University of Georgia Athletics
2006 Season Review
September 08, 2006 | Gymnastics
Schedule and Results | Roster | Releases
2006 NCAA Champions - The Gym Dogs completed a perfect season at the Women's Gymnastics Championships with a score of 197.75, the team's highest since winning the 2005 national title.
2006 SEC Champions - Georgia came into the 2006 SEC Championship undefeated and finished the season 6-0 in SEC and 21-0 overall. Kelsey Ericksen racked up four first – place titles with wins in the all-around (39.625), on vault (9.925) and through ties with Courtney Kupets and Alabama’s Melanie Banville on the uneven bars (9.90) and on the floor exercise with two of Alabama’s gymnasts, Brittany Magee and Ashley Miles (9.95).
Gym Dogs Cap Perfect Season
The Gym Dogs completed a perfect season at the Women's Gymnastics Championships with a score of 197.75, the team's highest since winning last year's national title.
For Georgia (36-0) it is the second time in program history to complete back-to-back NCAA championship seasons (also in 1998-99) and the fourth time to finish undefeated. Georgia is the only program in NCAA history with an undefeated national title season.
To win the title Georgia had to outlast second-place Utah (196.8) and Alabama (196.725), which both put up impressive performances. The Gym Dogs only led the Crimson Tide by .025 entering the final rotation.
Florida (196.275) placed fourth followed by Nebraska (196.175) and Iowa State (194.725)
"I want to first congratulate Alabama and Utah," said Georgia head coach Suzanne Yoculan. "I love the fact that they came after us. We had to perform tonight and have our best meet to win - and that's what we did. They were right on our heels the whole way.
"This team is very special. We set a goal at the beginning of the year to go undefeated. I'm so proud to have this national title and the fourth undefeated season. It just shows the work ethic and focus this team had. It was a total team effort," Yoculan said.
It was the vaulting event in the final rotation that helped the Gym Dogs pull away at the end of the competition. The team score of 49.65 is the highest in at least three years. In that rotation Courtney Kupets (9.975) and Kelsey Ericksen (9.95) had career highs while Megan Dowlen (9.875) tied her career best in the leadoff spot. Tiffany Tolnay had a 9.95 as the anchor and Katie Heenan and Ashley Kupets added a 9.9 and 9.85, respectively.