Utah State Gymnastics Returns Home to Host No. 11 Boise State

Fresh off its highest score of the season, Utah State’s [University] gymnastics team is back home Friday, Feb. 26.

The Aggies (4-5, 2-1 Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference) welcome Boise State (8-0, 3-0) to the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum for the team’s annual Alumni Meet, which is slated to begin at 7 p.m.

“They are great and I think our team will rise to the challenge,” third-year head coach Nadalie Walsh said of facing the Broncos. “We have equally as good gymnastics, but they have a little bit more of a reputation. In the sport of gymnastics, you have to prove yourself over and over to those judges before they don’t feel afraid to give you the benefit of the doubt, and Boise State will get the benefit of the doubt because they are great.

“But, it’s our arena and our girls are used to hitting. We don’t make a lot of mistakes, so it’s just going to be a matter of doing all the little details as well as possible.”

Utah State comes into the meet fresh off a 195.475-195.150 victory at BYU last Friday night [Feb. 19, 2016]. The Aggies led after each rotation en route to their third straight win over the Cougars in Provo.

“It was so much fun last Friday competing at BYU,” said senior Michelle Yasukochi, who had a 9.775 on vault. “Our team hit like crazy, we did a great job and everyone looked super confident, which was great to see. It was just even better beating the Cougars on their home turf.”

A contingent of former Aggie gymnasts will be in attendance at Friday’s meet to take part in the annual Alumni Night festivities.

“It means a lot because those alumni have done all the hard work to build the program, especially for the girls that come back that I have coached,” Walsh said. “It’s exciting for me. Yes, Ray Corn was here for 30 years and he has a huge list of alumni, but those are my girls and they’re the ones that started the program with me. I love seeing them in the stands and I’m excited to recognize them after the meet.”

At the conclusion of the meet, fans are encouraged to remain in their seats as all the alumni in attendance will be asked to come down to the floor, where they will be recognized.

Boise State comes into the meet fresh off a 196.300-194.675 victory at home against Ohio State last weekend. The Broncos have reached the 196-point plateau in five consecutive meets.

Boise State is led by senior Krystine Jacobsen, who has an average score of 39.125 in the all-around. She is tied for seventh nationally on bars (9.895 RQS), an event she has won in five of the Broncos’ six meets this season. Against the Buckeyes, Jacobsen recorded a 9.975 on bars.

Utah State is 54-38 all-time against Boise State, including 26-9 at home, 17-13 on the road and 11-15 at a neutral site.

For USU gymnastics ticket information, contact the USU Ticket Office at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum, by phone by calling 1-888-USTATE-1 or (435) 797-0305, or online 24 hours a day at www.UtahStateAggies.com.

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