The Sacramento State gymnastics team will compete in the first of two meets against San Jose State on Friday, Jan. 28, at Spartan Gym. The meet is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. The two teams will then face each other one week later in Sacramento on Feb. 4.

The Hornets come into the week with a 3-5 overall record after finishing third in a four-team meet hosted by UCLA on Jan. 23. Sacramento State sat in second place for most of the meet before slipping to third during its final rotation. The Hornets scored 190.375 and were just edged by Cal (191.175). Cal State Fullerton finished fourth.

San Jose State is a perfect 2-0 with wins over Cal State Fullerton and Seattle Pacific. The Spartans have been consistent in their two meets, scoring 191.575 and 190.850. SJSU is led by sophomore Greta Leach who currently leads the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation on beam and all-around (38.725). Senior Jennifer Greene is tied for second on the floor (9.900).

Overall, the schools have been the top two teams in the MPSF since the league’s inception three season ago. Sacramento State won the first two MPSF titles before falling to SJSU last season.

• Head Coach Kim Hughes

In his 25th 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 201-189-2, Hughes led the Hornets to back-to-back MPSF Championships in 2002 and 2003 before finishing second last season. He also directed Sacramento State to consecutive Western Independent Championships in 2000 and 2001. In 2002, Sacramento State 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. Those statistics helped Hughes earn the MPSF Coach of the Year award.

In 2004, Hughes led the team to its two best scores in school history. The top mark of 195.875 came at the Salbasgeon Suites Invitational at Oregon State. The team also set program records on the vault, beam and floor last 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 honor 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.

• Leading the Way

Sacramento State has shown its potential to be the best team in the MPSF with some strong performances this season. The Hornets currently own the highest score by any MPSF school with a 192.275. The team also has recorded the highest score on vault (48.975), bars (48.375) and floor (48.750). Beam is the only event in which Sacramento State does not rank first in the league. That event is led by SJSU with a 48.250.

Individually, senior Jessica Hoffman paces the league with a 9.875 on vault. Freshman Nicole Giao ranks second with a 9.825, senior Nirvana Zaher is third at 9.800 and senior Meloney Greer is tied for fourth with a 9.775. On bars, freshman Alexis Tsurumoto leads the league and Greer is second with 9.850 and 9.800, respectively. On beam, senior Stefanie Aeder is second with a 9.800 and junior Kimiye Narasaki is tied for third at 9.775. Aeder and Hoffman are also both ranked on floor. Aeder is first with a 9.925 and Hoffman is fifth at 9.825.

• Welcome Addition

The Hornets will have one more option this week as freshman Amber Basgall is slated to join the team. Basgall missed the first four meets of the year due to academics. A native of Turlock, Calif., she will compete on bars this week, either in the lineup or as an exhibition. She is third member of a talented freshmen class which includes Melissa Genovese and Giao. Genovese is already a fixture in the Hornet lineup on vault and beam and Giao has also competed on vault and floor. The three true freshman are also joined by Tsurumoto who redshirted last season. This year, Tsurumoto has won a pair of bars competitions.

• Nice Surprise

Prior to the season, no one expected Carrie Kinghorn to compete as an all-arounder. However, injuries and some academic issues forced the junior into all four events prior to the first meet and she has responded well. The Salem, Ore., native scored a career-high 38.150 against Brown to win the all-around title. This year, she has also established career highs in vault and floor.

This week, Kinghorn will be used on three events (all but beam) as the Hornets will go without an all-arounder for the first time this season.

• Staying Steady

Through the first four meets of the season, Sacramento State has had its problems staying on beam. One gymnast who has been rock solid, however, has been Narasaki. The Richmond, Calif., native has hit all three of her routines scoring 9.775, 9.725 and 9.575 in her three competitions. The year did not start well for Narasaki as she was scratched from the beam lineup in the season-opening meet at Cal State Fullerton after lacerating her toe.

Probable Starting Lineup (* indicates all-arounder)

Vault

1. Kelly Turner

2. Melissa Genovese

3. Carrie Kinghorn

4. Nicole Giao

5. Jessica Hoffman

6. Nirvana Zaher

Bars

1. Sara Williams

2. Carrie Kinghorn

3. Kimiye Narasaki

4. Jessica Hoffman

5. Meloney Greer

6. Alexis Tsurumoto

Beam

1. Hava McCarter-Ribakoff

2. Stefanie Aeder

3. Trista Condren

4. Kimiye Narasaki

5. Nicole Giao

6. Melissa Genovese

Floor

1. Trista Condren

2. Carrie Kinghorn

3. Jessica Hoffman

4. Nicole Giao

5. Nirvana Zaher

6. Stefanie Aeder