Parenti and Lewis Going to North Central Regionals

LOGAN, Utah -- While Utah State's gymnastics team did not qualify for the NCAA regionals, two Aggies have made the meet as all-around competitors, while three others are alternates in individual events.

Jessica Parenti and Meagan Lewis have both qualified as two of the five individual all-arounders in the North Central Regional, which will be contested at Ames, Iowa on April 8 at 6 p.m.

Rachael Mandy is the alternate on the vault, while Alex Martin is the alternate on the uneven bars and Brittany Price is the alternate on the balance beam.

 Parenti, a senior from Glendora, Calif., will be making her third straight regional appearance as she was 16th in 2003 with a 37.975 all-around score and scored a 38.100 last year.

 Last week she won the bars and finished second on the vault and in the all-around at the Western Athletic Conference Championships. Parenti scored a 9.875 on the bars, while scoring a 9.850 on the vault and a 39.050 in the all-around.

 Parenti has competed in the all-around in every meet this season for the Aggies, competing in 52 events in all. She currently has the highest season average in every event for the Aggies with a 9.725 on vault, 9.740 on bars, 9.576 on beam, 9.690 on floor and a 38.730 in the all-around. Her all-around RQS ranks 38th nationally.

 Lewis, a junior from Las Vegas, Nev. tied for 11th in the all-around at the WAC Championships with a 38.225. Her best individual scores were a 9.775 on the vault, which tied her for ninth and a 9.725 on the beam, which tied her for 10th. She recorded a season high all-around score of 39.175 against Sacramento State in February.

 Lewis did not compete at the regional meet last year due to injuries, but finished ninth in the all-around with a 38.875 in 2003.

 Teams competing in the North Central Region, include host Iowa State, Arizona State, Arizona, Denver, Minnesota and Brigham Young. All-Around competitors in addition to Parenti and Lewis, includes Sheena Shaw and Leah Sakhitab from Southern Utah and Iowa's Liz Grajewski.

Individual Notes

Jessica Parenti (Pa-ren-tee) Senior, Glendora, Calif. (Glendora High School)

2006 Senior Season
* Finished second in the all-around at the Western Athletic Conference Championships with a 39.050.
* WAC bars champion with a 9.875.
* Second-place finish on vault at the WAC Championships with a 9.850.
* Competed in the all-around in every meet in 2005 for the Aggies, competing in 52 events in all.
* Claimed 15 event titles in 2006.
* Held the highest season average in every event for the Aggies with a 9.725 on vault, 9.740 on bars, 9.576 on beam, 9.690 on floor and a 38.730 in the all-around.
* Recorded a 9.900 on beam against Washington, the highest in the WAC in 2006.
* Scored the highest all-around score in the WAC against Sacramento State with a 39.275.
* WAC Gymnast of the Week for the Week of Jan. 16.
* Two-time Utah State Athlete of the Week.

2005 Junior Season
* All-around champion at the Western Gymnastics Conference Championship with a 39.025.
* Finished third on the bars at the WGC Championship with a 9.800.
* Scored a 38.100 in the all-around at the North Central Regional Championships.
* Had a season average 9.815 on beam, the highest average ever for an Aggie.
* Recorded the highest vault score ever by an Aggie with a  9.950 against California.
* WGC Athlete of the Week for the week of Feb. 21
* Named Utah State Athlete of the Week twice.

2004 Sophomore Season
* Redshirted due to injury

2003 Freshman Season
* Finished 16th in the all-around at regionals with a 37.975.
* Finished 2003 with a season average 38.993 on the floor.
* Scored better than 39.00 in the all-around in nine consecutive meets, a Utah State record.
* Had 17 top-three finishes during the season and six event titles.