Gallup To Compete at NCAA Regionals

PROVO -- The 2009 BYU women’s gymnastics season will continue for one Cougar as junior Kaylee Gallup has qualified for NCAA Regionals on the balance beam. The top beam performer in the North Central Region, Gallup will compete on Saturday at 6 p.m. at the University of Iowa.

Gallup was the Cougars’ most consistent performer this year as BYU struggled through various injuries. The team’s beam specialist, she finished the year ranked 15th in the region on the beam with a Regional Qualifying Score (RQS) of 9.675. Gallup posted scores at or above 9.800 in six of the Cougars’ 11 meets, ending the year with marks of 9.875, 9.925 and 9.825 in the final three competitions. Her 9.925 at Utah State was the highest score recorded by any BYU gymnast on any event in any meet this year.

Six teams, five all-around competitors (who are not on a qualifying team) and one individual event specialist per event [who has a minimum Regional Qualifying Score (RQS) of 9.4] were named to each of the six regions. The top two teams and the top two all-around competitors (who are not on an advancing team) from each regional will receive an automatic berth to the national championships in Lincoln, Nebraska, April 16-18, hosted by the University of Nebraska, Lincoln.

In addition, the event winners at the regional championships will advance to the national championships (in that event only) if they are not part of a qualifying team or the all-around qualifiers.

The Cougars have been represented by either an individual qualifier or as a team every season since 1987. Gallup is the first BYU gymnast since 2004 (Kari Lords) to be invited to postseason competition.