Consistency is key for Maine gymnast Kristen Kenoyer

There was one proud papa sitting behind the athletic director’s desk at Cony High School in Augusta bright and early Monday morning. And for good reason.

Kristen Kenoyer’s dad, Ron Kenoyer, was basking in the glow of his daughter’s recent national gymnastics accomplishment. Kristen won an NCAA Division I regional all-around title with a score of 39.55, including a personal-best floor exercise performance of 9.925.

Along the way, the University of Utah Lady Utes, with Kenoyer serving her second year as team captain, set an unofficial NCAA record last Saturday with 197.075 points when they won the Midwest Regionals on their home campus. The win gives Utah an automatic bid to the NCAA championships in St. Paul, Minn., April 24-25.

But it won’t be dad in the stands for that one, Ron Kenoyer said during a telephone interview Monday morning, it will be mom. “Pam is going to St. Paul,” Ron Kenoyer said. “We talked with Kristen yesterday morning (attempts by the NEWS to reach her and her coach, Greg Marsters, on Monday were unsuccessful) and she’s really pleased. She finished No. 1 in the regionals and that made her happy.”

Kristen Kenoyer trained as a youngster with Don White at Andy Valley School of Gymnastics in Auburn. Ron Kenoyer said one of the keys to his daughter’s success is consistency.

“Kristen has always been a very consistent gymnast,” he said.

“She doesn’t fall a lot; her routines are all pretty solid; and she has great athletic ability. Put those three ingredients together and you’ve got what it takes.”

Kenoyer said his daughter has maintained that consistency in college since her freshman year when Utah won the national title.

“She has always done well,” he said. “She was elected captain as a sophomore and I believe she finished No. 3 overall last season.” Utah lost the national title Kenoyer’s sophomore year to Alabama (at Alabama) by 1/500th of a point, Ron Kenoyer said.

Along with 12,000 other Utah fans, Kristen’s parents saw her perform in February. “Gymnastics at Utah is the second-highest revenue producer after football,” Ron Kenoyer said. “The first meet of the season, those 10 gymnasts drew 17,000 people. They average around 12,000 a meet. It’s a very important sport in that community. The people value the program.”

Ron Kenoyer said his daughter is very happy at Utah, where she is majoring in biology in preparation for a career in the medical field.

“And she’s looking forward to next year,” he added, “when she’ll be joined on the team by another Mainer, Jenny Mercier.”