The No. 1-ranked University of Utah women's gymnastics team will get a good chance to compare itself to its top competition, No. 2 Georgia, tonight at 5:30 MST when the Utes meet sixth-ranked Penn State in the Rec Hall.
Penn State opened its season with a 192.9-184.4 home loss to Georgia a week ago. The Lady Lions then defeated Towson State on the road 191.05-189.35 Sunday.The Utes (3-0) posted their highest-ever season-opening total Monday, 194.0, in beating BYU, Utah State and Southern Utah in the Huntsman Center.
The last time Utah met the Lions at Penn State was 1981, which was the last time Penn State beat the Utes. That was the year Utah won its first national championship, then in the old AIAW. Penn State had dominated the sport in the late 1970s and in 1980. "Now they are re-emerging as a national power," says Ute coach Greg Marsden, in his 16th season with the U.
He and Penn State's Judi Avener (17th season) have been at their schools longer than any other women's collegiate gymnastics coaches.
Marsden says the Utes requested 53 tickets for the meet, "so we'll have at least that many fans back there. We have so many kids from the East Coast (Kristen Kenoyer from Maine, Suzanne Metz from Florida, Tracy Richard from Pennsylvania) it gives their relatives a chance to see them. Plus, we recruit that area, so it's nice to get some exposure back there."