Doug Day and Nelle Barriteau Earn MPSF Coaching Awards
3/29/2010 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
March 29, 2010
WOODLAND, Calif. - Air Force women's gymnastics head coach Doug Day was named the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Coach of the Year, the commissioner's office announced on Monday, March 28. In addition, Nelle Barriteau was voted as the MPSF Assistant Coach of the Year, while three gymnasts accounted for eight all-conference selections.
Day has revitalized the Air Force program during his four years as head coach. The Falcons have soared to new heights this season, crossing the 190-point mark on three occasions. The Falcons, which posted its highest team total in six years - 193.300 - in their final home meet, placed third at last weekend's MPSF Championships with a score of 192.500. Under Day's leadership this year, the six upperclassmen have accounted for career-high marks in 13 different events, including six marks over 9.750 and three over 9.800. In addition, the freshmen class has improved over the season and has already accounted for several team-leading scores.
Barriteau, a former Academy gymnast, is in the middle of her third season as an assistant coach for the Falcons. Barriteau, who previously spent two years (2007-08) as the military assistant for Air Force, returned to the program in October 2009 as a full-time assistant coach. This season, Barriteau has helped the gymnasts set numerous career-best tallies and been an instrumental part of the team's improvement in its overall team scores.
This is the first such honor for both Day and Barriteau.
The MPSF also announced its all-conference selections today, which are based on the gymnasts' regional qualifying scores. Junior Brittany Dutton claimed a team-best four all-conference honors, while sophomore Jenna Dudley earned three and junior Lisa Wong picked up one.
Dutton was the Falcons' lone representative on both the vault (9.690) and uneven bars (9.595). Dutton, who was ranked third in the conference on the vault and fourth on the uneven bars, also claimed a pair of certificates on the floor exercise (9.705, seventh) and all-around (37.725, seventh). Dudley was ranked second in the conference on both the floor exercise (9.740) and all-around (38.455), while ranking eighth on the balance beam (9.640). Dudley was one of two Falcons' represented among the balance beam's top eight, as Wong ranked third with a RQS of 9.655.
