Feb. 6, 2003

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PIONEERS HOST TOP-RANKED ALABAMA, AIR FORCE IN ANNUAL BURNSLEY INVITATIONAL: Following a tough loss at No. 15 LSU last Friday night, the 14th-ranked University of Denver gymnastics team faces its toughest test yet as it hosts the annual Burnsley Invitational by welcoming in top-ranked and defending national champion Alabama and in-state rival Air Force for a tri-meet on Saturday, Feb. 8 at 6 p.m. in Hamilton Gymnasium. The Crimson Tide, winners of their fourth national championship in 2002, ascended to the No. 1 ranking for the first time this season with the release of Monday's top-25. Alabama holds the nation's best meet average at 196.925, just ahead of Nebraska (196.837) and UCLA (196.808). The Pioneers have been ranked as high as No. 6 this season but fell to No. 15 in Monday's rankings after their 193.750 score last Friday. Denver's average is 195.206 after four meets.

PIONEERS DROP TO NO. 14 IN GYMINFO NATIONAL RANKINGS; NO. 3 IN FLOOR EXERCISE: In the latest GymInfo national poll released Monday, the Pioneers dropped from No. 8 to No. 14 following last Friday's loss at LSU. Denver's meet average is 195.206 after its first four meets of the season. The Pioneers do fashion one of the nation's top floor exercise units; Denver is ranked No. 3 on floor with an average of 49.381, just behind Alabama (49.415) and Georgia (49.396). The Pioneers also hold rankings of No. 14 on vault (48.850), No. 20 on uneven bars (48.594), and No. 24 on balance beam (48.381).

ADD RANKINGS: Like the team poll, the national individual rankings are based on an individual's meet average in the all-around and the four events. The Pioneers currently boast two gymnasts in the top-25 of the all-around, led by junior Emily Bankhead (Houston, Texas), who is 16th nationally with an average of 39.317. Senior Michelle Kasuga (Defiance, Ohio) is right behind her tied for 18th with an average of 39.300. Bankhead is Denver's highest ranking gymnast on an individual event as she is ranked No. 4 in the nation on floor exercise with an average of 9.931. Kasuga also ranks among the national leaders on balance beam (tied for 19th at 9.875) and uneven bars (No. 7 at 9.912). Junior Ashley Shible (Palm Harbor, Fla.) is Denver's lone other gymnast to be nationally ranked on an event; she is ranked No. 21 on vault with an average of 9.858.

ABOUT NO. 1 ALABAMA: Top-ranked and defending national champion Alabama enters this Saturday's Burnsley Invitational with a 4-5 meet record but hold the nation's top-ranked average at 196.925. Alabama is ranked in the top five on each of the four events and has the nation's top-ranked floor exercise unit with an average of 49.415. The Tide is also ranked No. 4 on balance beam (49.140), No. 5 on uneven bars (49.160), and No. 5 on vault (49.210). The Crimson Tide are led by junior Jeana Rice, who is No. 2 in the nation in the all-around with an average of 39.692 and is tied for the top spot on balance beam at 9.950. Alabama's freshman Ashley Miles is also highly ranked, she is tied for No. 2 nationally on floor exercise with an average of 9.950. Senior Kristin Sterner is another highly ranked all-arounder for the Tide; she is ranked No. 11 nationally with an average of 39.342.

DENVER VERSUS ALABAMA: The Pioneers have faced Alabama just one time in direct competition, that coming last season in Tuscaloosa. In that meet, Denver gave the home team a scare before losing, 195.675 - 195.225.

ABOUT AIR FORCE: Denver's lone in-state rival enters Saturday's meet with a 1-1 overall record, having competed in just one meet so far this season. The Falcons finished second in the three-team Rocky Mountain Open on Jan. 25. They did have some solid performances in that meet, as senior Allison Todd and junior Laura Frank tied for top honors in the all-around with scores of 38.925. Todd won both the floor exercise and balance beam titles with a a 9.925 and 9.825, respectively.

DENVER VERSUS AIR FORCE: Air Force and Denver have met 68 times, by far the opponent Denver has met in competition the most. The rivalry has not been kind to Air Force, as the Falcons enter Saturday's meet with a 4-64 record all-time against Denver. The Pioneers have won 25 straight times in the series, with Air Force's last win coming March 11, 1994.

S.E.C WEST: Friday's meet against No. 15 LSU marked the beginning of a three-week stretch in which the Pioneers will face three of the top teams in the Southeastern Conference, widely known as the best women's gymnastics conference in the country. This weekend, Denver welcomes defending national champion Alabama and then travels to Florida (No. 7) on Valentine's Day. Earlier this season, Denver defeated Arkansas in its first showing against an SEC foe. Traditionally, the SEC hasn't been kind to Denver, as the Pioneers have a 4-11 record all-time against teams from that conference.

PIONEERS FALL TO LSU: No. 14 LSU posted its highest team score in nearly a year and recorded season-highs on each of the four events to upset No. 8 Denver 196.625 - 193.750 Friday night in front of 2,048 fans at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. The Tigers improve to 6-1 on the season while the Pioneers lost their second straight meet to drop to 3-2. Denver's 193.750 is its lowest score since posting a 193.200 last January. The Pioneers had few bright spots, but Emily Bankhead won the all-around with a 39.300, just edging out teammate Michelle Kasuga, who scored a 39.250.

GYMNASTICS TICKET INFORMATION: Tickets for all Denver home meets are $9 for adults and $5 for children and can be obtained by calling the Magness Arena box office at (303) 871-2336 or by calling Ticketmaster at (303) 830-TIXS or visit ticketmaster.com. All meets begin at 6 p.m. Denver's next home meet is Feb. 8 against Alabama and Air Force.

BANKHEAD WINS FIRST ALL-AROUND OF SEASON: Junior Emily Bankhead came back to the Pioneers' all-around lineup last Friday and didn't disappoint, winning her first AA title of the season with a score of 39.300. All four of her scores counted toward Denver's team score and she tied for the floor exercise title with a 9.95, tying her season and career-high. Bankhead is ranked fourth nationally on floor exercise with a season average of 9.931.

KASUGA SHOWS UP: One of Denver's most consistent gymnasts this season has been senior Michelle Kasuga. She showed that consistency again last Friday, when she finished second in the all-around with a 39.250 and had all four of her routines count for the team for the second meet this season. She was Denver's highest finisher on both uneven bars (tied for third, 9.875) and balance beam (tied for first, 9.825).

JAC SET TO RETURN: Senior Jacquelin Young missed both of the last two meets after she injured her wrist in training for Denver's tri-meet with Penn State and Iowa State Jan. 25. The Pioneers have certainly missed her presence on the uneven bars, without her routine in the lineup Denver has posted its two lowest scores of the season. Training for the last two weeks (the coaching staff held her out of last week's meet as a precaution), Young will be ready to go for the Pioneers on Saturday.