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Back on top. Was it the end of an era, or a new beginning? Whatever it was, Seattle Pacific University showed itself to once again be among the top gymnastics programs at the USA Gymnastics Collegiate Championships, presented by Leisure Care. The Falcons won their qualifying session and finished second overall at the national meet, Apr. 19-21 in Brougham Pavilion, and Maryland’s Towson needed a meet-record to beat them.

Quite a rush. SPU surged at the end of the season, breaking the school scoring record and posting an unprecedented four consecutive totals of 193-plus, including the best-ever sum in a national meet and a second straight Mountain Pacific Sports Federation championship. Towson took top honors in USAG with an unreachable 195.675. Seattle Pacific was next (193.150), followed by next year’s host, Centenary (191.675) and Texas Woman’s (191.650). It was the best final placement by the Falcons since 1998.

They’ve got class. It will be a difficult act to follow in 2008 as three superb seniors graduate. All-arounders Debra Huss (Sr., Orangevale, Ca./Bella Vista) and Sarah Sullivan (Sr., Salem, Or./Sprague) and vault/floor standout Kristin Bryant (Sr., Anchorage, Ak./West Anchorage) were huge contributors throughout their careers. Huss leaves as the SPU all-around record-holder and a three-time national champion, Sullivan as the Division II Gymnast of the Year and Bryant as co-record holder on vault. Also graduating is Haley Krommenhoek (Sr., Seattle, Wa./Mt. Rainier).

Leaders emerging. While Coach Laurel Tindall will need her freshmen to make an immediate impact next season, she has some proven performers coming back. Shining at the national meet were Ashley Domres (Jr., Scottsdale, Az./Scottsdale Christian) and Brianna Schwartz (So., Bonney Lake, Wa./Sumner). Domres was the runner-up on bars while Schwartz was third in all-around, and also among the top six on bars and floor. Joining them as first-time All-Americans was Christie Chinaka (Jr., Honolulu, Hi.), who placed sixth on beam. With the loss of Bryant, Huss and Sullivan, Tindall must fill a total of 11 lineup spots.

Ready or not. Poised to take advantage of those opportunities are a handful of holdovers, plus four recruits whom Tindall signed last month. Francesca Jacobs, Betsy Snook, Brianna Steigauf and Laura Willis signed national letters of intent, and will form the Class of 2011, along with redshirt Kelli Bates (Fr., Port Orchard, Wa./South Kitsap). Jacobs, a Puyallup, Wash., resident, was a teammate of Bates at Lakewood’s Grace Gymnastics. Snook lives in Milwaukie and is a Level 10 competitor from Oregon’s Sunburst club. Steigauf, a native of Richfield, Minn., placed fourth on vault and floor at this year’s Level 10 Region IV Championships. She was also ninth in all-around. Willis is coming off Level 9 Western Nationals where she took second on bars and fifth on beam.

What a way to go. The Falcons scored a moral victory at the USAG Championships by finishing second despite losing Huss for the team finals. Sullivan’s floor score of 9.900 was a career-high and gave the squad a much-need boost of confidence. She later won balance beam with a 9.800 and her all-around sum of 39.100 ranks No. 3 all-time. Bryant was runner-up on vault, tying the SPU record for the second night in a row at 9.875. In a very tight qualifying session, Huss gave everything before experiencing back spasms after her final dismount. She matched her highest all-around (38.950) of the season, punctuating it with a season-best 9.825 on beam. Huss was second in the all-around and would’ve also qualified for finals on floor and bars if not for the injury. Domres took her place on bars for individual finals and scored 9.750. Sullivan was third on floor (9.850) and all-around (38.325) and fifth on vault (9.6750). Bryant landed fourth on vault (9.7125). Schwartz’s scores were 9.700 on bars and 9.725 on floor. She had totaled a career-best 38.825 in the all-around competition. Chinaka was a solid 9.700 on beam.

Kudos for classwork. Not only did Sullivan come through strong at the national meet, she kept collecting awards for her academic prowess in the days and weeks to follow. An art major with a 3.63 GPA, she became the Falcons’ 21st NCAA Postgraduate Scholar in the last three years and the fourth gymnast. After that came Academic All-District accolades from CoSIDA. Seattle Pacific led all teams with seven selections to the Academic All-MSPF team. Sullivan and Bryant were named for the third time, and Chinaka and Domres were repeat honorees. Making it for the first time were sophomores Melissa Daniels (Salinas, Ca.N. Monterey Bay), Sadie Johnston (Wilsonville, Or./North Marion) and Amber Lundgren (Temecula, Ca./Temecula Valley). Sullivan, Domres, Chinaka, Krommenhoek, Bryant and Aubrie Stavig (Jr., Albuquerque, N.M./Sandia) were USAG Scholar Athletes.

On the mend. Bates is methodically returning to training as she fully recovers from shoulder surgery. Floor specialist Danna Nelson (So., Maple Valley, Wa./Tahoma) and Stavig were other early-season casualties...Before the return of Sullivan to all-around from a preseason hand fracture and development of depth, scores stayed below 190 for the first three meets, including a four-year low of 187.575...Seattle Pacific has finished among the top four 24 times, including 23 of the last 25 years. Four different teams have now won the USAG title in the last four years...Five gymnasts–Domres, Huss, Lundgren, Schwartz and Sullivan–competed all-around this season, matching the highest number in 14 years...Huss was the team MVP, Sullivan the most inspirational and Schwartz the most improved among the team awards. Sullivan also earned the Falcon Award for Excellence for career achievement in athletics, academics and leadership...Tindall’s tentative ‘08 schedule currently has only three home dates (UC Davis, Air Force, Washington), with eight on the road, including the MSPF meet, which is one of three trips to Davis. Nationals are slated for Apr. 17-19 in Shreveport, Louisiana. The Falcons also visit Southern Utah for the first time in 20 years.

Tickets, please. Ticket prices for all SPU regular season meets are $5 for general admission, with students and senior citizens $3. Group and team rates are available by phoning (206) 281-2085 in advance.

SPU Coaches. Laurel Tindall is synonymous with Seattle Pacific gymnastics, having either competed or coached each of the program’s 34 years. Under her guidance, SPU has won three national championships (1986, ‘92, ‘97) and, individually, her gymnasts have taken 19 titles. Now in her 32nd year, Tindall has been honored as national coach of the year four times and two years ago, she was the MPSF coach of the year. Originally, Tindall competed for the Falcons, winning a national crown on vault as a senior. She then succeeded George Lewis as head coach. Tindall is a charter member of the Falcon Legends Hall of Fame. Kathy Siwek returns for her seventh season as an assistant coach. Siwek was a two-time All-America and a member of the 1997 national championship team. Anna Leiferman is in her first year on the staff. She was a member of the team in 2003 and ‘04.

Missing links. For the latest and best information on Seattle Pacific University athletics, stay where you're at -- on The Falcons Online. For updated standings and statistics, see the Collegiate Gymnastics Information Center or Mountain Pacific Sports FederationWebsites.