Utah Utes gymnastics: Utah gymnasts had a 'great season'
"That was fun, but I wouldn't say that that was any more or less of a highlight than a lot of other meets throughout the year," said Utah coach Greg Marsden, who completed his 33rd year with Utah's third straight second-place finish and Ashley Postell and Kristina Baskett taking second and third in the all-around at the NCAA championships last weekend. (Baskett's left-ankle injury in last Saturday's NCAA event finals seems to be bone bruises from jamming the foot into the floor mat, and they should heal.)
"It was a great season. I couldn't ask more from my team this year," said Marsden. "It was one of the most enjoyable, rewarding seasons that I've had in a while. It was just a great group of kids that worked hard and never gave up and never let me down — or themselves."
Asked the high points for 2008 were, he simply couldn't pick out any. "The year was a highlight. They were just so pleasant and so fun and so consistent. Every meet was fun. Even the loss," said Marsden.
The Utes won the North Central Regional, moved up from third after two rotations to second place in the NCAA team preliminaries and then came from a tie for fourth after the first rotation in the Super Six championships to a second-place finish behind Georgia in the closest NCAA finals since 2002, 197.45-197.125.
Ashley Postell concluded her career with her third straight second-place finish in the NCAA all-around with Baskett tying for third. For the third straight year, Postell was the best individual gymnast in the Super Six team championships — when it counts most — scoring 39.75. That's 9.95s on vault, bars and floor and 9.90 on beam.
She is the only 20-time All-American in NCAA women's gymnastics history. That's every event every year.
Postell owns or shares all five of Utah's major gymnastics records with 30 career all-around titles, 11 all-around wins in a single season (2008, tied with Suzanne Metz, 1995), 47 single-season event wins (2008), 120 career event wins and the 20 All-America certificates.
Postell has toyed with the idea of trying to make the 2008 U.S. Olympic team but recently decided against it — and Marsden thinks that's going to stick. "Ashley is at peace with things. I think she's finally able to let that demon go," he said. "I think she's matured enough that she realizes it doesn't define her. I think she's ready to begin to focus on what comes next, and I think that's healthy."
Recent comments
Anonymous,
I believe the proper term is "retire from the...
fcbenjamin | May 6, 2008 at 5:02 a.m.
If Ashley isn't going to try for the 2008 Olympics, is she going...
Anonymous | May 4, 2008 at 6:56 p.m.
Well i am not much of a gymnastics fan but even I went to some meets...
Red does rock | May 4, 2008 at 2:01 p.m.
