BYU Heads to No. 8 Utah for NCAA Regionals

As the No. 20 team in the country, the BYU gymnastics team has been selected as the fourth-seeded team in the NCAA North Central regional tournament at No. 8 Utah on April 12.

The Utes will play host to No. 6 Stanford, No. 18 California, No. 20 BYU, No. 21 Denver and No. 23 Minnesota. This is the only regional of the six regional sites that will showcase six top-25 teams.

With a season full of school records, the Cougars will be going into the meet with confidence.

BYU's head coach Brad Cattermole is pleased with the regional bid.

"I didn't want to be seeded out of the region," he said. "Traveling to Utah is an excellent opportunity for us. "

The Cougars broke the school's team vault record four times throughout the season, and two gymnasts, Brogan Jacobsen and Kari Lords, received perfect 10.0s.

"This team has done wonderful," Cattermole said. "I am very pleased with how far they have come this season."

The Cougars will need to perform exceptionally well and fight hard to edge out their competitors. Only then can they move on to the next step--nationals.

The top two teams in each region will advance to nationals on April 24 in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Cougar Quick Notes

Senior Stars

Lindsay Butterfield and Candace Slater have lead the team by example all season long, consistently scoring well. Butterfield competed in every event in every meet this season, and Slater competed on the floor exercise every meet this season. Butterfield notched a career high 39.500 in the all-around against Missouri. Slater received a career-high 9.925 on the floor four times during the season.

2003 Record-Breakers

The Cougars broke the school's old vault record four times this season, finishing off the season with a spectacular 49.400 against Southern Utah. Kari Lords and Brogan Jacobsen broke school records on beam and floor respectively--both with perfect a 10.0.

Stellar Sophomores

Both Jamie Mabray and Kirsten Pauga competed in the all-around for during the season. Jamie received a career-high 39.650 against Utah--the third highest all-around score in BYU history. She injured her foot after that meet, but came back mid-way through the season to help the Cougars. Pauga began competing in the all-around and improved throughout the season finishing off her season with a career high 39.375 against Utah. Both competitors will continue to help the Cougars for the next two years.

The Cougars at a Glance

Trisha Ashton

Junior * 5-4 * Flower Mound, Texas

Ashton was a solid competitor on vault and beam. She received career- high 9.925 on both the vault and beam twice this season, and will continue to be a leader throughout her senior year.

Lindsay Butterfield

Senior * 5-0 * Chandler, Arizona

Butterfield is the Cougars' only gymnast to compete in every event in every meet. Butterfield continued to improve throughout the season. She broke all her career records, which all are 9.9 or better.

Meghan Donahue

Freshman * 4-11 * Sierra Vista, Arizona

Donahue competed for the Cougars in every meet on the vault. She is a strong

competitor and received her career high of 9.800 five times throughout the season. Donahue also competed on the beam four times during the season and continues to improve.

Brooke Haskett

Senior * 5-3 * Mesa, Arizona

Haskett performed well throughout the season on bars, beam and floor. She received new career highs on bars and floor. Haskett injured her ACL during practice and will be unable to compete for the remainder of the season.

Brogan Jacobsen

Junior * 5-3 * Salt Lake City, Utah

Jacobsen's crowd-pleasing floor routines earned her excellent scores throughout the season. Her hard work paid off in at home when she received a perfect 10.0. Jacobsen also earned a new career high on the bars with a 9.9. She is one of two team captains.

Lena Johnson

Sophomore * 4-11 * Athens, Georgia

Lena competed for the Cougars once on the vault this season, but competed in exhibition on vault and floor throughout the season. The Cougars will look to her in the future to help them on those events.

Kari Lords

Junior * 4-11 * Las Vegas, Nevada

Lords has been a strong competitor and bars and beam this year. The highlight of the season came when Lord's scored a perfect 10.0 on her beam routine during a quad meet. Lords consistency on the bars has also been a benefit to the team.

Jamie Mabray

Sophomore * 5-5 * Carrollton, Texas

Despite a foot injury that left her sidelined for six meets, Mabray remains one of BYU's strongest competitors. She received career-high marks in every event this season. She received the third highest all-around score in BYU history against Utah.

Kirsten Pauga

Sophomore * 5-5 * Lethbridge, Alberta

Pauga is a strength to her team in every event. During her first year as an all-around competitor, Pauga showed grace under pressure. She will continue to be a major competitor for BYU for the next two years.

Megan Pessoa

Junior * 5-1 * Salt Lake City, Utah

A powerful vaulter, Pessoa competed in every meet for the Cougars this season. She broke her previous career score of 9.8 twice this season with a 9.825. The Cougars look to Pessoa as a consistent competitor.

Candace Slater

Senior * 5-5 * Highland, Utah

Slater is an extremely consistent and powerful competitor on the floor. She has received a career-high mark of 9.925 four times throughout the season. Her marks on floor have helped the Cougars pull ahead in many meets.

Lisa Willis

Freshman * 5-6 * Albuquerque, New Mexico

Throughout her freshman season, Willis competed in every meet on the bars, and nearly every meet on beam and floor. She received high scores and continued to improve throughout the season. Willis will be a leader in the years to come.