The time is nigh for USU gym team
The USU gymnastics team will travel to Salt Lake City Saturday to compete in the 2001 NCAA Regionals at the Huntsman Center.
The Aggies finished the season at No. 30 in the nation overall and No. 5 in the region. The competition will consist of meet-host and first-ranked University of Utah (No. 5), second-ranked Iowa State University (No. 8), third- ranked University of West Virginia (No. 27), fourth-ranked Denver University (No. 24), and sixth-ranked Air Force (No. 43).
Six six-team regionals will take place at various campuses throughout the country. The top two teams from each regional competition will advance to the NCAA National Collegiate Gymnastics Championships April 19 through 21 in Athens, Ga.
Utah
The Utes enter the meet as No. 1 seed after posting a Regional Qualifying Score (RQS) of 197.640 and a 13-1-1 overall record. The Utes set a school-record 197.925 in their last regular season meet of the year against Brigham Young University.
The Aggies were defeated by Utah earlier in the season, 197.125-194.325, in the Huntsman Center. Utah holds an overall 73-3 record over Utah State.
“I don’t believe anyone will beat Utah at home in the regional meet, unless something freakish happens,” said USU head coach Ray Corn.
In the 2000 NCAA Championships the Utes were runners-up to UCLA. Overall, Utah has won a record 10 national championships; the last was in 1995.
Iowa State
Recording the third-highest team score in Iowa State women’s gymnastics history, the Cyclones placed second at the Big 12 Championship and earned themselves the number two seed.
ISU posted a 196.650 RQS and moved to the eighth spot on the national rankings, matching the highest ranking to date for the eighth time in history for the Cyclones.
The Aggies hold a perfect 2-0 record over the Cyclones meeting last in the 1999 Region 2 Championships in Logan. Utah State outscored Iowa State 194.575-194.175.
“BYU has beaten [Iowa State] and we split the season with BYU,” Corn said. “They are a very good team.”
West Virginia University
Holding a 21-3 record, the West Virginia University gymnastics team recorded a meet record score of 196.375 to win the East Atlantic Gymnastics League championship.
WVU holds a 195.900 RQS and a slim 3-2 series lead over the Aggies, including a 3-1 mark at a neutral site. The last time the two teams competed, the Mountaineers were victorious 195.475-192.950 in the 2000 regional meet.
“Having a very up and down year, West Virginia’s RQS is very good because they were able to put six meets together,” Corn said.
“From what I know, they are very injury riddled and the injuries come on vault – the defining event in the NCAAs.”
Denver
The Pioneers received their third consecutive team invitation to the regional meet; fifth in the past six years. Last season, the Pioneers posted a record of 194.450 and finished third in competition, missing the chance to move to the NCAA National Championships by a margin of only 0.025 points.
The Aggies were defeated in Denver Feb. 10 with a mark of 195.900-194.900. The Pioneers hold a 195.385 RQS and an overall record of 13-8.
“They are a team that scores almost a point-and-a-half higher at home than they do on the road,” Corn said. “I don’t think they will have the opportunity to score on the road what they score at home.”
Utah State holds an all-time 19-10 advantage over DU, including a 10-1 record at a neutral site.
According to the Denver gymnastics Web site, Pioneers head coach Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart feels this will be a competitive region.
“There is going to be a lot of good gymnastics, and I believe if we perform the way we know how, we could be in the mix,” she said.
Air Force
The Air Force women’s gymnastics will be the first team in the school’s history to qualify for an NCAA Division I post-season event. AFA finished the season with a 194.165 RQS.
“If everything is to hold true, Air Force will be overmatched,” Corn said.
The Aggies hold a perfect 5-0 record over the Falcons. The two teams have not met since the 1994 season.
Corn said the hidden factor for the four teams visiting Utah will be the Huntsman Center.
“There will be a very vocal crowd there from both the University of Utah and Utah State that will help us get that second spot and get us to Atlanta,” Corn said. “I feel very confident about this meet, and I hope that the students will come down and support us.”
The Aggies are encouraging fans to come dressed in all blue to cheer the team on to victory.
The Huntsman Center will be open to the public on Friday to allow fans to watch the teams compete. Utah, Air Force and Denver will begin practice at 2 p.m. followed by Iowa State, West Virginia and Utah State at 4 p.m.