UA loses two more gymnasts to injury before OSU meeting

After beginning the season with 12 main competitors, the Wildcats are traveling to Oregon this weekend with only nine healthy bodies.

Even though the team is not strong in numbers, the No. 21 Wildcats (3-6 overall, 1-3 in the Pacific 10 Conference) look to build on their first Pac-10 victory when they face No. 14 Oregon State tonight in Corvallis, Ore.

"We have progressed quite a bit since the season began," UA assistant coach Bill Ryden said. "We will have to field a depleted lineup this weekend, but we know we will have a quality team on the floor."

Arizona's latest list of injured athletes who will not be performing include senior Cami Banholzer and sophomore Kiernan Andrews. Without those two, Arizona needs to supplement some scoring on both the floor and vault. That, added with the team's limited number, will force the Wildcats to field four all around performers for the first time all season.

"Most teams have 12 scholarship performers and some walk-ons. With this many gymnasts, more are specializing in each individual event. Therefore, there are not as many all around competitors," Ryden said. "But we feel that all four girls can perform well in this role."

Senior Rose McLaughlin will join regular all arounders Tenli Poggemeyer, Kristin McDermott and Kara Fry. Poggemeyer has been Arizona's most consistent force this season, and marked her season-high with a 38.975 in last weekend's meet.

Even though UA's team has faced a good deal of adversity thus far, the team will receive a boost when senior All-Pac-10 performer Nancy Milberger returns to the beam for the first time this season.