GYMNASTICS TO FACE BOISE STATE, SOUTHERN UTAH IN FRIDAY TRI

Hornets competing in their second three-team meet in as many weeks

OPENING PASS

The Sacramento State gymnastics team will cross into the second half of the regular season this week as the Hornets compete in a three-team meet hosted by Boise State on Friday, Feb. 16, at 6 p.m. PT. Along with the facing the 33rd-ranked Broncos, Sacramento State will also take on Southern Utah for the first of three meets in five weeks.
Following this week's meet, the Hornets will be home for three consecutive meets, three of the final five regular season meets and four of the team's final six overall meets. Sacramento State most recently scored 194.475 to finish third in a three-team meet hosted by Air Force last Friday.
Links to live stats and a video stream for this week's meet can be found on hornetsports.com.

OPPONENT PREVIEW

Boise State is coming off a loss at Southern Utah last Friday. The Broncos were led by Emily Lopez who won bars with a season-best 9.950 and tied for first on floor with a 9.875. Courtney Blackson finished first on vault after scoring 9.950. On the year, Emily Muhlenhaupt averages 9.864 on bars and 9.786 on beam to lead the team. Blackson has the highest average on vault (9.828) while Tatum Bruden leads the team on floor (9.875).
Tina Bird is in her 17th year as head coach of the Broncos and her 34th overall with the program. Boise State leads the all-time series against the Hornets, 21-7, and has won the last 15 meetings. The last Sacramento State win in Boise came on Feb. 10, 2002.
Southern Utah rallied for a 196.275-196.150 home win over Boise State last Friday. The Flippin' Birds were led by freshman Niya Randolph who tallied 39.325 in the all-around. SUU is currently one spot out of the top 36 with a season average 195.600. Ellie Cacciola owns team-best averages of 9.829 on vault and 9.862 on beam. Isabella Neff leads the team on bars (9.871) and Randolph on floor (9.846).
Scotty Bauman is in his 33rd year as the head coach at SUU. The T-Birds lead the all-time series, 13-7.

A LOOK AT LATEST ACTION

Sacramento State found itself in an early deficit after the first rotation after counting a fall on beam but was nearly able to fight its way back before finishing with a score of 194.475 to place third behind Air Force (194.875) and Southeast Missouri (194.575) last Friday. The Hornets started the meet with a 49.175 on beam but followed with a team score of 48.700 on both floor and vault and ended with a season-high 48.900 on bars. Emma Morgenthaler (39.075) and Sarah Lutrel (39.025) each set season highs in the all-around. Lutrel also won beam and Kara Houghton set or tied career bests in each of her three events.

A LONG TIME COMING

Sacramento State will unveil a new training facility early in the 2024 season. The building, which is located on Folsom Blvd. and is within walking distance of campus, will be mark the first time the Hornets will have access to its own facility in school history.
The training site will have a full size competition floor and several sets of the other apparatus. The facility is expected to open in February 2024.

A NIGHT TO REMEMBER

Kara Houghton's performance at Air Force last Friday will be tough to beat in her career. The sophomore set or tied career bests in all three of her events and also finished in the top four in each. Houghton began the night with a 9.775 on beam which bettered her previous best of 9.750 which came last season in a quad meet hosted by Cal. She then tied for the team lead and finished in third place overall with a 9.875 on floor. The routine was her first on floor this season and topped her mark of 9.850 against Air Force at home in 2023. Houghton closed her night with a career-high tying 9.875 on bars which gave her second place in the meet.
Houghton currently leads the team with an average of 9.808 on bars. She has scored 9.700 or better in all six meets and has recorded a score of 9.8-plus in four meets. The Parker, Colo., native is third among Hornets on beam with an average of 9.546. Houghton's previous high this season was 9.725 in the opener at UC Davis. While her floor routine was the first in the lineup this season, Houghton had previously performed exhibitions in four meets. Counting those routines, she is averaging 9.710.

BREAKING ON THROUGH

The duo of Emma Morgenthaler and Sarah Lutrel each totaled over 39 points for the first time this season in the tri-meet at Air Force last Friday. Morgenthaler scored 39.075 and topped 39 points for the 11th time in her career. Against the Falcons and SEMO, she had a high of 9.875 on floor, scored 9.775 on vault and beam and 9.650 on floor.
Lutrel was close behind with a four-event total of 39.025. Her score of 9.825 tied for first place on beam. She also had a 9.775 on vault, 9.750 on bars and 9.675 on floor. Lutrel had scored at least 39 points twice in 2023.

NEWS & NOTES

The team's average of 194.154 is the highest through six meets since the 2016 averaged 194.250.
The Hornets have used 12 gymnasts in their lineup this season with a third of those coming from true freshmen. Athena Jones, Jillianne Lastra and Rose Wilson have been in the lineup in all six meets while Mallory Barron has competed in two. Jones, Lastra and Wilson have been immediate contributors as they all have a score of at least 9.825 on an event this year.