Last week, the Hornets swept back-to-back road meets over Alaska Anchorage on Jan. 17-18 in the UAA Sports Center. In the first meet, Sacramento State outscored the Seawolves in three of five events as the Hornets prevailed 188.925-185.025. In the final meet, the Hornets swept all events en route to a 191.225-181.725 victory.

Cal State Fullerton (3-3) recently dropped a 194.100-193.900 contest to top ranked UCLA on Jan. 17 in Titan Gym. CSF completed the weekend by finishing third behind UCLA (198.275) and Cal (192.950) on Jan. 19 in Pauley Pavillion. UC Davis rounded out the field with a score of 189.675.

Last season, Cal State Fullerton finished with a 8-9 overall record and a season-high score of 195.300. The Titans also placed fifth at the NCAA West Regionals.

HEAD COACH KIM HUGHES

In his 21st year at the helm of the Hornet gymnastics program, 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 and Mountain Pacific Sports Federation.

With a career record of 175-164-1, Hughes led the Hornets to a first-place finish at the 2002 MPSF Championships with the squad’s second-highest score in program history (194.900), including event champions on vault, beam, floor and all-around. Hughes also led the Hornets to a program-best Regional Qualifying Score of 194.070, the highest national ranking (40th) to end a season and the most NCAA West Regional qualifiers (three) since 1995.

He has directed Sacramento State to three-consecutive conference titles including two-consecutive Western Independent Championships in 2000 and 2001, and the squad’s first Div. I sanctioned title in school history (MPSF) last season. In 2002, Sacramento State also recorded program highs with consecutive meets above 193 (four), most scores over the 194-plateau (four) and most scores over the 193-mark (eight) in a season. Among his other accomplishments, Hughes 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.

Hughes earned his first Coach of the Year Honors in 1984 when the Hornets were a member of the Div. II Northern California Athletic Conference. A graduate of Chico State in 1976, Hughes joined the Sacramento State women’s gymnastics program in 1977 and was named head coach in 1981. During his tenure, Hughes also guided the Hornets to Div. I status in 1992.

LAST WEEK''S MEETS

On Jan. 17, junior Binta Coleman placed first in three of five events to lead Sacramento State to a 188.925-185.025 win over Alaska Anchorage. Coleman finished with meet-high scores on bars (9.650), floor (9.825) and all-around (38.700).

Freshman Kimiye Narasaki placed first on vault with a season-high score of 9.875. On beam, freshman Trista Condren led all competitors with a mark of 9.825.

In the final meet, Coleman, Narasaki and sophomore Nirvana Zaher combined to win every event to lead Sacramento State to a 191.225-181.725 win over the Seawolves.

Zaher, competing in her first career all-around, led all competitors with a meet-high 38.575. The Cairo, Egypt native also placed second on vault (a career-best 9.875), bars (9.225), beam (9.725) and floor (9.75).

Narasaki placed first on vault with a season-high 9.900 and beam with a meet-high 9.800. Coleman placed first on bars (9.650) and floor (9.775) while also finishing second in the all-around (38.075).

THE CAL STATE FULLERTON TITANS

Julie Knight is in her fifth season as the Titans’ head coach after compiling a 38-29 career record with the program. In her first season as head coach in 1999, Knight was selected Big West Conference Coach of the Year after leading the Titans to a 13.325 improvement in overall score from the beginning of the season to the end. She has also led the program to consecutive NCAA West Regional bids in 2001 and 2002.

CSF will be led by senior all-arounder Kelly Mathiasen in the 2003 season. The Chula Vista, Calif., native led the Titans in all-around (39.425), vault (9.9), bars (9.925), and floor (9.925) during the 2002 campaign.

Last season, the Titans finished first at San Jose State with a season-high score of 195.300 to defeat Sacramento State (194.100) and San Jose State (193.325) on March 8 in Spartan Gym.

NARASAKI NAMED MPSF GYMNAST OF THE WEEK

Kimiye Narasaki was named Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Gymnast of the Week on Jan. 21, it was announced by the conference. Narasaki shared the honor with Flora Bare of UC Davis.

Narasaki earned co-gymnast of the week honors after leading Sacramento State to back-to-back victories over Alaska Anchorage on Jan. 17-18. The Richmond, Calif., native swept vault with consecutive season-high scores of 9.875 and 9.900 while also adding a beam title in the second meet with a season-high mark of 9.800. The freshman’s 9.900 vault score places her tied for fifth in the program record book and was the highest score by a Sacramento State gymnast since Rebecca Seebirt in 1997. Narasaki currently ranks first in the conference on vault (9.900) and third on beam (9.800).

TWO HORNETS END THEIR SEASON

Senior Toni Petersen (finger) and sophomore Stefanie Aeder (wrist, elbow) will miss the remainder of the season due to injury. Aeder and Petersen will use a medical redshirt to retain their year of competition.

Aeder, who was named MPSF Gymnast of the Week on Jan. 13, was the Hornets’ top overall scorer after the first two meets while competing solely on floor due to the injuries on her left arm. In the season opener, she finished second against San Jose State with a score of 9.775. The Portland, Ore., native competed in her final competition on Jan. 12 vs. Cal and led all competitors with a career-high score of 9.875. During competitions, Aeder would tumble with a closed fist to lessen the blow to her injuries.

Petersen, who recovered from a stress fracture on her foot before the season began, dislocated and broke the index finger of her right hand during a bar routine last weekend and may require surgery. The Fresno, Calif., native has competed as an all-arounder in each of her three seasons with the Hornets. She currently holds the program record for all-around with a score of 39.325. Petersen also holds three scores of 9.900 on floor which places her tied for third all-time. In 2002, Petersen captured the all-around, vault and floor titles at the inaugural MPSF Championships on March 23. This season, Petersen was only competing on bars due to the recovery of her foot.

DEPTH HELPS THE CAUSE

With Petersen on the shelf for the remainder of the season, Nirvana Zaher and Kimiye Narasaki have assumed the all-around role for the Hornets along with Binta Coleman.

With Coleman, Narasaki and Zaher, Sacramento State has the most formidable trio since the 1995 season when the Hornet coaching staff used Natalie Cadondon, Lisa Schindler and Rebecca Seebirt.

After competing in three of four meets, Coleman leads the squad with a score of 38.7. Narasaki and Zaher, who each competed in their first collegiate competitions in the event last weekend, have recorded marks of 37.05 and 38.575, respectively.