It was just ten months ago that little-known Arizona freshman gymnast Nancy Milberger was thrust into the spotlight in the NCAA Midwest Regionals. Due to a couple of key injuries, Milberger was forced to compete in the balance beam in a crucial situation for the Wildcats.

But her result was something to be excited about as she recorded Arizona's second-highest score in the event, a 9.875, helping UA salvage a poor effort on the beam that included three falls.

"When I went in I was pretty nervous. It was only the fourth time in my college career I had competed on the beam," Milberger said. "But I was also real excited because it showed that (UA coach Jim Gault) had the confidence in me to do the job."

Thus far into her sophomore season, Milberger has made great strides in showing that her regional success was not a fluke. Through her first four meets, Milberger has emerged as Arizona's beam specialist, averaging 9.62 per effort. But her performance on the beam reached a peak last weekend at the Cat Classic in Missouri. Milberger came out in the team competition and managed a first-place tie with a 9.775, but that was just a taste of what was to come. When she dismounted the beam in the individual final s, Milberger had blown the field away with a 9.85, marking the first individual win of her career.

"The first-place finish really felt good, especially since I didn't compete there last season," Milberger said. "It was a big confidence booster for me."

Confidence was something Milberger lacked last season.

"Nancy had some problems as a freshman because she was always up and down and not very consistent," Gault said. "But through our first couple meets this season it seems that she has really overcome that and improved her personal confidence."

Even though Milberger's first year as a Wildcat was a bit rocky, the decision to come here was something she never questioned.

"When I was finishing high school, I had wanted to come to Arizona. One thing I really liked was that (assistant coach Bill Ryden) had coached me when I was younger and I felt comfortable with him," Milberger said. "And once I visited the campus, there wa s no doubt in my mind that Arizona was the school for me."

Now that she has established herself as one of Arizona's top beam competitors, things have started to swing to the positive end of the spectrum.

"Nancy has the ability to make it into the elite in the beam if she continues to work on the little things," Gault said. "She has to constantly work on her timing and keep everything the same."

While her role on the team as just a beam competitor might frustrate some athletes, Milberger is confident with her position.

"I am comfortable just competing on the beam," Milberger said. "I think everybody knows they're a part of the team, from the all-around competitor to the specialist."