GYMNASTICS 7B - The Michigan Daily - SPORTSMonday - March 23, 1998 'GYMNASTICS Continued from Page 18 neck all year. I think it came down to who- finished higher in the all-around yesterda," Roulston said. "I put together six good routines and came out on top." Despite their friendship, Roulston said that he and Natalie were strictly business at the Championships. "I don't think we said more than a word to each other before the competi- tion. It was pretty much business," he said. "We were really good friends out- side the gym, but even last year ... when -we got into the meet it was all business." In addition to being named freshman of the year, Roulston was part of a four- man Michigan contingent in the vault finals on Saturday. Sophomore LaLo Haro led the Wolverines with a third-place finish, hile Roulston and senior Tim Lauring tied for fourth. Redshirt freshman Tim - Dehr finished soventh to round out Michigan's assault. "It was a dream performance on that event," Michigan coach Kurt Golder said of the vault. "It was a magical moment for our program." Haro also recorded a fourth-place fin- ish on the high bar, and senior Tim DeGraw placed third on the floor exer- Wise for the Wolverines. Penn State sophomore Mike Dutka won the all- around competition with a 58.35. Michigan will have one more chance to increase its three-score regional qual- ifying average, as the team travels to Michigan State on Saturday. The Wolverines hope to solidify a berth in the NCAA East Regional at Massachusetts on April 4. Golder is key to renaissance of men's gymnastics program By David DenHerder Daily Sports Writer About face! There is a buzz around the Big Ten - and it's not about undefeated lowa. It's about a team, believe it or not, that won zero meets in 1996. It's about a team that did not beat a single conference oppo- nent in 1997. It's about Michigan, and how it is in the middle of an unprecedented turn around - a-------------- change that Gymnstics could leave the Wolverines atop Commentary the Big Ten next ---------------- season and have them competing for the national title in the years to come. After the Wolverines finished winless in '96, coach Bob Darden was replaced by former Iowa assistant Kurt Golder, a member of Michigan's last Big Ten championship team - in 1975. In his first year, Golder turned Michigan into the most improved team in the NCAA. From the first meet of the season to the last, the Wolverines bet- tered their team score by 14 full points. This year, Golder brought in top assis- tant coach Mike Burns, who also worked with the Iowa program. In addition, Golder recruited a talent- ed freshman class, including 1998 Big Ten freshman of the year Kevin Roulston and all-Big Ten member Justin Toman. And if this year's freshmen are the best in the Big Ten, then next year's class should be the best in the nation. Michigan recruits Scott Vetere, Daniel Diaz-Luong, Josh Levin and Brad Kenna have the potential to be the "Fab Four" of college gymnastics next year. "Everyone in the country is looking at Michigan and saying 'Look what they have done with their program,"' Ohio State coach Miles Avery said Thursday before the championships. "They have certainly gone on to really improve this league, and gymnastics as a whole, with- in the NCAA." But the question is: How? How could a program that had been at the bottom of the Big Ten barrel suddenly go out and recruit the top guys across the nation? The answer is Golder. "He is really special," Michigan sophomore LaLo Haro said. "He lives for gymnastics. He knows what it's all about, and he loves it." Upon arriving at Michigan, Golder convinced the athletic department to reinstate the full allotment of gymnastics scholarships, and his coaching style began convincing would-be college gym- nasts that Michigan was the place to be. "I could tell he was really committed to the program," Toman said. Roulston, a fellow recruit, also was impressed with Golder's institution. "I wanted a program that would be going up the ladder," Roulston said. "I felt he was the guy who could take me where I wanted to go. He's just a great coach through and through." Commitment to the program is one aspect, but Golder is an equally talented teacher. According to Michigan gym- nasts, Golder is not only knowledgeable and interactive, but also an excellent communicator. "He knows how to tell you the right thing at the right time" Haro said. "I really admire that." As the original cornerstone for Golder to build on, Haro will have to assume a leadership role next year as the new (and highly talented) freshman class learns the ropes. "I will keep in mind to hold the team together," said Haro, who seems to like the idea of added competition. "The pressure is good because it makes you work harder and it makes the team bet- ter. You've got to be the example to-fol- low." As examples go, Michigan's will be the one to follow next year and in the years to come. "If they stay healthy, they should -win the Big Ten title next year and probably be top three at nationals," Michigan State coach Rick Atkinson said. "I real- ly expect them to be the team of- the 2000s." The 2000s? Maybe a little presumptu- ous, but as long as Golder stays, expect Michigan to at least be the team of the next decade. MALLORY S.E. FLOYD/Daily Big Ten freshman of the year Kevin Roulston is part of this year's talented class. Next season's recruiting class is considered to be the best in the nation. Women's gymnastics humbled by Gophers at Big Ten Championships By Vaughn Kug aily Sports Writer Soaring virtually atop the nation with a No. 2 ranking, the Michigan women's gym- nastics team was brought back to the ground this weekend when it finished sec- ond in its own conference. The Wolverines scored a road-record 194.9 on Saturday, but it was not enough for -the team to bring its seventh consecutive Big Ten title back to Ann Arbor. It wasn't enough because Minnesota queezed by the Wolverines with a team score of 195.4 to claim the 1998 Big Ten crown. The meet was hosted by Iowa, at Carver- Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City. Penn State wound up capturing third place, with a team score of 194.725, clearly a close threat to Michigan. Although the balance beam is usually Michigan's worst event, the squad had the right to feel optimistic about the beam fol- owing its second-best performance of the season against Massachusetts last Saturday. However, it was on this thin apparatus that the team lost sight of its hopes for a Big Ten championship. "We came out really nervous," sopho- more Sarah Cain said. "The beam was our first event, which made things worse. There were three of us that missed the beam." The team faired dramatically worse on the beam than any other event, with a 47.675 - their only mark below 49.0. After such a disappointing showing on the balance beam, Michigan regrouped and began heading in the only direction it could up. "The beam was my bad event," freshman Bridget Knaeble said. "After that I came back fighting for everything." Redemption is exactly what Knaeble accomplished. Coming off a disappointing 9.175 on the beam, she went on to set three consecutive personal records. Knaeble tied for first overall on the floor exercise with a 9.875, followed by a 9.925 on the uneven bars and a 9.825 on the vault. In the midst of disappointment, being named to the all-Big Ten team brightened Knaeble's weekend. Accompanying her was her roommate and fellow freshman Christine Mitered, and sophomore Sarah Cain, who joined the squad for her second straight year. Juniors Nikki Peters and Lisa Cain both earned all-conference honors for the third consecutive season. Peters wrapped up the meet with a bang. She scored a perfect 10 on the uneven bars in route to her third consecutive Big Ten bars title. Despite the Wolverines' disappointing finish, they are still the No.1 seed at the upcoming Central Regional Championships in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on April 4, where they will try to repeat last year's first-place fin- ish. Being seeded first is key, for it will allow Michigan to choose the order of events. This will be a big advantage because the Wolverines can open the tournament with their best event and ride the confidence a strong first performance brings through the competition. The Wolverines hope they won't have to rebound from a poor opening event, as was the case this past weekend. Michigan is not going to dwell on this weekend's disappointing showing as it pre- pares for regionals, where a strong showing could propel the team to nationals. "This happens to all good teams at one point or another," Michigan coach Beverly Plocki said. "We are not going to let it bother us." The NCAA Championships will be in Los Angeles on April 16-18. JOHN KRAFT/Daily Heather Kabnick and her Michigan mates, despite a No. 2 national ranking, were unable to maintain that standard this weekend at the Big Ten Championships. Michigan finished a close second to Minnesota. Em .r..