Department of athletics, physical education and recreation
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Julia Zimmerman Stellar at NCAA Division I Northeast Regional Championships
April 15, 2007
ANN ARBOR, Mich. - MIT sophomore Julia Zimmerman proved she belongs in the realm of the nation's top women's gymnasts with a stunning performance at the National Collegiate Women's Gymnastics Championships Northeast Regional on Saturday afternoon in Ann Arbor, Mich. The Chicago, Ill., native set a new Institute record on the beam (9.725) and tied her own school mark in the all-around competition (38.300) en route to an 11th-place finish among 17 gymnasts. Though she didn't qualify for the national championships with her performance, Zimmerman stepped into the MIT record books with her inclusion in the competition and set herself apart as one of the greatest women's gymnasts in the Institute's illustrious history. She was the first athlete in her sport in MIT lore to qualify for the Division I regional meet, while she was also just the fifth Division III gymnast in the past 24 years to earn the honor. Zimmerman's record-tying 38.300 in the all-around marked the fourth time this year that she'd broken the previous record, which, prior to this season, had been held by Sonja Ellefson, who collected a 38.135 in 1999. The second-year performer's best event was the beam - an event in which she captured the Division III National Championship just a few weeks ago. Her 9.725 broke the old standard of 9.700, which had been achieved by both Zimmerman (this year) and Merritt Tam (2005). The score earned her a 22nd-place finish among 42 competitors. Zimmerman also secured a 9.600 on the vault (tie for 31st), a 9.575 on the floor exercise (35th) and a 9.400 on the uneven bars (tie for 30th). Tatjana Thuener-Rego, of the University of Michigan, was crowned the Northeast Regional All-Around Champion, amassing a stunning 39.450. The University of Pittsburgh's Andrea Arlotta (39.050) and the University of Arkansas' Casey Jo Magee (38.800) grabbed the two individual qualifying spots for the national championships, which will be hosted by the University of Utah from Apr. 26-28. The University of Florida won the event and advanced to the national championships as a team with a score of 197.325, while host Michigan edged out Arkansas for the final spot, 196.050-195.875. At the conclusion of the competition, Zimmerman was named the Division III Northeast Region Gymnast of the Year. |
