Jan. 18, 2011
Weekly Release 
SEATTLE -In the first dual meet of 2011, the No. 18 Washington Huskies will host Pac-10 rival Cal at Hec Edmundson Pavilion for the last time on Friday at 7 p.m. Washington is 5-4 on the year while Cal is 0-8.
Live Coverage
Fans can chat live during the meet via Cover It Live. Log on to www.gohuskies.com prior to the meet to find the chat room.
A free live video feed will be available on GoHuskies.com along with live scoring for all home meets in 2011. In addition, all home meets will televised by UWTV Channel 27. This week's meet will be aired at 8 p.m. on Jan. 29. You can watch last week's meet on Jan. 22 at 8 p.m.
The Pac-10 Showcase on Jan. 9 was televised by FSN and tape delayed. Fans can have 26 opportunities to watch that meet on various FSN channels beginning on Jan. 13. See the final page of the weekly release for the complete list of networks viewing dates and times.
About the Bears
Cal announced in the Fall of 2010 that this will be the last year for gymnastics at the school. Cal is 0-8 on the year after finishing seventh at the Pac-10 Showcase to open the season and third in a tri-meet in Berkeley this past weekend with UC Davis and San Jose State. Madisyn O'Brien won the all-around at the tri-meet and ranks 29th in the country on the beam with a 9.813 average. As a team, Cal posted its best score in two years with a 192.475 at the tri-meet. In the national rankings, they are 51st on vault, 41st on bars, 30th on the beam and 47th on the floor.
Huskies Down Broncos For First Time In Seven Tries
In the 2011 home opener, UW snapped a six-meet losing streak to Boise State, posting its best team score of the year. Washington had a 194.825 to win the meet and defeat the Broncos, Illinois State and Seattle Pacific. Ruby Engreitz tied her career-high with a 9.875 on bars to win her second event title of her career. Lauren Rogers and Amanda Cline tied for third on the vault (9.800), Samantha Walior and Kristen Linton tied for second on the bars (9.800), Paige Bixler was second on the beam (9.800) and Walior was third (9.775) and Linton was second on the floor (9.850). Freshman Aliza Vaccher competed in the all-around for the first time, placing second with a 38.625.
Huskies Fifth at First-Ever Pac-10 Showcase
Seniors Kristen Linton and Walior stepped up for the Huskies on bar at the Pac-10 Showcase as both earned career-best marks of 9.900, leading the Huskies to a second-place finish in the event. Washington finished fifth out of the seven Pac-10 teams with a overall score of 193.675. Engreitz also posted career-high on the bars with a 9.875. Sophomore Meg Whitney and Vaccher made their Husky debuts. Whitney was second on the team with a 9.750 on vault. Vaccher competed on vault, floor and tied for the team-high on beam with Engreitz with a 9.725.
Huskies in the Rankings
Washington opened the season in the top-25 for the second-straight season. UW was No. 21 in the coaches pre-season poll presented by GymInfo and moved up to No. 20 after opening weekend. This week, the Huskies are tied for 18 with West Virginia. Every Monday a new poll is released. The Huskies finished No. 23 in last year's final poll.
In the team standings after two weekends the Huskies are ranked 22nd on vault (48.650), fourth on bars (49.150), T-23rd on beam (48.300) and 44th on floor (48.150). Individually, Engreitz is T-6th on bars (9.875) and Linton and Walior are tied for 14th (9.850).
Challenging Schedule
Nearly all of the UW opponents this season were ranked or receiving votes in the pre-season poll including pre-season No. 1 and defending champion UCLA. UW faced No. 18 Boise State and an Illinois State team that was receiving votes. No. 4 Oklahoma will come to Hec Ed on Jan. 28. Washington then heads to Salt Lake City, Utah, to face No. 5 Utah on Feb. 11. A dual meet with conference foe and No. 25 Arizona State will be in Tempe, Ariz., on Feb. 18. The Huskies travel to No. 8 Oregon State on Feb. 25 with UC Davis and San Jose State who is receiving votes. Michigan State is also receiving votes and will be Seattle on March 4. Other Pac-10 teams the Huskies will face that are ranked include: No. 6 Stanford and No. 19 Arizona. Collegegymfans.com ranked the Huskies' schedule the sixth toughest amongst the top 25 teams in the pre-season poll.
Ask the Huskies
Husky gymnastics fans can submit your questions for UW coaches and student-athletes. Each week throughout the season, the Huskies will answer a few select questions and post them on www.gohuskies.com. Please be specific about who your question is directed too. Submit your questions here: http://www.gohuskies.com/chat/010311aaa.html.
The 5th Event
At the conclusion of every home meet, all fans are invited to the Founder's Club to meet the 2011 team and get autgraphs. This week, the entire team will be up there signing schedule cards, posters and schedule magnets.
Three Seniors Named Team Captains
Entering her fifth season as head coach of the Huskies gymnastics program, Joanne Bowers announced the three captains for the 2011 squad. The only three seniors on the team, Haley Bogart, Kristen Linton and Samantha Walior will be this season's leaders. Bogart (Woodside, Calif.), qualified for the NCAA Championships her freshman season by placing fourth in the all-around at the NCAA West Regional. At the NCAA Championships that season, she scored a career-high 9.775 on the bars. She also earned Second-Team All-Pac-10 honors on the vault.
From Edmonds, Wash., Linton is coming off of a trip to the NCAA Championships where she finished 21st with a 9.800 on the floor exercise. Wailor (Prior Lake, Minn.) joined Linton at the NCAA Championships a year ago as she finished 38th on the floor with a 9.525. The two tied for the title at the NCAA Regional on the floor with scores of 9.900 each, career-high marks for both of them.
Three Newcomers on 2011 Team
Husky fans will see three new faces on the 2011 roster with two freshmen and a transfer. Sophomore Meg Whitney comes to the Huskies after one season at Utah. She is originally from Mesa, Ariz. Lara Albright (Carrollton, Texas) and Aliza Vaccher (Eugene, Ore.), both highly touted recruits, come in as freshmen and look to make an immediate impact.
Redmond, Wash., who trains at Auburn Gymnastics Center, was the 2010 Washington State Champion while placing second in the all-around at regionals and being a JO Nationals qualifier.
Get Your Tickets
Fans can purchase tickets by phone (206) 543-2200 (M - F 8:30 - 4:30), or in-person at the Husky Ticket Office - Graves Building, 3910 Montlake Blvd. (M - F 8:30 - 5:00) or on game day at Hec Edmundson Pavilion ticket office starting one hour prior to game time. Tickets are also available for online purchase through Ticketmaster. Prices are: Adults: $6, Youth/senior citizen: $4, Family plan: $15 (admits 4), Group (15+): $3.
