Utah State gymnasts have record-setting year
Despite failing to qualify for the NCAA Regional competition for the first time since 1987, it was still a record-setting season for the Utah State gymnastics team.
Overall, in events and as individuals, the Aggies set a string of record scores and finished with their highest ever Regional Qualifying Score (RQS), a 195.510, good enough for a No. 32 national ranking.
“We really pretty much rewrote the entire record book, but it wasn’t enough,” said Head Coach Ray Corn.
As a result of these successes, the team is The Utah Statesman’s choice as the best women’s team for the 2002-03 academic year.
The season started out slowly for Utah State, as it failed to break 193.000 in its first two meets on the road. But once it opened at home against Boise State, things turned around in a hurry.
The Aggies scored a 195.350 in their opener, and followed that up with a 196.150 against then No. 4 Utah. At the time it was Utah State’s best home score and second-best score ever. Things would get better, though.
Going back on the road, the Aggies remained steady in a pair of meets, scoring a 195.150 at Southern Utah, and a 194.350 at NC State, the lowest score they would post the remainder of the regular season.
Back home against in-state rival BYU, Utah State almost reached the 196 mark again, finishing with a 195.925, the sixth-best score ever. The Aggies would continue scoring well, with a string of three-straight scores over 195, culminating the season’s top performance against NC State on March 14.
Some of those could have been better, though, Corn said.
“There were very critical moments that held us off,” he said.
One of those came at home against then-No. 14 Ohio State when the Aggies scored a 195.275.
“We’re cruising at home, heading toward a 197.000, and we faltered on beam,” he said.
The Aggies, who had been holding tight with OSU, posted only a 47.750 to the Buckeye’s 49.225 in the event.
Utah State rebounded on the floor with a school record 49.500, but it wasn’t enough.
“Record scores go for naught when you falter on an event,” Corn said.
In their final home match, the Aggies surpassed all other performances of the season, breaking the home record set against Utah and posting a second-best score of 196.675.
Unfortunately, it would be the high point of the season. The next week at Ohio State, USU dropped with a 194.350. That left only the Western Gymnastics Conference Championships on March 29.
Hoping to raise its RQS and get a shot at Regionals, the Aggies could overcome a tough region. Scoring a 194.350, its lowest score since Feb. 14 at NC State, Utah State finished fourth in the four-team conference, and failed to qualify for Regionals.
“As much as I’d like to say we had a disappointing season, I’m not disappointed,” Corn said. “We certainly turned a corner, which was one goal of mine, from the last two seasons.”
The Aggies were able to take home some conference honors, though. Meagan Nelson was named first team in the all-around, Rachel Ropelato was second team on vault, and Jessica Parenti was second team on bars, beam and in the all-around. Additionally, eight gymnasts were named to the academic all-conference team.
Over the course of the season, the Aggies also posted 12 top 10 scores in various events. On the vault, USU put up a 49.175 at NC State, the second-best score in that event, while in the home opener, a 49.250 on beam was the third-highest score in that event.
On both the bars and the floor, the Aggies put up the top three scores in each during the course of the season. Against Utah, a 49.425 on bars was tops, while against NC State and BYU, identical scores of 49.325 tied for
second.
The highest-ever event score for the Aggies came at home in their first meeting against Ohio State – a 49.500 on floor. USU also scored a 49.350 against NC State and a 49.250 at BYU for the second and third place scores.
Individually, the Aggies had three top all-arounders in Nicole Kilpatrick, and the freshmen Nelson and Parenti.
Kilpatrick, Parenti and Nelson all qualified for Regionals individually in the all-around, with Nelson finishing ninth, Kilpatrick 14th and Parenti 16th at Utah on April 18.
During the regular season, Kilpatrick tied school beam and vault scores with 9.950s, while she and Nelson had 9.950s to tie for second best on the floor.
In the all-around, Kilpatrick also had the second best ever score with a 39.525. Nelson set the record for the season all-around average with a 39.200, and also a record with 11 all-around scores better than 39.000. Parenti set a season record by scoring better than 39.000 in eight consecutive meets.
Next year won’t be any easier, Corn said, but with both Nelson and Parenti returning, and having recruited three state champions, it should be a good year.
“Hey, things are looking up,” he said. “I’m looking forward to next year.”
With Nelson and Parenti leading the team as freshmen, Corn said he expects them to be stronger next year, but they will also have three top newcomers to back them up.
“Nelson and Parenti were the quarterbacks of this team, and it will be exciting to have five quarterbacks next year,” he said.
-slbk5@cc.usu.edu