Air Force Opens Season Friday at Utah State
1/7/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
The Air Force women's gymnastics team opens the 2015 season this Friday (Jan. 9), when it travels to Utah State. The meet, which will be held at the Aggies' Dee Glenn Smith Spectrum, is slated to begin at 7:00 p.m.
SCOUTING THE COMPETITION
Utah State, which is receiving votes in the GymInfo Preseason Poll, returns 16 letterwinners from a squad that finished fifth at the Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference Championships and earned the program's first NCAA Regional Championship appearance since 2007. Included in Utah State's returning roster are three all-conference honorees in Sarah Landes, Michelle Yasukochi and Bailey McIntire. Overall, the Aggies hold an 11-1 all-time record against the Falcons.
CHECKING THE CALENDAR
The Falcons will host four meets this season at the newly-renovated Cadet West Gym, beginning with a dual meet against Seattle Pacific on Jan. 24. Air Force will also host Texas Woman's University (Feb. 7) and Cortland State (Feb. 14), before closing out the season against Alaska-Anchorage and Denver on March 9. Air Force will also travel to Utah State (Jan. 9), Auburn (Jan. 30), Illinois State (Feb. 20), Seattle Pacific (Feb. 27), Denver (March 7) and Arizona State (March 13), before heading to Alaska and Penn for postseason competition.
LEADING THE WAY
The 2015 squad is led by four seniors, including team captain Lindsay Ebel, Kim McRobbie, Al Stych and Jessica Wallander.
WELCOME TO THE SHOW
Air Force welcomed four talented freshmen to its roster for the 2015 season with the addition of Casey Bell (The Woodlands, Texas), Chelsea Grimison (Orlando, Fla.), Jamie Lewis (Plano, Texas) and Julia Sebben (Monroe, Conn.).
ON THE SIDELINE
Doug Day returns to the gym for his ninth season as the Falcons' head coach. Day, a three-time MPSF Coach of the Year and a two-time North Central Region Coach of the Year, will be joined on the sideline by fifth-year assistant coach and 2011 MPSF Assistant Coach of the Year. The pair will also be assisted by military coach 2Lt Ryan Bohdel and volunteer coach Sierra Day.
A QUICK LOOK BACK AT THE 2014 SEASON
The Air Force women's gymnastics team had a memorable campaign, recording nine of the 11 highest scores since Doug Day became the program's coach in 2007. Highlighted by a Day era-best score of 195.300, two additional scores of over 194 points and an Academy-record 49.300 on the uneven bars, the Falcons improved their overall score in every regular-season competition. Air Force earned 12 USAG All-America awards and six all-conference selections, while Day was named the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Coach of the Year and the North Central Coach of the Year by the National Association of Collegiate Gymnastics Coaches (Women).
WHAT'S AHEAD FOR THE FALCONS
Air Force is off from competition until Saturday, Jan. 24, when it opens the home portion of its season against Seattle Pacific.
Players Mentioned
