
Gardiner Takes Third, Aufiero 11th at Event Finals
April 19, 2015 | Women's Gymnastics
FORT WORTH, Texas – Sophomore Madeline Gardiner ended the 2015 gymnastics season in same place she found herself last season – on the podium at the NCAA Championships Individual Event Finals. Gardiner finished third on the balance beam and junior Erika Aufiero took 11th on the uneven bars.
“It was great to have two gymnasts advance to the final competition and they represented OSU really well,” head coach Tanya Chaplin said. “It was Erika's first time at finals and it was a solid routine. I'm really happy with her performance. Maddie had a beautiful routine today to finish third. It was a great representation of Oregon State gymnastics and should make everyone involved in our program and Beaver Nation proud.”
The random draw was less than favorable for the OSU gymnasts with Aufiero's turn in the rotation coming up third out of 12 gymnasts and Gardiner going fifth out of 13.
Gardiner was flawless throughout her routine sticking her dismount to score a career-best 9.9250 on the beam. Her score held up through the first flight and eventually proved to be the third highest score overall. It matches her Event Finals finish in 2014 when she scored 9.8875 to tie for third.
On the bars, Aufiero performed a solid routine earning a score of 9.8250 to finish 11th overall.
Aufiero qualified to finals after scoring 9.900 to tie for fourth in Friday's evening semifinal. She became the first OSU gymnast to qualify to finals on the bars since Jen Kesler, Makayla Stambaugh and Olivia Vivian all accomplished the feat in 2011. This is the first All-America honors of her career.
Gardiner reached finals on the beam for the second year in a row when she scored 9.900 to tie for second in the session. It is the third All-America award of her career.
Vault Results
1. Elizabeth Price (STAN) 9.9333
2. Bridget Sloan (UF) 9.9250
T3. Kayla Williams (ALA), Haley Scaman (OU) 9.8917
5. Kari Lee (UTAH) 9.8750
6. Ali Jackson (OU) 9.8525
7. Brandie Jay (UGA) 9.8500
8. Myia Hambrick (LSU) 9.8167
Uneven Bars Results
1. Georgia Dabritz (UTAH) 9.9625
2. Brittany Rogers (UGA), Bridget Sloan (UF) 9.9500
4. McKenzie Wofford (OU) 9.9250
T5. Katie Bailey (ALA), Rheagan Courville (LSU), Keeley Kmieciak (OU), Elizabeth Price (STAN) 9.900
9. Shae Zamardi (LSU) 9.8625
10. Brenna Dowell (OU) 9.8500
11. Erika Aufiero (OSU) 9.8250
12. Randii Wyrick (LSU) 9.2875
Balance Beam results
1. Samantha Peszek (UCLA) 9.9500
2. Ivana Hong (STAN) 9.9375
3. Madeline Gardiner (OSU) 9.9250
4. Chayse Capps (OU) 9.9125
T5. Kytra Hunter (UF), Rebecca Clark (OU) 9.8750
7. Keeley Kmieciak (OU) 9.8625
T8. Talia Chiarelli (UF), Alex McMurtry (UF), Jessie Jordan (LSU), Caitlin Atkinson (AUB) 9.8250
12. Nicole Artz (MICH) 9.8125
13. Kayla Williams (ALA) 9.2250
Floor Exercise results
1. Kytra Hunter (UF) 9.9625
T2. Nina McGee (DEN), Brenna Dowell (OU) 9.9500
4. Haley Scaman (OU) 9.9375
T5. Ashleigh Gnat (LSU), Georgia Dabritz (UTAH) 9.9125
T7. Sachi Sugiyama (MICH), Talia Chiarelli (MICH) 9.9000
T9. Samantha Peszek (UCLA), Mary Beth Box (UGA) 9.8875
11. Hollie Blanske (NEB) 9.8500
12. Kennedy Baker (UF) 9.7750
13. Taylor Rice (STAN) 9.7625
14. Kari Lee (UTAH) 9.6125
15. Bridgette Caquatto (UF) 9.3375