April 20, 2012

Final Stats

Sophomores Dusti Russell and Kayla Slechta capped off the 2012 University of Minnesota women’s gymnastics season by competing in the all around at the NCAA National Championships in Duluth, Ga. on Friday afternoon. Slechta claimed 14^th place in the session with a 39.025 while Russell was 16^th with a score of 38.900.

Slechta began the day on vault, which is her strongest event, and the Shakopee, Minn. native tallied a 9.800 to tie for 24^th in the session. After having a bye in the next rotation, the sophomore moved to uneven bars where she scored a 9.725 and placed 36^th in the session. Slechta, who was in rotation with UCLA, would notch a 9.700 on balance beam before claiming her top score of the meet on floor, 9.825.

Russell, who was in rotation with Oklahoma, also started the day on one of her strongest events in beam. The Oshkosh, Wis. native posted her best score of the meet on the apparatus as she scored a 9.850, which tied for 12^th in the session. After receiving a bye the next rotation, Russell continued her strong performance by notching a 9.825 on floor. In the next rotation, she tallied a 9.800 on vault. With only one event remaining, it looked as if the sophomore would rival her career high score of 39.400, but a 9.425 score on bars would negate those hopes.

The two Gophers did not qualify for the individual championship round, which will take place on Sunday.