Arizona gymnast Madison Cindric helps Wildcats into fourth place after Session 1 of Pac-12 Championships

Almost a dozen Madison Cindric faces cheered, danced and beamed down onto the McKale Center floor Saturday during the first session of the Pac-12 Gymnastics Championships.

Family and friends of the Arizona senior wore tan T-shirts with Cindric’s face printed on their front and back in support of the Texas native. Tom Cindric, the gymnast’s father, said the shirts were originally made for the senior meet a few weeks ago, but they were inspired by the audience’s reaction to wear them again.

“I had a mother come up to me and ask me if I knew Madison and I told her I was her father. So she told me ‘Oh, my daughter loves Madison,’” Tom Cindric said. “Then I see a little girl, about 9, come up to me and say ‘That’s Madison! I love her!’”

The Cindric clan came back to Tucson from Texas, ready to wear their spirited shirts one more time.

The GymCats finished Session 1 in fourth place with a score of 195.825, behind Oregon State (196.575), Arizona State (196.425) and Stanford (196.350).

Arizona coach John Court said the team had a much better vault than last week, but suffered from two uncharacteristic errors at bars. However, Arizona’s score still bested all but two of their performances this season.

“Overall, it was a great team effort. I wish we had eight more of these kind of performances,” Court said. “It was a great last performance.”

Cindric, who was one of Arizona’s two all-around gymnasts, scored 9.800 on floor, 9.725 at vault, 9.850 at bars and 9.850 on beam.

“Overall, we obviously could have done better on bars, but we’re all happy with how we did today,” Cindric said.

Cindric’s father said the 5-foot-3 senior always wanted to come to Arizona, which was one of the first schools to recruit Cindric. She wanted to go to a school that wanted her, and she found that at the UA and loved it, Tom Cindric said.

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He said he was glad Court, who served as an assistant coach when Cindric first came to Arizona, became head coach and could help finish Cindric’s collegiate career.

“They’ve had a lot of changes and a lot of coaches, but John was the one who recruited her,” Tom Cindric said. “So, for her to finish her journey with John Court, it’s amazing. I get choked up.”

Court, who’s known Cindric since she was 13, returned the sentiment. He said he’s enjoyed not only coaching Cindric the last four years, but also enjoyed getting to know her family.

While the GymCats’ season seems to be over, it might not be for Cindric.

In order to qualify for the NCAA Regionals, Arizona needed to finish in the top 36 teams in the nation. The standings won’t be released until later Sunday, but Court said unofficially it seems the GymCats finished in 37th and were left out by .02 of a point.

However, Court said he believed Cindric did qualify for the regional all-around. The standings for the all-around won’t be released until Monday.

“I wish I had her four more years,” Court said of Cindric. “It’s been a pleasure knowing her.”

Cindric said it’ll be difficult to practice without the entire team while she prepares for regionals, and wishes she could be going with the GymCats. Still, Cindric said she’s excited for the opportunity either way.

“I obviously want to go with my team, that’s our ultimate goal. But if I can still make it by myself, then I’m happy to go.”