Jan. 7, 2002

LOGAN, Utah - THIS WEEK - Coming off a season-opening home win against Cal State Fullerton on Jan. 4, Utah State travels to No. 9 Arizona State on Friday, Jan. 11 for a 7:30 p.m. meet.

A LOOK AT THE SUN DEVILS - Arizona State is ranked No. 9 in the preseason poll, the same position it ended the 2001 season in at the NCAA National meet. Friday's meet is ASU's 2002 season opener. John Spini is in his 22nd year as head coach. The Sun Devils return eight letterwinners from last year, including all-America all-arounders Laura Moon, who is out with a knee injury, and sophomore Maggie Germaine. ASU brings in five newcomers this season, including three transfers and two freshmen.

Tentative Starting Lineup for Arizona StateVault   High ScoreJessenia Abrego   9.625Kristen Bloom   8.500Mika Love Houston   9.575Nicole Kilpatrick   9.675Kyla Mattioli   9.600Rachel Ropelato 9.350
BarsJessenia Abrego   9.775Mika Love Houston   9.700Nicole Kilpatrick   9.325Brittnee Penman   9.700Katie Rutherford    9.700Kimberly Scharman   9.650
BeamKristen Bloom   9.700Mika Love Houston   9.325Nicole Kilpatrick   9.275Allison Rosenthal   9.750Katie Rutherford    9.200Kimberly Scharman   9.550
FloorJessenia Abrego   9.825Sarah Colson    9.475Mika Love Houston   9.750Nicole Kilpatrick   9.725Kyla Mattioli   9.750Allison Rosenthal   9.750
All-AroundersMika Love Houston   38.350Nicole Kilpatrick   38.000

NEXT WEEK - The Aggies have next week off, and resume action at San Jose State on Saturday, Jan. 26.

A LOOK BACK AT THE CSF MEET - Utah State opened its 2002 season with a 192.750-191.375 win over Cal State Fullerton Friday night in the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum. Sophomore Mika Love Houston led the Aggies as the top all-arounder, scoring a 38.350. Houston recorded scores of 9.575 on vault, 9.325 on beam, 9.700 on bars and posted a career-high 9.750 on floor. USU trailed the Titans after each of the first two events, as CSF scored 48.450 on vault and 48.550 on bars and USU posted a 47.825 on vault and a 48.525 on bars. USU scored a 47.600 on beam and a 48.800 on floor to end the night. Individually, sophomore Kyla Mattioli joined Houston in recording a career-best night on the floor, with a 9.750, while Utah State senior Jessenia Abrego was named Coca-Cola Gymnast of the Meet. Abrego led all floor exercisers with a 9.825.

NEW GYMNASTICS CONFERENCE - After the Big West's decision to no longer sponsor gymnastics after the 2001 season, Utah State, Boise State, Cal State Fullerton, Denver University and Southern Utah have joined together to form the Western Gymnastics Conference for the 2002 season. USU will host the inaugural conference meet on March 22, 2002.

TOUGH SCHEDULE - Of Utah State's 10 opponents this season, five - Utah (No. 5), Arizona State (No. 9), Denver (No. 14), Ohio State (No. 18) and BYU (No. 23) - are ranked among the top 25 in the pre-season poll. In last year's regional rankings, USU finished the season at seventh in the North Central region, behind Utah (No. 1), BYU (No. 3) and Denver University (No. 5).

HEAD COACH RAY CORN - Utah State's Ray Corn (Northern Colorado '71) is in his 25th year as head coach of the Aggies, and is the only gymnastics coach in USU history. Corn's teams have posted a 334-196-2 regular-season meet record and have participated in postseason competition in 23 of his 24 seasons, including straight trips to the NCAA Midwest Regionals. Aggie squads have competed at the national championships five times. Corn was named NCAA Midwest Region Coach of the Year in 1991, was honored as High Country Athletic Conference Coach of the Year three times and selected Big West Conference Coach of the Year in 1994, 1996, 1998 and 2001. Corn's overall record, including postseason action, currently stands at 391-338-2.

OLYMPIC TORCH STOPS AT USU-BYU MEET - The Olympic torch will stop at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum prior to the Utah State-BYU meet on Feb. 6 as it makes its way to Salt Lake City for the Opening Ceremonies. The only ways to have a reserved seat for the event are to be a gymnastics season ticket holder or an USU faculty/staff all-sport pass holder. All other seats will be on a first-come basis. The doors of the Spectrum will open at 4 p.m., with the torch ceremony beginning around 5:15 p.m., and the BYU-USU meet starting at approximately 6 p.m.

25-YEAR NOTES - Utah State gymnastics is in its 25th season of intercollegiate competition, with Ray Corn at the helm for all 25 years... The Aggies have qualified for regional competition every year except one... USU first qualified two gymnasts - Alicia Johnston and Jodi Mabb, who tied for 12th in the all-around - for the AIAW national meet in its inaugural season in 1978... The entire Utah State squad first competed at nationals in 1979, finishing 10th, and returned in 1980, 1981, 1982 and 1991... The best USU national finish was in 1982, when the Aggies took 10th... The Aggies were last at the national meet in 1991, when they finished 11th overall... Since the National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches/Women (NACGC/W) began naming an acacdemic all-American team in 1991, 23 Aggies have been named a total of 47 times... As a team, USU claimed the Big West title four times, including taking the final BWC championship in 2001... The last USU gymnast to qualify for nationals was Amber Jamison. She took 22nd in the all-around in 1999.

A LOOK AT THE 2002 AGGIES - Jessenia Abrego - Senior co-captain from Las Vegas, Nev. ... Competed in three events for the Aggies (vault, bars, floor) in 2001 after missing 2000 with a torn ACL... Earned all-Big West honors on the vault for the second time in her career, finishing third at the 2001 conference meet with a 9.825 score... Concluded the season with the team's best season averages on the vault (9.746) and bars (9.700)... Her 9.746 vault average ranks as the fourth-best vault average in school history, while her 9.700 bar average is the seventh-best... Scored at least a 9.725 on the vault in all but three meets... Abrego finished in the top three on vault in six meets... Notched a 9.825 or better, including two 9.900s, on the floor in six of the Aggies' last eight meets.

Kristen Bloom - Junior from Ossining, N.Y. ... An all-arounder in 2000, Bloom competed on just the beam and floor for USU in 2001... Finished the year with season averages of 9.653 on the beam and 9.570 on the floor... Her 9.653 average on the beam was the second-best by any Aggie this season... Scored a 9.700 or higher on the beam in seven of the 10 meets in which she competed... Against Southern Utah (3/12/01), she posted a career-best 9.900 on beam and a season-high 9.750 on floor.

Nalani Chung - Freshman from Fort Collins, Colo. ... A specialist in the uneven bars, Chung is expected to see some time competing in exhibition in the other events... Was a Level 10 gymnast at GK's Gymnastics, and an academic all-state selection... Competed at the Level 10 regionals in 1998, 1999 and 2001.

Sarah Colson - Freshman from Englewood, Colo. ... Is expected to compete in the all-around for the Aggies this season... Was a Level 10 gymnast at Apex Sports Center and competed for Bear Creek High School, where she earned all-state honors in her junior and senior years... High school team won the state title her junior year.

Stephanie Gordon (Huff) - Senior from Spanish Fork, Utah... Missed the first three meets of 2001 because of an ankle injury but returned to be one of Aggies' most consistent floor workers... Second-best season floor average (9.734) on the squad... Hit a season-high 9.825 three times, including the Big West Championships (3/24/01).

Mika Houston - Sophomore from Las Vegas, Nev. ... Set a new career high on floor (9.750) against Cal State Fullerton (1/4/02)... Competed on every event for Utah State in 2001 but saw all-around action just twice... A solid bar worker, she did not score below a 16 9.700 on the bars in 11 of the last 12 meets... Scored a 9.775 or better on the beam in six of her last eight meets... Notched nine top-three finishes this season (four times on beam, three times on bars and once each on the vault and all-around)... Finished with season averages of 9.582 on vault, 9.680 on bars, 9.608 on beam, 8.925 on floor and 37.313 in the all-around.

Nicole Kilpatrick - Junior from Ringwood, N.J. ... Competed in the all-around in nine meets for USU in 2001, winning two all-around titles... Scored a career and Utah State season-best 39.325 in the all-around against BYU (3/9/01), ranking as the fifth-best all-around score in school history... Had 16 top-three finishes (five times on vault, twice on bars, four times on beam, once on floor, and four times in the all-around) including six individual event titles (one vault, two beam, one floor, two all-around)... concluded the season with averages of 9.652 on vault, 9.670 on bars, 9.570 on beam, 9.606 on floor, and 38.564 in the all-around... Her 38.564 average in the all-around ranks as the seventh best in USU history.

Kyla Mattioli - Sophomore from Hampton, N.J. ... Set a new career high on floor (9.750) against Cal State Fullerton (1/4/02)... Saw action on the vault and floor for the Aggies in 2001... Won the first vault competition of her career against SUU (3/12/01)... Posted a personal-best 9.800 on the vault against BYU (3/9/01)... Recorded a season-high 9.625 on the floor twice... Finished the year with season averages of 9.570 on vault and 9.286 on floor.

Brittnee Penman - Sophomore from Murray, Utah... Competed as a bar specialist for Utah State... Finished in the top three on bars in six meets including winning against Southern Utah (2/2/01) and BYU (3/9/01)... Recorded a season-best 9.900 on the bars to earn a second-place finish against BSU (1/26/01)... Finished the year with a 9.602 season bar average.

Jessica Rands - Freshman from Sammamish, Wash. ... Had orthoscopic surgery on Jan. 7 for a meniscal tear... Rands will see time on the vault, floor and balance beam... A Level 9 gymnast at Gymnastics East in Seattle, Wash. ...Won the state floor competition in 2001... Finished third at state in 2000 in floor and vault... Took fourth in the vault at the 2001 regionals.

Rachel Ropelato - Freshman from Nibley, Utah... Should see limited action in the vault, floor exercise and uneven bars... A Level 10 gymnast for Tom Olsen at Ten-O gymnastics in Logan, Utah... A Level 9 state champion for two years... Attended Level 9 and 10 regionals.

Allison Rosenthal - Junior from Scottsdale, Ariz. ... One of USU's most consistent floor workers, she missed the regional meet with a torn calf muscle... Did not score below a 9.625 on the floor in 11 of the 12 meets in which she competed... Posted a career-best 9.875 three times, most recently at the Big West Championships (3/24/01)... Took second at the conference meet, earning all-Big West accolades... Finished the year with a 9.696 season average on the floor exercise.

Katie Rutherford - A freshman from Chappaqua, N.Y. ... An all-arounder expected to compete for a spot in the starting lineup... A Level 10 gymnast, she participated at the 2000 US National competition... Was a 2000 state champion in the all-around and beam... Also earned state championships in the uneven bars in 2000 and 2001... A two -time regional bar champion in 1998 and 2000.

Kimberly Scharman - Senior from Salt Lake City, Utah... Saw limited action on the beam and bars for Utah State in 2001... Recorded a career-high 9.700 on the beam twice while averaging a 9.221 score over seven meets... Scored a career-high 9.800 on the bars at the Big West Conference championships... Concluded the year with a 9.600 bar average.

Kirra Seeley (Degener) - Senior co-captain from Kaysville, Utah... Sat out the first seven meets of the season recovering from surgery to repair a torn ligament in her right thumb... Made her season debut on the balance beam against San Jose State and posted a 9.725 mark... Recorded a season-high 9.750 on the beam at the Big West Championships (3/24/01)... Averaged a 9.332 on the beam.

Kelcy Wathen - Junior co-captain from Salt Lake City, Utah... Had surgery for a torn ACL in December, 2001... Performed as a bar specialist for the Aggies in 2001 but missed the last half of the season with various injuries... Tied her bar career-high at Utah (2/6/01), turning in a 9.800 score... Recorded a 9.775 on the bars three times during the year... Averaged a 9.525 on the bars.