This week...
Sat., Feb. 3, 7 p.m. -- GYMNASTICS at SACRAMENTO STATE/UC SANTA BARBARA, Hornet Gymnasium, Sacramento, Ca.

Complete Women's Gymnastics Schedule

California, here we come...
After posting yet another one of the school's all-time top scores, the Seattle Pacific University gymnastics team goes on the road, looking for its first win in three meets. The Falcons (2-3), who have gone winless in the last two contests despite scoring over 191.400 in each, face Sacramento State (2-1), 18th-ranked in Division I, and UC Santa Barbara (1-4) Friday night (Feb. 9) in the California capital. SPU travels to Boise State Feb. 17 before a thee-meet homestand begins Feb. 24.

History in the making...
The Falcons proved their No. 4 all-time total Jan. 28 at Washington was no fluke last week. Reaffirming that the rebuilding project is way ahead of schedule, they scored 191.475 on homecoming night. It was the No. 7 score in school history and it marked the first time ever that the team has posted back-to-back scores in excess of 191. It was also the highest score for a home opener in program history. The school record for the highest team score ever is a 192.650, earned at the Western Independent Championships in 1998. Through four meets SPU is averaging 189.276 points, compared 187.331 at the same stage a year ago.

Still bigger scores...
Coach Laurel Tindall (26th year) was all smiles at homecoming, despite the fact that the Falcons lost by nearly two full points to San Jose State. Seattle Pacific hit a season-high 48.100 on the uneven bars as four athletes scored a 9.5 or better. In fact, the bars was the only event in which SPU defeated the Spartans head-to-head. Tindall's squad scored above 48 points on three of four events.

Siegel sets record...
There were several quality athletes at last week's meet. In fact, there were 12 scores of 9.8 or higher and only three below a 9.0. And the most impressive mark of all was Alison Siegel's (Jr., Oakland, Ca./Redwood) school and pavilion record performance on the balance beam. Siegel made the 4-inch wide apparatus look 4 feet in width, confidently and cleanly performing each and every trick for a score of 9.925. That eclipsed the longest-standing record at Seattle Pacific. Erica Thompson's record of 9.900 had stood since 1994 and, as fate would have it, she was on hand to see it fall. The old pavilion beam record was also 9.900. Siegel also won the vault with a 9.800. She was held out of the uneven bars because of a nagging shoulder injury.

Career-highs...
Although all-arounder Erin Kawasaki (Sr., Seattle, Wa./Kennedy) had a shaky vault to start the meet, she rebounded to win the uneven bars with a career-high mark of 9.825. Kristen Strid (So., Kingsburg, Ca./Kingsburg Joint Union) finished runner-up in the all-around to San Jose's Margaret Choy, who totaled 38.975. Strid swung the bars for a 9.725, walked the beam to a career-high 9.800 and tangoed the floor exercise, earning a 9.800 en route to a career-best 38.675 total score, tying her with Deni Boswell (1995-98) for the No. 5 mark on the school's all-time charts. It's notable that until this season Kawasaki performed solely on bars. Finally, Cassie Althauser (Sr., Centralia, Wa.) had a career night on the balance beam with a 9.775.

Medals in their future?...
After receiving All-America honors on vault and floor exercise as a freshman, Kim Carey (Sr., Everett, Wa./Mariner) has been absent from the podium at nationals since. In her final year, Carey is turning up the heat. She vaulted a 9.575, scored 9.675 on bars and capped the night with a 9.750 on her specialty, the floor exercise against San Jose State.

Freshman contributions...
Sure, they're young. But that's not keeping them from becoming contributing members of the team in their first year. The freshman class, despite injuries to some key people, has still produced three gymnasts who a regulars in the lineup. Redshirt freshman Rachael Anderson (Fr., Yakima, Wa./West Valley) broke into the floor exercise lineup last week and responded with a career-high 9.675. In the previous meet, Anderson performed an exhibition routine and earned a 9.800. Jennifer Christman (Fr., Fairfield, Ca./Benicia, Ca.) won her first three vaults of the season but a fall on her landing against the Spartans dropped her to a 9.075. Christman rebounded to swing a 9.325 on bars and was in the beam lineup as well. Ai Nakayama (Fr., Bellevue, Wa./Sammamish) improved her career-high beam score for the second week in a row, earning a 9.550.

Series, opponents notes...
The Falcons lead the series with Sacramento State 22-13 but the Hornets have had the higher score in the last nine common meets over two seasons. Wendy Baisdon is among the Division I leaders on bars and already has two scores of 9.900 this season. Sacramento State has twice scored above 193.500 this season...SPU is 10-0 versus UC Santa Barbara. The Gauchos have failed to score more than 185.200 in four meets. Like Seattle Pacific, their only win this season came vs. Alaska Anchorage.

National rankings...
It's a long time until the USA Gymnastics Championships but early returns show SPU will be in the thick of the team and individual races. The Falcons' average score is currently third behind defending champion Texas Woman's (190.825) and Air Force (190.412). Centenary is fourth at 188.612. Seattle Pacific is second to TWU on bars. Individually, Siegel owns the nation's highest scores on vault (9.800) and beam (9.925) and Strid has the No. 1 score in all-around (38.675).

Gym shorts...
San Jose State's total and beam (48.850) scores also broke pavilion records. Sacramento State scored 193.050 last season and had gone for 48.775 on the beam in 1996...Not since the final five meets of the 1997 season have the Falcons scored 190 or higher in three consecutive meets...Missy McLaughlin (Jr., Federal Way, Wa.) launched a 9.500 on vault and swung a 9.375 on the bars last week...Courtney Stump (Jr., Poulsbo, Wa./Charles Wright) improved upon last week's career high on floor exercise, dancing a 9.750 on the night's final event.

S-P-U on the W-E-B...
You can follow Seattle Pacific via the world wide web. The Falcons Online features weekly release, rosters, schedules, updated results, histories and coaching profiles for all 12 varsity sports. You're already here!

Personnel notes...
Name Yr/Exp. Hometown Notes
Anastasia Ahr Fr/C1 Chelan, Wa. Graduated from San Antonio's Blessed Hope
Cassie Althauser Sr/3V Centralia, Wa. Career high on balance beam vs. San Jose
Courtney Amonsen So/1V Redmond, Wa. Performed exhibition routines in last two meets
Rachael Anderson Fr/RS Yakima, Wa. Career-high 9.675 on floor vs. San Jose
Kim Carey Sr/3V Everett, Wa. All-America on vault and floor exercise as freshman
Jennifer Christman Fr/C1 Benicia, Ca. Won vault first two meets against Anchorage
Erin Kawasaki Sr/2V Seattle, Wa. Career-high on bars against San Jose.
Missy McLaughlin Jr/2V Federal Way, Wa. Career high vault and bars scores vs. San Jose
Ai Nakayama Fr/C1 Bellevue, Wa. Scored career-high on beam against San Jose
Alison Siegel Jr/2V Oakland, Ca. School record owner on balance beam (9.925)
Kristen Strid So/1V Kingsburg, Ca. Tied No. 5 all-time mark in all-around vs. San Jose
Courtney Stump Jr/2V Poulsbo, Wa. Career high on floor against San Jose
Amber Weddell Fr/C1 Stockton, Ca. Graduated from Lincoln High School
Coach: Laurel Tindall (25 years, SPU record 314-275-1)

Women's Gymnastics Roster

2001 high scores...
Name Vault Bars Beam Floor All-Around
Anastasia Ahr dnc dnc dnc dnc dnc
Cassie Althauser dnc 9.675 9.775 9.525 dnc
Courtney Amonsen dnc dnc dnc dnc dnc
Rachael Anderson dnc dnc dnc 9.675 dnc
Kim Carey 9.575 9.675 dnc 9.750 dnc
Jennifer Christman 9.700 9.325 9.525 9.400 36.675
Erin Kawasaki 9.575 9.825 9.800 9.475 38.375
Missy McLaughlin 9.500 9.400 7.850 dnc dnc
Ai Nakayama dnc dnc 9.550 dnc dnc
Alison Siegel 9.800 dnc *9.925 9.675 dnc
Kristen Strid 9.350 9.725 9.800 9.800 38.675
Courtney Stump 9.225e dnc 9.050 9.750 dnc
Amber Weddell dnc dnc dnc dnc dnc
TEAM 48.000 48.100 48.075 48.000 191.875
Boldface indicates career-high *School record (e exhibition)