Bartlett Comes Up Big In Regional

Shelly Bartlett of Nebraska is going to the NCAA championships as one of the Midwest Region’s top gymnasts.

The Cornhuskers’ senior captain from Spokane (University High School) shared two individual titles and had a narrow-miss second in the all-around to lead the Cornhuskers to third place in the Midwest Region championships Saturday.

Second-ranked Utah held off a late charge from No. 7 Arizona State to win its 11th straight regional title. The Utes compiled a score of 195.70 to ASU’s 195.225. Nebraska had 195.150.

All three qualify for the NCAA championships April 17-19 in Gainesville, Fla. Utah will be seeded eighth.

Utah’s Angie Leonard survived a step out of bounds on her closing floor exercise to hold off Bartlett 39.300 to 39.250 for the all-around championship. Denise Jones of Utah and Carie Courtney of ASU tied for third at 29.425.

In the individual events, Leonard, Bartlett and Meagan Wright of ASU tied for first on the vault with scores of 9.900. On the uneven parallel bars, Leonard and Bartlett tied at 9.875.

Arizona State’s Elizabeth Reid won the balance beam (9.925) and floor exercise (9.875).

Utah and ASU are the only winners in the 15 years of the regional.

“Pressure is what you do to yourself,” Utah coach Greg Marsden said, alluding to a sub-par floor exercise in the final event that opened the door for ASU.