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Gymnastics prepares for Region III Championships

With the NCAA Region III Championships two days away, the UA gymnastics team is getting ready for one of their most difficult challenges of the season.

The Wildcats have the luxury of hosting the championships at the McKale Center, where they will be seeded fourth in the meet and compete against five other teams - No. 5 Nebraska, No. 8 Louisiana State, No. 16 Arizona State, Missouri and Illinois-Chicago.

"We have a clean slate heading into this weekend," head coach Bill Ryden said. "Past records don't matter, seedings don't matter, once you are in, it's a random draw for where you start."

Arizona has been practicing for the past two weeks with a lot of focus and determination to clean up minor errors that have plagued them all season, Ryden said.

"This is the biggest meet of the year for us," sophomore Randi Liljenquist said. "We are a lot more prepared than last year. I just want to do my best and whatever happens, happens."

After a disappointing 5-16 overall record this year, the Wildcats are seeking to resurrect their season with a successful performance this weekend.

"Starting over is a good thing for us because we can put all of our past meets behind us," junior Kara Fry said. "Every team in the country is starting with a clean slate. Now we can just go out and show everyone how good we really are."

Hosting the meet will be beneficial for Arizona because it competed stronger at home this season than on the road and also do not have to deal with the hassle of traveling.

On the negative side, though, senior All-American Heidi Hornbeek is questionable to compete due to an aggravated back injury.

"I'm just taking one day at a time," Hornbeek said. "As a team we are really focused and want to polish every element so we don't give any tenths of a point away."

The team is going into the meet with the mind set that Hornbeek will not be able to participate.

"The team is preparing to compete without her (Hornbeek) so that someone will be ready and available to take her spots," Ryden said.

Still, the Wildcats expect to do well as a poor performance could end their seasons because only the top two finishers in the NCAA Region III Championships move on.

"The atmosphere in the gym is more serious and focused because the girls know that this is the meet," Ryden said. "This is the one that counts."