Gymnasts square off against rival BSU
Last year, the Utah State University gymnastics team began the season with a 192.225-188.800 loss at Boise State University. Two weeks later the two teams met again, this time in Logan, with the Aggies coming away with a 194.075-193.600 win. The Aggies and Broncos met for one final time last season in the Big West Conference Championships. Again, the Aggies came away with the 195.675-194.250 victory.
Both new members of the Western Gymnastics Conference because of the elimination of the sport from the Big West Conference, will meet Saturday 6 p.m. in Boise.
The meet against the Broncos will be the Aggies’ third straight road meet prior to returning home to host the BYU Cougars.
“It’s been very good for us [being on the road],” Utah State Head Coach Ray Corn said. “We have been able to go into foreign gyms and get very, very adjusted.”
Even though the Aggies have yet to win a road meet this season, Corn has confidence in his team.
“As we mature, we are only going to get better,” Corn said.
Not only will USU return to conference competition against BSU, but the judging situation will be fairly neutral.
“There is a home-away agreement where we have two Utah judges and two Idaho judges,” Corn said. “When they come down here it is the same thing.”
The schools made the agreement a while ago when the Broncos were unable to come up with enough judges to score the event, Corn said. Since it worked out well, the schools decided to keep the decision.
Although Boise State was outscored 191.8-191.075 by the University of Washington at the Boise Pavilion Jan. 25, senior Jamie Johns was named the WGC Athlete of the Week.
Johns won the all-around competition (39.075), winning the vault (9.825), the beam (9.775) and tying with teammate Carla Chambers (9.775) on the floor.
The Broncos, who opened the season on the road at Arizona, fell (194.5-189.25) to the Sun Devils and at Cal State Fullerton (191.95-189.40) to the Titans.
USU opened the season at home and defeated the Titans 192.75-191.375, but fell to the Sun Devils 193.35-191.70.
The Aggies are coming off a second-place finish (192.425) in a four-way meet at San Jose State Jan. 26. The Spartans came away with the 192.425 victory.
Kimberly Scharman led Utah State with a career-high 9.9 on the uneven bars routine. She was also nominated for WCG Athlete of the Week.
“I hope we have another chance against San Jose State, maybe on a neutral court,” Corn said.
Following the meet at SJSU, Corn said he feels the preseason is over and the real season begins.
“We haven’t changed lineups all that much,” Corn said. “We have experimented with routines in increasing difficulty. That is what we have to do as well as give everyone a chance to compete.”
The Aggies enter the meet ranked 34th in the country. Of conference opponents, the University of Denver is the only team ranked above USU in the nation at No. 15. The Broncos are ranked 48th.
Competing for the first time in the all-around at San Jose State, Jessenia Abrego is expected to continue to be in the lineup, Corn said.
Abrego recorded a 37.950 on the event.
“I think she is only going to get better,” Corn said.
Sophomore Mika Houston continues to lead the Aggies in the all-around, recording a season high of 38.625 at Arizona State.
The Aggie received 11 points and are predicted to finish second in the WCG behind the Denver Pioneers with 16 points, followed by the Broncos with 10 points.
Following the Boise State meet, USU will return to action Wednesday when the Aggies host in-state nemesis Brigham Young University at 7 p.m. in the Spectrum. The BYU meet will be USU’s second home meet of the season.