Gazette-Times Reporter

As Therese Videan heads into to her final postseason run with the Oregon State gymnastics team, she takes solace in saying her career with the Beavers fulfilled all her expectations.

No matter the outcome of the NCAA North Central Regional on Saturday night at Utah, Videan believes she reached her potential.

The senior from Peralta, N.M., has been a mainstay on the floor exercise since her freshman year, while adding the uneven bars and vault at different times.

She's reached the NCAA Championships as a freshman, which is her high point so far. And if she can help the No. 12-ranked Beavers finish in the top two of the six-team regional, OSU will return to the nationals for the first time since then.

"I've grown so much, both as an individual and as a gymnast, since I've gotten here," Videan said. "I'd come back and do it all over again. Freshman year going to nationals was definitely a highlight. I'm sure every senior on the team would choose that moment. But other than that, I've enjoyed all the times in the gym of just having fun."

Videan recently looked at her old recruiting tape she sent to OSU and wondered what the coaches saw in her. However, it was enough for them to start working with to improve.

"I even look back at my competition tapes when I was in my freshman year," Videan said. "I see so much improvement — in form and difficulty in skills. Even in confidence and poise. It comes with time."

And if it wasn't for her floor routines this season, the Beavers would have been in trouble.

The team struggled on the floor throughout the year, but Videan has been the most successful of the Beavers with an average of 9.767.

Her most dramatic performance came at the final home meet, the Salbasgeon Suites Invitational. She scored a 9.900 in the final performance of the contest to seal the victory in the four-way competition.

"I'm at the spot where I'm doing the best gymnastics I've done in my four years," Videan said. "It's good to know right now that I'm at the best spot I could be at. I'm happy with what I'm doing. I had some struggles early in the year, but as we go through season I feel I'm more than capable of doing what I have to do."

The floor is her favorite event because it combines two of her best activities, tumbling and dancing. However, she's been solid on the vault (9.586) and bars (9.733).

Videan followed Heather Justus in second on the floor during meets for the first three seasons. With so many solid routines over the years, coach Tanya Chaplin moved her to the anchor position.

"She's been fairly consistent for us all of her years," Chaplin said. "She's added difficulty. She's cleaned up things tremendously. She's got more explosive and strong. She's worked hard all the time. I can see that there are no regrets. She's truly done everything she could to make herself better."

Going last is a coveted place for a gymnast. The most consistent athletes are placed there because sometimes the meet comes down to them.

Videan has anchored the team in all but one meet she competed in as a senior. She missed one due to a calf strain early in the season.

"I don't really feel pressure when I go out on floor, but going last is not something I take lightly," Videan said. "It's as fun as you want to make it. As long as I'm out there and having fun and performing, it just happens. It's a great feeling to be out there."

It took some time to return to form after the calf strain. She slowly worked her way back on the bars, vault and finally the floor. Videan briefly lost the endurance to complete clean floor routines, but eventually returned to her peak.

There are, at most, two more meets in her career. She'll miss the competition and camaraderie of her teammates but is ready for the end.

Videan still has some school work to do next year to complete her business degree, so she plans to be back helping the team as a student assistant in 2006.

"I feel the time is about right," Videan said. "It's going to be a transition of being done with gym. It's coming to an end, but it's about right. Yes, there are only two more meets left, but they are the best two. Ending on those, you can't regret that. Ending at nationals won't be a low point."