This week...
Wed., Feb. 28, 7 p.m. -- GYMNASTICS v WESTERN MICHIGAN, Brougham Pavilion, Seattle, Wa.
Fri., Mar. 2, 7 p.m. -- GYMNASTICS v UC DAVIS, Brougham Pavilion, Seattle, Wa.

Complete Women's Gymnastics Schedule

Two at home...
Fresh from posting the second-highest team score in school history and an upset of one of the top Division I teams in the West, the No. 3-ranked Seattle Pacific University gymnastics team concludes the home portion of the 2001 schedule this week with two meets in three days. The Falcons (5-6) host Western Michigan (7-5) Wednesday night (Feb. 28) and regional rival and No. 4-ranked UC Davis (2-7) Friday night (Mar. 2). The final four regular season meets are all on the road, beginning Mar. 9 at San Jose State.

Ticket information...
General admission tickets for all home gymnastics meets are priced $5, with students and senior citizens $3. Team and group rates are available by calling (206) 281-2085 in advance.

Near-record again...
Returning home following two consecutive meets on the road, Seattle Pacific earned a season-high total of 192.475 points. Better still, they came from behind on the final rotation to upset Sacramento State, which finished with 192.075. The SPU score was second only to the school record of 192.650, set in 1998. It was the Falcons' fourth score in excess of 191 points in the last five meets, however they still trail Air Force and Texas Woman's in the national rankings.

On their way again...
Although there was never really ever any doubt, Seattle Pacific has virtually assured itself a trip to the national championships for the 19th year in a row. It was fourth the previous two years and won national titles in 1986, '92 and '97. Coach Laurel Tindall (26th year) originally framed this as a rebuilding season, yet the Falcons are averaging 189.896‹more than two points ahead of last season at the same stage. UC Davis will host the USAG Championships Apr. 12-14.

Floor show wins it...
Against Sacramento State, the Falcons found themselves behind by 0.525 points after three events but outscored the Hornets on the last rotation, 48.600-47.725. It marked a season-high on floor and the 48.525 vault score, which started the meet, was a new school record. The old mark was 48.400, set in 1997. In defeating Sac State head-to-head for the first time in the last 11 encounters, SPU earned better scores in three of the four events, dropping only the bars.

School record for Siegel...
For a team to put up a huge team score, nearly every gymnast must perform her best, and last week Alison Siegel (Jr., Oakland, Ca./Redwood) accomplished not only that, but also the best all-around score in school history. Siegel, who began the season with a sore shoulder and only joined the bars lineup two weeks earlier, not only bettered her own career-high but broke Deni Boswell's standard of 39.025. Siegel started off by winning the vault with a crisp landing and a 9.850, and then had her first solid showing of the year on bars, scoring 9.700. She proceeded to win the beam at 9.825 and finished with a third-place 9.750 on floor for a four-event total of 39.125. It is the second school record for Siegel this season; she set a beam mark of 9.925 in the first home meet Feb. 3.

Kudos to Kawasaki too...
With Siegel back competing all-around, Erin Kawasaki (Sr., Seattle, Wa./Kennedy) earned a much-deserved break from competing in all four events and was able to focus her attention on her specialty, the uneven bars. A returning All-American on that apparatus, Kawasaki swung a 9.775, good for a three-way tie with Sac State's Jolanne Parr and Toni Peterson for first place. She also vaulted a career-best 9.650.

Other podium finishes...
Kim Carey (Sr., Everett, Wa./Mariner) claimed a couple medals during the meet. She vaulted career-high 9.700 to finish third, and then figured prominently in the comeback on floor, scoring a 9.800 for second place. The Hornets' Jami Scoville won floor with a 9.825. Carey also swung a 9.600 on the uneven bars. Anastasia Ahr (Fr., Chelan, Wa./Blessed Hope) figures to become a fixture in the beam lineup after her 9.700, which was No. 2 on the team and third in the meet. Kristen Strid (So., Kingsburg, Ca./Kingsburg Joint Union) finished third in the all-around with a 36.750.

Gym shorts...
All but one Falcon scored a 9.5 or higher on vault. Missy McLaughlin (Jr., Federal Way, Wa./Decatur) hit a career-high 9.675 and Jennifer Christman (Fr., Fairfield, Ca./Benicia, Ca.) stuck a 9.650...Cassie Althauser (Sr., Centralia, Wa.) performed her bar routine for a 9.625 and walked the beam for a 9.600...Courtney Stump (Jr., Poulsbo, Wa./Charles Wright) returned to action and danced to a 9.675 on floor. She had been sidelined with a sore heel...Rachael Anderson (Fr., Yakima, Wa./West Valley) also scored 9.675 on floor.

Series, opponents notes...
This will be the first meeting between Western Michigan and Seattle Pacific. The Broncos have scored 191.950 or higher in each of their eight meets, including scores of 194 or higher in their last two outings...SPU leads the series with UC Davis 18-15. The Aggies return all-arounder Ericka Ruelas who was national champion on the uneven bars and floor exercise at last year's national meet. They have scored and average of 189.063 with a high score of 191.825.

National rankings...
Siegel owns the nation's highest score on beam (9.925) and the nation's top score in the all-around (39.425). She ranks No. 2 in vault average (9.607). Kawasaki is No. 2 in bars average (9.68), Strid is No. 2 in all-around (37.582), Carey is No. 4 on bars (9.582) and third on floor exercise (9.705), Althauser is sixth on beam (9.500) and Christman is No. 5 on vault (9.511).

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. Third place on vault against Sac State
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 three meets
Rachael Anderson Fr/RS Yakima, Wa. Career-high 9.675 on floor vs. San Jose
Kim Carey Sr/3V Everett, Wa. Career high on floor at Boise
Jennifer Christman Fr/C1 Benicia, Ca. Won vault first two meets against Anchorage
Erin Kawasaki Sr/2V Seattle, Wa. Won bars against Sac State
Missy McLaughlin Jr/2V Federal Way, Wa. Career high vault in Sac State win
Ai Nakayama Fr/C1 Bellevue, Wa. Scored career-high on beam against San Jose
Alison Siegel Jr/2V Oakland, Ca. Record owner on beam (9.925) and all-around (39.425)
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. Competed bar exhibition against Sac State
Coach: Laurel Tindall (25 years, SPU record 318-279-1)

Women's Gymnastics Roster

2001 high scores...
Name Vault Bars Beam Floor All-Around
Anastasia Ahr dnc dnc 9.700 9.375 dnc
Cassie Althauser dnc 9.700 9.775 9.525 dnc
Courtney Amonsen dnc dnc 9.050 dnc dnc
Rachael Anderson dnc dnc dnc 9.675 dnc
Kim Carey 9.700 9.675 dnc 9.800 dnc
Jennifer Christman 9.700 9.350 9.525 9.400 36.675
Erin Kawasaki 9.650 9.825 9.800 9.525 38.375
Missy McLaughlin 9.675 9.400 7.850 dnc dnc
Ai Nakayama dnc dnc 9.550 dnc dnc
Alison Siegel 9.850 9.700 *9.925 9.750 *39.425
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 *48.525 48.100 48.075 48.600 192.475
Boldface indicates career-high *School record (e exhibition)