April 3, 2007

DAVIS, Calif. -

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First-year UC Davis women's gymnastics coach John Lavallee has capped his rookie season by being selected as Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Coach of the Year, it was announced by Executive Director Al Beaird Monday evening. Lavallee's award is part of a three-way sweep of the league's major honors as assistant Ron Manara was named as MPSF Assistant Of The Year, while junior Andi Dolinsky earned Gymnast of the Year accolades.

Additionally, seven Aggies claimed a total of 10 All-MPSF awards. The team's top two regional qualifying scores for each apparatus plus all-around earn first- and second-team honors, respectively.

The Aggies wrapped up their season with a second-place finish at the MPSF Championships on Friday, although the 2007 year continues for Dolinsky and freshman Tanya Ho, who each have earned berths to the NCAA West Regional.

Lavallee's inaugural UC Davis team has its best overall success on vault, posting seven of the school's top eight all-time scores in the event. The Aggies also highlighted their year with dual wins over Cal State Fullerton and Boise State, while scoring a season-best 193.150 in a tough home quadrangular on March 23 - the eighth-highest team score in school history.

This is the second straight year that UC Davis has claimed the MPSF Coach of the Year, as Ray Goldbar won the award in his final season at the helm in 2006.

Manara, now in his sixth year with the program, has picked up his second straight Assistant of the Year award, sharing the honor with Seattle Pacific's Kathy Siwek. Also the team's recruiting coordinator, he works primarily with the uneven bars squad in the gym. Under his tutelage, the bars team compiled a RQS of 48.160 and scored a season-best 48.875 at home against Seattle Pacific.

Dolinsky, an English major from Grand Terrace, Calif., has enjoyed a solid junior year after suffering through an injury-plagued 2006 season. She twice earned MPSF Gymnast of the Week honors, the second of which came after scoring career-high marks on both bars (9.850) and floor exercise (9.875).

Dolinsky led the Aggies on floor exercise all season, ranking among to West's top 20 for most of the year. Her 9.825 RQS put her 18th in the final region leaderboard, earning her a spot at the NCAA West Regional at Cal on April 14. Dolinsky finished in a tie for second at Friday's MPSF Championships, matching her career best of 9.875. She also was UC Davis' first-team selection on floor exercise

Ho, a freshman from Elk Grove, led the Aggies with three All-MPSF nods. She earned first-team honors on vault, balance beam and the all-around. Her vault RQS of 9.825, which qualified her to the West Regional, led the conference for the entire season. Ho also posted averages of 9.690 on beam and 38.195 in the all-around in taking home her awards.

Lida Gehlen, a freshman from Sun City, climbed to the top of the MPSF uneven bars leaderboard in the final weeks of the season. She scored a 9.800 in the team's home quadrangular on March 23, then won the event at the conference championships with a career-high 9.875 one week later.

Carrie Lujan, a junior from Salinas, made the second team on both vault and floor exercise. Her 9.800 RQS on vault ranked second in the league behind her teammate Ho, and put her as an alternate in the event for the NCAA region meet. Lujan finished in a tie for third on vault at the MPSF Championships with a 9.775.

Brandi Forte, a senior from Lancaster picked up All-MPSF honors for the fourth straight year, this time earning a second-team award on uneven bars. Her 9.705 RQS ranked second in the league only to her teammate Gehlen. She placed third at the MPSF meet with a 9.750 score.

Another senior, Grass Valley native Julia Richards, made second team on balance beam behind Ho. Her 9.560 RQS was sixth overall in the conference, helped by a 9.825 in the Aggies' home finale. This is the fourth overall All-MPSF award for Richards, and her third straight on balance beam.

Michelle Kulovitz, a junior from Anaheim Hills, was UC Davis' second-team honoree in the all-around. She ranked fourth in the conference an RQS of 38.030, having hit a career-best 38.775 in a triangular at San Jose State on February 23. Kulovitz, who won the USAG collegiate all-around title as a sophomore, finished the season by placing second on beam at the MPSF Championships.