Air Force Academy

Jan. 30, 2007

The Air Force women's gymnastics team finally opens the home portion of the 2007 season this weekend (Feb. 2-4), hosting a pair of contests against Mountain Pacific Sports Federation foes. The Falcons welcome Seattle-Pacific to Cadet West Gym on Friday (Feb. 2) at 7 p.m., before closing out the weekend with UC-Davis on Sunday (Feb. 4) at 2 p.m.

Weekly Release 03 - Seattle-Pacifc and UC-Davis
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SCOUTING THE FALCONS: Air Force is coming off of a third-place finish at Pittsburgh...the Falcons improved all individual scores, while also bettering the team totals in all four events...Air Force increased its team total by more than five points to score a 184.925...Kayla Kincade is ranked second in the league with a 9.650 average on the balance beam.

SCOUTING THE (OTHER) FALCONS: Seattle-Pacific has recorded the best average in the conference on the balance beam and floor exercise...Debra Huss has the league's best average on the balance beam (9.662), floor exercise (9.787) and all-around (38.625)...in addition, SPU gymnasts hold five of top seven averages in the MPSF...most recently, the Falcons finished fourth at a home quadrangular, scoring a combined total of 189.975.

SCOUTING THE AGGIES: As a team, UC-Davis currently leads the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation in the vault, uneven bars and combined score...freshman Tanya Ho, who has won the vault title at all three of the Aggies meets, leads the conference with a 9.842 average on that event...teammate Lida Gehlen leads the MPSF on the uneven bars with a mark of 9.717...the Aggies most recently scored a total of 189.675 to place third in the Cal State Fullerton quadrangular.

MAKING IMPROVEMENT: Air Force improved its season-best team score by over five points (184.925) and significantly bettered all of its individual scores. In fact, the Falcons wiped out all of its previous "Top Individual Marks" list.

HAPPY HOMECOMING: Pennsylvania natives Abigail Rogers and Sashonna Iwaniec had a stellar night in their homecoming. The duo tied for the team's best finish of the night, as they scored matching 9.575 marks on the floor exercise to tie for sixth. Rogers also posted a team-best 9.525 on the vault to finish eighth, while Iwaniec led the Falcons on the uneven bars behind an 11th-place score of 9.350. In addition, Iwaniec won the all-Air Force all-around with a score of 36.975, while Rogers finished a close second with 36.725 points.

THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME: Sophomore Abigail Rogers and senior Sashonna Iwaniec had the opportunity to compete close to home last weekend, as the Falcons embarked on a trip to Pennsylvania. A Pittsburgh native, Rogers attended Seneca Valley High School and competed at the GymSport Gymnastics Club. Iwaniec, who grew up about an hour away in Ligonier, graduated from Ligonier Valley High School, while competing at X-Cel Gymnastics Club. It was the second straight week that the Falcons competed near the hometown of one of their own. Air Force opened the season at Denver, which is just minutes away from Kayla Kincade's hometown of Lakewood.

ONE WEEK-ONE HONOR: Air Force freshman Michelle Denise was named Gymnast of the Week, by the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation for the week ending Jan. 15. Denise tallied the team's top scores on the vault (9.200) and floor (9.300), while accounting for the second-highest score on the uneven bars (9.200).

WELCOME TO THE SHOW: A quartet of newcomers tied for the Falcons' top score on the vault. Freshmen Michelle Denise, Emily Darone and Kayla Kincade all scored a 9.200 on the apparatus to place seventh, along with sophomore newcomer Abigail Rogers.

LEAVE IT TO THE YOUNGSTERS: In addition to posting a team-best score on the vault, Michelle Denise matched the Falcons' best individual event placement of the night, as she finished sixth on the floor exercise with a team-high 9.300. Denise also recorded the Falcon's second-best score on the uneven bars at 9.200. Emily Darone also tallied multiple team-high scores, posting Air Force's highest scores on the uneven bars (9.250) and all-around (36.525). Darone finished seventh in the uneven bars, while tallying a second-place placement in the all-around.

BEHIND THE BENCH: The Falcons welcome first-year head coach Doug Day and first-year assistant coach Capt. Nelle Barriteau to the bench. Remaining with the program is Holly Tedeschi, who brings stability to the coaching staff, having spent seven seasons with the squad.

COMING UP:

Up next for the Falcons is a four-week road trip that will take them back-and-forth across the country. Air Force begins this excursion on Saturday, Feb. 10, when it travels to Columbus, Ohio, to take on Ohio State. The Falcons and Buckeyes, who are currently ranked 19th in the country and second in the Big 10, are slated to face off at 7 p.m., in St. John Arena.