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Show ,, u N I V E R s I y THURSDAY, MARCH 30, 2000 BTC STUDENTS DISCUSS SPLIT At yesterday's forum, BTC students discussed the communication department's transfer to the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and the proposed technology move to the College of Science. SEEPAGE 3. Gymnasts head to regionals BY JASEN ASAY JOURNAL SPORTS EDITOR As the SUU gymnastics squad heads to its first ever regional meet on Saturday night in Minneapolis, Minn .• SUU head coach Scott Bauman says that the Thunderbirds will go in with basically the same gameplan as they have had all season. "We could upgrade some of the routines, it's scary how much higher we could go,· said Bauman. "But we want to go out there and have a good experience.· As an assistant coach at Utah State, Bauman has helped prepare seven teams for regionals, and one for nationals. "When we went into regionals all crazy, we did bad. But the one time we went in relaxed, we went to nationals," said Bauman. "lfwe hit 24-of-24, we'll have a good chance." The 'Birds have had an incredible season so far, especially since the bulk of the team is made up by freshmen. · With Caycee Overstreet, Megan Maiser, Rachel Bridges, Sarah Geisler and Jayme Morgan all scoring high for SUU, Bauman predicts that this freshman class will see nationals before graduating. "They've had great leadership by Suzi Clark, Heather Slack and Erica Burk,· said Bauman. "Plus · they've got enormous competition experience as freshman.· Clark, Slack and Burk have also all performed well, hitting almost all of their routines, according to Bauman. The turning point for the 'Bir.ds this season was when they beat Utah State in Nebraska on a Sunday, traveled home on Monday, the beat BYU on Tuesday. BYU was ranked eighth in the nation .at the time, and the two wins gave the team confidence. "They realized they can beat anyone if they do their best," said Bauman. The SUU gymnasts have shown how tough they are all season by competing hurt. Going into to Saturday's regionals, Clark comes in with a pinched nerve in her back and Maiser has a pulled groin. Both have not practiced for a week, which has been hard on the athletes. I "This whole team is made up of tough athletes," said 1 · Bauman. "You'd have to cut someone's leg off for them not to compete. They'd go out there with a broken arm if they could.· The whole team is a little banged up, but Bauman gives credit to the athletic trainers for keeping the team fixed up. . ~ Bauman says the.team is mentally ready. He said ~ that gymnastics is 95 percent mental if not more. Q "If your mind is ~ot in the right place, you're in ~ trouble," said Bau,;nan. "If you miss a release on bars, ~ you'll get hurt bad: "" If the 'Birds don't compete as well as they hope in the meet, they say they'll be able to keep their heads .....,;;......,_.___ __;,_.__ __, u up. Heather Slack, a junior elementary education major from Pittsburg, Calif., prepares her balance beatn routine as the "We'll have a great experience,· said Bauman. Thunderbirds get ready for the NCAA Region 2 Meet Saturday night in Minneapolis, Minn. don't see anything bad coming from the meet.· \ i |