According to senior gymnasts Kahlynn Hunt and Katrina Schuch, consistency was a main factor of the highs and lows that the UW-La Crosse Eagles gymnasts experienced last season.  Due to injuries and an unusual amount falls on events, the Eagles found themselves in an unfamiliar position going into the National Collegiate Gymnastics Association championships in Eau Claire last March.  

"We had lost to (UW) Whitewater twice last year—normally, we split decisions with them," said Schuch, who attributed the losses to UW-L's in-state conference rival, the Warhawks, as another reason why the girls were "off their game."  Those losses carried into the WIAC conference championship, where for the second straight year the Eagles watched as UW-Whitewater took home the title.  Prior to Whitewater's two-year run, the Eagles had strung together 13 consecutive WIAC championships.

Heading into the national championships the Eagles were ranked fourth, and many had overlooked the returning national champions.  

That was a big mistake.  

According to fellow senior and previous All-American Kahlynn Hunt, she knew the Eagles had won the national title after competing in only the second of the four events which consist of uneven bars, balance beam, vault and floor. "We had our two most powerful events coming up.  I knew we had it in the bag."

"In the bag" was an understatement for what the Eagles did to their competition.  By the end of the two-day tournament, the Eagles had posted an incredible 191.175 points in overall competition, four points higher than second place Whitewater.  That score proved to be the second highest team score in school history and secured the Eagles an astounding fourth straight NCGA title, their 10th title out of the last 11 years and the university's 15th national title.

So, needless to say, UW-L gymnasts have a lot to live up to with this year's competition starting only a few months away in December.  "We are excited," said Schuch. "Coach (Barb Gibson) prepares us the same way for every meet; she just tells us to go and do our thing." It is that confident, yet not cocky, style that helps the Eagles deal with every competition.  Both Schuch and Hunt agree they like knowing that there is a focus in UW-L gymnastics. "We like that that other teams' eyes are on us. That's what we feed off of," said Hunt.

With preseason underway, both Hunt and Schuch are excited by the amount of talent that they have seen inside Wittich Hall where the girls have been training five days a week for the past few months. "We already have a good team dynamic. The freshman class brings in a lot of talent and energy,"  said Hunt, who also said that herself, Shuch  and the rest of the returning Eagles have stepped up their game too, training all summer to make yet another run at a national title.

Last year, the Eagles had seven girls earn All-American status and at least six of those are returning to the team this year, including national champion in all-around, sophomore Christina Booman.  (Booman also placed 10th in the NCAA Division I North Central Regional in overall competition.)

"We have confidence in ourselves and in our teammates. That's what makes this team so special year in and year out," said Schuch.  She went on to explain that the girls balance time between workouts and stress relieving games to bond together and help cope with the two-week tryout process (which has just wrapped up this past week).  "This season," said Hunt, "we are just going to focus on ourselves and what we can do.  Usually that puts us exactly where we need come nationals."

You can catch the Eagles start their 2011-2012 campaign on Friday, Dec. 9 at home against Hamline University (Minn.) and Winona State University (Minn.).