Feb. 26, 2008

LOGAN, Utah -

Complete Denver at Utah State Dual Notes in PDF Format

#13 Denver at #36 Utah State
Logan, Utah
Dee Glen Smith Spectrum (10,270)
Friday, Feb. 29, 2008 6:30 p.m. (MT)
FLIP AND STICK FOR THE CURE MEET
UtahState.tv

ON TAP - After three multi-team meets in a row, No. 36 Utah State (3-9, 1-6 WAC) will host 13th-ranked Denver (10-3), in a dual gymnastics meet on Friday, Feb. 29... The meet will start at 6:30 p.m. (MT) at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum (10,270).

Friday is Flip and Stick For the Cure meet to help raise funds for the fight against breast cancer... Fans are encouraged to wear pink as a show of support for the brave individuals battling cancer and T-shirts will also be on sale... In addition to proceeds from tickets and T-shirts, fans can also make donations to the Logan Regional Hospital Foundation.

USU opened the season with five duals before a quad meet at Denver on Feb. 9 with Oklahoma and Air Force, hosting BYU and New Hampshire in a triangular meet on Feb. 15, and then taking on Utah and Southern Utah in a tri-meet this past Friday.

The Aggies are currently ranked No. 36 in the RQS rankings, but not all teams in the country have an RQS, due to some teams' schedules and later starts. A team's RQS is determined by the top three road scores and then the highest scores for a team during the year.

LEAP YEAR - Friday is USU's first meet on a Feb. 29 since 1988 when the Aggies hosted Boise State and Oregon State in a tri-meet, finishing second with 187.05 behind Oregon State's 188.90... As an Athletic Department, Utah State is 5-2 on Feb. 29, last having an event in 1992 when the men's basketball team beat New Mexico State... The Aggies also played on Feb. 29 in 1984, beating Pacific, but lost in 1980 after winning in 1964... USU's women's basketball team won in 1980, its only action on Feb. 29.

UP NEXT - USU continues its homestand by returning to Western Athletic Conference action in hosting San Jose State on Friday, March 7 at 6:30 p.m. (MT) at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum... The Aggies then turn around and compete at BYU on Monday, March 10 at 4 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).

UTAHSTATE.TV - Fans can watch all USU gymnastics home meets live via the internet through UtahState.tv, available through www.UtahStateAggies.com, the official web site of USU athletics.

ABOUT UTAH STATE - USU is 3-9 on the season after placing third in a tri-meet at Utah with Southern Utah on Friday. The host Utes, who were ranked second in the country, won the meet with a 197.200 while the Thunderbirds logged a 193.100 and the Aggies finished with a 189.650.

Utah State is currently ranked No. 36 in the RQS rankings, but not all teams in the country have an RQS, due to some teams' schedules and later starts. USU, which has a team-total RQS of 191.209, has a 48.409 RQS on vault, followed by a 47.956 on floor, 47.803 on bars and 47.041 on beam.

Individually, freshman Nicole Simoneau has a 9.820 RQS on bars, which presently leads the Western Athletic Conference, ranks fourth in the North Central Region and is just out of the Top 25 in the nation, currently ranking 28th.

Senior Megan Tschida has a 9.785 RQS on floor which ranks third in the WAC and seventh in the region. Freshman Jasmine Minion ranks fifth in the conference and 11th in the region in both vault (9.775 RQS) and floor (9.755 RQS). Sophomore Heather Heinrich leads USU on beam with a 9.580 RQS on beam, ranking 12th in the WAC, as well as seventh in the league and 13th in the region on vault (9.750 RQS). Junior Nicki Felley is second in the WAC and 10th in the region in the all-around with a 38.385 RQS.

LAST TIME OUT - SALT LAKE CITY - A season-high on bars was not enough as Utah State gymnastics was third in a tri-meet with Southern Utah at Utah Friday night at Utah's Huntsman Center. The host Utes, who are ranked second in the country, won the meet with a 197.200 while the Thunderbirds logged a 193.100 and the Aggies finished with a 189.650.

The result moves Utah State to 3-9 overall, and with the loss to Southern Utah, drop to 1-5 in Western Athletic Conference action. Utah improves to 8-0 while Southern Utah is now 6-3 overall and 4-2 in WAC competition.

USU posted a season-high 48.450 on bars, led by freshman Nicole Simoneau's 9.825 to tie for fourth-place, the Aggies' highest finisher in any event on the night. It was the seventh time in eight meets that Simoneau has logged a 9.800 or higher. Senior Megan Tschida tied a season-high with a 9.550 on bars.

Sophomore Heather Heinrich was USU's top finisher on vault by placing eighth with a 9.775, while freshman Lyndsie Boone matched her season-best with a 9.700, good for 11th. The Aggies ended with a 48.350 on vault.

Heinrich also led Utah State on beam, posting a 9.700 to place ninth leading to a team score of 48.350. On floor, Tschida was the top Aggie placer at 10th with a 9.675, as USU logged a 46.050 on the apparatus. Junior Nicki Felley was Utah State's lone all-arounder, placing sixth with a 37.875.

ABOUT DENVER - The 13th-ranked Pioneers are 10-3 on the season after narrowly losing at No. 11 Nebraska, 195.925-195.650 on Saturday.

As a team, DU has an RQS of 195.415, posting higher than 195.000 in each of the last five meets, including the quad meet on Feb. 9 with Utah State where the Pioneers were second with a 195.700.

Denver ranks ninth in the country on floor (48.975 RQS) 14th on both bars (48.695) and vault (48.980) in addition to 16th on beam (48.690).

Junior Jessica Lopez is sixth in the NCAA in the all-around with an RQS of 39.355. She also is fourth in the nation on floor (9.900 RQS), tied for 16th on beam (9.830 RQS) and tied for 17th on vault (9.855 RQS). Regionally, Lopez is third in the all-around, second on floor, third on both beam and vault as well as eighth on bars (9.775 RQS).

Senior Sasha Sullivan ranks tied for 14th in the country and third in the region on floor with a 9.860 RQS

Senior Courtney Butler has an RQS of 9.840 on vault, ranking fourth in the region, while sophomore teammate Kelley Hennigan is ninth in the region on vault with a 9.790 RQS. Butler is also seventh in the region on bars (9.780 RQS) while junior Nikki Brown is regionally ranked fourth on beam (9.820 RQS).

SERIES HISTORY VS. DENVER - USU is 20-18 vs. DU, including 7-4... The Aggies and Pioneers met in a quad meet on Feb. 9, hosted by Denver, with Oklahoma and Air Force. USU finished behind No. 6 Oklahoma's 195.925 and 13th-ranked Denver's 195.700 while finishing ahead of Air Force's 186.400... Prior to this season, the Aggies last faced the Pioneers at the 2007 NCAA North Central Regionals, hosted by DU, with Denver finishing second with a 195.825 while Utah State was sixth with a 192.525.

REGIONAL HISTORY - In the 30 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.

The most recent appearance at the regional championships by USU was in 2007 when the Aggies placed sixth at the North Central Regional meet.

2008 WAC PRESEASON RANKINGS - Utah State was tabbed in a tie for third in the Western Athletic Conference preseason gymnastics poll. This is the first season that the conference has done a preseason poll.

The Aggies, who garnered one first-place vote and 23 points, are tied with Boise State, who received the same amount of first-place votes and points.

Southern Utah had three first-place votes and 27 points, tying with defending WAC champion Sacramento State who also had 27 points but just one first-place vote. Cal State Fullerton and San Jose State round out the poll at fifth and sixth with 14 and 12 points, respectively.

The 2008 WAC gymnastics championship will take place at the Taco Bell Arena in Boise, Idaho on Saturday, March 29.

IN THE NATION - 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. The Aggies debuted at No. 29 in the RQS rankings, though would have been ranked No. 38 if all teams had an RQS... This week, USU is at No. 36 in the RQS rankings and not all team still do not have an RQS.

Four USU opponents are ranked in this week's Top 25: No. 2 Utah (Feb. 22), No. 6 Oklahoma (Feb. 9), 13th-ranked Denver (Feb. 9 and Feb. 29) and 21st-ranked Boise State (Jan. 11, Jan. 22)... Other Aggie opponents just outside the top 25 are No. 26 Southern Utah (Feb. 4, Feb. 22, March 21) and 29th-ranked Kentucky (March 14).

WESTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE - The Aggies return four all-WAC honorees, in seniors Katie Omann (first-team vault) and Megan Tschida (first-team floor), junior Nicki Felley (second-team bars, floor) and sophomore Heather Heinrich (first-team vault).

Tschida also earned WAC Specialist of the Week honors (Feb. 26, 2007).

Five Aggie returners also earned academic all-WAC accolades in seniors Katie Omann, Ana Rickard-Whitfield, junior Nicki Felley and sophomores Heather Heinrich and Devin Markle.

2008 TEAM CAPTAINS - Seniors Kelly Patterson and Katie Omann along with junior Nicki Felley are serving as team captains. This is Patterson's third season in the position, while it is Omann's and Felley's first.

HEAD COACH RAY CORN - Ray Corn has created and maintained a tradition of success in his 30 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 26 times, including five trips to the national championships. Corn owns an overall record of 436-426-2, with a regular-season record of 383-270-2.

Corn was named the Midwest Regional Coach of the Year in 1991, earned Big West Co-Coach of the Year honors in 1994 and was named Big West Coach of the Year in 1998 and 2001. He also earned Coach of the Year honors in the High Country Athletic Conference in 1986, 1987 and 1988 and was named WGC Coach of the Year in 2005.

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. USU gymnasts have also received 86 academic all-conference accolades.

A GLANCE AT THE AGGIES -

Lyndsie Boone - 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 career-bests on vault 9.700 (8th) as well as beam 9.675 (5th) and on floor 9.725 (7th)... 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 tied a season-high with a 9.700 (11th) on vault, as well as 9.375 (16th) on floor and 9.050 (16th) on beam... Also an exhibitioner on bars, posting a 9.500.

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.

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 season-best 9.675 on floor (17th) at the Denver quad meet, as well as a 9.525 on vault as a exhibitioner... Tied a season-high with 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.

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 - Was second in the all-around at Boise State, scoring a 36.775... Was tied for sixth on vault (9.600), ninth on floor (9.250), 10th on beam and 12th on bars (8.900) at the Boise State dual... Against Sac State, she posted 9.675 on beam (5th), 9.650 (T-5th) on bars, as well as tying 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... 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... Also had a 9.625 (9th) on bars... Captured top honors in the all-around for the second meet in a row with a 38.650... Matched 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 8th on beam (9.600), on floor 9.150 (12th) and in the all-around 38.400 (4th) at the Southern Utah dual... Was sixth in the all-around at the Denver quad with a 38.450, as well as logging 9.725 on vault (T-10th), 9.675 on bars (T-9th), 9.300 (19th) on beam and 9.750 (13th) on floor... 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)... Tied for sixth (37.875) in the all-around at the Utah/Southern Utah tri-meet, logging 9.625 (15th) on vault, 9.600 (T-14th) on bars, 9.125 (15th) on beam and 9.525 (13th) on floor.

LAST SEASON: 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.

Heather Heinrich - Was first in the all-around at Boise State, scoring a 36.875... Placed eighth on floor (9.350), ninth on vault (9.400) and tied for 10th on both bars (9.100) and beam (9.025)... In the Sac State dual, tallied 9.650 (4th) on vault and 9.600 (7th) on beam, as well as 8.950 (12th) on floor and 8.850 (12th) on bars, for a total of a 37.050 (6th) in the all-around, for a season high... 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), as well as season-highs 9.775 (3rd) on vault and 9.450 (T-10th) on floor... Also scored 9.225 on beam (5th) and 9.000 on bars (12th)... 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), also posting a 9.200 (11th) on beam... At the Denver quad, she was eighth in the all-around with a 37.675... Was also tied for fifth on vault (9.800), 15th on bars (9.525), 12th on beam (9.675) and 22nd on floor (8.675)... In the BYU/New Hampshire tri-meet, she tied a season-high on bars with a 9.725 (T-4th), as well as scoring a 9.700 on beam (T-6th) and a 9.650 (T-12th) on vault... At the Utah/Southern Utah tri-meet 9.775 (8th) on vault, 9.700 (T-10th) on bars and 9.700 (9th) on beam.

LAST SEASON: 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).

Erica Huelsmann - Redshirting this 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.

Devin Markle - Did not compete at Boise State nor in the Sacramento State dual due to injury... Made her season debut in the Aggie lineup in the Boise State dual, placing 12th on floor with an 8.975 as well as competing as an exhibitioner on vault, scoring a 9.525... Did not compete at the Cal State Fullerton dual... At Southern Utah she was 10th on vault (9.450)... Did not compete at Denver quad meet nor the BYU/New Hampshire and Utah/Southern Utah tri-meets.

LAST SEASON: Had season-averages of 9.696 on vault, 9.661 on floor, 9.489 on bars, 9.215 on beam and 38.758 in all-around... Logged all her season-best marks at home, highlighted by career outing against Southern Utah (2/23) in which she posted season-highs in the all-around (38.925), floor (9.85) and beam (9.700)... Recorded a season-high 9.800 on vault vs. Boise State (2/1) and 9.800 on bars vs. Alaska-Anchorage... Was 36th in vault at WAC Championships (3/31) with a 9.100... Placed tied for 15th in vault (9.775) and 37th on floor (9.575) at the NCAA North Central Regional (4/14)... Earned academic all-WAC honors as well as the USU Joe E. and Elma Whitesides Scholar-Athlete Award.

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.

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.

Jasmine Minion - In the season-opener at Boise State, she was fourth on beam (9.45), fifth on vault (9.675) and 10th on floor exercise (8.900)... In the Sac State dual, she tied for first on vault (9.800) as well as finishing third on floor (9.625) and tied for eighth on beam (9.550)... Was named USU's Most Outstanding Gymnast of the meet of the Boise State dual, as she was second on floor with a season-high 9.850, as well as third on vault with a 9.775... Minion was also eighth on beam with a 9.625, her highest score in the event this year... At the Cal State Fullerton dual, Minion tallied not only a season-high but the fourth-highest score in school history on vault, winning the event with a 9.875... She also scored a 9.750 on floor (T-4th) and an 8.950 on beam (9th)... At Southern Utah, she won the vault with a 9.850, as well as logging a 9.775 on floor (6th) and an 8.650 on beam (12th)... Led USU with a 9.800 on floor at Denver quad, tying for eighth, as well as logging a 9.100 (22nd) on beam and a 9.025 (24th) on vault... Also had a 9.100 on bars as an exhibitioner... In the BYU/New Hampshire tri-meet, posted a 9.825 (T-4th) on floor and a 9.775 (T-2nd) on vault... Did not compete at the Utah/Southern Utah tri-meet with an injury.

HIGH SCHOOL: Competed as a Level 10 gymnast for Gus Vandervoot at River City Gymnastics... Placed eighth in the all-around at the Eastern Regionals, finishing first on floor exercise... Was 26th in all-around at 2006 Junior Olympic Nationals including eighth in vault... Was state champion at Level 7-9... Graduated from Bolton High School with a 3.1 grade point average.

Katie Omann - At the Boise State dual, was tied for 10th on bars (9.100) and 11th on vault (8.950)... Was 10th on bars (9.050) in the Sacramento State dual, as well as logging an 8.95 on beam as an exhibitioner... Posted a season-high 9.750 (6th) on bars in the home dual with Boise State as well as performing as an exhibitioner on beam with a 9.025... Clinched the team win at Cal State Fullerton with a 9.525 on beam in the final performance of the last rotation, placing third in the event in her first official competition on beam this season... Also scored a 9.575 on bars, tying for sixth... In the dual at Southern Utah, she tallied a 9.500 on bars (9th) and a 9.225 on beam (10th)... Posted a season-high 9.725 on vault (T-10th), sharing top honors for USU in the event at the Denver quad... Also logged 9.575 on bars (13th) and 8.925 on beam (23rd)... Set a season-high 9.550 (11th) on beam in the BYU/New Hampshire tri-meet, as well as 9.350 (13th) on bars and 9.075 (17th) on vault... At the Utah/Southern Utah tri-meet, posted 9.600's on both vault (T-16th) and bars (T-14th).

LAST SEASON: Posted season-averages of 9.781 on vault, 9.443 on beam and 9.205 on bars... Had a career-best 9.850 on the vault at WAC Championships (3/31), placing tied for third with teammate Heather Heinrich and earning first-team all-WAC recognition... Posted a career-best 9.725 on beam and season-best 9.675 on floor at Boise State (3/23)... Recorded a season-high 9.650 on bars against BYU (1/22)... Was also 31st on beam (9.650) at WAC Championships... Placed tied for 26th on vault (9.700) and 42nd on beam (8.750) at NCAA North Central Regionals... Earned academic all-WAC honors as well as USU Joe E. and Elma Whitesides Scholar-Athlete Award accolades.

Kelly Patterson - Had not competed all season until the dual at Southern Utah when she performed on beam for the first time officially in her USU career, posting a 9.765, good for a tie for fifth... Was an exhibitioner on beam at the Denver quad, posting a 9.600, which was USU's second-highest score in the event... Logged a 9.050 (15th) on beam in the BYU/New Hampshire tri-meet... At the Utah/Southern Utah tri-meet, logged an 8.525 (17th) on beam.

LAST SEASON: Did not compete in any meets... A USU Joe E. and Elma Whitesides Scholar-Athlete Award recipient.

Ana Rickard-Whitfield - Placed 11th in the floor exercise at Boise State dual (8.825)... Scored a 9.475 on floor as a exhibitioner in the Sac State dual... Notched a career-high 9.700 (T-7th) on floor in the home Boise State dual... At Cal State Fullerton, she tied for 10th with a 9.450 on floor... Posted a 9.625 (T-9th) at Southern Utah dual... Did not compete at Denver quad... Logged a 9.650 (12th) on floor in the BYU/New Hampshire tri-meet... At the Utah/Southern Utah tri-meet placed 15th on floor (9.400).

LAST SEASON: Competed in one meet, posting a career-best 9.675 in the floor exercise at Boise State (3/23)... Earned academic all-WAC accolades as well as a USU Joe E. and Elma Whitesides Scholar-Athlete Award recipient.

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, marking the fifth time this season that she has won the event... Was USU's highest finisher at the Utah/Southern Utah tri-meet, tying for fourth on bars with a 9.825, the seventh time in eight meets that she has posted a 9.800 or higher on bars... Also logged a 9.650 (10th) on beam and a 9.625 (T-16th) on vault.

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.

Maegan Snodgrass - Was an exhibitioner at the Boise State dual, with 9.55 on vault... Did not compete in the Sac State dual (1/18) after an injury during warm-ups... Has not competed in any meets since.

HIGH SCHOOL: Competed as a Level 10 gymnast with Olympus Gymnastics for Mary Wright... Was a member of the three-time club state champions... In 2005 she finished 15th in the all-around at the Regional Championships... Was also an Olympic weight lifter, finishing seventh in the nation in her age and weight group... In 2006, she won both the 18 & under and the 21 & under USA Weightlifting National Juniors Championship, setting an American National Schoolage Record in the snatch event... Graduated from Bingham High School with a 3.7 grade point average.

Megan Tschida - Was USU's highest finisher on floor exercise at the Boise State dual, by tying for fourth (9.725), as well as finishing eighth on bars (9.450)... Won the floor exercise with a 9.850 in the dual with Sac State, as well as tying for eighth on beam (9.550) and ninth on bars (9.100)... In the home dual against Boise State, was fourth on floor (9.800), 11th on beam (9.000) and 11th on bars (8.700)... After not competing in the all-around since her freshman season of 2005, posted a 36.650 (4th) at CS Fullerton, including a season-high 9.550 on bars (8th) and a 9.850 on floor (2nd)... Also logged an 8.950 on vault (12th) and an 8.300 on beam (12th)... Tallied a 9.175 (12th) on vault and an 8.950 (12th) on bars at the Southern Utah dual... At the Denver quad meet, she logged a season-high 9.675 on vault (17th), as well as a 9.700 (T-15th) on floor and 9.350 on bars (18th)... In the BYU/New Hampshire tri-meet, she posted an individual and USU season-high 9.875 on floor in tying for first... Also placed 16th in both vault (9.575) and bars (8.900), as well as performing on beam as an exhibitioner (8.450)... At the Utah/Southern Utah tri-meet she tied a season-high with a 9.550 on bars (16th), as well as USU's highest finisher on floor at 10th (9.675) and also had an 8.375 (18th) on beam.

LAST SEASON: Posted a season-best 9.900 on floor against Southern Utah (2/23), a mark that is the 19th-best in school history and tied for the season-best score for USU... Had a season average of 9.808 on floor... Earned WAC Specialist of the Week (2/26)... Placed third on floor at the WAC Championships (3/31) with a 9.825 to earn first-team all-WAC honors... Finished 39th on floor at the NCAA North Central Regionals (4/14) with a 9.550.

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