Utah State Gymnastics Announces 2009 Schedule

Utah State University head gymnastics coach Jeff Richards has announced the Aggies' 2009 schedule, which includes six contests at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum among the 13-meet ledger.

The Aggies are entering their fourth season in the Western Athletic Conference and will face each of the other five WAC gymnastics opponents at least once. USU opens the season with three of its first four meets on the road, but has three of its final four competitions at home.

 

"It's going to be a tough schedule, that's for sure," said Richards, who is entering his first year at the helm of the Aggies. "The schedule is filled with ranked teams throughout. Kentucky will be tough, BYU and Utah are always tough teams and Southern Utah scored high last year, so those teams are definitely going to be a major challenge for us."

 

The schedule includes four opponents ranked in the Top 25 of last season's final poll, including No. 2 Utah, No. 21 Kentucky, No. 23 Boise State and 24th-ranked BYU, who all qualified for the NCAA Regionals. Three other 2009 opponents were in the top 36 and competed at NCAA Regionals in No. 29 Southern Utah, 30th-ranked San Jose State and No. 34 Sacramento State.

 

"All in all, it's a good schedule and that will be a strong challenge for our team," Richards said. "I think if we can do well against our schedule, we can make the top 36 and make it to regionals."

 

USU kicks off the season with the Blue and White Exhibition on Saturday, Dec. 6.

 

The Aggies officially open the season on Saturday, Jan. 10, at Kentucky. USU's home-opener and only home meet of its first four is on Friday, Jan. 16, against Central Michigan, marking the first meeting between the Aggies and the Chippewas since 2005. That will also be USU's final tune-up before conference action starts.

 

"The WAC meet was decided by a couple of tenths of points from first through sixth, so the WAC teams are always going to be tough competition. It's going to be exciting every night we go against a conference team, we're going to have to be at our best to beat those teams and we're certainly going to have to be healthy," Richards said.

 

Utah State's first WAC action is at in-state foe Southern Utah on Monday, Jan. 26. After wrapping up three out of four meets on the road at Boise State on Friday, Jan. 30, the Aggies open a two-meet homestand on Friday, Feb. 6, against Cal State Fullerton. USU then tangles with Utah on Monday, Feb. 9 at home.

 

"Those are positively some tough teams we're facing right off the bat," Richards said. "Those will be a strong test to see where our team sits after those four meets. If we can compete against those teams and do well, that will bode well for the rest of the season. As far as it being home or away, that doesn't really matter to me right now. I'd actually rather be away in January and have home meets later in the season, which is what we have and it will be good for us."

 

After an 11-day layoff, the Aggies resume action on Friday, Feb. 20, for their first of two multi-team meets of the season with a quadrangular hosted by BYU, joining WAC foes San Jose State and Boise State. USU then heads to Sacramento, Calif., on Friday, Feb. 27, to face Sacramento State and Boise State in a triangular meet.

 

The Aggies commence their three of four home meet stretch to end the regular-season on Friday, March 6, against Pittsburgh, facing the Panthers for the first time since 1981. USU's last road trip of the regular-season is at San Jose State on Sunday, March 8, before concluding with two home meets against in-state foes. The Aggies host BYU on Friday, March 13, and Southern Utah on Monday, March 16.

 

"Having the home meets later in the year will help us out in our regional scoring," Richards said. "It gives us a great advantage to have our home crowd behind us at the end of the season, so we don't have to come out of the blocks gung-ho, which will allow us to establish our team's identity and give us a solid foundation. It's always easier to compete with your home crowd behind you, which we'll need to put up some big scores to qualify for regionals."

 

USU heads back to Sacramento, Calif., for the WAC Championships, hosted by Sacramento State, on Saturday, March 21.

 

If they qualify, the Aggies will compete in the NCAA North Central Regional Championships, hosted by Iowa at Iowa City, Iowa, on Saturday, April 4. The NCAA National Championships are Thursday-Saturday, April 16-18, at Lincoln, Neb., hosted by Nebraska.

 

Utah State finished last season with a 6-18 overall record and 2-6 WAC mark, finishing fifth at the WAC Championships meet. While USU did not qualify as a team to the NCAA North Central Regional Gymnastics meet, the Aggies sent six individuals. The Aggies, who were ranked No. 38 in the final rankings, return six letterwinners, including four all-WAC honorees.

 

All USU home meets begin at 7 p.m. at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum.

 

Gymnastics tickets are available through the USU Ticket Office at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum, online at www.UtahStateAggies.com and clicking on "tickets" in left column, or by calling 1-888-U-STATE-1 or (435) 797-0305.