Meet Notes
AGGIES RETURN HOME TO FACE ALASKA
After spending last weekend on the East Coast, Utah State (4-6, 0-4 Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference) returns home to face Alaska (6-4, 3-3 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation) on Friday, Feb. 22, at 7 p.m., at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum. The Seawolves, who have not competed in nearly two weeks, are one of six members of the MPSF.
TUNING IN
Friday's dual meet against Alaska will be streamed live on the Mountain West Network as a USU Athletics Production. Additionally, live stats will be available online at utahstateaggies.com and meet updates will be provided through the team's social media outlets.
PROMOTIONS
• Autograph Session: Fans are invited to stick around after the meet for an autograph session with the Aggies.
• Cancer Awareness: This is Utah State's annual Cancer Awareness meet and fans are encouraged to wear pink or lavender to show their support for the cause. The first 100 fans will receive a free lavender USU Gymnstics T-shirt. Additionally, fans wearing pink or lavender will receive $1 admission to the meet.
USU VERSUS ALASKA ANCHORAGE
• Friday is the first meeting between Utah State and Alaska Anchorage since March 2, 2007, when the Aggies defeated the Seawolves 194.525-186.750 at home.
• The Aggies are 5-0 all-time against the Seawolves, including 2-0 at home and 3-0 at a neutral site.
• The two teams first met on March 16, 1987, with the Aggies recording the 186.700-97.400 victory.
AGGIES IN FEBRUARY
Utah State is 168-160-1 all-time during the month of February, including 74-45 at home, 42-78 on the road and 52-37-1 at a neutral site. Friday will mark the Aggies' seventh-ever meet on Feb. 22. Utah State is 3-11-1 all-time on the date – 1-2 at home, 0-4 on the road and 2-5-1 at a neutral site. This is the first time since 2018 that the Aggies will be competing on the 22nd day of the month. Utah State is looking for its first victory on Feb. 22 since beating Cal State Fullerton and Nebraska in Salt Lake City during the 1988 campaign.
CLIMBING THE RANKS
Senior
Madison Ward-Sessions captured a pair of individual titles at the West Virginia quad meet last Sunday, bringing her career total to 32 to rank eighth all-time in school history. She is just two titles shy of tying the sixth spot, which is currently held by
Barb Zahl (1988, 1990-92) and
Lena Adomat (1985-88). Ward-Sessions captured the all-around crown for the Aggies last weekend with a personal-best 39.525 and won the beam title with a career-high 9.900.
SHOWCASING THE BREADTH OF HER SKILLS
Ward-Sessions had arguably the best meet of her collegiate career in leading Utah State (season-high 196.075) to a quad-meet sweep over host West Virginia (195.075), Pitt (195.100) and Cornell (193.075) last weekend at the WVU Coliseum in Morgantown, W.Va. The senior from Rexburg, Idaho, won the all-around title with a career-high 39.525 – the highest score by any Aggie in 16 years. Furthermore, the 39.525 is tied for second all-time in school history. Ward-Sessions also captured the beam title with a career-high 9.900, tied for second on vault (9.850), tied for second on bars (9.850) and tied for second on floor (9.925). Ward-Sessions had never competed in the all-around prior to the start of this season.
NO LESS THAN FIRST OR SECOND
Prior to Ward-Sessions accomplishing the feat last Sunday at the West Virginia quad meet, the last time a Utah State gymnast finished first or second in all four individual events and the all-around was
Sarah Landes on Feb. 8, 2013, against Air Force. Landes won the all-around (39.150) and captured the vault title (9.850), and tied for second on bars (9.750), beam (9.800) and floor (9.750). Ward-Sessions won the all-around (39.525) and captured the beam title (9.900), placed second on vault (9.850), tied for second on bars (9.850) and tied for second on floor (9.925).
