It’s been a tough go for Tiffany Tolnay.

The Gym Dog senior has battled injury after injury in 2009, most notably a nagging foot that has moved her in and out of the all-around lineup all season long.

But the Texan is feeling good and looking to make another big splash when the NCAA Championships start Thursday in Lincoln, Neb.

“I haven’t really enjoyed myself as much as I would have liked to my senior year,” Tolnay said. “I think just because I was in so much pain and trying absolutely everything possible to do. It’s definitely been my choice to continue on and push through, but [NCAA Regionals] was probably the first time I felt really comfortable out on the floor.”

Tolnay is a 12-time All-American at Georgia, meaning she’s placed in the top eight nationally on at least four of five events (including the all-around) in each of her previous three years. Four more All-American finishes this week would tie her for the most ever by a Gym Dog.

It’s strange to call a gymnast who has been that dominating the “X-factor” heading into NCAAs, but because of Tolnay’s injuries, that’s exactly what head coach Suzanne Yoculan has dubbed her.

“Tiffany has had to basically spend her senior year rebounding,” Yoculan said. “And I think that she’s just finally getting it that she was focusing a lot on the glass being half-empty, all the things she couldn’t do and wasn’t able to do and the scores she wasn’t able to get – instead of focusing on the fact that she’s a senior and she’s competing.”

Said classmate Courtney Kupets: “She’s been through so many different trial and errors of ‘let’s do this, is that going to help you, let’s try this tape, is that going to help you, let’s do this schedule with practice, is that going to help you.’ It’s been so up and down for her. It doesn’t make it easier.”

The Gym Dogs carry the nation’s top seed into Lincoln and will be shooting for their fifth-straight national championship in Yoculan’s final year as their coach.

Tolnay isn’t ranked nationally because of her frequent absences but has proven she’s capable of putting up big scores – she’s ended the season ranked third, fourth and fourth nationally in the all-around her previous three years.

But for Tolnay, it’s all about the mentality.

“Athletically, she’s one of the top-three most talented athletes I’ve ever had at Georgia,” Yoculan said. “Just mentally, she puts a different kind of pressure on herself that’s sort of hard to live up to. It’s unfortunate because she doesn’t applaud her successes enough to make her disappointments be OK.”

That said, Tolnay seems to have found her way.

“When you have all the injuries and all the stuff going on in your head, and you’re questioning your own gymnastics and your own talent, that’s not good,” she said. “For the first time at regionals I got to just put it all out on the floor and be OK with what happened. Going into nationals, I feel in a good place for the first time all season.”