INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. ? Kentucky junior Michelle Gales qualified for the 2004 Central Region Gymnastics Championships the NCAA announced, Monday afternoon. Gales will compete as an all-around performer at the Central Region championships on April 2 in Baton Rouge, La.

?I am excited,? Gales said. ?I didn?t get to go last year and I?m going to take this opportunity to try to advance and compete at Nationals.?

The junior from Atlanta, Ga., led Kentucky in the all-around this season with a 39.245 RQS, and ranks first on the team on bars and floor exercise averages. Gales recorded five consecutive 39.000 or higher scores in the all-around, including a career-high 39.400 against Florida on Feb. 27. This past weekend, she recorded a 39.250 and finished ninth in the all-around at the Southeastern Conference Championships in Duluth, Ga.

?We are excited for Michelle and it is a great accomplishment for her,? Coach ?Mo? Muhammad said. ?This is a testament to her work ethic and dedication to the program. We look forward to seeing Michelle compete at Regionals with a great chance of making it to Nationals.?

Gales is one of the best floor exercise performers in the SEC and the Central Region. She finished the season ranked seventh in the SEC and eighth in the region on floor. Gales ended the season with seven consecutive 9.900 or higher performances on floor exercise. She scored a career-high 9.950, the third-highest score in UK history, at LSU on Feb. 20 and again against Ball State on March 5.

Gales is set to compete at the Central Region Championships with four other all-around competitors. The meet will also feature six teams, No. 6 BYU, No. 7 LSU, No. 17 Arizona State, No. 23 Auburn, No. 24 Kent State and Michigan State, as well as four individual event performers.

Senior Julie Joy and freshman Krystle Cook are listed as alternates for the Central Region Championships as individual event competitors. Joy is an alternate on the uneven bars behind Kristine Menne (Centenary) and Cook is an alternate on vault behind Tiffanie Janke (Ohio State).

?It would have been better for the whole team to go,? Gales said. ?Our goal is to make it to Regionals as a team and then advance to Nationals next season.?

 Central Region Championships ? April 2 at Baton Rouge, Louisiana Teams 1. Brigham Young 2. LSU 3. Arizona State 4. Auburn 5. Kent State 6. Michigan State All-Around Competitors 1. Melissa Popovich ? Bowling Green 2. Sara Burtinsky ? Central Michigan 3. Michelle Gales ? Kentucky 4. Kara Reighard ? Central Michigan 5. Elizabeth Meaney ? Ohio State Alt. Kristina Menne ? Centenary Individual Event Specialist Vault ? Tiffanie Janke ? Ohio State Alt. ? Krystle Cook ? Kentucky Uneven Bars ? Kristina Menne ? Centenary Alt. ? Julie Joy ? Kentucky Balance Beam ? Tiffanie Janke ? Ohio State Alt. ? Christy Sassic ? Western Michigan Floor Exercise ? Brooke Morari ? Eastern Michigan Alt. ? Kristina Menne - Centenary