Air Force Academy
USAG Championships
Brittany Dutton Shares USAG Title on Uneven Bars
4/10/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
April 10, 2011
USAF ACADEMY, Colo. - With a score of 9.800, Air Force senior Brittany Dutton became the Academy's first USAG champion on the uneven bars, as the women's gymnastics team wrapped up competition at the 2011 USA Gymnastics Collegiate National Championships on Sunday, April 10, at the Academy's Cadet West Gym.
In the individual event finals, Air Force's senior team captain tied with Cornell's Melanie Jorgansen for the USAG national title, as the pair scored matching marks of 9.800. That score was the second-highest total of Dutton's career, coming only behind her career-best 9.825 that she set against Bridgeport in mid-February and again during the team qualifier on Friday.
Dutton is the sixth Falcon to earn a USAG national title, joining Kimberly Broughton (all-around; 2000, 2000), Bethany Stott (balance beam; 2001), Jennifer Dougherty (vault, all-around; 2002), Allison Todd (balance beam; 2002, 2003) and Jessa Liegl (balance beam; 2004).
Dutton also placed eighth on both the vault and balance beam during the event finals. She averaged a two-vault, four-judge score of 9.712, while posting a 9.425 on the balance beam.
Air Force also earned a USAG All-America citation from freshman Jessica Hanner, who placed sixth on the balance beam with a score of 9.600. She is just the second Falcon since Leigl won the 2004 title to earn a top-six finish on the beam.
The Falcons had three other gymnasts that competed in the individual event finals. Freshman Emily Bucher scored a 9.200 to place ninth on the balance beam, while classmate Jen Larsen placed 10th on the vault (9.425) and 12th on the floor exercise (9.650). Junior Samantha Jones finished 11th on both the vault (9.337) and floor exercise (9.675).
Bridgeport's Monica Mesalles won both the vault (9.850) and floor exercise (9.875), while Cornell's Melanie Standridge earned the title on the balance beam (9.850).
Players Mentioned
