In Sacramento State’s last competition, the Hornets recorded their second-highest mark of the season with a 191.775, but placed fourth at the Washington quad-meet on Feb. 28 at Bank of America Arena. The 12th-ranked Huskies placed first with a score of 197.050 while ninth-ranked Oregon State (196.475) and Boise State (194.775) rounded out the rest of the field. On March 1, Sacramento State ended its road trip with a 192.025-190.125 loss to Seattle Pacific at Brougham Pavilion.

Last week, Cal State Fullerton defeated Southern Utah, 194.800-192.975, on Feb. 28 at Titan Gym. Senior Kelly Mathiasen broke her own school record in the all-around (39.600) and junior Latoya Milburn erased a 10-year school record in the floor exercise (9.975) to lead the squad.

Last week, San Jose State defeated UC Davis, 194.575-190.575, at Recreation Hall. The Spartans’ score was third highest in school history and was also the highest score recorded by the program on the road.

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.

THE CAL STATE FULLERTON TITANS

Julie Knight is in her fifth season as the Titans’ head coach and has compiled a 41-31 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.

The Titans are led in four of five events by senior all-arounder Kelly Mathiasen. Mathiasen currently leads the squad in all-around (39.075), vault (9.790), bars (9.845), and beam (9.885) while freshman Brittany Hoffman is first on floor with a Regional Qualifying Score of 9.725.

Earlier this season, the Titans defeated the Hornets, 193.125-191.550, on Jan. 26 at the Hornets Nest.

THE SAN JOSE STATE SPARTANS

Wayne Wright is in his second season as the Spartan’s head coach and currently holds a 19-16 record with the program. Wright had previously served as an assistant with Stanford (1997-2001) and San Jose State (1988-1986) before taking over the Spartan program.

San Jose State is led by the all-around trio of seniors Dani Albright and Shirla Choy and sophomore Jennifer Greene. Albright leads the squad on vault with an RQS of 9.790, Choy is first on bars (9.855) and all-around (38.850) and Greene leads all Spartans with a 9.735 on beam. Albright and Greene are both tied for the top spot on floor with a 9.850.

San Jose State is 2-0 against the Hornets this season after victories at Spartan Gym (191.300-187.275) on Jan. 10 and at the Hornets Nest (193.550-190.675) on Feb. 16.