The University of Nebraska Women’s Gymnastics team has built an extremely successful program, unmatched by most colleges. Judy Schalk led the Lady Huskers for many years, replacing former Head Coach Balke, after her final season in 1976. After Schalk’s first season, the Huskers improved from fifth place to second place at the conference championships. The following year, the girls seized the first conference title, with the help of Peggy Liddick, an individual event champion placing first on vault. In 1979, the girls won the school their first regional title for the NU team. That same year, the team had two All-American selects, Renee Reisdorff and Patty Carmichael-Gerard. At the conference level, Reisdorff became the first NU gymnast to win the all-around title in 1980. Schalk left the team in 1983 with their fifth conference title during her time as head coach.
Rick Walton, former head coach of the University of Georgia, was selected to take over the team after the departure of Judy Schalk. After a couple of runner-ups and a third-place finish, the Huskers returned to the top, along with another first conference win the following year. In 1989, the Husker girls set a school record with 194.10, winning the title by the largest margin in almost a decade. The team earned their best finish in school history at the NCAA Championships, placing fourth, with the help of their all-star trio of All-Americans.
Bryant was the first, with a runner-up title on bars, being the highest any Husker gymnast had ever finished at nationals. Bair was the second, receiving fifth on vault and fourth on beam, she became NU’s first gymnast to win two All-American certificates in just one season. Savage was the last, placing seventh on bars. Bryant continued her outstanding reputation, being Nebraska's first three-time All-American, and the first and only to date national champion in the 1990s NCAA vault title, also holding a school record with a 9.85. She helped bring them to a fifth-place finish, giving the Huskers their second straight top-five finish at nationals.
Within that year, the girls set a school record with a 28-2 record and won the Big Eight Championship for a fourth straight season. Walton left the girls in 1993, with four NCAA appearances and a 121- 52 record in ten seasons, setting yet another school record for most career wins. The next year she was replaced, and the University of Nebraska Lady Husker gymnastics team continues to achieve great things.
Source Information: https://huskers.com/sports/200...