Feb. 6, 2007

LOGAN, Utah -

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THIS WEEK - #30 Utah State (5-3, 3-1) plays host to in-state rival #4 Utah (4-0) on Friday, Feb. 9, in the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum at 6:30 p.m. MST.

"THINK PINK NIGHT" AGAINST UTAH - Utah State gymnastics team will host Utah on Friday, Feb. 9, on "Think Pink Night," and all fans attending Friday's meet are encouraged to wear pink as a show of support for the brave individuals battling cancer. The $5 for admission charge for adults ($3 children) will be waived for anyone wearing pink to the meet. Start time is set for 6:30 p.m. at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.

GET AN AUTOGRAPH - Following Friday's meet, fans will have the opportunity to get autographs from their favorite Aggie gymnasts.

NEXT WEEK - Utah State will travel to in-state and conference rival #43 Southern Utah (3-5, 1-1) on Friday, Feb. 16, at 7 p.m. MST.

LAST TIME OUT - Behind season-high's in the floor exercise and bars, Utah State gymnastics beat Boise State for the second time in a week, as the Aggies won the Western Athletic Conference meet, 193.725-191.650, Thursday night at USU's Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.

USU improved to 5-3 on the year, after winning a quad meet at San Jose State last Friday, in which one of the teams was Boise State, who is now 1-6.

The Aggies took the top three positions in the all-around, as senior Meagan Lewis won the all-around with 39.025, notching season-high's in the vault (9.750), uneven bars (9.800) and floor exercise (9.800), as well as a 9.675 on the beam.

Fellow senior Jessica Parenti-Otte, this week's reigning WAC Gymnast of the Week, was second in the all-around with a 39.000, which included tying her season-high with a 9.825 in the vault.

Redshirt freshman Devin Markle posted a career-high for the second meet in a row with an overall score of 38.850, tallying career-highs in the vault (9.800), beam (9.825), and floor exercise (9.825).

SCOUTING UTAH - Utah has yet to lose this season. The Utes started the season off with a win against then #7 UCLA, 196.325 to 195.975.

In its second meet, Utah dominated Washington with a final score of 196.725 to 193.850, where the Utes won every event and had at least three individuals place in the top five in each event.

In its third meet, the Utes traveled to then #28 Minnesota winning by a final score of 195.875 to 194.125

In their last meet the Utes swept a four-team meet at home, beating #13 Arkansas, BYU and Southern Utah with a final score of 196.150, with wins on vault, bars and floor.

AGAINST UTAH - In the long-time series, the Aggies are 3-79-0 overall against the Utes. At home, Utah State is 2-24-0 while hosting Utah.

Last season the Aggies lost to Utah in a tri-meet with Southern Utah. Utah State posted a total team score of 192.675, while Utah scored a season high team score of 197.200.

WATCH THE AGGIES LIVE - All home meets can be viewed live on WAC.TV. There is a $3.95 registration fee to view the meets.

IN THE NATION - Utah State currently ranks 30th in the nation with a total team average score of 192.630. The Aggies rank 22nd on the vault (48.740), 32nd on bars (48.225), 44th on beam (47.370) and are tied for 26th in the floor exercise (48.295).

Individually, Katy Schilla is ranked 29th in the nation on the vault with an average of 9.840. Jessica Parenti-Otte is tied for 113th on bars with a 9.720 average, while Megan Tschida is ranked 45th in the floor exercise with an average of 9.808. In the all-around, Jessica Parenti-Otte ranks 64th with a 38.720 and Devin Markle ranks 66th with a 38.712 average.

WESTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE - Freshman Katy Schilla is ranked first in the conference in the vault with an average score of 9.840, while Jessica Parenti-Otte ranks third with a 9.769 average. Devin Markle (4th, 9.758), Heather Heinrich (6th, 9.700) and Meagan Lewis (7th, 9.690) also rank in the top-10 on vault.

The Aggies also have three gymnasts ranked in the top 10 on bars with Parenti-Otte (5th, 9.720), Lewis (6th, 9.705) and Heather Heinrich (8th, 9.675). On balance beam, Parenti-Otte is ranked 8th with a 9.590 average. Megan Tschida leads the conference in the floor exercise with a 9.808 average, while Parenti-Otte ranks 10th with a 9.630 average.

Utah State leads the conference in average team scores with a 192.630, followed by Sacramento State (191.512) in second and San Jose State (191.225) in third. Souther Utah (190.981), Boise State (190.400) and Cal State-Fullerton (190.394) round out the six in that order.

Utah State leads the conference with a team vault average score of 48.740. The Aggies rank second on bars (48.225), fourth on beam (47.370) and first in the floor exercise (48.295).

In the all-around, Parenti-Otte is ranked first with her average score of 38.720, Markle is ranked third with her 38.712 average after the second all-around competition of her career and Lewis is ranked 8th with 38.300.

SCORES AROUND THE WAC -

Cal State-Fullerton 191.475 - Sacramento State 190.725

Southern Utah 190.650 - Utah 196.150 - Arkansas 193.625 - BYU 192.600

San Jose State 193.250 - Illinois-Chicago 195.350

SCORES AROUND UTAH -

Southern Utah 190.650 - Utah 196.150 - Arkansas 193.625 - BYU 192.600

2007 TEAM CAPTAINS - Junior Kelly Patterson, senior Alex Martin and fifth-year seniors Barr, Lewis, Mandy and Parenti-Otte are serving as team captains. This is Mandy and Patterson's second season in the position, and Martin's third.

2007 SEASON OUTLOOK - Utah State will look to improve from its fourth-place finish in the Western Athletic Conference in 2006 behind Meagan Lewis and Jessica Parenti-Otte, who each advanced to regional competition a year ago. With 12 members of last year's team returning to compete, the Aggies have an improved outlook for the 2007 season.

The Aggies have added three freshmen to the roster after losing four gymnasts from last year's roster, including standout Leisel Kohler.

This year the Aggies return five seniors. Ashley Barr returns to competition as a fifth-year senior after redshirting last season due to injury. Meagan Lewis, Rachael Mandy and Jessica Parenti-Otte also return as fifth-year seniors.

The Aggies look forward to stiff competition throughout the season, continuing competition against a strong conference lineup. The toughest meet will come against Utah, which finished the 2006 season ranked second in the nation. Other strong competitors will be Minnesota, which finished ranked 19th in the country, and BYU which finished 2006 ranked 30th. Utah State will also meet a distant opponent from University of Alaska-Anchorage, which was ranked 54th at the end of the 2006 season.

All of the Aggies WAC competitors finished last season ranked in the top 50 in the nation. The top team was 29th-ranked San Jose State, which was two spots in front of conference champion Sacramento State, which finished 31st. Boise State followed ranked 34th while Southern Utah was 37th. Utah State ranked 42nd at the end of 2006 with Cal-State Fullerton ranking in the 48th spot.

HEAD COACH RAY CORN - Ray Corn has created and maintained a tradition of success in his 29 years at Utah State, both in the gym and in the classroom.

As the only coach in USU's Division I gymnastics history, he has led the Aggies to the postseason 25 times in his 29 years in Logan, including five trips to the national championships. Corn owns an overall record of 425-415-2, with a regular-season record of 372-260-2.

In 1978, Corn took a club-level Utah State gymnastics team and transformed it into an AIAW power, finishing 30-4 in his first season. The next year, the Aggies made the first of four consecutive trips to the AIAW National Championships, finishing as high as ninth in 1982.

In 1991, USU returned to the national championship meet, now under the supervision of the NCAA. In 20 of the past 23 years, USU has qualified for the NCAA regional competition.

Corn has coached three All-Americans, three Olympians, two World Championship competitors and had nine gymnasts qualify for the NCAA National Championships.

Since 1991, 32 gymnasts have earned academic All-America honors 50 times.

A GLANCE AT THE AGGIES -

Ashley Barr - After redshirting the 2006 season, the senior has started off well. She has a season high on bars (9.775), which she posted at Washington (Jan. 12) She also had a strong outing on bars at Sacramento State (Jan. 7) where she posted a 9.700. She competed in the floor exercise at San Jose State (Jan. 26) where she placed 13th with a score of 9.600. Tied her season high on bars (9.775) against Boise State (Feb. 1), while posting a 9.625 in the floor exercise.

Nicki Felley - Posted her career high in the floor exercise at San Jose State (Jan. 26) where she placed first with a 9.900. Also posted a career high on balance beam at Washington (Jan. 12) with a 9.700. She has yet to compete on bars, and has a season high of 9.700 on beam which she also posted at Washington (Jan. 12). Competed in three events against Boise State (Feb. 1) posting her high score of the night in the floor exercise with a 9.800.

Heather Heinrich - A freshman from Little, Colo., posted a season high on vault at San Jose State (Jan. 26) finishing in second-place with a 9.825, while posting her season high bars with a 9.725. At Washington (Jan. 12), she posted her season high on beam with a 9.700.

Meagan Lewis - Posted her season high on vault at San Jose State (Jan. 26) with a 9.725. Scored season highs on bars, beam and floor against BYU (Jan. 22), where she posted a 9.800 on bars, 9.825 on beam and a 9.800 in the floor exercise to finish with an all-around score of 39.125. Won the all-around at home against Boise State (Feb. 1) with a score of 39.025, with high points on bars (9.800) and the floor (9.800).

Rachael Mandy - A fifth-year senior vault specialist, scored her high score of the season at Sacramento State (Jan. 7) with a 9.650. She also posted a 9.475 at Washington (Jan. 12) and a 9.400 at home against BYU (Jan. 22).

Devin Markle - The reshirt freshman competed in the all-around for the first time in her collegiate career at San Jose State (Jan. 26) scoring a 38.575, while scoring career highs on vault (9.750), beam (9.400) and floor (9.750). Scored her season high on bars against BYU (Jan. 22) with a 9.725. Placed third in her second all-around of her collegiate career at home against Boise Sate (Feb. 1) with a 38.850 with a career high scores on vault (9.800), beam (9.525) and floor (9.825).

Alex Martin - Had her strongest performance at Washington, scoring a 9.700 on bars and a 9.625 on beam. She competed in three events at Sacramento State (Jan. 7) with a high score of 9.550 on bars, while scoring a 9.425 in the floor exercise and a 9.200 on beam. She also competed on the bars and beam at home against BYU (Jan. 22), scoring a 9.125 on bars and a 9.550 on beam. At San Jose State (Jan. 26), she scored a 9.675 on bars and a 9.525 on beam. Scored a 9.575 on bars and a 9.475 on beam at home against Boise State (Feb. 1).

Katie Omann - Has competed only on the bars in all four meets, posting a high score at home against BYU (Jan. 22) with a 9.650, after scoring a 9.425 at Washington (Jan. 12) and an 8.850 at Sacramento State (Jan. 7), while posting a 9.250 at San Jose State (Jan. 26) in her last meet.

Jessica Parenti-Otte - Won the all-around for the second time this season at San Jose State (Jan. 26) with a season high score of 39.300, while posting season highs on beam (9.850) and the floor exercise (9.850) and finishing in the top-five in each event and placing first on bars and beam. Posted season highs on vault (9.825) and bars (9.900) at home against BYU (Jan. 22), while finishing in the top-five in all four of those categories and placing first on bars and second in the all-around. Placed second in the all-around at home against Boise State (Feb. 1) with a score of 39.000, scoring 9.825 on vault, bars and the floor. Has been named WAC Gymnast of the Week twice already this season for the weeks of January 8 and January 29.

Katy Schilla - The freshman from Blaine, Minn., continues to dominate on vault. She placed first on the vault for the second time this season at San Jose State (Jan. 26) tying her career high score of 9.875. She placed second at home against BYU (Jan. 22) posting her career high 9.875, while placing seventh in the floor exercise with a 9.700. She posted her career high on floor at Washington (Jan. 12) with a 9.725. Scored a 9.825 on vault and a 9.600 on floor at home against Boise State (Feb. 1)

Megan Tschida - Won two consecutive floor exercise titles, with a season high of 9.850 at home against BYU (Jan. 22). She also tied for first at Washington (Jan. 12) with a 9.800 and finished third in the floor exercise at Sacramento State (Jan. 7) with a 9.775.

INDIVIDUAL EVENT CHAMPIONS

VAULT BARS BEAM Katy Schilla (9.850) at Sac. St. Jessica Parenti-Otte (9.900) BYU Jessica Parenti-Otte (9.850) at SJSU (9.875) at SJSU (9.825) at SJSU (9.825) BSU FLOOR EXERCISE ALL-AROUND Megan Tschida (9.850) BYU Jessia Parenti-Otte (38.850) at Sac. St. Nicki Felley (9.900) at SJSU (39.300) at SJSU Meagan Lewis (39.025) BSU

WAC GYMNASTS OF THE WEEK

Jessica Parenti-Otte - Week of Jan. 8 Week of Jan. 29

USU ATHLETES OF THE WEEK

Jessica Parenti-Otte - Week of Jan. 22