Southern Utah’s Elise Wheeler Earns All-American First Team Honors at NCAAs

LINCOLN, Neb. - April 18 - Southern Utah's Elise Wheeler will not only be bringing home All-American first-team honors on bars and beam and second-team All-American honors on floor, but the junior will also be bringing home NCAA hardware after a sixth-place finish on the balance beam at the NCAA National Championships on Saturday night.

Wheeler qualified as one of 16 gymnasts in the nation on bars and one of 12 gymnasts in the nation on beam at the individual championships at the NCAA National Championship.  The San Diego native wrapped up her bar set with a 9.7875 to finish 12th on the event.  Scores were tabulated as six judges scored each event with the highest and lowest scores thrown out and the rest averaged.

The balance beam was where Wheeler really stood out, finishing tied for first on the event during the preliminary session on Thursday night.  Wheeler's Saturday night showing was almost as flawless as she scored a 9.875 to finish sixth.  The finish also garnered a new piece of decor for Wheeler as the top eight finishers each received awards.

The performances marked the first time that Southern Utah gymnastics was represented in the NCAA Gymnastics Championship finals.  Wheeler had qualified in the all-around in 2008, but had failed to make it past the preliminary round.  She was also the first All-American for SUU gymnastics, earning the three All-American citations at once.

"I don't think that people will understand how huge this is for our program and the University," head coach Scott Bauman said of the entire experience.  "This was amazing for Wheels and I think the crowd really got behind her because she was from the 'little' school.  She represented the University incredibly well."

The completion of the meet also marks the closure of the gymnastics season, but also marks the beginning of the off-season as SUU gymnastics looks to qualify for the NCAA National Championships as a team in the near future.

San Jose State’s Porte, Wallace Impress at NCAA Championship

Lincoln, Neb.—In their final performances of the 2009 season, Veronica Porte and Thomasina Wallace performed in the all-around at the 2009 NCAA Championships in Lincoln, Neb.  Both competed in the second session Thursday night and represented San Jose State proudly.

Porte, in her final competition in a Spartan leotard, scored a 38.700 in the all-around.  She started the night on vault with a 9.650 and followed on bars with a 9.450.  Porte then scored a season-best 9.825 on beam.  Her final performance as a Spartan came on floor where she scored a 9.775.

Porte finishes her career tied for the school record on vault with a 9.925, and performed 211 out of a possible 212 routines during her four seasons.  She missed just a floor routine because of the flu.

Wallace started the meet on bars with a 9.750, followed by a 9.700 on beam and floor.  The freshman ended her rookie year on vault with a 9.250 and a 38.400 in the all-around.

In just her first season, Wallace has made an impact at San Jose State.  She is tied for the school record on the bars with a 9.950 and the all-around with a 39.400.  Wallace also won the Spartans first individual championship at the Western Athletic Conference meet as she won the floor with a 9.900.  She was also the first Spartan to be honored as the WAC Freshman of the Year.

The two gymnasts are just the second and third to represent San Jose State at the NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championships.