In Sacramento State’s last competition, the Hornets suffered falls on beam and floor as the Hornets dropped a 193.550-190.675 contest to San Jose State on Feb. 16 at the Hornets Nest. Sacramento State currently ranks ninth in the West Region with an average of 190.307.

Cal (7-3) fell to No. 9 Oregon State, 197.025-194.550, on Feb. 14 at Gill Coliseum. The Golden Bears are fifth in the West Region with an average of 194.125

Washington (6-3) upset No. 8 Stanford by a score of 196.775-196.750 at Bank of America Arena. The Huskies are fourth in the West Region with an average of 195.321.

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 176-166-1, 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 successive 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.

A Look at the Latest Action

Dani Albright and Jennifer Greene each recorded two event titles to lead San Jose State to a 193.550-190.675 win over Sacramento State, on Feb. 16 at the Hornets Nest.

Both squads were evenly matched through two rotations as the Spartans held a slight advantage (96.450-95.425) over the Hornets after vault and bars. Sacramento State then fell three times on beam and twice on floor and was not able to recover.

Sacramento State’s only team win was on vault where the Hornets outscored the Spartans, 48.225-47.925. Sophomore Nirvana Zaher, who returned to action after sitting out with a sore back, placed second on vault with a team-high score of 9.775. Senior Jenny Diamond placed third on the event with a 9.700 while freshman Kimiye Narasaki contributed with a score of 9.650.

Sophomore Jessica Hoffman led the Hornets with career highs on beam (9.525, sixth), bars (9.800, second) and all-around (38.600, third). The Escondido, Calif., native also placed fifth on floor with a 9.725 and tied for seventh on vault with a 9.550.

Sophomore Meloney Greer (9.800) also tied for second on bars to round out the Hornets in the top three while Diamond was tied for fourth on beam (9.625) and Zaher placed fourth on floor (9.800). Narasaki (9.525) and Zaher (9.500) each tallied career high’s on bars.

THE CAL GOLDEN BEARS

Cari DuBois is in her first season at the helm of the gymnastics program after the Golden Bears suffered through an injury-plagued season in which head coach Trina Tinti resigned halfway through the year. DuBois, a 25-year veteran of gymnastics as both a competitor and coach, had spent six years as an assistant coach at West Virginia and three years as an assistant at Cal before returning to the Golden Bears.

Cal is led in event averages by sophomore My-Lan Dodd in the all-around (38.685), freshman Monique Chang on vault, (9.840), sophomore Lauren Shipp on bars (9.862), senior Janet McKnight on beam (9.795) and junior Stephanie Kim on floor (9.835).

The Golden Bears recorded a season-high score of 196.375 in a quad-meet against Boise State, Cal State Fullerton and UC Davis on Feb. 9 at Haas Pavillion.

Earlier this season, the Hornets fell to Cal by a score of 192.920-190.175 on Jan. 12 at the Hornets Nest.

THE WASHINGTON HUSKIES

Bob Levesque is in his 13th season coaching the Huskies and owns a career record of 140-116-1. He has led the Huskies to three NCAA Championships (1994, 1997, 1998) while guiding his squad to an NCAA Regional championship in 1998. For his efforts, Levesque was named Pac-10 coach of the year in 1997 and 1998.

Washington is led in event averages by sophomore Carly Dockendorf in the all-around (39.300), senior Stacy Wong on vault (9.887), junior Emily Prichard on bars (9.900), freshman Christina Paleaz on beam (9.850) and sophomore Tacia LaBatte on floor (9.912).

The Huskies recorded a season-high score of 197.00 in a tri-meet against Arizona and San Jose State on Jan. 24 at Bank of America Arena

The Hornets will be facing the Huskies for the first time since the 2000 season.

TWO HORNETS END THEIR SEASON AND ONE CONTEMPLATING A RETURN

Senior Toni Petersen (finger) and freshman Jamie Donkin (knee) will miss the remainder of the season due to injury, but sophomore Stefanie Aeder (wrist, elbow) may decide to give it a go. Petersen and Donkin will use a medical redshirt to retain their year of competition. Aeder will lose her medical redshirt if she competes on Friday.

Aeder, who was named MPSF Gymnast of the Week on Jan. 13, was the Hornets’ top scorer after the first two meets while competing solely on floor due to the injuries on her left arm. During competitions, Aeder would tumble with a closed fist to lessen the blow to her injuries. Aeder is considering a return to the active squad because her surgery will not be done until April, after the season is over.

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 on Jan. 18 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. In 2002, Petersen captured the all-around, vault and floor titles at the inaugural MPSF Championships on March 23.

Donkin, who had earned a spot on the beam squad, injured the anterior cruciate ligament on her right knee while performing a practice routine on beam. The El Dorado, Calif., native recorded a score of 9.650 in her first collegiate competition on Jan. 26 before suffering the injury.

HORNET NOTABLES

Junior Binta Coleman (ankle) is expected to compete solely on bars on Friday. The Elk Grove, Calif., native has sat out the past two meets with the injury...the Hornet coaching staff will make some changes to the beam squad in order to establish some consistency on the event...freshman Susan Williams is expected to compete in her first collegiate meet on Friday. The Beaverton, Ore., native was a late addition to the squad due to grade conflicts and has only competed in one exhibition so far this season...senior Sarina Williams is scheduled to make her second career competition on beam on Friday.