).

The top six finishers in each event secured All-Conference recognition.

Winona State’s Alexandra Nugent was received the Judy Kruckman Scholar-Athlete Award, while the Warriors’ Beckie Rolbiecki was voted the Coach of the Year.

Named to the All-Sportsmanship Team were:  UW-Eau Claire’s Diana Eisenberg, UW-La Crosse’s Kelsey Matula, UW-Oshkosh’s Anne Austad, UW-Stout’s Morgan Trumble, UW-Whitewater’s Angel Simonini, Gustavus Adolphus’ Catherine Osterhause, Hamline’s Ali Clausen and Winona State’s Eileen Strube.

Individual Event Champions:
Vault:  Kristen Weniger (Hamline) and Gabi Hooper (UW-La Crosse), 9.675
Uneven Bars:  Justine Weyer (UW-Whitewater), 9.400
Balance Beam:  Mackenzie Howard (UW-La Crosse), 9.650
Floor Exercise:  Meghan Hargens (UW-Stout), 9.650
All-Around:  Meghan Hargens (UW-Stout), 38.050

Judy Kruckman Scholar-Athlete:  Alexandra Nugent of Winona State
Coach of the Year:  Beckie Rolbiecki of Winona State

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