Shannon Coughlin Captures Floor Title as T-Birds Fall at Boise State

Women's Gymnastics 1/6/2011 5:40:00 PM SUU Strategic Communication

SUU Gymnastics Begins 2011 Season at Utah State on Friday Night

This Week:     At Utah State
    Logan, Utah
    Dee Glen Smith Spectrum Arena
    7:00 p.m.

Livestats:    Available online at www.suutbirds.com
    Also available online at www.utahstateaggies.com

Live video:    Available online at www.utahstateaggies.com
    $9.95 fee to view the feed

About SUU: Southern Utah University (0-0, 0-0) will kick off its 2011 campaign this Friday at Utah State. The Thunderbirds will enter the season as the defending Western Athletic Conference champions and the highest pre-season ranking in recent years (No. 20).

SUU will have a wealth of leadership at its disposal as the T-Bird roster features five seniors and three juniors. Bailey Pendley (formerly Baker) and Lindsey Schultz are included in those numbers and will bring five years of experience after both were awarded a fifth year of eligibility because of medical hardships.

The Thunderbird roster also includes the 2010 WAC Freshman of the Year, Alyssa Click and the reigning WAC beam champion in fellow sophomore Caitlin Kennedy. In addition to those title, SUU also returns four all-WAC performers.
About Utah State: Utah State (0-0, 0-0) returns eight letter winners from the 2010 roster with the team recording its best finish at the WAC Championships in five years, finishing third. The roster is highlighted by seniors and NCAA Regional qualifiers Lyndsie Boone and Jackie Dillion who will also serve as team captains.

Defending the trophy: Southern Utah will enter the 2011 season as the defending Western Athletic Conference champions after capturing the trophy for the first time in school history in 2010.

Defending the titles: Sophomore Caitlin Kennedy will also enter the season with a chance to defend her conference title on beam. The Temple, Texas native scored a 9.875 on the event to take the title in 2010.

Departed Seniors: The Thunderbirds will be without departed seniors Melissa Johnson and Elise Wheeler in 2011. The pair will leave behind much to be missed, as Johnson capture the WAC vault title last year. Wheeler was a three-time All-American in 2009, two-time WAC Gymnast of the Year and the 2010 North Central Region Gymnast of the Year.

Injury bug bites early: Senior and team captain Jenna Vogt will be out for the 2011 campaign after tearing her Achilles tendon three weeks before the season was set to begin.

Teacher and student: The meet on Friday will pit SUU head coach Scott Bauman against one of his former assistants in current USU head coach Jeff Richards. Richards coached with Bauman in Cedar City from 1991-98.

Preseason poll: Southern Utah University has been picked second in the annual pre-season poll as voted upon by the conference coaches, earning two first-place votes and trailing conference favorite Boise State by one point.

WAC Preseason Coaches Poll
1.     Boise State (4)    23
2.     Southern Utah (2)    22
3.     San Jose State    14
4.     Utah State    13
        Sacramento State    13
6.     Cal State Fullerton    5

Follow the Thunderbirds online: SUU gymnastics fans can follow the team online at www.suutbirds.com, via facebook (facebook.com/Southern-Utah-Thunderbirds) and on twitter (twitter.com/SUUThunderbirds)

For the complete release, please click on the link at the top of the page.

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