AMES, Iowa - Two University of Wisconsin-Whitewater gymnasts represented Division III gymnastics at an NCAA Regional competition in Ames, Iowa Saturday. Sophomores Katie Fiorilli (Solon, OH/Solon) and Courtney Pickett (Brentwood, TN/Brentwood) competed in the all-around finishing 11th and 15th respectively.

Fiorilli, competing in the NCAA Regional that encompasses all divisions of NCAA classification for the second consecutive season, finished 11th improving upon her 14th place finish from a year ago. The school record holder and Division III national champion on the vault posted a 9.75 on the event Saturday. Also a 2015 national champion on the uneven bars, Fiorilli swung her way to a 9.60 on the bars. She added a 9.60 on the floor and an 8.90 on the balance beam. Fiorlli totaled 37.850 in the all-around Saturday. The sophomore won the national title in the all-around at the Division III championships for the second straight year just a week ago. 

Pickett's best event Saturday was the balance. She recorded a score of 9.70 in the event and added a 9.675 on the floor exercise. Pickett went 8.95 on the bars and 8.775 on the vault for an all-around total of 37.100 for 15th. 

"We could not be more proud of Katie and Courtney for representing Division III and UW-Whitewater at the NCAA Regional in Ames today," said Coach Regan. 

Fiorilli and Pickett were the lone representatives of Division III in the six NCAA Regionals this season. Whitewater's Chloe Rehberg (Cary, IL/Cary-Grove) was listed as an alternate on the vault. 

"This is a great opportunity for our student-athletes," added Coach Regan. "Katie, Courtney and Chloe qualifying this season not only promotes Division III gymnastics but showcases the abilities and talents of Division III gymnasts across the nation.

The Warhawks tied for second in the NCGA Division III Championship just a week ago. UW-Whitewater has finished in the top two the last five seasons. Fiorilli and Pickett have combined for five individual national titles and one team title in the last two seasons as Warhawks.
 
Preview
Sophomores Katie Fiorilli (Solon, OH/Solon) and Courtney Pickett (Brentwood, TN/Brentwood) have qualified to compete in the all-around competition at the NCAA Gymnastics Regional hosted by Iowa State in Ames, Iowa April 4. Freshman Chloe Rehberg (Cary, IL/Cary-Grove) is listed as the alternate on vault. 

According to the NCAA, six team, five all-arounders and one-event specialist per event were named to each of the six regional host sites. Student-athletes across all three divisions of the NCAA can qualify for NCAA regionals based on their performance throughout the season and regional qualifying score. 

Fiorilli and Pickett are the lone representatives of Division III in the competition line-up out of 54 individual qualifiers. Division II will have five representatives in the competition line-up. The field of alternates has three Division III representatives, all from the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. All heading to the Ames Regional, Rehberg is listed as the alternate on the vault, UW-Oshkosh's Krystal Walker is the all-around alternate and UW-La Crosse's Amy Enright has qualified as the alternate on the uneven bars. The alternates will replace a gymnast if she is unable to compete at the regional for any reason following the practice session on Friday. 

"We are excited to showcase Division III gymnastics at the Division I level," said Coach Regan. "There's a feeling that there's a wide difference in skill level but there is not. Division III gymnasts are more than capable of competing at that level but choose Division III for the overall student-athlete experience."

This will be the second consecutive trip to NCAA Regionals for Fiorilli in just her second year of collegiate gymnastics. The sophomore captured individual national titles in the all-around, vault and uneven bars this season. Fiorilli posted a season-high 38.475 in the all-around broke the program record with a vault of 9.850 to secure the two titles. Her total of 9.800 on the bars tied with three other gymnasts for top honors in the event.

Added to her all-around title from a year ago, Fiorilli, now a four-time individual national champion, is the most decorated student-athlete in UW-Whitewater history. The seven-time All-American finished fourteenth in the 2014 NCAA Regional and will be paired with Washington in Ames this season. 

Pickett, a five-time All-American, will compete along with Denver this weekend. The sophomore was the NCGA Division III vault champion in 2014 and the runner-up in the floor exercise a season ago. She registered all-around scores above 38.000 in over half the meets she competed in this season including her season-high of 38.400 in the NCGA Championships last weekend. 

Rehberg, in her first year back from a season-ending injury a year ago, has vaulted her way into a specialist role for the Warhawks in the event. The freshman has tallied three vaults listed in the program's top 25 including her season-best, 9.725, which she recorded at the NCGA Championships last weekend. 

Coach Regan added, "As a program, we are excited about the opportunity these young women will have to represent Division III and UW-Whitewater at regionals this weekend. They will have the full support of our program and their teammates at the meet."

Teams competing in the Ames Regional include LSU, Nebraska, Denver, Washington, Michigan State and Iowa State. Fellow all-arounders joining Fiorilli and Pickett at the regional are Kim McRobbie, Jamie Lewis and Kara Witgen of the Air Force.

Meet coverage from the host institution, Iowa State, includes live stats and live video. The regional is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. in the Hilton Coliseum.