Jan. 20, 2003

LOGAN, Utah -

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THIS WEEK - Utah State gymnastics (2-2) hosts its first home meet of the 2003 season Friday, as the Aggies face Boise State (0-2) for the second consecutive week. The meet begins at 7 p.m. in the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.

NEXT WEEK - The Aggies have the week off. USU's next meet is against Utah on Feb. 7 at 7 p.m., and will be televised on KJZZ-TV.

LOOKING AT BOISE STATE - The Broncos finished third to Oklahoma and Utah State last weekend at Oklahoma, with a team score of 191.475. All-around competitor Carla Chambers scored 38.500 and finished fifth. Tiffany Putnam had BSU's best score of the day, as she posted 9.825 on floor. Boise State was 8-14 on the year in 2002, and took fourth at the Western Gymnastics Conference meet. The Broncos went on to finish fifth at the NCAA West Regional, and had a final 2002 ranking of 39th in the nation. Head Coach Sam Sandmire is in her 16th season, and has a regular season record of 163-145-1. The Broncos return 12 letterwinners and have five newcomers in 2003. BSU opens the season Sunday at Oklahoma. USU holds a 44-7 advantage overall against Boise State, including a 21-2 record in Logan.

BEST FLOOR SCORE SINCE 2001 - The Aggies' 49.025 on floor is the first time since March 16, 2001 that USU scored above 49.000 in the event. USU scored 49.075 at BYU that day.

FRESHMAN LEADS AGGIES - Meagan Nelson became the first freshman in Utah State history to score better than 39.000 in her first two all-around competitions. She scored 39.125 in the season opener at Cal State Fullerton and 39.050 at Oklahoma Sunday. At Oklahoma, she had team-best scores of 9.750 on beam and 9.875 on floor.

KILPATRICK CONTINUES STEADY PERFORMANCE -USU senior Nicole Kilpatrick finished fourth in the all-around at Oklahoma (38.825), and was USU's top vault and bars finisher. She tied for first on vault (9.775) and was third on bars (9.750).

PARENTI TIES SIXTH-BEST SCORE IN DEBUT - Jessica Parenti's 9.925 on bars at Cal State Fullerton tied the sixth-best bars score in USU history. She won the event title.

2003 TEAM CAPTAINS - Senior Kimberly Scharman and sophomore Katie Rutherford will serve as this year's Utah State team captains.

SIX POTENTIAL ALL-AROUNDERS - Utah State has six gymnasts who could see action in all-around competition throughout the season - senior Nicole Kilpatrick, sophomores Rachel Ropelato and Katie Rutherford and freshmen Ashley Barr, Meagan Nelson and Jessica Parenti.

OUT FOR THE SEASON - Freshman Rachael Mandy will spend this season as a redshirt. She tore her ACL in practice in December.

OKLAHOMA/BOISE STATE RECAP - Utah State freshman gymnast Meagan Nelson scored 39.050 in the all-around Sunday, her second 39.000-plus all-around score in as many meets, as the Utah State gymnastics team (2-2) finished second of three teams at No. 11 Oklahoma. Host Oklahoma (3-5) won the meet (195.950), USU scored 192.875 and Boise State (0-2) finished third (191.475) in its season-opener.

HEAD COACH RAY CORN - Utah State's Ray Corn (Northern Colorado '71) is in his 26th year as the Aggies' head coach. Corn's teams own a 345-213-2 regular-season meet record and have participated in postseason competition in 24 of his 25 seasons, including 17 straight trips to the NCAA Midwest Regionals. Aggie squads have competed at national championship meets five times. Corn was named NCAA Midwest Region Coach of the Year in 1991, was honored as High Country Athletic Conference Coach of the Year three times and selected Big West Conference Coach of the Year in 1994, 1996, 1998 and 2001. Corn's overall record, including postseason action, currently stands at 403-352-2.

A LOOK AT THE 2002 AGGIES - ASHLEY BARR - Freshman from Littleton, Colo... Scored a 9.550 on beam in her first collegiate competition at CS Fullerton (1/12)... First collegiate bars competition came at Oklahoma (1/19), where she scored 9.050... Competed as a Level 10 gymnast for Lindy Franzini, Vinici Liera and Enis Hudson at Colorado Gymnastics Institute... A 2002 Level 10 national qualifier... Second in the all-around at the state Level 10 competition in 2002... Won the 2002 state Level 10 title on floor, finished third on vault, fifth on bars and eighth on beam... Finished second on bars and sixth in the all-around at 2002 regional competition... Graduated from Cherry Creek High with a 3.6 GPA.

NALANI CHUNG - Sophomore from Fort Collins, Colo... Competed in six meets in 2002, posting a 9.713 bars average in that span... Set a career-best at Cal State Fullerton (3/15/02), where she scored a 9.825 and took fourth in the event... Her first collegiate action came at BYU, where she scored 9.550.

SARAH COLSON - Sophomore from Littleton, Colo... Had a career-best vault at Oklahoma (1/19), with a 9.650... Scored a 9.250 on floor and a 9.150 on beam... Broke her ankle in practice prior to the 2002 Western Gymnastics meet and did not participate the rest of the season... Recorded a 9.600 on vault at San Jose State (1/26/02) and tied that score at BYU... Scored a 9.52 on floor at BYU (2/22/02).

NICOLE KILPATRICK - Senior from Ringwood, N.J... 9.850 bars score at Cal State Fullerton (1/12) is a career high... Has one event title (vault) this season... Took second in the all-around to teammate Meagan Nelson at Cal State Fullerton (1/12)... 9.925 vault score at the 2002 Western Gymnastics Conference meet (3/22/02) was the second-best score in school history and gave her the event title... Also set a season-best all-around score of 39.000 at the WGC and finished fourth... Season-high beam score came against Utah (2/15/02), with a 9.875... 2002's top bar score (9.825) was at the WGC meet (3/22/03)... Had six top-three finishes in 2002, with two in the all-around, three in the vault and one on beam... Season average of 38.468 in the all-around was 11th all-time at USU.

LIESEL KOHLER -Freshman from Watsonville, Calif... Scored 9.800 on floor and 9.500 on beam at Oklahoma (1/19)... Competed as a Level 10 gymnast for Javier Vargas at Elite Gymnastics Academy in Salinas, Calif... A 2002 graduate of Monterey Bay Academy (La Selva Beach, Calif.) with a 3.75 grade point average.

RACHAEL MANDY - Freshman from Fargo, N.D... Tore her ACL in practice prior in December, and will redshirt this season... Competed as a Level 10 gymnast for Amy Sahli and Kelli Dronen at American Gold Gymnastics in Fargo... Level 10 state champion in 1999 and 2000... Took second at state in 2001... Qualified for regional competition for seven consecutive years, once as a Level 9 gymnast and six times at Level 10... Won the 2001 regional vault championship and took second in 1999.

KYLA MATTIOLI - Junior from Hampton, N.J... A career-best 9.850 vault score against Boise State (2/27/02) claimed her the event title... Set a new career high on floor (9.750) against Cal State Fullerton (2/4/02), which she tied at Southern Utah (3/13/02)... Career-best 9.750 on bars came at San Jose State (1/26/02)... Two top-three finishes... Vault average of 9.696.

MEAGAN NELSON - Freshman from Las Vegas, Nev... Set a record for freshmen at USU, breaking 39.000 in the all-around in her debut, as she scored 39.125 at CS Fullerton (1/12), and won the all-around title... The next week at Oklahoma (1/19), became the first freshman to score better than 39.000 in her first two collegiate meets, with 39.050... Also tied for the floor title (9.875) at Fullerton... Two event titles on the season... Competed as a Level 10 gymnast for Cassie Rice and Jill Enritta at GymCats Gymnastics in Las Vegas... An eight-time state champion, she has titles in the Level 10 bars, vault, floor and all-around... Owns Level 9 titles in floor, vault and all-around competitions... Took second at the 2001 state meet in the all-around... Finished 11th at Level 10 nationals as a senior.

JESSICA PARENTI - Freshman from Glendora, Calif.... Won the bars title at Cal State Fullerton, her first collegiate meet (1/12), with a 9.925, which tied the sixth-best bars score in school history... Scored a 9.775 on floor at Oklahoma (1/19)... Competed as a Level 10 gymnast at Charter Oak Gliders for Lisa Muellers and Jay Wells... Three-time nationals competitor (1999-2001)... Took second at 2000 nationals in bars, beam and the all-around... Finished second on beam and third in bars at 2001 national competition... Two-time regional bar champion... Class of 2002 valedictorian at Glendora High, she graduated first in her class of 540, with a 4.0 grade point average.

JESSICA RANDS - Sophomore from Sammamish, Wash... Scored a career-best 9.825 on vault against Boise State (2/2/02)... Scored a 9.650 against Utah (2/15/02) in her first collegiate meet... Went on to tie that score at BYU (2/22/02)... Had orthoscopic surgery on Jan. 7 for a meniscal tear.

RACHEL ROPELATO - Sophomore from Nibley, Utah... Scored a career-best 9.25 on bars at Oklahoma (1/19)... Posted a career-best 9.725 on vault at Southern Utah (3/13/02), taking second among the Aggies... Competed on floor once, with an 8.600 at Arizona State (1/11/02)

ALLISON ROSENTHAL - Senior from Scottsdale, Ariz... Posted a 2002 season and career high on beam against BYU (2/6/02) and Cal State Fullerton (1/4/02) (9.750)... Tied her top career floor score of 9.875 for the fourth time at Western Gymnastics Conference meet (3/22/02)... Ranked second on the team in floor average, ending the year with a 9.690... Had three top-three finishes, including an event title (beam).

KATIE RUTHERFORD - Sophomore co-captain from Chappaqua, N.Y... Scored a 9.550 on vault Jan. 19 at Oklahoma... Earned the bars title at the Western Gymnastics Conference (3/ 22/02), scoring a 9.925 and tying the fifth-best bars score at USU... Posted a career-best 9.900 on beam, tying the seventh-best beam score in school history... Had six top-three finishes, and won bars twice... Took second on bars twice and claimed third once each on beam and bars... The only freshman to compete in all 14 meets for the Aggies.

KIMBERLY SCHARMAN - Senior co-captain from Salt Lake City, Utah... Won the bars title at San Jose State (1/2/02) with a 9.900, a career and season high... Set a career best on beam at the Western Gymnastics Conference meet on March 22 with a 9.750... Finished in the top three on bars twice as a junior... Ended the season with a 9.496 bars average in 14 meets, and a 9.553 beam average, competing in eight meets.

ASHLEY YOUNG - Freshman from Longmont, Colo... First collegiate competition came at Oklahoma (1/19), where she scored 9.625 on beam and 9.675 on floor... Competed as a Level 10 gymnast Richard Villarela and Blythe Baca at Berthoud School of Gymnastics... Was the 2001 regional vault champion... Also finished fifth on bars and sixth in the all-around at the 2001 regionals... A 2001 national qualifier... Graduated with a 3.7 grade point average from Skyline High.