Less than 24 hours after capturing an NCAA Team National Championship, the Gym Dogs returned to the blue mats and came away with even more hardware.

Sophomore Courtney Kupets captured her fifth NCAA title in just two years of competing at a collegiate level, adding the 2007 vault title to her 2006 beam and bars championships and her individual all-around championships of the last two years.

Kupets became the most decorated gymnast in Georgia’s history, as her mark of five individual championships passed Hope Spivey, who competed with the Gym Dogs from 1991-94. Kupets’ five titles place her three behind Kentucky’s Jenny Hansen for the most individual championships.

“Tonight was amazing and fun,” she said. “It felt like all the girls out there were one big team. Everyone was cheering each other on. I was very pleased with how things went today.”

While Kupets’ success highlighted the evening, the rest of the Gym Dogs had a strong presence on the night as a University of Georgia gymnast finished in the top two in each event.

In addition to the vault title, Kupets tied for second on the bars in defense of her 2006 title. Freshman Grace Taylor tied for second on the beam with a 9.90. Kupets’ mark of 9.95 on the floor was good enough for second place behind Alabama’s Morgan Dennis.

Gym Dogs Tiffany Tolnay, Megan Dowlen and Marcia Newby each competed and finished in the top 10 in the vault taking seventh, eighth and 10th, respectively. Kupets took third place on the beam while Katie Heenan finished fifth on the bars, and Tolnay added a 10th place finish on the floor.

Head coach Suzanne Yoculan summed up the team’s approach to the individual championships as less rigid.

“On individual nights like these, we don’t do a whole lot of coaching,” she said.

“We might give some more technical advice but nothing big, just go in and have fun. We really want them to enjoy this.”

With a roster that now includes nine gymnasts with All-America honors, the Gym Dogs should enjoy being able to add another chapter to their program’s storied history.