The Cougars complete their regular season this week when they host Southern Utah Thursday at the Marriott Center before traveling to Salt Lake for a meet with Utah on Saturday. Thursday’s 7 p.m. meet will be tape-delayed on KBYU channel 11 at 10:35 p.m. Holly Rowe and Liz Crandall will call the action. Saturday’s meet will be televised on KJZZ channel 14 at 7 p.m.

COUGAR TENTATIVE LINE-UP
 

Floor	Beam
Hilary Johnson Heidi Beck Kelly Parkinson Jeni Thomas Kim Little Natalie Broekman	Hilary Johnson Heidi Beck Jeni Thomas Kelly Parkinson Kim Little Natalie Broekman
Vault	Bars
Jeni Thomas Hilary Johnson Jessica Nelson Kelly Parkinson Natalie Broekman Kim Little	Jeni Thomas Kim Little Mindi Hilton Kelly Parkinson Natalie Broekman Leah Jacobs

Series vs. Southern Utah: 

BYU is 20-0 against Southern Utah, including a 194.225 to 192.575 win in Cedar City in the Cougars’ last meet. BYU competed against SUU twice last year, racking up two big wins. On Feb. 26, 1998, the Cougars scored a solid 194.625 to SUU’s 191.900. On March 18, 1998, the Cougars earned their high mark of the season, beating SUU 195.050-192.700. The season-best score included a school-record 49.275 on bars.

BYU’s last meet with SUU: 

Tying their second-highest mark of the season, the injury-depleted BYU women's gymnastics team scored 194.225 points to defeat Southern Utah (192.575) and earn its first dual meet win of the year. Natalie Broekman won the all-around with 39.275 points, taking first on bars (9.825) and tying for first on floor (9.900) and beam (9.825) in the process. Senior Leah Jacobs landed the fourth first-place finish for the Cougars, tying with Broekman on bars with a score of 9.825. SUU's Suzi Clark placed second in the all-around with 38.875 points and BYU's Kim Little tied with SUU's Tamara Turley for third. Little placed third on floor (9.875) and bars (9.800) and tied for second on vault (9.725) to earn a total of 38.775 points. Two other Cougars, Broekman and freshman Jeni Thomas, tied with Little for second place on vault.

Series vs. Utah: 

BYU has a 2-59 record against Utah, including a 195.150 - 192.00 loss in the Marriott Center this year. One of BYU’s two wins (other 1994) took place last year in Provo as the Cougars outscored the Utes 196.050 to 195.975. Utah won the meet in Salt Lake, 196.825 - 194.875 and also edged the Cougars in post season competition last year, 195.575 - 195.500.

BYU’s last meet with Utah: The Utes defeated the Cougars (195.150 - 192.00) in the Marriott Center Jan. 29 in BYU’s second meet of the year. BYU freshman Kelly Parkinson won the all-around title with a 38.975, her best score of the year (having only competed in three all-around events because of injury). The Utes topped the Cougars after every rotation with a Utah gymnast winning each individual event to help the Utes walk away with the win.

QUOTES FROM THE COACH

“We’ve competed against both Southern Utah and Utah already this season, so we know what we’re up against with both teams. Utah is very impressive this year–as good as I’ve seen them in a long time. Of course, we want to be able to beat both these teams, but our main focus will be on scoring well. We want our best possible scores so that we can qualify for Regionals.” 
         – BYU Coach Brad Cattermole

ITEMS TO NOTE:

Healthy Broekman helps BYU: 

Since coming back to all-around competition from an ankle injury three meets ago, senior Natalie Broekman has proven why she was so dearly missed early in the year – winning the all-around in each of the three events. Even though her ankle is still not 100 percent, she scored 39.075 vs. Utah State,  39.175 vs. Nebraska and set a career-high  39.275 vs. Southern Utah. All three totals bettered her previous high of 39.00. She has scored particularly well on the floor in the last two meets, earning a career-high 9.90 in both meets. 

Parkinson likely to return: 

Freshman Kelly Parkinson is expected to return to all-around competition for the first time since the Cat Classic on Feb. 5. Her return should be a big boost for the Cougars. The freshman was BYU’s top all-around performer early in the year with Natalie Broekman only competing on bars because of injury and top all-arounder Denice Pauga out for the season injured. Parkinson was the Cougars’ top all-arounder in each of the first three meets, which included an all-around win vs. Utah with a career high of 38.975. She has only been able to compete on bars since being injured on her first vault of the Utah State meet on Feb. 19th.

Little has been big for Cougars: Kim Little may not have expected to carry such a big load for BYU this season but the sophomore from Fremont, Calif., has become the Cougars’ most dependable all-around gymnast. Because of injuries, Little has been the only Cougar to compete in every event at every meet. She scored a career-high 39.375 while coming close to a BYU all-around record (39.450 - Angela Anderson) to win the all-around vs. Utah State. 

Injury Situation: 

Top three all-arounders have all been injured: Denice Pauga (out for year); Natalie Broekman (recently returned);Kelly Parkinson (now returning); as well as bars specialist  Mindi Hilton (now returning). Beam and floor worker Erin Johanson is the latest casualty, having knee surgery this week. 

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