USU primed for regional meet
Gymnastics is nothing like basketball.
Aside from the obvious differences, such as the use of equipment and the speed of the competition, the final regular season competition in gymnastics means absolutely nothing.
For the Utah State University gymnastics team though, the inaugural Western Gymnastics Conference meet did help them replace a score toward their Regional Qualifying Score and solidify a spot at the 2002 NCAA North Central Region meet, Aggie Head Coach Ray Corn said.
USU recorded a season-high 195.550 at the WGC meet held in Logan March 22.
“We feel very fortunate to have qualified, given an inconsistent season,” Corn said. “We did just enough to get into the field. The meet we put together at conference was our best, most-complete performance all year.”
Junior gymnast Nicole Kilpatrick said it feels awesome to qualify and the team was performing for the fans at the conference meet.
The WGC meet score put the Aggies ahead of Air Force in the region with a 193.910 RQS.
According to www.troester.com, Regional Qualifying Scores are computed by eliminating the highest score of the season and averaging the five remaining, three of which must be away competitions.
Another factor sending the Aggies to regionals is that they are in such a strong region, Corn said.
Out of the North Central Region, nine of the 18 teams received bids, including No. 4 Utah, No. 17 BYU and Southern Utah.
The Aggies will compete in regionals for the 24th time in team history and the 17th consecutive trip as they head to Denver for the meet on Saturday.
Despite the roller coaster season Utah State has suffered through, Corn said he feels his team has a shot at making it to nationals.
“I’ve seen the videos,” Corn said. “If they judge the meet the way it is supposed to be judged we have a very good opportunity to improve our final ranking and make it to the national championships.”
Corn said he doesn’t think anyone in the field of competition is going to be able to take on No. 3 Georgia (197.085 RQS). For a team to defeat Georgia, Corn said, the Bulldogs would have to have a horrible meet and record below a 195.000, something the team has done this season.
Kilpatrick, who won the vault competition with a 9.925 at the conference meet, agreed.
“They are a really good team,” she said. “They are top in the country, so I would think they would be the toughest ones. I think we have a really good chance of qualifying for nationals if we do well.”
Along with Georgia, Kilpatrick said she thinks No. 10 Stanford (196.280 RQS) is really good, but if the team continues the level of performance they have had the last few meets, she said they have the capability of defeating them.
Kilpatrick, along with senior Jessenia Abrego will compete in the all-around for the Aggies.
Corn said he thinks it is going to be a pressure meet because the team is going in without any expectations from anyone else due to the team’s lack of consistency.
“The [only] team that has seen us at our very best is Denver,” Corn said.
Denver is ranked No. 14 in the country with a 195.890 RQS.
In order to advance to nationals, Corn said the team needs to improve on its level of performance.
“We need to have, without a doubt, our best meet ever,” he said. “We have to overcome name recognition.”
Corn lists Denver, Stanford University and No. 23 University of Missouri Tigers (195.165 RQS) as teams that have advantages because of name recognition.
The Aggies will look to have an advantage of their own Saturday – the crowd.
Although Denver is hosting the meet and will most likely have the most fan support, Corn said Utah State has sent out invitations to alumni as well as Big Blue Boosters in Colorado.
He said he hopes to have a sea of blue and white in the stands.
“We have a job ahead of us, and it’s not going to
be an easy job,” Corn said. “I’m excited, of course I’m excited.”