Huskies Host NCAA Seattle Regional
April 2, 2012
SEATTLE - UW already knew it was hosting one of the six regionals this season at Alaska Airlines Arena on April 7 at 4 p.m., but wasn't sure which other teams would be joining them. As the region fields were announced, UW found out that some familiar opponents would be returning to Seattle.
Scouting The Field
The No. 1 seed in Seattle is Alabama who won the 2011 National Championship. LSU is the second seed, followed by Arizona, Washington, Iowa and Central Michigan. Five all-arounders and four event specialists from teams that did not make the tournament will also be at each regional site. The top two teams from each region will compete at the NCAA Championships April 20-22 in Duluth, Ga. The top two all-arounders from teams that don't advance will head to nationals along with each event winner if they aren't from one of the top two teams. UW was the No. 3 seed in the Norman, Okla., regional last season and finished third, just missing out on nationals, scoring a 195.300. Individually, Aliza Vaccher represented UW at nationals in the all-around in 2011. The Huskies have not advanced to nationals as a team since 1998. LSU visited Seattle on Feb. 17 for a tri-meet with Seattle Pacific, defeating UW, 196.450-194.975. The Huskies have also seen Arizona twice, on Feb. 24 for a dual meet and then at the Pac-12 Championships. The Wildcats finished ahead of the Huskies in both meets. Central Michigan competed at UW this year in a tri-meet on March 9 with San Jose State. UW won that meet with a 196.350. The rotation order has also been announced, as UW gets the edge going in Olympic order, starting on vault. Alabama will start on bars, Iowa on beam, Central Michigan on floor and Arizona and LSU will start with byes.
2012 Seattle Regional Tickets On Sale
For the first time since 2009, an NCAA Gymnastics Regional will be held at the University of Washington at Alaska Airlines Arena on April 7. This will be one of six NCAA Regional sites around the country and will include six teams and other qualifying individuals that will be announced two weeks prior to the event. Tickets went on sale Friday, Jan. 27 at 8:30 a.m. PT. You can order by walking into the Husky Ticket Office in the Graves Building on campus or by calling the ticket office at (206) 543-2200. Tickets are also available on ticketmaster.com. Tickets are $12 for reserved seating, $9 for general admission adult, $6 for children and students and $4 for the group discount of 15+. View the tournament website here: http://www.gohuskies.com/sports/w-gym/mtt/12ncaaregional.html. More information about the 2012 Seattle Regional will be posted as the event gets closer.
Engreitz Named All-Pac-12 On Floor
The 2012 Pac-12 All-Conference Gymnastics teams have been announced and UW senior Ruby Engreitz was named second-team on the floor. The Kirkland, Wash., native is earning her second all-conference honor after being named to the bars team in 2011. This year on floor, she has been the anchor for much of the season and is the highest Husky in the national rankings on the event. She has an average of 9.871 and a high of 9.875 on the floor this season. Engreitz has won nine individual titles this season, three on bars, four on floor and two in the all-around. Her biggest win on floor of the season was in UW's upset over then-ranked No. 1 UCLA in which she scored a 9.875, her season-best. The All-Pac-12 team is determined by a combination of 50 percent regional qualifying score (entire season composite) and 50 percent Conference Championships score. The All-Conference first team consists of the top six all-around competitors, plus the top three competitors in each individual event who are not among the all-around honorees. The Pac-12 second team consists of the top two all-arounders who were not named to the first team (as all-arounders or in an event), after such the top two gymnasts from each event who were not yet named to the first team or the second team would be selected to the second team.
Huskies Seventh At Pac-12 Championships
The 22nd-ranked Huskies wound up third in the first session with a total of 194.125, well off their recent hot pace that had seen the GymDawgs post their two best scores - 196.350 and 196.250 - in their last two outings. Struggles on balance beam was the main culprit, as UW finished behind Arizona and Arizona State and ahead of California in session one. UCLA won the championships with a 197+ in session two.
Huskies In The National Rankings
As a team, UW is 23rd in the RQS heading into regionals with a 195.595. They have an average of 194.908 and a high of 196.350. On vault, UW is 25th (48.950), 20th on bars (49.000), 23rd on beam (48.885) and 24th on floor (49.020).
