Bad news for the Utah Utes: Junior star Corrie Lothrop has torn her left Achilles tendon and will be out for the remainder of the season.
It's been a hard road so far for Utah this year, though the team does have several promising underclass gymnasts, including all-arounder Georgia Dabritz, Becky Tutka and emerging vault star Tory Wilson.
Lothrop, the third alternate to the 2008 Olympic team, will be irreplaceable, team members told The Salt Lake Tribune after Lothrop went down taking off for a double back during warmups for the Utes's home meet against Arizona State.
Even without Lothrop, Utah won handily, 196.425-195.45. Against top teams like Alabama, Oklahoma and Michigan, however, Lothrop's presence (or lack of it) will make more of a difference.
Lothrop tore her right Achilles tendon in 2009. But in having torn one as an elite and one in college, she's in good company: Courtney Kupets, arguably the greatest NCAA gymnast ever, who tore her left Achilles tendon before the 2003 World Championships and her right during a floor routine at Georgia early in 2008.
Kupets returned the next season to win her third NCAA all-around title.
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