Issued: March 5, 2004

GYMNASTS TAKE SECOND AT WIAC CHAMPIONSHIP

LA CROSSE - The UW-Eau Claire women's gymnastics team posted a team score of 181.550 en route to a second place finish out of five teams at the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Gymnastics Championship here tonight in Mitchell Hall.

UW-La Crosse won the event for the eighth straight year, posting a mark of 186.700, a new WIAC Championship record. UW-Oshkosh claimed third place with a score of 176.500 while UW-Whitewater and UW-Stout rounded out the pack.

The Blugolds had individuals place second, third and fourth in the all-around competition. Heading the list was Lynn Morris (So.-Monticello, IN/Twin Lakes) who took second with a score of 37.275. Morris earned top-five finishes in three events: the balance beam, the uneven bars, and the vault. She took second place on the beam (9.450), fourth place on the vault (9.475), and fifth place on the bars (9.100).

Alison Eagles (Jr.-Shoreview, MN/Mounds View) took third place in the all-around with a score of 36.425 while claiming her second straight conference championship in the vault with a score of 9.650. The mark is a new Mitchell Hall record. Eagles also took sixth on the bars with a score of 9.050.

Chelsea Romportl (Fr.-Rice Lake) took fourth place in the all-around in her first ever conference championship meet. Romportl finished with an all-around score of 36.025. She earned a seventh-place finish on the balance beam with a score of 9.125.

Ashley Nelson (Sr.-Darwin, MN/Litchfield) had a strong showing in the vault competition, claiming ninth place with a score of 9.275.

UW-La Crosse's Ashley Koechel took first place in the all-around with a score of 37.350, a new WIAC Championship record. The Falcons' Nina Schubert also claimed a championship record, winning the uneven bars competition with a score of 9.675.

The Blugolds will look to top the Falcons Thursday when they travel to La Crosse for a 6:00 p.m. dual meet against the WIAC champions.

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