April 13, 2007

BERKELEY, Calif. -

Nebraska Head Coach Dan Kendig

How do you feel about your team going into tomorrow?
"I feel really good. Our last regular-season meet was good, and they went out and did a great job. The practice leading into our conference championships was real good. We went out and had a good meet at the conference championships. Over the past week we picked it up, and we are at where we need to be. I feel good about the team tomorrow. We are going to come in and do the best job we can with all 24 routines. I feel comfortable, I feel good, they are prepared, we have had a good season up to this point, and I am looking forward to it."

Who do you look to do well individually on your team?
"One person is not going to win this thing. It's going to be a total team effort and that's what we're looking for - the whole team to be in the same place, to clear the clutter from their heads. From the time we show up in this arena to the time we leave, it's about what we got to do here and get done. The only way it's going to happen is if everyone is on that same page."

What do you think of the competition here?
"We approach things a lot of the same way. I wish them the best of luck as well as our team. If things work out the way they are supposed to, then we will move on to Salt Lake City."

Utah Head Coach Greg Marsden

What do you expect out of your team tomorrow?
"I expect a good meet. We've had two great weeks of workouts. We have struggled a little bit with consistency throughout the year, and it has been a little bit frustrating. I really feel like we are coming on at the right time. We have really come together as a group. We are much more of a team now than we were at one time earlier in the season. We have prepared well for this meet. We just need to relax and do what we are capable of doing."

Who are you going to count on to lead the team tomorrow?
"Our three big guns all-around are Ashley Postell, Kristina Baskett and Nicolle Ford. They are, on almost all events, our closers; they are our last three up. The first three people need to set them up, but they need to have a good meet. They are the ones that control the big scores."

Missouri Head Coach Rob Drass

Talk about your team coming into the regional and how you match up with the teams here.
"It's a one-shot deal. You have got be on on that day, so it doesn't matter what your seed is as long as you go out and do your best. Obviously, with a No. 6 and No. 7 in Nebraska and Utah being here poses a challenge. But I think we match up well, and we will go out and have a solid meet. I think we can get a good run at this thing and see where we stand at the end. All our focus is going to be on us and just hitting our routines and seeing where we stand at the end.

"We just want to be solid and hit all our routines. We just have to go there and control what we can control. If we go out there and do that, and if other teams don't, we will take advantage of that opportunity. We will see how we stack up against everyone else."

Do you see anyone as a leader or individual standout for the team?
"Not really. You always expect that seniors will step up with the experience that they have, and I believe that everyone is comfortable leading at certain times in the season. When you're on a roll and things are going good, I expect those athletes to step up and be open to criticism from everybody and provide leadership to all. Anyone can say anything to anyone and it stays in the gym, so those who are on that day can help those that aren't."

California Head Coach Cari DuBois

What do you expect out of your team tomorrow?
"I basically told them we have nothing to lose and to go out there and do what we are capable of doing. If we do that we have every chance of winning. In my past five years here, I have never had a team healthier. We have the depth, they are executing and we are hitting. Nobody is expecting us to do anything. We are going to go out there and show everybody what we can do, and show them the `wow' factor we have been working on."

Who are you going to count on to lead the team tomorrow?
"It's definitely a team. We don't have one superstar. Everybody is going to be able to contribute. Jessica Kelly and Siobhan Luce are both all-arounders. We have Lydia (Williams) who is anchoring on bars. Keiko Nakamura and Tiffany Tam are event specialists along with Bridget Glass, who has won several beam competitions this year. We have Isabel Garcia on the floor exercise and vault. Everybody is contributing in some aspect on this team. Joanna Bennett is back on vault. Sophia (Hocini), a freshman, is competing on three events tomorrow night. We have a group of ladies who have worked really hard and earned their spot, and they are all going to make a contribution to the team."

Utah junior Ashley Postell How do you think you're prepared for tomorrow, knowing that you and Adrianne Perry from Missouri are ranked back to back. What are you looking to do that is different?
"I didn't know we were comparable. That's not something that we focus on. Overall, my teammates and I are prepared a lot better than we have been this year. We have been struggling here and there, but we have been having really great practices for two weeks now. We are a lot confident about going into tomorrow than we were before."

What event do you feel the most confident in?
"I find I am more comfortable in every event for once. We have all been doing a lot better in practice, so I am more confident."

As a team what do you wants to see happen tomorrow?
"Well, obviously we'd like first, to let everyone know we still can do it even though we have been down a little bit. We just hope to either get first or second then move on hopefully. We're not going to be too stressed out about it tomorrow."

Nebraska junior Emily Parsons

How do feel about going into the meet, ranked so high in the national rankings as an individual. What do you feel most confident in?
"Right now I think we are pretty confident going in competing against two teams that we've seen before. We just need to hit our routines and make nationals."

What are your goals for tomorrow?
"Just to hit. Just to do really well. We have to do well. Make everything count, that's what we have to do. That's what we expect."

Missouri sophomore Adrianne Perrry

How do you feel going into it and what events do you feel the most confident in?
"I feel good about the meet. I am probably most confident on vault and floor. I feel on my floor routines I am going to do really well."

You and Ashley from Utah are similarly ranked. How are you different?
"I really don't know. I haven't seen here compete this year, so it will be interesting to see how it turns out tomorrow."

Washington sophomore Ashley Houghting

How do you feel about going into tomorrow's competition?
"We are really excited to be here. We have worked all season on being more consistent. We got our RQS (regional-qualifying score) a lot higher than it was last year."

What do you think will be your strongest event tomorrow?
"As a team we have been doing really well on vaulting this year. If we hit beam we should really do well; we have a good beam lineup. I'm just coming off a Pac-10 win on vault, so that's definitely my strongest event. I am hoping to do really well on floor as well. I have been scoring really well on that event."