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Pac-10 Gymnast of the Week Onnie Willis will head the Bruins against No. 13 Oregon State in Corvallis, OR.

Willis flies high on talented team

Marcus Anderson
Published: Friday, January 24, 2003

Senior Onnie Willis was recently named the Pac-10 Gymnast of the Week, marking the third time she has been awarded the prestigious designation.

Willis has performed well for the Bruins this year and is coming off an especially impressive all-around score in the team’s home opener last Sunday. She scored a career-high 39.8 and helped the Bruins achieve the nation’s highest team score this year with 198.275.

When asked how the award would affect her confidence Friday night as the Bruins travel to Corvallis to take on No. 13 Oregon State, Willis’ reply was a bit unexpected.

“Oh, that won’t affect my performance at all this weekend,” Willis laughed. “I just found out about it when you told me.”

Head coach Valorie Kondos Field has claimed several times this season that the Bruins’ talent is the best-ever assembled in the history of UCLA. Following a preseason No. 1 ranking, the Bruins (6-0) are looking to continue their undefeated season.

“We set our own standards as far as what we need to do on the floor and we want to go out and perform to our standard. If we do that, we’ll win,” said first-year assistant coach Chris Waller, who coached the Bruins to a rare victory in Utah earlier this month and will again assume the lead coaching position this weekend, as Kondos Field attends to personal matters.

“The team did an awesome job up in Utah and picked up the slack without (Kondos Field). Our goal is to remain undefeated this year, so we’re going to go out there, do our jobs and stay focused.”

Freshman Kate Richardson began her collegiate career against Oregon State in the Bruins’ first meet this season. She finished with a 39.6, the highest all-around debut score in school history.

Yet Richardson seeks to increase her contribution in the Bruins’ second meet against the Beavers.

“My goal this season is to get better and better. I am feeling more comfortable in college competition.”

Richardson then reiterated the team mantra – “We want to keep the undefeated season. We hope to hit every event.”