HANSEN LEADS GYMNASTICS TO SECOND PLACE FINISH; HUGHES, McCARTNEY HONORED AT WAC CHAMPIONSHIPS
3/24/2012
Kailey Hansen finished first on both beam and floor to help the Hornets to their best score of the season.
LOGAN, Utah —Kailey Hansen finished first on beam and floor to help lead the Sacramento State gymnastics team to a second place showing at the Western Athletic Conference Championships on Saturday at Utah State.
The Hornets scored their second highest score in program history — 195.675 — and trailed only 18th ranked Denver which won the meet at 196.350. Southern Utah scored 195.025 to finish third and was followed by San Jose State (194.800) and Utah State (194.775).
Following the meet Sacramento State head coach Kim Hughes was named the WAC Coach of the Year. Hughes led a team, which was picked to finish last in the conference's preseason poll, to one of the highest scoring seasons in program history. The 31-year veteran also earned his 300th career victory at the meet.
Kalliah McCartney also took home some hardware from the meet, earning WAC Freshman of the Year. McCartney was an all-arounder in every meet during the season and set the school record in the all-around last weekend at San Jose State. At the WAC Championships, McCartney tied for third with a four-event total of 39.350 which is tied for the second highest in school history.
"I'm so happy for the team," Hughes said. "We came out tonight and performed when the pressure was on."
Sacramento State opened the meet on floor and posted 48.950 to get off to a good start. Hansen anchored the lineup with a 9.900 which held throughout the meet to win the event title. McCartney tied for ninth at 9.825 and Cayla Beutler tied for 18th with a 9.775.
The Hornets moved to vault during the second rotation and scored 48.800. The team counted five scores between 9.650 and 9.875. McCartney tied for third overall in the event with a career-high tying 9.875. Nicole Meiller tied for fifth at 9.825 and Hansen tied for 12th at 9.750.
Sacramento State remained within striking distance of Denver with a 48.825 on bars during its third rotation. Meiller tied for fourth after matching her career best with a 9.875. Freshmen Ashley Wooff, Kayla Wonderly and McCartney each tied for 15th with 9.750s.
The Hornets closed out the meet with a 49.100 on beam to secure the second place finish. The team score is tied for the third highest in program history and was the highest of the year. Three Hornets finished among the top five led by Hansen who won with a career high 9.925. The sophomore became the first Hornet to win two WAC titles in the same meet in school history. McCartney tied for second and matched her high with a 9.900. Cayla Beutler, who shared the WAC beam title in 2010, tied for fifth after scoring a season best 9.850.
San Jose State's Thomasina Wallace, who was named the conference's Gymnast of the Year, won the all-around with a 39.400. Moriah Martin of Denver scored 39.375 to finish second just ahead of McCartney and fellow DU teammate Melodi Pulgarin Linero who tied for third.
Denver's Melodie Pulgarin Linero and Moriah Martin each scored 9.900 to share the vault title. Alyssa Click of Southern Utah won bars with a 9.925.
The meet was the final team competition for Sacramento State this season. The Hornets ended the year on a high note, scoring at least 194.400. Several individuals will compete at the upcoming NCAA West Regional in Seattle.
2012 WAC Gymnastics Championship
March 24, 2012
Team Results
1. Denver - 196.350 2. Sacramento State - 195.675
3. Southern Utah - 195.025
4. San Jose State - 194.800
5. Utah State - 194.775
All-Around
1. Thomasina Wallace, San Jose State - 39.400
2. Moriah Martin, Denver - 39.375 3. Kalliah McCartney, Sacramento State - 39.350
3. Melodie Pulgarin Linero, Denver - 39.350
5. Ellese Sakai-Hart, Denver - 39.225
6. Sarah Landes, Utah State - 39.125
Vault
1. Moriah Martin, Denver - 9.900
1. Melodie Pulgarin Linero, Denver - 9.900 3. Kalliah McCartney, Sacramento State - 9.875
3. Ellese Sakai-Hart, Denver - 9.875
5. Kaitlyn Betts, Utah State - 9.825 5. Nicole Meiller, Sacramento State - 9.825
5. Thomasina Wallace, San Jose State - 9.825
5. Simona Castro, Denver - 9.825
Bars
1. Alyssa Click, Southern Utah - 9.925
2. Thomasina Wallace, San Jose State - 9.900
2. Louise Mercer, Denver - 9.900 4. Nicole Meiller, Sacramento State - 9.875
4. Simona Castro, Denver - 9.875
4. Moriah Martin, Denver - 9.875
Floor Exercise 1. Kailey Hansen, Sacramento State - 9.900
2. Sarah Landes, Utah State - 9.875
2. Louise Mercer, Denver - 9.875
2. Katie Vallueau, San Jose State - 9.875
2. Thomasina Wallace, San Jose State - 9.875
2. Louise Mercer, Denver - 9.875
6. Christina Nye, Utah State - 9.850
6. Moriah Martin, Denver - 9.850
6. Melodie Pulgarin Linero, Denver - 9.850
Gymnast of the Year: Thomasina Wallace, San Jose State Freshman of the Year: Kalliah McCartney, Sacramento State
Coach of the Year: Kim Hughes, Sacramento State
