LOGAN, Utah— In a meet expected to be won by the team that performed the cleanest routines on the day, Sacramento State counted just one fall in its final event to win the Western Athletic Conference Championships Saturday afternoon.The Hornets, ranked No. 30 in the nation, posted a 193.950 to hold off No. 28 Boise State (193.775) and No. 25 Southern Utah (193.6).
This is the first year the Hornets have competed as members of the WAC and the first team championship the league has held since 1993.
“We knew this was going to be an exceptionally close meet so you had to stay on to win,” Hughes said. “Our goal was to place in the top three so obviously we surpassed that today.”
In addition to the team title, head coach Kim Hughes -- in his 26th year at the helm of the Hornet program -- picked up WAC Coach of the Year honors and Marina Borisova was named WAC Freshman of the Year.
Borisova posted the lone Hornet individual win on the day with a 9.825 on floor and finished the meet tied for second in the all-around with a 38.875.
For her efforts, she was named to the all-WAC first team for both floor exercise and in the all-around.
After sitting out the first rotation with a bye, the Hornets posted a meet-best 48.775 on floor. Borisova and sophomore Tiffany Bass placed first and second on floor, respectively, with scores of 9.825 and 9.80.
It would be the only event the Hornets would win on the day.
Bass’ second-place finish on floor earned her all-WAC first team honors and senior Carrie Kinghorn’s 9.75 placed her in a six-way tie for fourth place on floor, good enough for all-WAC second team honors.
Competing first on vault for Sacramento State, Kinghorn recorded a season-best 9.65 and senior Brooke Morari posted a team-best 9.825 to help the squad score a 48.625 on the event.
Morari’s mark put her in a three-way tie for third place on vault and earned her all-WAC first team honors.
Sophomore Melissa Genovese, competing first for Sacramento State on uneven bars, posted a 9.625, tying her season-best mark for the event. Sophomore Alexis Tsurumoto paced the Hornets with a team-high 9.725 on bars.
Following her teammate’s lead on the previous two events, senior Trista Condren scored a season-best 9.675 on balance beam as the squad’s first competitor. Genovese scored a team-best 9.775 on beam to finish tied for sixth place at the meet, good enough for all-WAC second-team honors.
FINAL TEAM RESULTS
1. Sacramento State 193.950
2. Boise State 193.775
3. Southern Utah 193.600
4. Utah State 193.100
5. San Jose State 192.800
6. Cal State Fullerton 192.600
