Feb. 18, 2004
LOGAN,Utah -
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Utah State Gymnastics vs. #10 Missouri and Boise State Logan, Utah Friday, Feb 20 7:00 P.M. MST
2004 USU Gymnastics Schedule Overall Record: 6-5 Home: 1-0; Away: 2-2; Neutral: 3-3
Tentative Starting Lineup for MISSOURI/BOISE STATE
Vault Career High Score Jessica Rands Kettle 9.825 Alex Martin 9.725 Katie Rutherford 9.700 Rachael Mandy 9.825 Rachel Ropelato 9.900 Gretchen Goerlitz 9.825
Bars Gretchen Goerlitz 9.775 Stacy Stewart 9.850 Ashley Barr 9.875 Rachel Ropelato 9.900 Katie Rutherford 9.925 Alex Martin 9.925
Beam Ashley Barr 9.800 Katie Rutherford 9.825 Stacy Stewart 9.850 Alex Martin 9.850 Gretchen Goerlitz 9.825 Liesel Kohler 9.900
Floor Stacy Stewart 9.700 Rachel Ropelato 9.875 Alex Martin 9.900 Ashley Barr 9.900 Liesel Kohler 9.925 Gretchen Goerlitz 9.850 2004 USU GYMNASTICS ROSTER Name Yr. Hometown Courtney Arno Fr. Coppell, Texas Ashley Barr So. Littleton, Colo. Gretchen Goerlitz Fr. Neenah, Wisc. Jessica Kettle Jr. Sammammish, WA Liesel Kohler So. Watsonville, Calif. Rachael Mandy So. Fargo, N.D. Alex Martin Fr. Longmont,Colo. Meagan Nelson So. Las Vegas, Nev. Jessica Parenti So. Glendora, Calif. Rachel Ropelato Jr. Hyrum, Utah Katie Rutherford Jr. Chappaqua, N.Y. Stacy Stewart Fr. Wellsville, Utah Ashley Young So. Longmont,Colo.
USU Quick Facts: Location: Logan, Utah Enrollment: 21,490 Arena: Dee Glen Smith Spectrum Nickname: Aggies Colors: Navy Blue and White Web Site: www.UtahStateAggies.com Gymnastics SID: Josh Combe SID Phone: (435)797-2066 SID Email: jcc@cc.usu.edu 2003 Dual Meet Record: 9-13 2003 Regional Finish: Did not qualify 2003 National Finish: Did not qualify Head Coach: Ray Corn (408-360-2) Assistant Coaches: Ernestine Russell and Jeff Graba Letterwinners Returning: 9
Utah State Media Relations
Media Relations Director: Mike Strauss Office Phone: (435) 797-1361 Student Asst./Gymnastics SID: Josh Combe Office Phone: (435) 797-2066 Cell Phone: (435) 512-5674 Home Phone: (435) 752-3192 Mailing Address.. 7400 Old Main Hill Logan, UT 84322-7400 E-mail: jcc@cc.usu.edu Media Relations Fax: (435) 797-2615 Logan Herald Journal Fax (435) 753-6642 Utah Statesman Fax (435) 797-1760
2004 Top Individual Scorers
VAULT 1. Rachel Ropelato 9.850 (2/16) 2. Gretchen Goerlitz 9.825 (2/16) Rachael Mandy 9.825 (2/13)
BARS 1. Alex Martin 9.925 (2/6) 2. Alex Martin 9.900 (1/23) 3. Alex Martin 9.875 (2/16) Rachel Ropelato 9.875 (2/16) Katie Rutherford 9.875 (2/16)
BEAM 1. Liesel Kohler 9.900 (2/6) 2. Liesel Kohler 9.875 (1/30) Alex Martin 9.875 (2/13)
FLOOR 1. Liesel Kohler 9.925 (2/6) 2. Ashley Barr 9.900 (2/6) Alex Martin 9.900 (2/6)
ALL-AROUND 1. Alex Martin 39.350 (2/6) 2. Gretchen Goerlitz 39.250 (2/16) 3. Alex Martin 39.225 (2/13
2004 Top Team Scores TOTAL 1. SOUTHERN UTAH 196.000 (2/6) 2. at Southern Utah 196.000 (2/16) 3. at California 194.150 (1/23)
VAULT 1. at Brigham Young 48.800 (2/13) 2. at Southern Utah 48.775 (2/6) 3. at Boise State 48.725 (1/30)
BARS 1. at Southern Utah 49.225 (2/16) 2. at Brigham Young 49.025 (2/13) 3. at California 49.050 (1/23) BEAM 1. at Southerm Utah 49.125 (2/16) 2. SOUTHERN UTAH 49.100 (2/6) 3. at Boise State 48.700 (1/30)
FLOOR 1. SOUTHERN UTAH 49.375 (2/6) 2. at Brigham Young 49.225 (2/13) 3. at Boise State 49.125 (1/30)
THIS WEEK - Utah State gymnastics (6-5) returns home to the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum where it will host #10 Missouri and conference rival Boise State on Friday, Feb. 20 at 7 p.m. MST. Former Olympians John Roethlisberger and Shannon Miller will be on hand to sign autographs after the meet.
NEXT WEEK - The Aggies will hit the road for their last time this regular season and face in-state rival #4 Utah in the Huntsman Center on Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. MST.
LAST WEEKEND - USU competed in two meets over the weekend. On Friday Feb. 13 the Aggies traveled to Provo, Utah and fell short to #25 Brigham Young by a score of 196.425 to 195.250. On Monday Feb. 16 USU traveled to Cedar City where the Aggies defeated Southern Utah by a score of 196.000 to 195.225. This was the best road score of the season and tied the fifth-best all-time score for USU.
LOOKING AT MISSOURI - The Tigers are ranked #10 nationally and are in the top-20 in every event. Missouri, which is 6-2 on the year, is coming off a 196.600 to 195.925 victory against #15 Arkansas last Friday. The Tigers are led by Junior Alisha Robinson who set a school record 39.650 in the all-around and 9.975 on the floor while winning every event at the Cat Classic on Feb. 5. Mizzou is coached by Rob Drass.
LOOKING AT BOISE STATE - The Broncos are mere hundreths of a point behind USU in the Western Gymnastics Conference rankings with an average of 194.405. Boise State is coming off a 197.875 to 194.150 loss at Denver last Saturday. The Broncos are ranked #24 nationally on the vault with a 48.835 average and are coached by Yvonne Sandmire.
HOW USU RANKS - Currently the Aggies are ranked first in the Western Gymnastics Conference and seventh in the North Central Region with an average of 194.405. The Aggies are ranked 32nd in the national rankings... USU ranks sixth in the North Central Region on the bars and floor. Alex Martin ranks 15th in the region on the bars and 18th in the all-around, while Gretchen Goerlitz ranks 16th in the all-around.
2004 TEAM CAPTAINS - Juniors Rachel Ropelato and Katie Rutherford serve as captains for the 2004 squad. Rutherford was also a captain last year.
A TEAM WITH NO SENIORS - This year's roster is void of any seniors. USU will rely on three juniors, six sophomores, and four freshmen to carry them this season. FRESHMEN SHINING THIS SEASON - Alex Martin won the all-around and the bars competitions against Southern Utah (2/6) and also won the all-round at BYU (2/13)...Her 9.925 on the bars against Southern Utah is the fifth best all-time... Martin finished tied for first on the bars and fifth in the all-around at California (1/30). At Brigham Young (2/13), classmate Gretchen Goerlitz placed second on the floor while setting a personal-best 9.925... Stacy Stewart set a personal-best (9.850) on bars at Southern Utah and set a personal-best on the floor at BYU with a 9.775.
A LITTLE BANGED UP - USU is without three gymnasts due to injuries. Top-returnees from 2004, Meagan Nelson and Jessica Parenti, are not expected to return until at least halfway through the season. Nelson was an all-Western Gymnastics Conference team member in 2003, while Parenti was a second team honoree. Both finished 2003 ranked in the top 50. The Aggies are also without Courtney Arno due to injuries.
HEAD COACH RAY CORN - Utah State's Ray Corn (Northern Colorado '71) is in his 27th year as the Aggies' head coach. Corn's teams own a 350-221-2 regular-season meet record and have participated in postseason competition in 24 of his 26 seasons. Aggie squads have competed at national championship meets 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 414-365-2.
A LOOK AT THE 2004 AGGIES - Courtney Arno- Will not compete this season due to injury... A freshman from Coppell. Texas... Was a Level 10 gymnast at the Colony Gymnastics Academy... Was state bar champion in 1997... Won the state championship on the beam and floor in 1998.
Ashley Barr - Her career-best 9.900 on the floor was good for a second place finish against Southern Utah (2/6)... Finished third on the bars and fourth on the floor at Boise State (2/2)... Scored 9.850 on the bars at California (1/23)... Placed fifth on the uneven bars with a score of 9.775 at the Rocky Mountain Open(1/17)... Scored a 9.850 on beam against last year against Southern Utah and BYU... Received academic All-America and academic all-Western Gymnastics Conference honors in 2003.
Gretchen Goerlitz - Recorded her best all-around performance at Southern Utah (2/16) with a 39.250...Recorded a career-best 9.925 on the floor at BYU (2/13) which was good for a third place finish... Won the vault event (1/17) at the Rocky Mountain open with a score of 9.775... Was third on the vault (9.825), fourth on the floor (9.850), and tied for fifth on the beam (9.825) at Boise State (1/30)... Led USU on the floor with a score of 9.800 at California (1/23).
JESSICA (RANDS) KETTLE - Recorded a 9.650 on the vault at BYU (2/13)... Scored a 9.675 at Boise State (1/30) on the vault... Recorded a career high 9.825 on the vault as a freshman against Boise State... Is one of nine returning letterwinners to the 2003 squad.
Liesel Kohler - Recorded personal-bests on the floor (9.925) and the beam (9.900), while winning both events against Southern Utah (2/6)... Finished third on the beam (9.875), and tied for fourth on the floor scoring a 9.850 at Boise State (1/30)... Scored a 9.875 on the floor against Boise State... 2003 floor average of 9.839 is a USU record.
Rachael Mandy - Scored a career-best 9.825 on the vault at BYU (2/13) which was good for a fifth-place finish... Her 9.775 on the vault was good for a third place finish against Southern Utah (2/6)... Finished fourth on the vault tying her personal-best 9.800 at Boise State (1/30)...Her 9.800 at California (1/23) was a personal best and led all USU gymnasts on the vault... Sophomore from Fargo, N.D... Tore her ACL in practice prior in December, and redshirted last season.
ALEX MARTIN - Won the all-around for the second-straight meet (2/16) with a 39.225... Recorded a 9.825 on the floor at BYU which was her second-best floor score of the season... Named USU Athlete of the Week and Western Gymnastics Conference Gymnast of the Week for the week of Feb. 9-13... Had career meet against Southern Utah (2/6) by setting a career-best in every event except the vault including a 9.925 on the bars, a 9.900 on the floor, a 9.850 on the beam , and a 39.350 in the all-around... Her 9.925 on the bars against Southern Utah is the fifth best all-time USU bars score...Won the bars and the all-around competitions... Tied for first on the bars (9.900) and placed fith in the all-around with a score of 38.750 at California (1/23).
Meagan Nelson - Will not participate this season due to an injury... Received first team all-around all-Western gymnastics conference honors in 2003... Received academic All-American honors.
Jessica Parenti - Will not participate this season due to injury...Was named to the all-Western Gymnastics Conference second team in bars, beam, and all-around in 2003... Earned Academic All-Western Gymnastics Conference.
Rachel Ropelato - Recorded a second-place finish on the vault with a 9.800 against Southern Utah (2/6)... Finished second in the all-around competition with a score of 38.325 at Boise State (1/30)... Competed in the all-around competition with Alex Martin at California (1/23)... Tied for second on the vault with a score of 9.750 at the Rocky Mountain Open (1/17)... One of the captains for the 2004 squad... Second team all-Western Gymnastics Conference on the vault in 2003.
Stacy Stewart - Finished fourth on bars with a career-best 9.850 at Southern Utah (2/19)... Career-best floor performance of 9.775 came at BYU (2/13)... Tied for fifth on the beam scoring 9.825 at Boise State (1/30)... Placed fourth on the bars scoring 9.800 at the Rocky Mountain Open (1/17)... Is a freshman from Hyrum, Utah.
Katie Rutherford - Finished third on the bars with a 9.875 at BYU (2/13)... Tied for fifth on the beam (9.825) at Boise State (1/30)... Placed fourth on both the beam (9.775) and vault (9.750) at the Rocky Mountain Open (1/17)... Co-captain with Rachel Ropelato... Was named to the 2002 all-Western Gymnastics Conference first team on the vault... One of nine letterwinners returning... Second consecutive year to be named co-captain.
Ashley Young - Set career highs on vault (9.650), beam (9.825), and floor (9.700) against Boise State in 2003.
