February 6, 1999

COLUMBIA, MO, ___ -- University of Missouri junior Shannon Brown led a one-two-three sweep for the Tigers on the balance beam Saturday during the individual event championships of the 19th annual Cat Classic.

Brown won the event, her fourth individual championship of the season but first on beam, with a score of 9.775. She was followed closely by teammates Alison Akers and Amanda Peterson who each score 9.75. Brown became just the second Tiger ever to win the balance beam competition at the Cat Classic, joining Sherry Towle who claimed her title in 1984.

Peterson, who was second in the all-around competition on Friday night with a school-record score of 39.175, placed in two other events on Saturday. She took second on floor exercise and tied for fourth on uneven parallel bars, scoring 9.85 in both events.

Jessica Haag led Mizzou's other place winners, taking second in the vault with a score of 9.75. Katie Cole was fifth on vault (9.675) while Meggen Smiley and Ann Gietler were fourth and sixth on the floor with respective scores of 9.825 and 9.8.

Brigham Young's Leah Jacobs won the bars, tying the Cat Classic record of 9.85. BYU freshman Kelly Parkinson won the vault (9.875) and Auburn's Sarah Wentworth won the floor (9.9).

The Cat Classic closed a four-meet homestand for the Missouri Tigers, who have seen their team scores climb in every meet this season, capped by the school- and Cat Classic-record they had Friday of 194.825 to win the team competition. Now they face a three-meet road trip which begins Fri., Feb. 12, at No. 12 Iowa State.

The Tigers' next home action is March 7 when they host Iowa, Central Michigan and Texas Woman's for the fifth annual Corvette Cup.

VAULT	 UNEVEN PARALLEL BARS
1.	Kelly Parkinson, BYU	9.875	1.	Leah Jacobs, BYU	9.95
2.	JESSICA HAAG, Missouri	9.75	2.	Sarah Wentworth, Auburn	9.9
	Kim Little, BYU	 9.75		Cara Lepper, UNH	9.9
4.	Sarah Wentworth, Auburn	9.7	4.	AMANDA PETERSON, Mizzou	9.85
5.	KATIE COLE, Missouri	9.675	5.	Denise Gregorio, UNH	9.85
6.	Karen Wisell, UNH	9.65	6.	Wendy Wheaton, UNH	9.825

BALANCE BEAM	 FLOOR EXERCISE
1.	SHANNON BROWN, Missouri	9.775	1.	Sarah Wentworth, Auburn	9.9
2.	ALISON AKERS, Missouri	9.75	2.	AMANDA PETERSON, MU	9.85
	AMANDA PETERSON, MU	9.75	3.	Kelly Parkinson, BYU	9.85
	Christy Mann, Auburn	9.75	4.	MEGGEN SMILEY, Missouri	9.825
5.	Katie Revis, UNH	9.7		Christy Mann, Auburn	9.825
6.	Hilary Johnson, BYU	9.55	6.	ANN GIETLER, Missouri	9.8