Feb. 7, 2005

LOGAN, Utah - THIS WEEK - Utah State gymnastics (0-3) heads back to the road to face its first conference opponent #18 Southern Utah (1-3) Tuesday, Feb. 8 at 7 p.m. in the Harris Center. The Aggies then return home to once again face a top-ranked team as 11th ranked Denver (7-3) comes to the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum Friday, Feb. 11 at 6:45 p.m.

NEXT WEEK - The Aggies return back to the road to face their second conference opponent Boise State (2-6) Friday, Feb. 18 at 7 p.m.

LAST WEEK - Utah State once again hosted a top-10 team as then eighth ranked Brigham Young came into town to face the Aggies. After a good vault and a subpar performance by the Cougars on bars the Aggies found themselves only .075 behind. The wheels came off on the bars however. Alex Martin was the only Aggie able to hit her routine as she led the Aggies with a 9.700. The Cougars, one of the nations best vaulting teams, suffered from some low scores by the judges but the Aggies were unable to capitalize. The Aggies came back on floor, led by Martin who scored a 9.825 to win the floor title. It was too little too late though, as the Aggies fell to the Cougars 194.125 - 190.600.

LOOKING AT SUU - The Thunderbirds lead the Western Gymnastics Conference and are currently ranked 18th in the nation. SUU is coming off of a 194.700 - 195.875 loss to West Virginia last week. It marked the highest road score for the Thunderbirds this season as well as their highest road score this early into the season for SUU. SUU's lone victory this season was an upset of #11 Denver at home by a score of 195.525 - 195.150. In addition to their #18 team ranking the Thunderbirds are eighth in the country on floor (49.012) while senior Carly Geronimo comes in a 12th in the nation on floor with a 9.869 average.

LOOKING AT DENVER - The Pioneers are ranked 11th in the nation and are coming off of a loss to #10 Iowa State last week 195.675 - 194.975. It was Denver's first loss at home. Denver is ranked fifth in the nation on vault. Former Aggie Gretchen Goerlitz, who is now a member of the Denver team, will be making her first trip back to Logan since competing for the Aggies last season.

2005 TEAM CAPTAINS - Seniors Rachel Ropelato and Katie Rutherford and Sophomore Alex Martin serve as captains for the 2005 squad. This is Rutherford's third year as captain, Ropelato's second year and Martin's first year.

TOUGHEST SCHEDULE EVER? - The Aggies opened the season against top ranked Utah before traveling to # 14 Central Michigan and then returned home to face #13 BYU. Denver, who Utah State will face twice this year, is currently ranked 11th in the nation. Other current opponents in the top-25 include Kentucky (17th), Southern Utah (18th) and Oregon State (21st). Currently the Aggies are ranked 34th in the nation. Rankings are based upon the team's total average score of all meets this season. Rankings will not be based upon a team's Regional Qualifying Score (RQS) until Feb. 21.

A FRESHMAN SHALL LEAD THEM, AGAIN - Two years ago it was Meagan Nelson and Jessica Parenti, last year it was Alex Martin and this year it looks like a freshman will once again be leading the Aggies in the all-around. After redshirt sophomore Jessica Parenti was diagnosed with mononucleosis on the day of the first meet, Freshman Megan Tschida was thrust into the limelight as the only all-arounder competing for the Aggies. She has responded by taking second in the all-around in the first two meets this season. Against Utah she tied for first on floor with a 9.850. Freshman Jackie Fogli is also making her mark as she had the top vault score against Utah with a 9.850 which was good enough for a third place tie on the event.

THE ERROR UP THERE - Utah State has hosted two teams ranked in the top-10 coming into the meet (#1 Utah and #8 BYU). So far the Logan air has not been too kind to the visiting teams as both Utah and BYU's lowest scores of the season have come in Logan. Utah fell from #1 to #2 the week after coming to Logan while BYU fell from #8 to #13.

2005 SEASON IN REVIEW - The Aggies began the season with what is most likely their highest ever beginning score (193.850) against Utah. Utah State started very well scoring a 48.775 on vault. Uncharacteristically the Aggies had a tough floor rotation which is where the Aggies have been excelling over the last few years. This prevented the Aggies from having a chance at one of the biggest upsets in Utah State history. Still it moved the Aggies into the top-25 as the 24th ranked team in the nation. Utah State followed up the meet with one only two days later at Central Michigan. After having to count three falls, the Aggies were only able to garner a 191.850. BYU then came into town and the Aggies once again struggled only scoring a 190.600. One bright spot came on floor as the Aggies scored their highest floor team score with a 48.750.

HEAD COACH RAY CORN - Utah State's Ray Corn (Northern Colorado `71) is in his 28th year as the Aggies' head coach. Corn's teams own a 410-388-2 overall record and have participated in the postseason 24 of his 27 years. 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.

A LOOK AT THE 2005 AGGIES - Ashley Barr - A junior from Littleton, Colo., Barr has competed on bars, beam and vault in each of the first three meets for the Aggies. Her season high score on floor is a 9.700 while her bars and beam high score is a 9.600.

Jackie Fogli - A freshman out of Wheaton, Ill., Fogli vaulted to the top Aggie score against Utah with a 9.850 which was good enough for a third place tie in the event. She has also competed on beam and floor with season highs of 9.750 on both.

Jaymie Goodsell - A freshmen out of Blaine, Minn., Goodsell is the tallest USU gymnast this year and is expected to add depth to the Aggies on floor and beam later in the season.

Liesel Kohler - A junior out of La Selva, Calif., Kohler has competed on beam and floor in both meets this season with a season high of 9.775 in both events. All this despite the fact she suffered a concussion that kept her from training for most of November and December. Kohler missed the BYU meet due to injury but will return to the lineup this week.

Rachael Mandy - A redshirt sophomore from Fargo, N.D., Mandy has competed on the vault in all three meets this season. Against Utah Mandy tied for the second highest vault score with a 9.750. Two days later against Central Michigan she led the Aggies on vault with 9.775. Against BYU she tied two teammates for the best Aggie vault score with a 9.725

Alex Martin - A sophomore from Longmont, Colo., Martin suffered a small injury that limited her action a little bit in the first two meets. Martin has led the Aggies on bars in all three meets this season with a season high of 9.725.

Meagan Nelson - A redshirt sophomore from Las Vegas, Nev., Nelson has come back from her injury to compete in the vault and bars in all three meets this season. Her season high on vault is a 9.675 while her bars high is a 9.650.

Katie Omann - A freshman out of Sartell, Minn., Omann has competed on vault in both meets and floor once. Saw her first action on beam against BYU.

Jessica Parenti - A redshirt sophomore out of Glendora, Calif., Parenti was diagnosed with mononucleosis the day of the first meet. She is expected to miss at least four to six weeks. The Aggies expect her to return slowly before returning to the all-around where she was expected to lead the team this year. May return in time to face Denver.

Kelly Patterson - A freshman out of Twin Falls, Idaho, Patterson has been on the Aggie coaching staff's radar for quite a while. The coaching staff looks forward to her contribution on bars and floor.

Ana Rickard - A freshman out of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, Rickard, along with fellow freshman Jackie Fogli, are expected to add strength to the Aggie vault. She may also be seen on floor and bars. Is expected to have her first vault of the season against Southern Utah.

Rachel Ropelato - A senior out of Nibley, Utah, Ropelato has competed on vault, bars and floor for the Aggies with high scores of 9.750, 9.650 and 9.800 respectively.

Katie Rutherford - A senior out of Chappaqua, N.Y., Rutherford has competed on bars and beam for the Aggies in all three meets this season with a high score on bars of 9.600 and beam of 9.650.

Megan Tschida - A freshman from St. Paul, Minn., Tschida flipped into the number one all-around role when Jessica Parenti was unable to compete at the beginning of the season. Tschida responded by finishing second in the all-around in her first two meets this season with an all-around high score of 39.125 against Utah. She also tied for the floor title against Utah with a 9.850. Her floor score of 9.800 against Central Michigan tied her for second on the event.