Valorie Kondos

Valorie Kondos, UCLA's assistant women's gymnastics coach for eight years, has become head coach, replacing Jerry Tomlinson, whose contract was not renewed.

This early in the season, UCLA women's gymnastics Coach Valorie Kondos isn't looking to victories for satisfaction. Instead, she wants to see her team compete against the nation's best. In the second meet of the season for both Georgia and UCLA, the No. 3 Bruins fell to the top-ranked Bulldogs, 195.800-193.500, before 2,144 Sunday night at Pauley Pavilion. While Kondos came away with a loss, she also came away happy.

This early in the season, UCLA women's gymnastics Coach Valorie Kondos isn't looking to victories for satisfaction. Instead, she wants to see her team compete against the nation's best. In the second meet of the season for both Georgia and UCLA, the No. 3 Bruins fell to the top-ranked Bulldogs, 195.800-193.500, before 2,144 Sunday night at Pauley Pavilion. While Kondos came away with a loss, she also came away happy.

Valorie Kondos' style of gymnastics has been a staple at UCLA for 14 years, despite the fact that she has never executed any of the maneuvers she choreographs. A ballerina by training and the women's gymnastics coach by profession, Kondos hopes her dance-influenced style will bring an NCAA championship to the Bruins this weekend in Gainesville, Fla.

Valorie Kondos' style of gymnastics has been a staple at UCLA for 14 years, despite the fact that she has never executed any of the maneuvers she choreographs. A ballerina by training and the women's gymnastics coach by profession, Kondos hopes her dance-influenced style will bring an NCAA championship to the Bruins this weekend in Gainesville, Fla.

The NCAA women's gymnastics meet begins today at Pauley Pavilion and continues through Saturday, with UCLA seeking to defend its 1997 national title against a field led by top-ranked and undefeated Georgia. "A lot of people know what it's like to hear, 'So, Coach, can you win again? Are you going to repeat?' " UCLA Coach Valorie Kondos said. "Anyone who's been in that position knows every year is a different team. Whether you lose many athletes or not, the chemistry changes.

It's going to take a nearly flawless effort for any team to beat UCLA at the NCAA women's gymnastics championships. The Bruins used superior depth and talent to full advantage Thursday night, scoring 197.25 points to win the late semifinal. Nebraska rode the talent of all-around champion Heather Brink to second place, scoring 196.0. Third-place Michigan, which scored 195.925, was dueling with UCLA when falls on the beam hurt the Wolverines.

UCLA sophomore Onnie Willis became the school's first all-around champion at the NCAA women's gymnastics meet Thursday, while the Bruins remained on course for a second consecutive team championship. The Bruins (197.625) were the highest-scoring team of the two qualifying sessions, followed by host Georgia (197.100). Willis tied Michigan freshman Elise Ray for the all-around title with 39.525 points. Willis scored no lower than 9.

UCLA Coach Valorie Kondos said earlier this week the Bruins had the talent to dominate the NCAA women's gymnastics meet. All they needed was to hit their routines. She wasn't boasting. Her prediction was right on the mark. The Bruins scored 197.3 points Friday night, never falling on any apparatus and locked up the title before they started their final event, the beam. Utah surged late in the meet on the vault to place second at 196.875, almost half a point behind the Bruins.

UCLA, faced with the somewhat embarrassing prospect of hosting the NCAA women's gymnastics championships and not being allowed to defend its national title, rallied in the West Regional and now everything is set. The Bruins will compete when the championships begin at Pauley Pavilion on April 16, thanks to some superior work in the vault in the regionals. Make that superior and courageous. Stella Umen scored 9.

Valorie Kondos, UCLA's assistant women's gymnastics coach for eight years, has become head coach, replacing Jerry Tomlinson, whose contract was not renewed.

A guest list of sports figures to be featured on TV and radio from today through Thursday: * Eagle defensive end Hugh Douglas --"Up Close," today, 2:30 p.m., ESPN; 11:30 p.m., ESPN2 * Jeff Fisher, Dennis Erickson --"The Last Word With Jim Rome," tonight, 6:30 and 11, Fox Sports Net * Bruce Smith --"Fox NFL Sunday," Saturday, 8:30 a.m., Channel 11 * Steve Lavin, UCLA women's gymnastics Coach Valorie Kondos Field --"UCLA Sports Magazine Show," Saturday, 11 a.m.

There are a couple of things truly scary about the UCLA women's gymnastics team. One thing is the Bruins' score of 197.775 at the NCAA West Regional Saturday night was only their third-highest mark of the season. That outdistanced Oregon State by a 3.7-point margin as the Bruins qualified for the national championships. The other thing about the defending NCAA champions is they know they are capable of much better.