Four all-around titles and five vault titles from a total of eight meets.

That’s a high-winning percentage, especially considering that senior Lauren Newcomb has sat out the last two all-around competitions with nagging knee injuries. This has been a stellar year that has cemented the senior a place in Illini women’s gymnastics history.

“I have a hard time believing that anybody will come in and be a stronger vaulter than her,” said head coach Bob Starkell. “She was a key part of her recruiting class as to try to change the perception of vault. It had been a weak event ever since I came here, and just now we’re starting to make strides to be as competitive as our other three events. She’s really the reason why our vault has got better.”

The Illini set a new record for team score on vault last week, and Newcomb lead the way, tying for first on the event for her second vault title in a row.

“Vault is my favorite event, just because it’s my strongest event,” Newcomb said. “It comes pretty easy to me, and it’s what I excelled at during high school and club level. It feels good to contribute a high score on that event because vault typically has been this squad’s weakest event.”

Newcomb, a native of Evansville, Ind., is majoring in industrial distribution management. She said she was never interested in gymnastics until her parents signed her up for the sport.

“I was overly active when I was little, and my parents put me in gymnastics to relieve some of that energy, and things took off from there,” Newcomb said. “I took an interest in it, and by the time I was seven I was a competitive gymnast, and I’ve always loved doing it ever since then and wanted to excel at it.”

Illinois was her first stop on a recruiting trip, and she was hooked from the start.

“It just felt like home; the coaching staff and the athletes meshed well together,” Newcomb said. “You could tell the girls had true friendships and weren’t just putting on a face for their recruits. It being three hours away from home also made a big difference; it meant I could go back home easily and my parents would be able to come watch the meets.”

Newcomb had competed in the all-around in high school and made it her goal to compete in all-around here. However, injuries her first two years limited her to vault and floor, but she got her chance to get back into all-around competition last season and has taken off this year.

“My mentality was completely different coming into this year, and I was very confident in my abilities,” Newcomb said. “After re-grasping the feeling of competing all-around last year, I know what to expect now. I was first alternate to nationals last year and would really like to make it all the way this year.

“When you’re successful, it gives you the confidence to know that you belong up there and know you can do well. Now you can go into every meet thinking you can win, and after a while you grow to expect to win.”

Success aside, hard work is one of the reasons Newcomb is a role model for the rest of the team.

“Lauren is definitely a leader by example, she has always worked very hard,” said junior Katie Wild. “She’s always been a positive role model, someone to look up to, and she gives a 110 percent in every part of her life.”

There’s also a lighter side to this role model.

“As a friend, Newcomb is always the person who will make you laugh, and she doesn’t always mean to,” said fellow senior Kara Kapernekas. “We call that the ‘Newcomb comment.'”

The “comment” is part of the relationship she shares with all her teammates and the strong bond the senior class shares.

“We came in freshman year as total strangers; we were from all across the country,” Newcomb said. “We’ve grown over the last four years and are best friends now. We put our hearts out for each other and we’re always there to back each other up. No matter what it is, we know that we’re all there for each other.”

Leaving her fellow seniors, her team, the University and gymnastics – something she has done all her life – is a sad reality for Newcomb now.

“It has been such a great ride ever since I’ve been here. My one goal coming in high school was to get a college scholarship and compete for a university, and nothing can take that away from me,” Newcomb said. “In a way it’s kind of sad, and it’s going to be weird come April, not having anything to do in the afternoon. The last meet I know I’m going to shed a few tears.”

But she doesn’t expect the ride to end at the last home meet.

“We’re definitely expecting to make it to regionals this year, and once you’re there, it’s anybody’s game,” Newcomb said. “The top-two teams at regionals make it to nationals, and I truly think this team has the potential to get to nationals.”