Gophers Gymnasts Hit The National Stage
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- It's been one of those dream runs for the University of Minnesota gymnastics team.
Next up -- nationals.
The Gophers are there after bringing in some high-end talent this season, and because they enjoy the sport by enjoying one another.
The Gophers gymnastics team knows about practice. Their season starts when school starts, and the schedule is time consuming.
"In preseason we go 20 hours a week because that's the max," Lindsay Mable said.
The reward is a trip to the NCAA meet this weekend against the top 12 teams in the country.
"It's huge for our future, obviously, because we get the national stage to recruit with," coach Meg Stephenson said. "And we've been telling people for years how great this program is, and this puts our money where our mouth is."
Minnesota's team is nourished with leadership from the upper-class athletes. That has the team coming together, making an individual sport feel like a team activity.
"It's good to be a part of such an amazing team," Hannah Nordquist said. "We bond so well together, and that makes it that much better."
The next stop is UCLA and Pauley Pavilion.
"We'll take a big breath and just do what we do," Stephenson said. "Do what we do every day in practice every day and we'll be just fine."
