April 17, 1998

LOS ANGELES – The University of Kentucky gymnastAshley Burkholder placed 33rd with an all-around score of 38.300at the NCAA Gymnastics Championships Thursday.

Burkholder competed in the first of two sessions held atUCLA’s Pauley Pavilion. She scored a 9.675 on vault (57th place),a 9.075 on the uneven bars (85th place), 9.725 on the balancebeam (39th place) and a 9.825 on the floor exercise (29th place).

“We are very pleased with Ashley’s performance,” said CoachLeah Little. “She started off well on floor and did well on beam.She handled the pressure well. Ashley is truly amazing to qualifyfor nationals her freshman year.”

The scores from both sessions were combined and the top fourindividuals from each session in each event (plus ties) from thepreliminary team and all-around competition will compete in theindividual-event competition Saturday, April 18. The top threeteams from each session will advance to the Super Six competitionFriday, April 17. The Super Six teams are Georgia, the hostschool UCLA, Florida, Alabama, Utah and Arizona State. Burkholder plans to take time off to focus on academic finals andgetting rest before returning to help out with UK gymnastics campJune 21-25.

Ashley Burkholder Quickfacts

Burkholder is the only gymnast on Kentucky’s team who hascompeted in all events for UK this season.

She is the 1998 Co-SEC Freshman of the Year. This is thesecond straight year Kentucky has received this honor. Last yearKrissy Hoeferlin was recognized as SEC Freshman of the Year.

Burkholder is the highest ranked freshman in the SEC forthe floor exercise competition, scoring a 9.975 against GeorgeWashington on Jan. 30. . She is ranked nationally in threeevents: vault, floor exercise and all-around.

GymKats at Nationals

1996 marks the most recent year that any GymKat has qualifiedfor the NCAA Nationals. The Kentucky qualifiers were Jenny Hansenand Robin Ewing.

Ewing is currently an assistant coach for the GymKats.

Selection Process

The National Collegiate Women’s Gymnastics Championshipsconsist of 12 teams and 12 all-around competitors (who are not ona qualifying team) and event specialists. The team and all-aroundwinner from each region will receive an automatic berth in thenational championships, and the remaining seven teams andall-around competitors will qualify on the basis of rank order offinish (highest score) from all the regional championships. Ifthe all-around winner in a region is on an advancing team, thatposition will revert to an at-large berth. In addition, the eventwinners in the regional competition who score at least a 9.8 mayadvance to the championships (in that event only) if they are notpart of a qualifying team or the all-around qualifier.

Satellite Feed

Highlights of competition will be available Thursday andFriday, April 16 and 17 at 7:30 p.m. ET both nights. Thecoordinates are Galaxy 4, 17 lower, Audio 6.2 and 6.8, Downlinkfrequency 12035 (KU-Band)

Overall Team Standing           Score    All-Around Final Standings           Score 1. Georgia                   197.825    1. Kim Arnold, Georgia              39.725 2. UCLA                      196.925    2. Karin Lichey, Georgia            39.700 3. Florida                   196.750    3. Klara Kudikova, Washington       39.550 4. Alabama                   196.475    4. Betsy Hamm, Florida              39.450 5. Utah                      196.200    5. Kiralee, Hayashi, UCLA           39.400 6. Arizona State             195.450    6. Gwen Spidle, Alabama             39.375 7. Washington                195.450    6. Tiffany Simpson, Washington      39.375 8. Michigan                  195.425    8. Heather Kabnich, Michigan        39.350 9. Louisiana State           195.300    8. Heidi Moneymaker, UCLA           39.35010. Penn State                194.600    8. Shannon Bowles, UCLA             39.35011. North Carolina State      194.125    -12. Brigham Young             193.400    33. Ashley Burkholder, Kentucky     38.300