Qualification was the first step toward the road to nationals for the UW-Eau Claire gymnastics team. With seven qualifying gymnasts, the team embarked on a journey to the 2010 National Collegiate Gymnastics Association Championships from March 26 to 27 at Springfield College in Springfield, Mass.

“All that mattered at that moment was UWEC Gymnastics,” freshman Danielle Schulzetenberg said.

The group of seven gymnasts was the largest to represent Eau Claire at the national meet since 2006. The gymnasts competed in four areas: vault, uneven bars, balance beam and the floor exercise.

“We practice the way we want to compete, so it doesn’t matter who is watching, if we are being judged or what the outcome can bring,” Coach Jean De Lisle said. “We are very focused on just doing our routines with confidence and determination, and the end result is out of our hands.”

After the first day of the NCGA Championship, two Blugolds advanced to the final round of competition, and others had solid finishes as well:

 Schulzetenberg finished 40th (9.200), 33rd (8.750) and 16th (9.525) on the vault, uneven bars and floor, respectively. Her fifth_place (9.575) finish on the balance beam qualified her to compete in the final round of competition.

 Freshman Molly Senske finished 35th (9.250) in the vault and 25th (9.150) in balance beam.

 Freshman RachelAnn Anderson finished 32nd (8.950) on the balance beam. Her 11th (9.525) place finish on the floor qualified her to compete in the final round of competition.

 Freshman Cece Solem finished 51st (9.025) and 29th (9.350) on the vault and floor, respectively.

 Freshman Rachel Behmer finished 37th (8.700) on the uneven bars.

 Junior Sarah Hulbert finished 20th (9.425) on the vault.

 Senior Samantha Howard finished 34th (8.725) on the uneven bars.

“Everyone at nationals did their part,” Schulzentenberg said. “Everyone hit their routines, which was probably one of the most exciting parts of the meet.”

The second day of competition was led by Schulzentenberg, as she recorded a sixth-place (9.450) finish on the balance beam and earned First Team All-American honors.

The top six finishers on the vault, bars, beam and floor are honored as NCGA First Team All-Americans, while the next six individual finishers earn NCGA Second Team All-Americans honors.

On Anderson’s second day of competition, she finished in 12th (9.250) place on the floor and secured Second Team All-American honors.

“I could not be more proud of my team and the girls who went to nationals with me,” Anderson said.