The University of Minnesota women’s gymnastics team posted a score of 193.775 in the NCAA North Central Region Championships, hosted by the University of Iowa. The Gophers finished in fifth place. Top-seeded Florida won the meet with a score of 196.775, while UCLA was second with a 196.625. Both Florida and UCLA earned trips to the NCAA Championships. Iowa State finished third (195.65), Denver was fourth (195.60) and host Iowa was sixth (193.625).

Minnesota’s first event was floor, where the team earned a total score of 48.775. Carmelina Carabajal and Alexis Russell were the top scorers for Minnesota, each with a 9.85 to tie for 11th place overall. Also counting toward the team score for the Gophers were routines by Kendra Elm (9.75), Yuri Nagai (9.7) and Ana Balboa (9.625).

On vault, the Gophers scored their highest event score of the evening with a 48.825. Vault was the highest-scoring event for Minnesota at just two meets this season. Tonight, Alexis Russell was the top performer for the team on vault, earning a 9.85 to place eighth. Carmelina Carabajal tallied a 9.825, while Jamie Bullock earned a 9.75. Rounding out the counting scores for the Gophers were Lucy Ennis (9.725) and Kendra Elm (9.675).

The Gophers moved to bars, where they tallied a score of 48.70. For the first time this season, Kendra Elm was the team’s top scorer on uneven bars, earning a 9.80 to place ninth overall. Kristin Furukawa earned a 9.775, and Alexis Russell had a 9.75. Lucy Ennis (9.725) and Carmelina Carabajal (9.65) also counted toward the team score.

Minnesota finished the meet on beam, which had been the strongest for the team during throughout the season. However, the Gophers struggled on beam tonight, earning a 47.475, the second-lowest beam score of the season. Carmelina Carabajal was the highest finisher for Minnesota, earning a 9.825 to tie for sixth place. Kendra Elm had the second-highest score for the team with a 9.675. Also with routines counting toward the team score were Kristin Furukawa (9.475), Ana Balboa (9.375) and Alexis Russell (9.175).

In the all around competition, Carmelina Carabajal was the top scorer for Minnesota with a 39.150, and tied for seventh place. Carabajal tied with Denver’s Kelly Hennigan, however, Hennigan won the tie breaker and earned a trip to the NCAA Championships as an individual all around competitor. Also competing in the all around for the Gophers were Kendra Elm, who scored 38.90, and Alexis Russell, who tallied a 38.575.