BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The No. 2 University of Georgia gymnastics team came through with its best performance of the season, scoring a season-best 198.0 and winning its 11th Southeastern Conference Championship before 7,456 fans at Bartow Arena in Birmingham, Ala. Georgia finished ahead of sec-ond- place Alabama ((197.425), third-place Florida (196.375), fourth-place LSU (196.3), fifth-place Kentucky (195.85) and sixth-place Auburn (194.5).
The Gym Dogs dominated the meet from start to finish as they had the indi-vidual champion in all four events and the all-around. Georgia was led by fresh-man Cory Fritzinger, who won the all-around title with a career-best 39.7. Fritzinger was also named the SEC's Freshman of the Year while Georgia coach Suzanne Yoculan was named the SEC's Coach of the Year.
Senior Kristi Lichey won the SEC vault title (9.95), Fritzinger and senior Kathleen Shrieves each tied for the SEC bars title (9.95), Fritzinger tied for the SEC beam title (9.95), and senior Suzanne Sears and freshman Marline Stephens tied for the SEC floor title (9.95).
The Gym Dogs entered the final rotation with a score of 148.6 and held a comfortable lead over Alabama (147.9), which was Georgia's closest pursuer after three events completed. Needing to hit on the toughest event in gymnastics, the balance beam, to solidify their claim to their fifth SEC Championship in six years, the Gym Dogs would rise to the occasion, scoring a 49.4. After a fall from its first performer of the event, Georgia's next five performers would all hit. Along with Fritzinger's 9.95, freshman Cassie Bair scored a 9.9 and Shrieves and Stephens each added a 9.85.
After sitting out the first rotation with a bye the Gym Dogs came out and fired on all cylinders in the second stanza, the floor exercise, breaking their own SEC Championship record by scoring a 49.625, which eclipsed the previous standard of 49.575 in 1999. All five of Georgia's counting scores were 9.9 or higher, paced by a 9.95 from both senior Suzanne Sears and freshman Marline Stephens, which gave both of them top honors in the event. For the former it marked the ninth time in as many attempts that she scored a 9.9 or higher on floor in 2001 and for the latter it marked the ninth time consecutive meet she scored a 9.9 or higher on floor. A 9.925 by freshman Chelsa Byrd and a pair of 9.9s from senior Kristi Lichey and freshman Cory Fritzinger also contributed toward Georgia's record setting score.
Georgia did not let up in the second rotation, scoring a 49.475 in the vault, which gave it a first-place 99.1 halfway through the competition. The score tied Georgia's second highest vault score of the year. The Gym Dogs were led in the
event by Lichey, who scored a meet high 9.95 Also recording scores of 9.9 or higher for the Gym Dogs were Fritzinger (9.9) and Byrd (9.9).
The Gym Dogs continued to distance themselves from the competition in their third event of the evening, scoring a 49.5 on the uneven bars. Fritzinger and senior Kathleen Shrieves each scored a 9.95 to lead Georgia in the event, while junior Eileen Diaz added a season-best and tied a career-best by scoring a 9.9. Also contributing scores for Georgia were Byrd (9.875) and Lichey (9.825).
courtesy SEC Media Relations
The Gym Dogs dominated the meet from start to finish as they had the indi-vidual champion in all four events and the all-around. Georgia was led by fresh-man Cory Fritzinger, who won the all-around title with a career-best 39.7. Fritzinger was also named the SEC's Freshman of the Year while Georgia coach Suzanne Yoculan was named the SEC's Coach of the Year.
Senior Kristi Lichey won the SEC vault title (9.95), Fritzinger and senior Kathleen Shrieves each tied for the SEC bars title (9.95), Fritzinger tied for the SEC beam title (9.95), and senior Suzanne Sears and freshman Marline Stephens tied for the SEC floor title (9.95).
The Gym Dogs entered the final rotation with a score of 148.6 and held a comfortable lead over Alabama (147.9), which was Georgia's closest pursuer after three events completed. Needing to hit on the toughest event in gymnastics, the balance beam, to solidify their claim to their fifth SEC Championship in six years, the Gym Dogs would rise to the occasion, scoring a 49.4. After a fall from its first performer of the event, Georgia's next five performers would all hit. Along with Fritzinger's 9.95, freshman Cassie Bair scored a 9.9 and Shrieves and Stephens each added a 9.85.
After sitting out the first rotation with a bye the Gym Dogs came out and fired on all cylinders in the second stanza, the floor exercise, breaking their own SEC Championship record by scoring a 49.625, which eclipsed the previous standard of 49.575 in 1999. All five of Georgia's counting scores were 9.9 or higher, paced by a 9.95 from both senior Suzanne Sears and freshman Marline Stephens, which gave both of them top honors in the event. For the former it marked the ninth time in as many attempts that she scored a 9.9 or higher on floor in 2001 and for the latter it marked the ninth time consecutive meet she scored a 9.9 or higher on floor. A 9.925 by freshman Chelsa Byrd and a pair of 9.9s from senior Kristi Lichey and freshman Cory Fritzinger also contributed toward Georgia's record setting score.
Georgia did not let up in the second rotation, scoring a 49.475 in the vault, which gave it a first-place 99.1 halfway through the competition. The score tied Georgia's second highest vault score of the year. The Gym Dogs were led in the
event by Lichey, who scored a meet high 9.95 Also recording scores of 9.9 or higher for the Gym Dogs were Fritzinger (9.9) and Byrd (9.9).
The Gym Dogs continued to distance themselves from the competition in their third event of the evening, scoring a 49.5 on the uneven bars. Fritzinger and senior Kathleen Shrieves each scored a 9.95 to lead Georgia in the event, while junior Eileen Diaz added a season-best and tied a career-best by scoring a 9.9. Also contributing scores for Georgia were Byrd (9.875) and Lichey (9.825).
courtesy SEC Media Relations
