By Arlie Rahn
Arizona Daily Wildcat
January 15, 1997

UA gymnasts begin with loss

While the Wildcats (0-1) lost as a team, they did have the top gymnast in the meet. Sophomore Heidi Hornbeek, who finished third in the NCAA all-around competition last season, picked up where she left off by winning the all-around competition with a score of 38.75.

"We're pleased with a 192.325, considering we had to count a few falls," UA head coach Jim Gault said. "If we had hit everything, we'd have had a real good chance to win the meet. It gives us something to build on. So I'm pleased about that."

The Wildcats won three of the four individual competitions. Hornbeek won the vault with a score of 9.85 and the floor with a near-perfect 9.95. Senior specialist Becky Bowers captured the uneven parallel bars with a score of 9.875.

Juniors Cami Banholzer and Nancy Milberger also started the season on the right foot, by setting new personal bests in collegiate competition. Banholzer's mark of 9.725 on the vault shattered her previous high, with Milberger scored a 9.725 on the bars.

Arizona also introduced three new performers in the meet.

Freshmen Kiernan Andrews, Gretchen Diaz and Heather Kameoka showed that they can be major contributors this season. Andrews scored a 9.775 on the vault and a 9.55 in the floor, Diaz recorded a 9.65 on the vault, and Kameoka scored the fourth highest vault score in the meet with a 9.825.

Junior Tenli Poggemeyer finished fourth in the all-around with a mark of 37.825.