Air Force Hosts UC Davis in First Home Meet
2/16/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
Feb. 16, 2012
After opening the season with five straight road meets, the Air Force women's gymnastics team finally opens the 2012 home season at the Academy. The Falcons will host Mountain Pacific Sports Federation leader UC Davis on Saturday, Feb. 12, at 2 p.m.
SCOUTING THE COMPETITION
UC Davis currently leads the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation, with an average team score of 191.471. With its highest score of the season (193.875), the Aggies finished third in a home meet with Oregon State and Sacramento State. Katie Yamamura currently leads the conference on the uneven bars (9.779 average) and in the all-around (38.442 average), while Anna Shumaker has the league's best average (9.692) on the floor exercise.
THE LAST TIME UC DAVIS AND AIR FORCE MET
The Aggies hosted the Falcons on Jan. 22 in Davis, Calif., with UC Davis taking a 191.450-185.750 decision. Linnaea Hance won the balance beam and tied for first on the uneven bars during the Falcons' conference opener. Air Force placed three gymnasts within the top four of the uneven bars, as Alexandra Stych and Jessica Wallander finished third and fourth, respectively, behind Hance.
FOLLOW ALONG AT HOME
Live video streaming will be available at www.GoAirForceFalcons.com.
AROUND THE CONFERENCE
Jessica Hanner currently leads the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation on the balance beam, with an average of 9.665. In addition to Hanner, Samantha Jones is ranked sixth in the vault with a 9.625 average, while Jen Larsen and Linnaea Hance are ranked fifth (37.950) and sixth (37.633), respectively, in the all-around.
HAWTHORNE EARNS MPSF HONOR
Katie Hawthorne was named the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Gymnast of the Week on Feb. 14. The sophomore set or matched career-best scores in all four events, as well as the all-around, as the Falcons claimed their first conference win of the season over Alaska. Hawthorne won the all-around (38.500) and tied for first on the uneven bars (9.725) with Linnaea Hance, while taking second on the floor exercise (9.600) and balance beam (9.700).
DUO PACES FALCONS TO WIN OVER ALASKA
Backed by event titles from Linnaea Hance and Katie Hawthorne, the Falcons defeated Alaska in Anchorage on Feb. 12. The Falcons used their second-highest total of the season - 190.875 - to defeat the Seawolves (189.300) and claim their first MPSF win of the season. The pair tied for the top spot on the uneven bars (9.725), while Hance also won the balance beam (9.700) and Hawthorne took first in the all-around (38.500).
DETAILS, DETAILS
With first-place scores of 9.725, Katie Hawthorne and Linnaea Hance paced the Falcons' entire lineup on the uneven bars to finishes within the top six. Jen Larsen scored a 9.650 to finish fourth, while Alexandra Stych finished fifth with a career-best 9.600. Jessica Wallander and Samantha Jones tied for sixth with matching marks of 9.550.
WHAT'S AHEAD FOR THE FALCONS
The Falcons head back out on the road next weekend. Air Force will take on Bridgeport, Eastern Michigan and Rutgers in Piscataway, N.J., on Saturday, Feb. 25.
Players Mentioned
