University of Georgia Athletics
Taylor and McCool Earn NCAA Gym Titles
April 27, 2008 | Gymnastics
Meet Notes
Georgia added to its team title with two more individual titles Saturday from sophomores Grace Taylor on beam and Courtney McCool on floor. Georgia gymnasts now have captured 33 individual NCAA titles, more than any other team. The closest behind is UCLA with 29 two of which were won by Tasha Schwikert in 2008.
Although Courtney Kupets won multiple individual NCAA titles in both 2006 and 2007, this is the first time two different Georgia gymnasts have won NCAA titles in the same year since 1998, when Kim Arnold won the all-around and tied on beam, Jenni Beathard tied on beam, and Karin Lichey won floor.
This is the 16th year at least one Georgia gymnast has won an individual NCAA title and the ninth time more than one event has gone to a Gym Dog. It’s the third straight year that Georgia has been represented with an individual champion all three times with multiple awards.
Grace Taylor finished second last year on beam at NCAAs her freshman year and followed that up with a first-place finish her sophomore campaign. Her score of 9.950 in the fifth slot held up through six following competitors.
Taylor is Georgia’s fourth NCAA Champion on balance beam and first since Courtney Kupets in 2006.
Courtney McCool made her first appearance in the individual event finals with a first-place finish on floor. Her routine in the fourth spot held up through 10 following competitors.
McCool is Georgia’s eighth NCAA Champion on floor exercise and first since Suzanne Sears in 2000.
Katie Heenan finished as the runner-up on uneven bars.
Other Gym Dogs with top-10 finishes on events were Marcia Newby on vault (6), Nikki Childs on bars (4), Tiffany Tolnay on floor (4), Grace Taylor on bars (8) and Cassidy McComb on floor (7).
