ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Senior Elizabeth Price capped a brilliant career Friday night by scoring a perfect 10 on the uneven bars at the NCAA Championships at Chaifetz Arena.
She tallied top 10 finishes in all four events to claim third in the all-around with 39.6750, the highest point ever recorded by a Stanford gymnast in the competition. Carly Janiga also captured third for the Cardinal in 2010.
It was the second national title for Price – who shared it with Maggie Nichols of Oklahoma – after claiming a vault crown in 2015.
It was only the sixth perfect bar routine in NCAA Championship history, matched by Nichols in the final routine of the night.
"Coming out today I knew it was the last competition of my career, so I was trying to enjoy every moment," Price said. "To be going home a national champion on bars and scoring a 10 is just icing on the cake."
Even before the result was posted, the roaring crowd of 5,282 gave Price a standing ovation. Participating as an individual, she competed in the same rotation with Utah and received strong support its coaches and players from start to finish.
"They all made me feel part of the team," Price said. "Especially when I was on bars at the end of my routine. I could see them cheering for me as I was going through my dismount, so that was a huge moment. It was just awesome."
It marked the fourth 10 of the season for Price and program-record fifth of her remarkable Stanford career, but the first away from Maples Pavilion. The 10-time All-American also recorded perfect scores on bars in the season-opening Nor Cal Classic, and on floor exercise against Cal and UCLA. Price earned her first 10 on vault against Oregon State as freshman in 2015, and is the only gymnast in school history to achieve perfection in three events.
Participating as an individual for the second consecutive year and fourth time overall, Price started on vault and knew she needed a big performance when MyKayla Skinner of the Red Rocks tallied 9.9375 in the preceding routine.
Price soared high in a difficult, twisting routine, but took a small hop on her landing. She was awarded 9.8875 in the event.
After a long break, Price moved to the uneven bars. In a word, she was flawless. After sticking the landing, the fans rose in unison, knowing they had seen something special.
Price followed with a 9.8625 on the balance beam, then concluded her career on the floor exercise. She concluded with another stellar routine, showcasing her power, athletic ability and artistry, and received 9.9250.
In addition to sharing the national title on bars, Price tied for fifth on floor, tied for eighth on vault and tied for 10th on beam.
She finished the season with 33 firsts and 35 scores of 9.900 or higher.
"What a spectacular finish," said head coach Tabitha Yim. "She was amazing. To receive a standing ovation is a testament to the respect and impact Elizabeth has had on the gymnastics community. She has been an incredible role model and always represents Stanford with pride. We are really going to miss her."
In the team competition, Oklahoma, Utah, Florida, UCLA, LSU and Nebraska advanced to the Super Six on Saturday.
