Utah Ute gymnastics, volleyball

Published: Friday, Sept. 5, 2008 12:19 a.m. MDT
E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
GYMNASTICS: The Utah gymnastics team placed ninth in the sport's academic standings by compiling a 3.5192 cumulative GPA in 2008. The Utes were the only one of the 2008 NCAA Championship Super Six teams — and one of just two NCAA qualifiers — to place in the top 10 in the National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches-Women (NACGC-W) academic rankings.

Seven members of Utah's 2008 NCAA runner-up team were identified as NACGC Scholar-Athletes, led by Kristina Baskett, who recorded 4.00 GPA in the 2007-08 academic year. Joining Baskett as NACGC Scholastic All-Americans were Jamie Deetscreek (3.93), Katie Kivisto (3.93), Daria Bijak (3.83), Ashley Postell (3.81), Stephanie Neff (3.76) and Gael Mackie (3.50).

VOLLEYBALL: The Utah volleyball team takes to the road for the first time this season, playing in the New Mexico State Tournament for four matches beginning today.

Utah will face No. 4 Texas today at 4 p.m., then will have a pair of matches Saturday against Florida Gulf Coast and Houston before wrapping up the event against the host school, New Mexico State at 7 p.m. on Sunday.

Story continues below
The Utes have started a season 2-0 for the first time since 2005. The last five times Utah has won its first two matches, it has advanced to the NCAA Tournament.

Senior outside hitter Kathryn Haynie and middle blocker Lori Baird are both close to becoming the next members of Utah's 1,000-kill club. They each have more than 800 career kills in their first three seasons with the Utes and two matches into their respective senior seasons, Baird holds a slight edge with 917 kills in 375 sets for a 2.46 kills-per-set average, while Haynie has 887 kills in 245 career sets for a 3.62 kill-per-set mark.

Comments

You can be the first to comment on this story.