It was Seattle Pacific's turn to shine, and shine they did. After a league season full of unfortunate injuries and unexpected circumstances, the SPU gymnasts have swung, flipped and twisted their way to third place at the USA Gymnastics National Championships.

But the Falcons did not stop there. SPU went on to win an unprecedented four of five individual event titles as well as earning nine All-American awards.

National prelims opened up on April 14 with eight of the best gymnastics teams in the nation vying for a trip to the team finals-but only four teams would be given that opportunity.

"We tried to stay focused on each other and not the other teams around us," said sophomore Debra Huss.

The focus paid off and SPU ended night one in second place and headed to the team finals the following day.

"Our focus going into the second night was to fix any errors from night one," said SPU gymnastics head coach Laurel Tindall.

The Falcons came out strong as they started the night on the balance beam. After four rotations the SPU gymnasts found themselves standing in third place.

"Third was awesome, especially after coming in seventh last year," said Huss.

But the competition was not over. The next night the top eight gymnasts in each event met to face off and find out who was the nation's best. SPU was well represented, with five gymnasts earning spots in the individual event finals.

"To get four individual national titles was well beyond our expectations," Tindall said.

The Falcons had at least one gymnast competing on each apparatus. Huss competed on the bars, floor, and beam. Junior Jaynie Reynolds joined Huss on the bars. Sophomore Sarah Sullivan competed on the floor, joined by senior Corrie McDaniel who competed on the beam and floor. Senior Kari Kelly earned her spot on the vault.

"The third day was really intense," Huss said. But even with all the pressure the SPU gymnasts came out on top.

Huss ended the night as the national champion on the uneven bars, floor, and all-around competition making her only the second SPU gymnast in history to win three individual national titles in a single year; an honor she shares with past SPU gymnast Barbara Elliot (1986-88). Huss is the first SPU gymnast to win an all-around national title since 1998 when Deni Boswell earned the title.

"It is one of those things you dream about happening but never really expect it to until it happens...it was a huge accomplishment," Huss said.

"Deb was the only gymnast in three event finals. She was tired but she stayed focused and did great," Tindall said.

But Huss was not the only SPU gymnasts to earn a national title that night. Senior Kari Kelly, who had managed to earn the top score on the vault all three nights of competition, claimed her first national title on the vault.

"For Kari to win a national title her senior year was great," said Tindall. Kelly echoed her coach's feelings saying that winning the national title was "a fantastic way to end my gymnastics career."

Beam was the only apparatus in which SPU did not claim a national title, however the Falcons still put up quite a fight. Huss placed second in the event, followed closely by teammate McDaniel.

So what do you do after you have come in third in the nation and have earned a few national titles? You get some more honors of course. And SPU did just that when they garnered nine All-American honors -- the most since the 1998 season when the team earned 11.

Huss added four All-American awards (in all-around, beam, floor and bars) to the one she earned last season, making her a five-time All-American as a sophomore.

Kelly earned All-American on the vault. Reynolds took All-American on the uneven bars. Sullivan earned the honor on the floor making her a two-time All-American and McDaniel grabbed two All-American honors -- one on the beam and one on the floor.

"We could hear our teammates cheering for us throughout the arena," Kelly said about the individual competition.

Although the three day competition left the SPUGs not only physically but mentally exhausted, the experience was well worth the effort. "Our team did wonderful, we all came together and gave it all we could with no regrets," Kelly said.

As the Falcons return home they look forward to a one week break before starting up practice again and preparing for next season.

"With all the injuries this season, we were just trying to stay in the ball game -- but they did so much more than that," Tindall said proudly.