Sacramento State recorded its fifth-highest score in program history with a 194.100 against Cal State Fullerton (195.300) and San Jose State (193.325) on March 8 at Spartan Gym. The Hornets then recorded a 193.500 against the Spartans (192.450) on March 10 at Hornet Gym. The squad is currently ranked 42nd in the nation.

UC Davis (11-7) enters the contest ranked 58th nationally after defeating Seattle Pacific 193.450-192.900 on March 7 at Recreation Hall.

. Cal (6-5) enters the meet ranked 48th in the nation after cancelling a road contest against Nebraska and Iowa State at Bob Devaney Sports Center on March 10 in Omaha, Neb.

Boise State (6-9) is currently 44th in the nation after upsetting No. 15 BYU 195.350-194.800 on March 10 in Boise State Pavilion.

San Jose State (11-6) is currently ranked 49th nationally after falling to the Hornets on March 10 in Hornet Gym.

Since joining the Division I ranks in 1992, the Hornets are 26-9 against the Spartans, 18-17 against the Aggies, 3-4 versus the Golden Bears and 1-4 against the Broncos in all-time matchups.

HEAD COACH KIM HUGHES

After 19 years, head coach Kim Hughes has built a program from the ground up and has solidified Sacramento State as a contender in the NCAA West Region.

With a career record of 166-161-1, Hughes has led the Hornets to consecutive Western Independent Conference championships in 2000 and 2001. He will now lead his program into the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation in 2002.

Hughes also guided Sacramento State to a second-place finish at the National Invitational Tournament in 2000 and gave the program its first Regional bid in 1999 while also being named NCAA Region 1 Coach of the Year.

THE UC DAVIS AGGIES

Ray Goldbar is in his 12th season at the helm of the UC Davis gymnastics program and has compiled a 116-123 overall record. Goldbar led the Aggies to their first USA Gymnastics Collegiate national title in 1999. He was also named USA Gymnastics Collegiate Coach of the Year that same season.

This season, the Aggies fell to the Hornets 190.850-190.275 on Feb. 1 at Recreation Hall. UC Davis was without bar and floor champion Erika Ruelas, who missed the contest due to a family emergency.

THE BOISE STATE BRONCOS

Sam Sandmire enters her 15th season at the helm of the Boise State gymnastics program and has compiled a 161-138-1 overall record. Sandmire led the Broncos to a first-place finish in three of the last five Big West Conference Championships (1997, ‘98 & ‘00) and 15-consecutive NCAA Regional appearances. In addition, Sandmire was named NCAA West Region Coach of the Year in 1995-96 and also received Big West Coach of the Year honors in 1997 and 2000.

This season, the Broncos dropped a 193.925-192.350 road contest to the Hornets on Feb. 10 at Hornet Gym. It was Sacramento State’s first victory over Boise State since joining the Div. I ranks.

THE CAL GOLDEN BEARS

Assistant coaches Jennifer Bialoski and Steve Wilken have assumed the coaching duties on an interim basis for the Golden Bear gymnastics program following the resignation of head coach Trina Tinti on Feb. 20. Since the resignation, the duo has only had a full, healthy squad compete on Feb. 22 at Stanford.

This season, the Golden Bears fell to the Hornets 193.175-151.450 on March 3 at Hornet Gym. Cal competed with only two competitors on vault and four competitors on floor which led to the low team score.

THE SAN JOSE STATE SPARTANS

Head coach Wayne Wright is in his first season with the Spartan gymnastics program following the retirement of Jackie Walker after 17 years of coaching with San Jose State. Wright had spent the last five seasons as an assistant coach at Stanford after spending nine years as an assistant at San Jose State.

This season, the squad dropped a home contest to Sacramento State on March 8 at Spartan Gym. The Spartans also lost a road contest to the Hornets on March 10 at Hornet Gym.

REGIONAL PICTURE

It has come down to the final three meets of the season and Sacramento State is in prime position to qualify for its second NCAA West Regional appearance in program history. The Hornets qualified for their first regional in 1999.

Sacramento State currently sits sixth in the region with a Regional Qualifying Score of 193.110 behind UCLA (196.810), Stanford (196.210), Oregon State (195.430), Washington (194.225) and Cal State Fullerton (193.550). Boise State (193.015, seventh) is the only other school in contention for the final spot. Only the top six schools qualify for a trip to Corvallis, Ore., for regional competition.

The Hornets can hold off the Broncos with a road score of 193 or higher on March 16 at Cal. The higher score would allow the squad to drop its lowest total, a 190.850 on Feb. 1 at UC Davis, off its RQS average. A team’s RQS is registered by taking the top six scores on the season (three home, three away) and removing the top score from the average equation.

CONFERENCE PICTURE

In the inaugural season of the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, Air Force has established itself as the school to beat in the conference championships on March 23. Air Force will host the event at Cadet Stadium West Gym at 7 p.m.

The Falcons currently own a 193.325 RQS as well as the conference’s highest score of 195.075. The Hornets are second with a 193.110 RQS and the Spartans sit third with a 192.170 RQS. UC Davis (190.730) and UC Santa Barbara (182.815) round out the rest of the conference field.

HORNET NOTABLES

The Hornets will be competing in their first back-to-back meets of the 2002 schedule...the Hornets have never recorded a score of 193 or higher in five-consecutive meets...freshman Meloney Greer bruised and cut her big toe on the lower bar apparatus while competing on March 10 at Hornet Gym and did not complete her routine. After being reevaluated on March 11, the Cour de’Alene, Idaho, native is listed as day-to-day and will sit out the March 15 meet against UC Davis.