Indiana University of Pennsylvania Athletics

When one recalls IUP women's gymnastics and the achievements of Christine Beck in the mid-1980s, it's only natural to find images of "Camelot" coming to mind. As of 1982, the university decided to build its intercollegiate athletic program around four varsity teams in what were called emphasis sports--football, men's and women's basketball and gymnastics.

The dream for the latter made sense as IUP became one of the eminent Division II teams in the nation by winning far more than it lost against challengers, including many Division I entrants, including Penn State and from as far away as Alabama and Alaska to the pleasure of encouraging crowds at Memorial Field House.

(Regrettably, regional and national trends for gymnastics proved too much for IUP to overcome as the NCAA abandoned its Divisions II and III, the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference discontinued the sport, and it became nearly impossible to put together or finance a schedule. Finally, as of 1997, IUP felt it had little choice but to drop the sport.)

Taking the individual spotlight in 1982-84, however, was Beck, who as a freshman for Coach Jan Anthony became the first IUP woman to earn NCAA All-American laurels, as an all arounder and in the floor exercise and balance beam at the Division II national meet at the University of California at Davis. She missed winning the national floor title by a tenth of a point.

In doing all this, she captured ESPN national television coverage more extensive than any IUP athlete had ever enjoyed.

Then, as a sophomore at the NCAA national meet in Springfield, Massachusetts, for coach Dan Kendig, she repeated her all-around and balance beam All-American honors and added one on vault after having captured regional all-around, uneven bars and beam titles.

From that point, though, Beck accelerated her academic studies in dietetics to graduate in December, 1985, then went on to the University of North Carolina at Greensboro to complete a Master of Science degree in foods and nutrition,-with a major focus on risk factor management and exercise performance.

Now a nutritionist and diabetes educator, she started her own firm and private practice, Lifestyles for Health, in 1994 in Pittsburgh's North Hills. Beck is also a USA Gymnastics health care provider and offers nutrition services to area gymnastics clubs, individual competitors and coaches.

After completing her master's degree, Beck first worked in Baltimore, as health promotion coordinator for the Johns Hopkins Health Plan and as a wellness manager and cardiac rehabilitation dietitian with Children's Hospital. She and husband Jack Doolittle, married since 1993, have one son, 10-month-old Nicholas.