April 15, 2002

UCSB has impressed all season and this past weekend, at the USAG Collegiate Championships in Springfield, Massachusetts, was no different. The Gauchos brought home their first trophy of the year, thanks to a second place finish in the team competition and some record-breaking performances from their junior class.

Santa Barbara lost the team competition by the slimmest of margins, only 7 tenths of a point, in what came down to a few minor faults and the judges opinions. William & Mary claimed the crown with combined score of 208.575, compared to UCSB's 207.875.

UCSB brought home some first place hardware, to go along with their team trophy, along the way breaking four school records in the process. Junior Stephen Smith set a new school record and personal record on the floor exercise with a score of 8.950, only to have a broken a few competitors later by Geoffrey Howell.

The junior Howell, posted an outstanding score of 9.150 to destroy the old score record of 8.800, which Smith and Howell held together going into the weekend. The score was recorded during the team competition, but Howell was unable to duplicate it in the floor exercise event final where he scored a low 8.000. Howell also dominated on the vault, where he finished first in the event final with a score of 9.375, just off his school record of 9.400.

Not that Co-Captain Stephen Smith would wish bad luck to any of his teammates, but he had to be annoyed as he tied the school record on the high bar at 9.100, only to have a record broken again, this time moments later by Junior Donald Mahr.

Mahr who was the only Gaucho to reach an event final at the NCAA Championships last weekend, posted a career and school high score of 9.300 to claim some first place hardware for himself. Mahr had another amazing weekend posting personal best in four events. Aside from the aforementioned high bar routine, Mahr set season personal highs on the floor exercise (8.775), still rings (8.650), and parallel bars (8.400).

Senior Co-Captain, and Nissen-Emery Award Finalist Michael Kelley finished his Gaucho career on the pommel horse with score of 8.600, landing him in 5th place. Junior Andre Badilla was right behind Kelley, scoring 8.450 and finishing 6th.

The results from this past weekend only furthered the legacy the 2002 men's gymnastics squad built all season long. What Head Coach Mircea Badulescu has said all season, "is the best team in school history" again went and proved their ability on the national scene. The team finishes the year ranked 14th nationally and with a record breaking season that will not be matched or bettered for some time.

Results

Team 1. William & Mary, 208.575; 2. UCSB, 207.875; 3. Navy, 207.825.

Event Finals

Vault 1. Geoffrey Howell, UCSB, 9.375; 2. Paul DiPalma, William & Mary, 9.300; 3. Tim Goetz, Springfield, 9.050.

High Bar 1. Donald Mahr, UCSB, 9.300; 2. (tie) Mike Turns, William & Mary, Stephen Smith, UCSB, 9.100.

Still Rings 1. Joshua Chasse, Springfield, 9.225; 2. Curtis Haines, Southern Connecticut, 8.925; 3. Dan Finnegan, Navy, 8.700

Pommel Horse 1. Jamie Northrup, William & Mary, 9.400; 2. Bryan Rowe, ASU, 9.050; 3. Billie Jamison, William & Mary, 8.700.

Floor Exercise 1. Scott O'Cain, Southern Connecticut, 9.200; 2. Aaron Jackson, Air Force, 8.975; 3. Tim Goetz, Springfield, 8.875.

Parallel Bars 1. Brendan Hoffman, William & Mary, 8.525, Tripp Glasgow, Navy, 8.450; 3. Aaron Jackson, Air Force, 8.400.