Aggie gymnasts welcome No. 2 Utah to Spectrum
Utah State University gymnastics Head Coach Ray Corn isn’t worried about the No. 2 team in the nation coming to town.
He said he just wants his team to compete with confidence and challenge the top-ranked University of Utah Lady Utes who will visit the Spectrum Friday at 7 p.m.
“We always want to beat Utah, but we never can,” senior all-arounder Jessenia Abrego said. “It’s Utah. It’s so politics. Our goal for this meet is to go out and hit 24-for-24 and not worry about [the Utes].”
Corn thinks the Aggies will have a few factors on their side.
After shaking off what Corn described as a disappointing and disheartening loss to the BYU Cougars Feb. 6 at home, Corn said he feels the meet will be one of grit, determination and redemption.
“They’re pretty angry,” Corn said. “They are angry at the fact that nothing has happened so far this season.”
Abrego said a problem the team faced against BYU was focusing more on winning than on hitting their events.
To improve from the BYU meet, Corn said the team needs to work on its strategy on vault.
Against the Cougars, USU suffered two falls on vault -one of which was counted in the final 47.750 score.
Corn said he is planning on taking one performer at a time and finish with junior Nicole Kilpatrick on the event. Kilpatrick’s vault will look to be upgraded to a 10.0 routine.
Senior Stephanie Gordon, who had a fall on the vault against BYU will probably not be seen on the event, Corn said.
Instead, he will look to freshman Jessica Rands to compete. It would be her first collegiate meet if she were to see action.
“Vault is our weak event,” Corn said. “Certainly what we need to do after that [rotation] is have a perfect meet.”
If his plan works, the Aggies will apply pressure to the Utes on beam, an event the team has struggled with this season, as Utah State heads to floor, an event which the team has done well on, Corn said.
Corn said he hopes both teams have successful meets, hitting all of their routines, allowing fans to see how the Utah State gymnastics team is reaching a narrowing of the margin between a team like the Utes and USU.
If nothing else, Corn said he hopes fans come out to see one of the premier gymnastics programs in the last 25 years.
Corn said he will look for continued success from Kilpatrick, Abrego and sophomore Mika Love Houston in the all-around competition.
“I’ve gotten a lot stronger than last year,” Abrego said. “Hitting three beam routines in the three meets I’ve competed in really helps my confidence level a lot.”
The beam was the only event keeping Abrego out of the all-around last season.
Senior Kirra Seeley, who scored a 9.800 on the uneven bars, is critical to have back in the lineup, Corn said.
After sitting out most of last season recovering from surgery to repair a torn ligament in her right thumb, Corn said Seeley has come back to be an important co-captain on the team.
“There are athletes that lead in so many different ways,” Corn said. “Kirra does it with her self-confidence and her charisma.”
Corn said Kirra is inspiring, similar to her co-captain Abrego. Aside from throwing difficult routines, Corn said she is there cheering on her teammates prior to competing and as she comes off an event.
Competing in their third out of five road games because of the Olympics, the Utes will be led by the two-time defending NCAA beam champion
Theresa Kulikowski.
Kulikowski is currently ranked No. 1 in the country on beam, as well as the Utes being in first place on the event.
Freshman Lady Ute Annabeth Eberle is expected to be in the all-around for the first time in her collegiate career as senior Deidra Grahman will most likely miss her first all-around competition of the year nursing a sore back.
“They’re in a hunt for a national championship,” Corn said. “Everything that I have heard is that this is probably the best team that Utah has ever had.”
Following their meet against the Utes, the Aggies will travel to Provo for a re-match against BYU Feb. 22.
USU’s next home meet is Wednesday, Feb. 27 against Western Gymnastics Conference rival Boise State University.