Lebegern, Priess and Mashburn Honored with Gymnastics Weekly Awards
1/18/2009 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
Jan. 18, 2009
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The Alabama Gymnastics coaching staff honored three gymnasts with the Crimson Tide's weekly awards on Sunday. Freshman Ashley Priess and junior Ricki Lebegern were given the Tide's Performance of the Week honor while sophomore Megan Mashburn earned the Attitude of the Week award.
"Ricki did a great job on all four events again this week," Alabama head coach Sarah Patterson said. "She upgraded her vault and did a great job in helping her teammates make adjustments and be successful. Ashley had a great meet, winning the balance beam and uneven bars. She also had our highest scores of the season on the uneven bars."
Lebegern went in the all-around for the second week in a row, winning it with a score of 39.275. She scored a 9.85 with her upgraded vault. She also posted a 9.825 on the uneven bars and a 9.875 on the floor exercise, finishing second overall on the vault and floor exercise. The junior from Annandale, Va. earned the team's attitude award last week.
In just her second collegiate meet, Priess scored a 9.925 to win the uneven bars. A native of Wheaton, Ill., she also scored a 9.875 on the balance beam, matching Alabama's season high score and winning the event.
Mashburn, in just her second meet in the Tide's competitive lineup, scored a 9.75 on the vault. The Greenville, S.C. native worked her way through a difficult week of practice.
"Megan struggled this week in practice and in warm-ups Friday night, but she never let herself get down," Patterson said. "Through it all she demonstrated a great competitive attitude, working through it and showing a great spirit. Her best vault came during the meet, during competition."
Alabama returns to the road this Friday to take on Georgia in Athens, Ga. at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Players Mentioned
