Utah's Postell craves challenges

True to herself, Ute Ashley Postell was back in the Dumke gymnastics training center about a week after the conclusion of an ultimately successful season with the Red Rocks and final academic exams.

She's working out with the idea of returning to international elite competition prior to her senior year at Utah, and she has about a month to decide whether she can make enough upgrades in her routines to go back to elite.

So far she seems satisfied as she attempts something that very few collegiate women ever attempt because the demands on time and body are so great.

"I'm getting some stuff done, adding to my routines. It's gone pretty good," she said, adding nothing is definite, she can always change her mind about the project. "It's good that I didn't take off longer because I would have been struggling," she said, recalling how she attempted the same thing last year but gave up after starting too late.

Postell craves such challenges.

"It's a way for her to be excited about gymnastics," said Utah coach Greg Marsden, who a month ago said Postell "tolerates" the regular college season as a way to get to the postseason. She loves the big meets — those with rivals like Georgia, Florida or UCLA — and the NCAA championships process, the regionals and nationals.

"She's pushing it a little bit, doing things not many others are doing. When she's at her best is when she's compared to the best," Marsden said.

In April, Postell won her first NCAA championship, taking the balance beam title by a large margin — .375 point — scoring 9.9375. She also owns the 2002 world beam championship and said she was happy to win the NCAA gold in her favorite event because it lets her know she can still be the best.

It gives her confidence, "but it's not gone to my head," she said. "I don't feel like I'm completely better than everyone else. It helps with me personally, how I feel about myself."

Postell won the NCAA West Regional all-around with 39.65, highest score at any of the nation's six regionals, thanks to a career-high 9.95 on bars.

In the NCAA all-around, she won her session for the third straight year and finished second overall (39.60) for the second straight year. She was third as a freshman.

On Super Six team championship night in the NCAAs at the U.'s Huntsman Center, Postell helped her team finish second to Georgia with the night's best all-around score (39.65) that included a career-high 9.95 on floor.

She also took third in floor, leading until the last two contestants, and was seventh on bars.

In the last three Aprils, Postell has won 13 of a possible 15 first-team All-America awards and took second-team honors in the other two.