March 27, 2006

LOGAN, Utah - While Utah State's gymnastics team did not qualify for the NCAA regionals, two Aggies have made the meet as all-around competitors, while three others are alternates in individual events.

Jessica Parenti and Meagan Lewis have both qualified as two of the five individual all-arounders in the North Central Regional, which will be contested at Ames, Iowa on April 8 at 6 p.m.

Rachael Mandy is the alternate on the vault, while Alex Martin is the alternate on the uneven bars and Brittany Price is the alternate on the balance beam.

Parenti, a senior from Glendora, Calif., will be making her third straight regional appearance as she was 16th in 2003 with a 37.975 all-around score and scored a 38.100 last year.

Last week she won the bars and finished second on the vault and in the all-around at the Western Athletic Conference Championships. Parenti scored a 9.875 on the bars, while scoring a 9.850 on the vault and a 39.050 in the all-around.

Parenti has competed in the all-around in every meet this season for the Aggies, competing in 52 events in all. She currently has the highest season average in every event for the Aggies with a 9.725 on vault, 9.740 on bars, 9.576 on beam, 9.690 on floor and a 38.730 in the all-around. Her all-around RQS ranks 38th nationally.

Lewis, a junior from Las Vegas, Nev. tied for 11th in the all-around at the WAC Championships with a 38.225. Her best individual scores were a 9.775 on the vault, which tied her for ninth and a 9.725 on the beam, which tied her for 10th. She recorded a season high all-around score of 39.175 against Sacramento State in February.

Lewis did not compete at the regional meet last year due to injuries, but finished ninth in the all-around with a 38.875 in 2003.

Teams competing in the North Central Region, include host Iowa State, Arizona State, Arizona, Denver, Minnesota and Brigham Young. All-Around competitors in addition to Parenti and Lewis, includes Sheena Shaw and Leah Sakhitab from Southern Utah and Iowa's Liz Grajewski.

NCAA Gymnastics Regionals

North Central Region - 6 p.m. - April 8 in Ames, Iowa (Iowa State University, host)Teams1. Iowa State2. Arizona State3. Arizona4. Denver5. Minnesota6. Brigham Young
 All-Around Competitors1. Jessica Parenti, Utah State2. Sheena Shaw, Southern Utah2. Leah Sakhitab, Southern Utah4. Liz Grajewski, Iowa5. Meagan Lewis, Utah StateAlt. - Jess Langley, Southern Utah
Individual Event SpecialistsVault - Kortny Williamson, IowaAlt. - Rachael Mandy, Utah StateUneven Bars - Ashley Sharpe, Southern UtahAlt. - Alex Martin, Utah StateBalance Beam - Danielle Legeai, IowaAlt. - Brittany Price, Utah StateFloor Exercise - Kortny Williamson, Iowa Alt. - Jess Langley, Southern Utah
 West Region - 6 p.m. - April 8 in Stanford, California (Stanford University, host)Teams1. Alabama2. Stanford3. Oregon State4. Boise State5. Sacramento State6. San Jose State All-Around Competitors1. Jessica Portlock, Alaska Anchorage2. Britani Pittullo, California3. Lauren Agostino, Alaska4. Jaynie Reynolds, Seattle Pacific5. Chelsea Bakken, WashingtonAlt. - Erica Ficarrotta, Cal State Fullerton
Individual Event Specialists Vault - Ashley Houghting, WashingtonAlt. - Kristen Omori, Washington Uneven Bars - Kelly McDonald, WashingtonAlt. - Lydia Williams, CaliforniaBalance Beam - Kelly McDonald, WashingtonAlt. - Kristen Omori, WashingtonFloor Exercise - Kristen Omori, Washington Alt. - Melissa Schafer, Cal State Fullerton

 South Central Region - 6 p.m. - April 8 in Fayetteville, Arkansas (University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, host)Teams1. Florida 2. UCLA3. Arkansas4. Illinois5. Illinois-Chicago6. Southeast Missouri State
All-Around CompetitorsCheryl Berezan, Illinois State
Individual Event SpecialistsVault - Meghan Koshman, Illinois StateAlt. - Nakia Westbrook, Texas Woman's UniversityUneven Bars - Courtney Arno, Texas Woman's University Alt. - Ashlee Williams, Northern IllinoisBalance Beam - Courtney Arno, Texas Woman's UniversityAlt. - Jennifer Naughton, Northern IllinoisFloor Exercise - Brisa Fuentes, Texas Woman's UniversityAlt. - Jennifer Naughton, Northern Illinois
 Central Region - 6 p.m. - April 7 in Baton Rouge, Lousiana (Louisiana State University, host)
Teams1. Oklahoma2. LSU3. Penn State4. Kentucky5. Michigan State6. Ohio State
 All-Around Competitors1. Cherisse Marier, Western Michigan2. Jennifer Sturgis, Western Michigan3. Rebecca Fuss, Eastern Michigan 4. Carrie Mayle, Kent State5. Jillian Kowalski, Kent StateAlt. - Jolene Worley, Eastern Michigan
Individual Event Specialists Vault - Mattie Crawford, Central MichiganAlt. - Sheena Smith, Central MichiganUneven Bars - Kristin Peters, Kent State Alt. - Sheena Smith, Central MichiganBalance Beam - Jules Passy, Central MichiganAlt. - Mattie Crawford, Central Michigan Floor Exercise - Danielle Espinoza, Central MichiganAlt. - Amy Cucinotta, Kent State
 Northeast Region - 6 p.m. - April 8 in Ann Arbor, Michigan (University of Michigan, host)
Teams1. Utah2. Michigan3. Auburn 4. New Hampshire5. Pittsburgh6. RutgersAll-Around Competitors 1. Kelly Gurney, Rhode Island2. Alina Liao, Yale3. Kimberley So, Yale4. Emily Petkun, Pennsylvania5. Stephanie Ortiz, Pennsylvania 6. Balance Beam - Lauren Tatsuno, YaleAlt. - Randi Bisbano, Cornell
 Individual Event SpecialistsVault - Miki Seltzer, YaleAlt. - Lauren Markowitz, PennsylvaniaUneven Bars - Emily Rinaldo, Rhode IslandAlt. - Cathy Schnell, CornellBalance Beam - Lauren Tatsuno, YaleAlt. - Randi Bisbano, CornellFloor Exercise - Miki Seltzer, YaleAlt. - Melissa Todd, Rhode Island
 Southeast Region - 6 p.m. - April 8 in Athens, Georgia (University of Georgia, host)
Teams1. Georgia2. Nebraska3. Missouri 4. West Virginia5. North Carolina6. North Carolina State
 All-Around Competitors1. Christina Ghani, Towson2. Rachel Martinez, Maryland3. Rachel Colon, Maryland4. Erin Aiken, George Washington5. Decelia Willacy, Towson
Individual Event SpecialistsVault - Angela Ferg, MarylandAlt. - Kristen Simpson, George WashingtonUneven Bars - Christina Lindo, Towson Alt. - Stevie Waldman, William and MaryBalance Beam - Alex Gatch, MarylandAlt. - Jess Randall, William and MaryAlt. - Angela Ferg, MarylandFloor Exercise - Jess Guilbert, George Washington Alt. - Brittany Gibbs, William and Mary

In case of ties for selection to regional competition, the team, all-around competitor or individual event specialist with the highest score, not including the six used for the regional qualifying score, will qualify. If a tie still exists, the process is continued until the tie is broken. For more information regarding the National Collegiate Women's Gymnastics Championships, log on to http://www.ncaasports.com.