EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (Blugolds.com) - Olivia Aschenbrenner (Fr.-Cedarburg, Wis./Grafton) and Danielle Schulzetenberg (So.-Maple Grove, Minn.) led the UW-Eau Claire gymnastics team with All-American finishes while the Blugolds took sixth at the 2011 National Collegiate Gymnastics Association Championships at UW-Eau Claire today.
Aschenbrenner led the team with an eighth place finish in the all-around competition as she scored a 37.650, a career-high. Schulzetenberg also reached a career-high mark with a 37.150 to finish in 10th place. The all-around championship went to La Crosse's Christa Booman as she scored a 38.650. The top 10 in the all-around earn All-American honors.
In the team competition, UW-La Crosse captured its fourth straight national title after scoring 191.175. UW-Whitewater, this year's WIAC champion, took second with a score of 187.550. The Blugolds finished with 184.725 points, just over a half-point away from the third place finisher, Ithaca College (N.Y.), which finished with 185.375.
The sixth place finish for Eau Claire was its best since the 2005 season when the Blugolds took fourth. This was the first time since 2006 the Blugolds competed as a team at nationals.
In individual events, Aschenbrenner performed very well. She tied for first on the balance beam with a score of 9.825, a career-high and school record. She also had the Blugolds' best finish in the floor exercise with a 9.400, also a career-high, to tie for 25th place.
Schulzetenberg led the team as she tied for 11th place in the vault with a score of 9.575, a career-high.
On the uneven bars, Rachel Behmer (So.-Maple Grove, Minn./West Lutheran) had the Blugolds best finish as she took eighth with a mark of 9.400.
Tomorrow, three Blugolds will compete in the individual championships. Aschenbrenner will compete on the balance beam and uneven bars while Schulzetenberg will compete on the vault and Behmer will compete on the bars. A complete list of Saturday's qualifiers can be found at – http://www.uwecblugolds.com/sites/wgym/ncga2011/individuals_saturday.pdf
Saturday's competition will get underway at 3:30 p.m. in the McPhee Physical Education Center.
