This week...
Sat., Mar. 17, 7 p.m. -- GYMNASTICS at SHANICO INVITATIONAL, Gill Coliseum, Corvallis, Or.

Complete Women's Gymnastics Schedule

Some elite company...
Rising in the national rankings despite two losses last week, the No. 2-ranked Seattle Pacific University gymnastics team concludes the regular season at Oregon State's prestigious Shanico Invitational Saturday night (Mar. 17). The Falcons (6-10) will joins the likes of No. 15 Oregon State, No. 21 Washington and Cal State Fullerton, all ranked among the top six Division I teams in the West. The Western Independents Championships follow Mar. 24 in Sacramento.

How it stands...
Seattle Pacific surged ahead of defending national champion Texas Woman's in this week's ranking of teams eligible for the USA Gymnastics Collegiate Championships. The Falcons own a regional qualifying score (RQS) of 191.985, second only to the 192.665 of Air Force. TWU is third with 191.495. Last season, SPU finished fourth nationally. It is already assured of a trip to the USAG meet, scheduled for April 12-14 in Davis, Ca. Coach Laurel Tindall (26th year) guided the team to national titles in 1986, '92 and '97.

Sneak peek at Davis...
Last week the Birds got a sneak-peek of the national meet venue at UC Davis. Although Tindall said her team performed better than it had the night before at San Jose, and despite the fact no falls were counted, the Falcons slipped below 190 points for the first time in five meets.

Last week's scores...
at San Jose State 194.900, Seattle Pacific 191.450
California 194.700, at UC Davis 192.375, Seattle Pacific 189.925

National leaders...
During the first meet, at San Jose State, Alison Siegel (Jr., Oakland, Ca./Redwood) vaulted off a 9.750 and in doing so, earned the highest finish by an SPU athlete in the week's two meets. It was fitting that all-arounder Siegel's best effort came on that apparatus because she ranks first in USAG individual statistics in vault average (an RQS of 9.745). Jennifer Christman (Fr., Fairfield, Ca./Benicia, Ca.) has landed in the No. 3 spot (9.670). Christman was fourth against the Spartans with a 9.675 and fifth at Davis with a 9.625.

We tied, no we didn't...
Two other Falcons racked up podium finishes in the weekend meets as well. Cassie Althauser (Sr., Centralia, Wa.) balanced the beam for a 9.800. Althausuer tied for third place with San Jose State's Shirla Choy. The next night, Althauser scored a 9.700. Erin Kawasaki (Sr., Seattle, Wa./Kennedy) was fourth to Althauser on beam against the Spartans with a 9.775, but finished just ahead of Althauser on the uneven bars. Kawasaki tied for third with the Spartans' Dani Albright, swinging a 9.775 Althauser finished fourth with a 9.700. Kawasaki and Althauser rank fourth and fifth on the USAG charts in bars score average, and Althauser is No. 3 on balance beam.

The solo all-arounder...
With Siegel taking a break from the all-around competition, Kristen Strid (So., Kingsburg, Ca./Kingsburg Joint Union) assumed was involved in all four lineups and performed brilliantly. Strid totaled 37.700 to take fourth in the competition at San Jose. At Davis, she was fifth with a 37.550.

Worth mentioning...
Some of the weekend scores were very impressive but did not make it to the podium because of the lofty competition. Kim Carey (Sr., Everett, Wa./Mariner) swung the bars for a 9.700 Friday and danced her way to a 9.675 on floor Saturday. Annastasia Ahr (Fr., Chelan, Wa./Blessed Hope) negotiated the beam, earning a 9.500 Saturday night and hit a 9.625 on floor Friday. She also may have earned a place in the vault lineup with a 9.600 exhibition.

More national rankings...
The Falcons score two weeks ago vs. Western Michigan was the second-highest score posted by a USAG team this season. Air Force owns the top score with a 194.010. Siegel still claims the nation's highest score on beam (9.925) and the nation's top score in the all-around (39.425) with her top vault average (9.643). Carey is No. 7 on bars (9.650). In team event averages, SPU is No. 2 in vault, bars and beam and fourth on floor.

Gym shorts...
Rachael Anderson (Fr., Yakima, Wa./West Valley tumbled a 9.650 on floor exercise against Davis and Cal and had a 9.700 at San Jose...Missy McLaughlin (Jr., Federal Way, Wa./Decatur) vaulted a 9.325 and a 9.350, respectively, and hit a 9.350 and a 9.300 on bars Friday and Saturday nights as well. Courtney Stump (Jr., Poulsbo, Wa./Charles Wright)

Series, opponents notes...
The Falcons finally ended a cold snap at Gill Coliseum last year, scoring above 186 for the first time (188.875)...Oregon State leads the series 21-2. The Beavers feature Katrina Severin, who ranks No. 3 nationally on vault and No. 9 on floor, and Stephanie Bychowski, No. 8 on bars...This is the second meeting with both Washington and Cal State Fullerton this season. The Huskies lead the series 47-3 while the Titans are 5-0 in head-to-head meetings.

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
Annastasia Ahr Fr/C1 Chelan, Wa. Third place on vault against Sac State
Cassie Althauser Sr/3V Centralia, Wa. Career high on balance beam vs. Western Michigan
Courtney Amonsen So/1V Redmond, Wa. Made beam line-up against Davis
Rachael Anderson Fr/RS Yakima, Wa. Career-high 9.750 on floor vs. Davis
Kim Carey Sr/3V Everett, Wa. Career high on floor at Boise
Jennifer Christman Fr/C1 Benicia, Ca. Career high 9.700 on bars vs. Davis
Erin Kawasaki Sr/2V Seattle, Wa. Second in nation in bars average
Missy McLaughlin Jr/2V Federal Way, Wa. Career high bars score against Davis
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 three bar exhibitions so far in 2001
Coach: Laurel Tindall (25 years, SPU record 319-283-1)

Women's Gymnastics Roster

2001 high scores...
Name Vault Bars Beam Floor All-Around
Annastasia Ahr dnc dnc 9.800 9.625 dnc
Cassie Althauser dnc 9.775 9.875 9.525 dnc
Courtney Amonsen dnc dnc 9.575 dnc dnc
Rachael Anderson dnc dnc dnc 9.750 dnc
Kim Carey 9.700 9.700 dnc 9.800 dnc
Jennifer Christman 9.700 9.700 9.525 9.700 36.675
Erin Kawasaki 9.650 9.825 9.800 9.525 38.375
Missy McLaughlin 9.675 9.700 7.850 dnc dnc
Ai Nakayama dnc dnc 9.550 dnc dnc
Alison Siegel 9.850 9.700 *9.925 9.875 *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 9.025e dnc dnc dnc
TEAM *48.525 48.400 48.425 48.850 *193.700
Boldface indicates career-high *School record (e exhibition)