Jan. 7, 2009

LOGAN, Utah -

Complete Utah State at Kentucky Gymnastics Notes in PDF Format

Utah State at #25 KentuckyLexington, KentuckyMemorial Coliseum (8,500)Saturday, Jan. 10, 2009 4 p.m. (MT)

SEASON-OPENER - ­Utah State (0-0, 0-0 WAC) gymnastics commences the 2009 season when the Aggies travel to Lexington, Kent., for the first time in their history, where they will tangle with No. 25 Kentucky (0-0, 0-0 SEC) on Saturday, Jan. 10... The meet starts at 4 p.m. (MT) at UK's Memorial Coliseum (8,500)... This is also the official opening of the Jeff Richards era at Utah State, as he becomes just the second coach in USU gymnastics history, taking over for legendary coach Ray Corn, who retired after 31 seasons at the helm of the Aggies.

LIVE RESULTS - Live results for Saturday's meet are available through Kentucky's web site by clicking on the "Live Results" link at www.UtahStateAggies.com, the official web site of USU athletics. * Note the link will only work after the start of the meet.

LIVE VIDEO - Fans can also watch live video of Saturday's action through "Extreme Access" via Kentucky's web site by clicking on the "Watch Live" link at www.UtahStateAggies.com, the official web site of USU athletics... The cost is $6.95 for one event.

UP NEXT - Utah State hosts Central Michigan on Friday, Jan. 16 in the Aggies' home opener at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum... The meet starts at 7 p.m. (MT).

TICKET INFO - Tickets are available through the USU Ticket Office at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum, online at www.UtahStateAggies.com and clicking on "tickets" in left column, or by calling or (435) 797-0305 or 1-888-U-STATE-1 (1-888-878-2831).

AGGIES ALL ACCESS - Fans can watch all USU gymnastics home meets live via the internet through Aggies All Access, available through www.UtahStateAggies.com, the official web site of USU athletics... Single events cost $9.95 with a gymnastics season pass available for $29.95 and an All-Access Pass for all USU athletics events is $129.95.

IN THE RANKINGS - Kentucky opens the season ranked No. 25 in the Troester/GymInfo Women's Pre-Season Coaches Poll... USU was not in the rankings... The Wildcats were ranked No. 21 in the final 2008 poll while the Aggies were ranked 38th.

ABOUT UTAH STATE - The Aggies, which were tabbed tied for fourth in the preseason Western Athletic Conference poll, return six letterwinners from last season's squad that posted a 6-18 overall record and a 2-6 WAC ledger. Among the six returners are three all-WAC honorees, including senior Nicki Felley, junior Heather Heinrich and sophomore Nicole Simoneau. While USU did not qualify as a team to the NCAA North Central Regional Gymnastics meet, the Aggies sent six individuals, and four of those six return in Felley, Heinrich, Simoneau along with sophomore Lyndsie Boone.

Felley led USU in the all-around last season, with a season-average of 38.246, good for ninth in the WAC and 17th in the region, while Heinrich added a 37.868 average, which was 11th in the conference and 20th in the region. Felley also has the top returning average on floor with a 9.611. Heinrich was the Aggies' top vaulter last year with a 9.728 average, while Dillon had a 9.732 average, but didn't compete enough to qualify for rankings. Heinrich also had Utah State's top beam average with a 9.505, while Simoneau totes USU's highest average on bars with a 9.823.

ABOUT KENTUCKY - The 25th-ranked Wildcats return 11 letterwinners from last season's 9-13 squad, that was 1-5 in SEC action... Kentucky was fifth at the NCAA Central Regional Championships after placing seventh at the SEC Championships... Senior Heather Hite won seven individual titles last year, posting a season-average of 9.723 on beam and a 9.823 average on floor, as well as a 9.450 on vault... Juniors Hilary Ferguson and Emily Green won 10 individual titles each, with Ferguson leading UK on bars (9.652) and floor (9.788) while Green led the team on vault (9.838) and all-around 38.667... Kentucky is coached by Hajile "Mo" Mitchell, who is in his sixth year at the helm of the Wildcats' program, posting a 51-81 career record.

FAMILIAR FACE - UK sophomore Jasmine Minion transferred to Kentucky after one season at Utah State... Last year with USU, Minion earned second-team all-WAC honors on vault, tying for sixth at the conference meet... She also advanced to the NCAA North Central Regional on vault, just missing advancing to the National Championships after finishing in a three-way tie for second... Minion's 9.900 on vault at the Regional meet was the third-highest score in school history, becoming the eighth different USU gymnast to post a 9.900.

SERIES HISTORY VS. KENTUCKY - Saturday is Utah State's first-ever first to Lexington, Kent... USU is 3-3 all-time vs. Kentucky... Utah State met Kentucky last season at the Texas Womnan's quad meet on March 14, 2008 at Denton, Texas, which Kentucky won, posting a 195.200 score... USU was third with a 193.900... Prior to last year, the Aggies and Wildcats last met in 2005, at the NCAA Central Region Championships, when Kentucky was second with a 193.325 while Utah State was third with a 193.375.

UTAH STATE RECORD BOOK WATCH - Utah State gymnasts had six individual event marks and five season average marks in the USU record book.

Last season, sophomore Nicole Simoneau posted a 9.900 on bars, which is the fourth-highest score in school history, becoming the 11th Aggie gymnast with that posting.

On the season average list, Simoneau's 9.822 average on bars is No. 2 on USU's top 20 season average bars list, trailing Christy Denson's 9.856 from 1999.

Sophomore Jackie Dillon's 9.732 average on vault last season is No. 15... Junior Heather Heinrich's 9.725 on vault average is tied for No. 17... Heinrich also holds the No. 20 spot with a 9.723 average in 2007.

REGIONAL HISTORY - In the 31-year history of the USU gymnastics program, the Aggies have qualified for regionals 26 times, with the highest finish coming in 1982 when the Aggies placed second and went on to the National Championships, where they placed ninth... USU's most recent appearance as a team at the regional championships was in 2007 when the Aggies placed sixth at the North Central Regional meet.

IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS - Utah State gymnastics began the 2008 season ranked 33rd in the country according to the Troester Women's Preseason Coaches Poll, before falling as low as No. 46 in the Jan. 21 rankings. USU finished the season at No. 38 in the final rankings.

2009 UTAH STATE SCHEDULE - USU's 2009 schedule consists of three road matches in the first four meets and concludes with just the opposite with three home meets among the final four.

The schedule includes three opponents ranked in the Top 25 of the 2009 preseason poll, including No. 2 Utah, No. 19 Boise State and No. 25 Kentucky, who all qualified for the NCAA Regionals. Four other 2009 opponents were among others receiving votes in the preseason poll and competed at NCAA Regionals in BYU, who was ranked 24th in last year's final poll, Southern Utah (No. 29 in final poll), San Jose State (30th) and Sacramento State (34th).

ALL-WAC RETURNERS - USU returns three gymnasts who earned all-WAC accolades last year, including lone senior Nicki Felley, as well as junior Heather Heinrich and sophomore Nicole Simoneau.

Heinrich garnered first-team all-WAC accolades after finishing tied for third on beam with a 9.825... Felley was a second-team all-WAC honoree after finishing fifth in the all-around with a 38.925 and tied for sixth on beam with a 9.800... Simoneau also collected second-team recognition after placing tied for fourth on bars with a 9.775.

NCAA REGIONAL RETURNERS - Four of USU's six individuals who qualified for last season's NCAA North Central Regional Championships return in 2009... Of the four, two were all-arounders and two were individual specialists... Senior Nicki Felley and junior Heather Heinrich were in the all-around while sophomore Lyndsie Boone was on beam and Nicole Simoneau qualified on bars.

Simoneau finished in a three-way tie for eighth with a 9.800... It was Simoneau's 13th posting of 9.800 or better last season.

Boone was 42nd on beam with an 8.275... In the all-around, Heinrich was 19th with a 37.650 while Felley finished 21st with a 36.975... Heinrich was tied for 29th on beam with a 9.575, tied for 28th on vault with a 9.675, tied for 37th on floor with a 9.650 and 41st on bars with an 8.750... Felley finished tied for 33rd on vault with a 9.625, 35th on bars with a 9.500, 41st on beam with an 8.975 and 42nd on floor, notching an 8.975.

ACADEMIC ALL-WAC - Utah State had six gymnasts earn academic all-Western Athletic Conference accolades... Of the 13 Utah State student-athletes to be recognized by the WAC, six were gymnasts, including one who received academic all-conference honors for the fourth straight year, one honored for the third time, while two more are being honored for the second time in a row... Of the six, two return in senior Nicki Felley and junior Heather Heinrich... Felley and Heinrich are both two-time academic all-WAC honorees.

2009 TEAM CAPTAIN - Senior Nicki Felley is the Aggies' team captain, marking the second season in a row that she has served as team captain.

USU TABBED TIED FOR FOURTH IN WAC PRESEASON GYMNASTICS POLL - Utah State gymnastics was picked tied for fourth in the 2009 Western Athletic Conference preseason coaches' poll, as voted on by the league's six head coaches.

Utah State collected 10 points to tie with Cal State Fullerton for fourth-place.

Boise State, the defending WAC champion, was picked first with 23 points, receiving three first-place votes. Southern Utah, who also received three votes for first, was second with 22 points. San Jose State was third with 16 points, followed by Utah State and Cal State Fullerton with Sacramento State tabbed sixth with nine points.

The 2009 WAC Gymnastics Championships are on March 21, at Sacramento, Calif., hosted by Sacramento State at The Hornets Nest.

2008 UTAH STATE RECAP - The Aggies ended the season with a 6-18 (.250) overall and 2-6 Western Athletic Conference ledger... Utah State had its five best scores of the season in the final five meets of the year... USU posted its season-best 194.450 in a home dual with San Jose State (March 7), topping the Spartans' 194.125... The Aggies' second-best mark was a 194.250 in a dual loss at BYU (196.300) on March 10... At the WAC Championships, USU logged its third-best mark of the season with a 194.150 in finishing fifth... Host Boise State won the team title with a 194.925, while San Jose State was second at 194.725. Southern Utah tallied a 194.575 for third, while Sacramento State was fourth at 194.275, followed by Utah State's 194.150 and Cal State Fullerton's sixth-place finish at 192.650... A 193.900 in the quad meet at Texas Woman's on March 14 was good for USU's fourth-highest score of the season, finishing third behind Kentucky's 195.200 and Texas Woman's with 194.200, but ahead of Centenary's 192.025... The Aggies' No. 5 best mark of the season was a 193.150 in a home dual loss to Southern Utah on March 21, after the Thunderbirds notched a 195.075.

HEAD COACH Jeff Richards - Jeff Richards took over the reigns of the Utah State gymnastics program in July, 2008, becoming only the second head coach in the Aggies' history after legendary coach Ray Corn retired after 31 seasons.

Richards, who was born and raised in Logan and is a 1988 graduate of Logan High School, was an assistant coach at Utah State from 1988-90. He has spent the last three seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Iowa, where he recently was named the 2008 North Central Region Assistant Co-Coach of the Year with fellow Iowa assistant, Talya Vexler. The award comes after Richards helped the Hawkeyes to a 10-4-1 record, a ranking as high as No. 19 in the national polls and finishing third in the Big Ten.

Richards, who has over 20 years of collegiate gymnastics experience, served as Iowa's main bars coach and spotter for all four events. He was also in charge of travel, equipment and scheduling for the Hawkeyes. Last season Richards coached the Hawkeyes to a season-high 49.0 on bars in a dual meet against Iowa State. He also coached senior Katie Burke to a first-place performance on bars against Illinois and Michigan State. Richards also coached freshman Rebecca Simbhudas to first-place performances on bars twice.

Richards began his coaching career as a student-assistant at Utah State from 1988-1990, before transferring to Southern Utah, where he finished his student-assistant coaching duties and earned his bachelor's degree in physical education from SUU in 1995. While at Southern Utah, Richards was an assistant coach for the Thunderbirds under SUU head coach Scott Bauman, also a former USU assistant coach, until 1998. From 1998-2004 Richards was head coach at the University of Wisconsin-Stout and was head coach at Winona State University from 2004-05 before joining Iowa in 2005.

While at Wisconsin-Stout, Richards earned the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Coach of the Year Award for both the 2000 and 2001 seasons, and the National Collegiate Gymnastics Association (NCGA) Coach of the Year honors for the 2000 season. He coached seven NCGA All-Americans and eight all-conference award winners at Wisconsin-Stout, leading the Blue Devils to the 2001 NCGA National Championships. UW-Stout broke its team-best score each of Richards' six seasons at the helm.

At Winona State, Richards mentored two gymnasts who qualified for the NCGA National Championships.

During his stint at Southern Utah, Richards helped increase the team score from 170 to 188 in his first year, as well as coaching individual regional qualifiers each year and one national qualifier, and highly increased the Thunderbirds' recruiting caliber.

While at Utah State, Richards helped the Aggies to two appearances in the NCAA Regional Championships in both 1989 and 1990, and coached Tana Davis in the all-around to the NCAA National Championships both seasons. Richards also helped coached all-High Country Athletic Conference honoree Stephanie Green in 1990.

A GLANCE AT THE AGGIES ­

Lyndsie Boone - An NCAA North Central Regional qualifier on beam... Competed in the vault and floor in every meet, as well as the beam in all but one... Competed in the all-around and bars in four meets...Posted a 9.350 (6th) on beam, a 9.400 (7th) on floor and a 9.575 (8th) on bars at the Boise State dual... Logged a then season-high 9.550 (5th) on floor, as well as an 8.900 (12th) on vault in the Sacramento State dual... Posted then season highs in all three events she competed in at the home dual with Boise State, 9.600 on both vault (10th) and floor (10th), as well as 9.550 on beam (9th)... In the win at Cal State Fullerton, she tallied a 9.650 on floor (8th), as well as 9.550 on vault (10th) and 9.475 on beam (4th)... In the dual at Southern Utah logged then-career-bests on vault 9.700 (8th) and beam 9.675 (5th), as well as scoring a 9.725 (7th) on floor... Also competed as an exhibitioner on bars, posting an 8.65... Competed in the all-around for the first time this season at the Denver quad meet and finished fifth with a 38.475... Also competed on bars officially for the first time this year and logged a 9.550 (14th), as well as tying a season-high on vault with a 9.700 (T-14th) in addition to scoring 9.700 on floor (T-15th) and 9.525 on beam (16th)... In the BYU/New Hampshire tri-meet, she tied for 12th on vault (9.650) and was 13th on floor (9.625)... At the Utah/Southern Utah tri-meet she notched a 9.700 (11th) on vault, 9.375 (16th) on floor and 9.050 (16th) on beam... Also an exhibitioner on bars, posting a 9.500... In the dual with Denver, she competed in the all-around for just the second time this season, posting a 38.250 to place third... She logged 9.800 (T-5th) on floor, 9.625 (T-9th) on vault, 9.500 (12th) on bars, 9.325 (7th) on beam... Tallied season-highs in the all-around in the San Jose State dual with 38.625 (4th), as well as 9.800 (T-4th) on floor and 9.675 on bars (T-8th), as well as tallying 9.600 (T-6th) on beam and 9.550 (T-10th) on vault... At the BYU dual, she tallied a season-highs 9.750 on both vault (9th) and beam (T-5th), as well as scoring a 9.625 on bars (10th) and a 9.000 (12th) on floor, to finish with a 38.125 (T-3rd) in the all-around... At the Texas Woman's quad meet, she notched a 9.725 on vault (T-13th), a 9.700 on floor (T-17th) and a 9.450 on beam (T-13th)... In the Southern Utah dual, she tallied 9.600's on both vault (T-9th) and beam (7th) as well as notching a 9.400 (10th) on floor... At the WAC Championships, she notched a 9.725 (T-13th) on beam, a 9.800 on floor (T-13th) and a 9.675 (T-27th) on vault...Selected to the NCAA North Central Regional meet on beam, where she was 42nd with an 8.275.

HIGH SCHOOL: Competed as a Level 10 gymnast for Randy Anderson at Scamps Gymnastics... Was a three-time national qualifier ... Placed seventh in all-around at 2007 Regionals, including third in vault... Won the all-around as well as the vault and beam at the Wisconsin Level 10 State Championships... Helped Scamps to five Wisconsin state titles... Graduated from Zion Benton High School with a 3.7 grade point average.

Brandie Dickson - Competed for the Apollo Gymnastics team under coach Ken Anderson... Competed in vault, bars, beam and floor... Was a two-time Level 9 regional qualifier and a 2003 Level 9 Eastern National Qualifier... A three-time Level 10 regional qualifier.

Jackie Dillon - Competed as an exhibitioner on bars at Boise State, scoring an 8.95... Also an exhibitioner in the Sac State dual, posting a season-high 9.55 on vault and an 8.45 on bars... Did not compete in the home Boise State dual... In the USU lineup officially for the first time in the Cal State Fullerton dual, she scored a 9.450 on bars, good for 10th-place... Posted a 9.050 (11th) on bars and a 9.625 (9th) on floor at the Southern Utah dual... Logged a 9.675 on floor (17th) at the Denver quad meet, as well as a 9.525 on vault as a exhibitioner... Tallied a 9.675 on floor (11th) in the BYU/New Hampshire tri-meet... Competed on vault officially for the first time this season at the Utah/Southern Utah tri-meet, logging a 9.650 (T-13th), as well as 8.825 (17th) on floor... Posted a new season-high on floor with a 9.800 (T-5th) in the Denver dual in addition to scoring 9.650 (8th) on vault... In the San Jose State dual, posted a 9.775 (4th) on vault, as well as scoring a 9.650 (10th) on floor... In the dual at BYU, she notched a season-high 9.825 on vault (T-4th) for the second meet in a row, as well as scoring a 9.525 (10th) on floor... At the Texas Woman's quad meet, tallied 9.800 (7th) on vault and a 9.575 (T-22nd) on floor... In the dual vs. SUU, she logged a 9.750 (5th) on vault and 9.050 on floor (12th)... At the WAC Championships, she posted a 9.675 on vault (T-27th).

HIGH SCHOOL: Competed as a Level 10 gymnast at Hayden's International Gymnastics Academy for Denis Hayden and Craig Kirby... Finished 19th in the all-around and third on the vault at the 2006 regional championships after finishing 21st in the all-around in 2005... Graduated from Greenbrier High School with a 3.8 grade point average.

Nicki Felley - A second-team all-WAC honoree on both beam and in the all-around... An NCAA North Central Regional qualifier in the all-around... Had season averages of 9.580 on vault, 9.617 on bars, 9.400 on beam, 9.565 on floor and 38.246 in the all-around... Led USU in the all-around and ranked ninth in the WAC and 17th in the region... Competed in the all-around in every meet of the season... Was second in the all-around at Boise State, scoring a 36.775... Against Sacramento State, she posted 9.675 on beam (5th), 9.650 (T-5th) on bars, as well as tying her season-high with 9.600 (T-6th) on vault and scoring a 9.100 (11th) on floor, totaling a USU-best 38.025 (3rd) in the all-around... Won the all-around of the home Boise State dual with a season-high 38.775 and in the same meet, she posted season-highs in three of the four events with a 9.775 (5th) on floor, 9.700 (7th) on vault, and 9.675 (7th) on beam... At the Cal State Fullerton dual, she captured top honors in the all-around for the second meet in a row with a 38.650 in addition to matching a season-high on bars with a 9.650 (5th), as well as 9.750 on floor (T-4th), 9.650 on vault (8th), and 9.600 on beam (2nd)... Posted a career-best on bars 9.825 (6th) and a new season-high on vault with a 9.825, tying for second as well as placing eighth on beam (9.600) at the Southern Utah dual... Won the all-around in the BYU/New Hampshire tri-meet with a 38.400... Also logged a season-high 9.825 (T-4th) on floor, as well as 9.700 on both vault (T-7th) and bars (T-6th) in addition to a 9.175 on beam (13th)... In the dual with Denver, tallied season-high on beam with a 9.750 (3rd) and tied a season-high with 9.825 (T-3rd) on floor, as well as a 9.575 (11th) on bars, and 8.875 (12th) on vault, totaling a 38.025 (5th) in the all-around... At the BYU dual, she tied a season-high 9.750 on beam (T-5th) in addition to scoring 9.675 on bars (9th), 9.575 on floor (9th), and 9.125 on vault (12th) to tally a 38.125 in the all-around (T-3rd)... In her home state of Texas at the Texas Woman's quad meet, she scored a 9.800 on floor (11th), 9.700 on bars (T-10th), a 9.625 on vault (T-19th), and an 8.850 (24th) on beam, posting a 37.975 (7th) in the all-around... At the WAC Championships, she earned second-team all-WAC accolades on both beam and in the all-around after placing tied for sixth on beam (9.800) and fifth in the all-around (38.925)... Selected to the NCAA North Central Regional meet in the all-around, where she finished 21st with a 36.975... Placed tied for 33rd on vault with a 9.625, 35th on bars with a 9.500, 41st on beam with an 8.975, and 42nd on floor, notching an 8.975... Earned academic all-WAC accolades in addition to the USU Joe E. and Elma Whitesides Scholar-Athlete Award.

2007: Had a career-best 39.005 in the all-around at the WAC Championships (3/31)... Posted a career-high with a 9.875 on vault at home against Southern Utah (2/23), tying the 13th-best mark in USU history... Also tallied a career-best on the floor with a 9.900 at San Jose State with Boise State and Seattle Pacific (1/26), a mark that is tied for 19th in school history and tied for the best score for USU... Had season averages of 38.635 in all-around, 9.686 on floor exercise, 9.625 on vault, 9.325 on beam and 9.700 on bars... Her 9.700 bars average is the 14th-best single-season average in USU history... Earned second-team all-WAC honors by finishing sixth in the all-around at the WAC Championships with her career-best score of 39.050, after placing tied for fourth on bars (9.800), tied for sixth on floor (9.775), tied for eighth on beam (9.825) and 29th in vault (9.650)... Earned second-team all-WAC in bars and floor... Placed 12th at the NCAA North Central Regionals (38.375) after finishing 15th on beam (9.75), 34th on bars (9.525), 38th on vault (9.625) and 40th on floor (9.475)... Received academic all-WAC honors as well as the USU Joe E. and Elma Whitesides Scholar-Athlete Award.

Rachel Flessner - Was a seven-year Level 10 gymnast for Champion's Gymnastics Team for Kellie Mizoguchi... Qualified for the United States Challenge as a pre-elite junior... Won the Gymnastics Association of Texas National Honor Award... Placed 14th in all-around and tied for fifth on vault at the 2007 Region III Level 10 Regionals... Was a 2005 Region III bar champion.

Heather Heinrich - Earned first-team all-WAC honors on beam... An NCAA North Central Regional Qualifier in the all-around... Was the Aggies' top vaulter with a 9.728 average and also had USU's top beam average with a 9.505... Competed in the vault, bars and beam in every event of the season... Also competed in the floor and all-around in every event except three... Was first in the all-around at Boise State, scoring a 36.875... Tallied season-highs in all three events she competed in at home against Boise State with a 9.800 (3rd) on beam, 9.750 (4th) on vault and 9.700 (7th) on bars... At Cal State Fullerton, she posted season-high 37.450 in all-around (3rd)... Logged a year-high with a 38.275 in all-around including posting season-bests on vault with 9.825 (T-2nd), bars with a 9.725 (7th) and floor with a 9.525 (11th)... In the BYU/New Hampshire tri-meet, she tied a season-high on bars with a 9.725 (T-4th)... Had perhaps her best meet as an Aggie in the San Jose State dual, logging a career-high 39.000 in winning the all-around, as well as tying for first with a career-best 9.850 on floor... Also tied a career-best with a 9.750 (3rd) on bars and tallied a 9.600 (4th) on beam... The Southern Utah dual meet saw her post a 9.800 (1st) on vault, 9.650 (9th) on floor, 9.250 (T-9th) on beam, and an 8.200 (12th) on bars for a 36.900 (5th) in the all-around... Earned first-team all-WAC honors on beam at the conference meet by placing tied for third with a 9.825... Also finished 11th in the all-around with a 37.900, posting a 9.775 (T-10th) on vault, 9.350 (30th), on floor and 8.950 (35th) on bars... Earned a spot to the NCAA North Central Regional meet in the all-around where she was 19th with a 37.650... Finished tied for 29th on beam with a 9.575, tied for 28th on vault with a 9.675, tied for 37th on floor with a 9.650 and 41st on bars with an 8.750... Received academic all-WAC honors as well as the USU Joe E. and Elma Whitesides Scholar-Athlete Award.

2007: Had season-averages of 9.723 in vault, 9.646 on floor, 9.506 on bars, 9.452 on beam and 38.250 on all-around... The 9.723 average on vault is the 17th-best in school history... Posted a 9.850 on vault at the WAC Championships (3/31), a mark that ties for No. 21 on USU's best individual scores... Had a season-high 9.850 on beam against Southern Utah (2/23)... Posted a season-high 9.750 on floor at BYU and against Oregon State (3/9)... Also tallied a season-high 9.750 on bars vs. Minnesota (3/17)... Finished 10th in the all-around at the WAC Championships with a season-best 38.750, also placing tied for third in the vault with teammate Katie Omann (9.850) to earn first-team all-WAC honors, tied for 13th in the bars (9.725), tied for 19th on beam (9.750) and 30th on floor (9.425)... Was 10th at the NCAA North Central Regionals in the all-around (38.450), finishing tied for 29th on bars (9.650), tied for 23rd on beam (9.675), tied for 28th on floor (9.675) and 39th on vault (9.450).

Haley Hogan - Competed for North Davis Gymnastics Team for coach Ken Wright... Competed in regionals in 2003 through 2006 and 2008... State champion on floor in 2008... Third on bars in 2008.

Rebecca Holliday - Competed for the South Coast Gymnastics Club and earned the South Coast Gymnast of the Year honor in 2005... Coached by former Chinese Olympians Xiaoping Li and Jia Wen... Placed 11th in all-around at the 2007 Level 10 Southern California state meet... Also competed in track and field in high school.

Erica Huelsmann - Redshirted last season after shoulder surgery.

HIGH SCHOOL: Competed as a Level 10 gymnast for Todd Gardner at the Illinois Gymnastics Institute... She placed 41st at the 2005 National Championships, after a second-place finish on the bars, beam and the all-around at regionals... At the state championships, she placed first on the beam and floor, and third in the all-around.. She graduated from Naperville Central High School with a 4.0 grade point average... Was a member of the National Honor Society.

Chelsea Marquardt - Was third on beam with a 9.550 and tied for third on vault with a 9.700 at Boise State dual... Posted season-highs in all three events she competed in of the Sacramento State dual, tying for first on vault (9.800) as well as finishing third on bars (9.700) and sixth on beam (9.625)... Suffered injury in vault of the Boise State dual and did not compete in the rest of meet... Did not compete in the Cal State Fullerton or Southern Utah duals nor the Denver quad due to the injury... After missing the previous four meets with a knee injury, she returned to the Aggies' line-up on bars for the BYU/New Hampshire tri-meet, logging a 9.425 (12th)... At the Utah/Southern Utah tri-meet, posted a season-high 9.725 (T-8th) on bars... Tallied a season-high 9.800 (third) on bars in the dual with Denver... In the San Jose State dual, logged a 9.750 (T-3rd) on bars... Posted a 9.575 (11th) on bars at the BYU dual... At the Texas Woman's quad meet, tallied a 9.650 (T-14th) on bars... In the SUU dual she tied a season-high with a 9.800 (4th) on bars... At the WAC Championships, she tied for 21st on bars (9.675).

HIGH SCHOOL: Was a five-year Level 10 gymnast for Champion's Gymnastics Team under Aaron Gallegos and Emily Peterman... Was a two-time national championship qualifier, placing 10th on bars in 2007... Was an alternate in 2006... Placed eighth in the all-around, second on vault and 10th on bars in 2005... Graduated from Eaglecrest High School with a 3.2 grade point average.

Kileigh Peterson - Redshirting this season.

HIGH SCHOOL: Competed for the All American Gymnastics team under coaches Dawn Johnson, Jodi Merrel and Lena Johnson... Won the regional meet at Western Nationals in 2007.

Nicole Simoneau - Won the bars (9.800) at the Boise State dual, as well as 12th on beam (8.700)... Competed in the all-around in the Sac State dual for the only time this season, posting 37.650 (5th), winning the bars for the second meet in a row with a season-high 9.825... Also posted 9.575 on vault (9th), 9.175 (10th) on floor and 9.075 (12th) on beam... Logged a season-high 9.650 (9th) on vault in the home dual with Boise State, as well as 9.775 (4th) on bars and 8.600 (12th) on beam... Won the bars for the third meet this year by tying for first with a 9.800... Also posted a 9.600 on vault (9th)... At the Southern Utah dual, she tied for top honors on bars with a season-high 9.850... Tied season-high on bars with 9.850, tying for second at the Denver quad meet, as well as a 9.250 on beam (20th)... In the BYU/New Hampshire tri-meet, she posted a season-high 9.750 (T-2nd) on beam, as well as a 9.800 on bars, tying for first... Was USU's highest finisher at the Utah/Southern Utah tri-meet, tying for fourth on bars with a 9.825... Also logged a 9.650 (10th) on beam and a 9.625 (T-16th) on vault... In the dual with Denver, she won the bars with a season-high tying 9.850... Also scored an 8.250 on beam (12th)... Won the bars in the San Jose State dual, tying her season-high for the fourth time with a 9.850... At the BYU dual, she notched a 9.800 (T-3rd) on bars... In the quad meet at TWU, tallied a 9.825 (T-2nd)... In the Southern Utah dual she won the bars with a season-best 9.900, marking the eighth meet that she has taken top honors... Earned second-team all-WAC recognition on bars after finishing tied for fourth (9.775) at the WAC Championships... Selected to the NCAA North Central Regional meet, where she placed in a three-way tie for eighth with a 9.800... It was her 13th posting of 9.800 or better in 14 meets this season.

HIGH SCHOOL: Competed as a Level 10 gymnast at Gymnastics Village for Ray Schumacher... A former National Elite... At the 2006 Junior Olympic National Championship she placed 21st in the all-around and fourth in the floor exercise... Was 35th at the 2005 Junior Olympic National Championships at Senior A Level 10 after placing 10th in 2004 at Junior C Level 10... Won state and regional championships... Graduated from Manchester Central High School.