NCAAs bring an end for Gunn

Kathleen Gunn is one of four Ivy gymnasts competing in nationals. March. Sandwiched between February and April, this month has faithfully upheld a tradition in 1998, entering like a lion and leaving like lamb. For years, Ivy League gymnastics teams have upheld a tradition of their own in March paralleling the month's changing weather. Each season, the beginning of March arrives with a bang -- the Ivy Classic Gymnastics Championship has been a mainstay of the month's first weekend. Yet, as March winds down, Ivy League squads have customarily made the ECACs their seasonal swan song. In 1998, however, the Ivy League will not be sitting idly when the action heats up at the NCAA Northeast Regional. Penn's Kathleen Gunn leads a group of four Ivy Leaguers who have qualified for the all-around at Saturday's competition at the University of Pittsburgh. "This shows that the teams in the Ivy League are taking the next step up," Penn coach Tom Kovic said. "I can remember in years past where we've had one, or maybe no, Ivy League representatives. To have four gymnasts qualify is a tribute to the athletes working very hard, and to the coaches who are doing some strong recruiting." For Gunn, the NCAA Regionals will close out a spectacular Penn career. In her four years as a Quaker, Gunn has notched three top-five all-around performances at ECACs and an Ivy all-around title and been a member of two Ivy League champion Penn teams. The top seven teams in each of the NCAA's five regions qualify for Regionals. In addition, the top seven all-around individuals join the qualifying teams in competition. Penn tri-captain Kathleen Gunn, the Ivy League's lone representative last year, is excited by the prospects of seeing some familiar faces. "I think it's nice that this year there are a lot of Ivy participants," Gunn said. "I don't think the familiar faces will increase the competition among us. We know each other so we'll probably cheer each other on." Though Penn failed to finish as one of the region's top seven squads, Gunn, the ECAC's Gymnast of the Year, made a name for herself as the No. 2 ranked gymnast among non-qualifying teams. Gunn, who will be joined Saturday by Yale's Katie Kleiner and Nicole Hoffman and Cornell's Sonya Negriff, finished 12th overall in the region with an all-around qualifying score of 37.781. "Last year, I went in unsure of what to expect," Gunn, who placed 15th last year, said. "I hadn't seen any of the teams before that were in the competition. This year I know what to expect." Gunn realizes, however, the distinction in caliber between the top Ivy gymnasts and those competing for scholarship powerhouses like Penn State, the region's No. 1 team. "As far as my performance is concerned, I'm not looking to place," Gunn said. "I'll just be trying to do my best in all four events to end out my collegiate career." Gunn will rotate with one of those powers, regional No. 2 Ohio State, competing either before or after the six Buckeyes gymnasts in each of the four events. According to Gunn, this competition holds less pressure than the ECACs, where Penn won its first-ever team title on March 21. "ECACs were sad because it was the last team competition," Gunn said. "This time I'm by myself so it won't be quite the same. I'll be a little nervous and a little sad but it won't be as emotional of a meet for me." Penn coach Tom Kovic, however, knows Gunn, a senior from Ann Arbor, Mich., will be ready on Saturday. "I can completely understand how Kathleen feels," Kovic said. "There's certainly less pressure when competing as an individual. This is the icing on the cake for her career. But believe me, when she gets out there in the arena and that judge raises that flag, she'll have her game face on. I'm confident she can finish top 10." Gunn, whose parents and sister will be attending the competition, will not be surprised if her Quaker teammates show up at Pitt to support her. "I'm just speculating, but I've heard some rumors. I think some of the team's coming," Gunn said. "Last year they surprised me and showed up at Ohio State [for the Regionals]. It was pretty exciting. I turned to look up and they were there in the stands. It made a big difference."