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Sacramento State
Sacramento State is coming into this season with something to prove. Losing four seniors who each had important roles in its lineups will be an obstacle the team has to overcome. With returners like Sarah Lutrel, Kara Houghton, and Athena Jones, in addition to some great newcomers, the Hornets should have a successful 2026.
2025 Rewind
No. 53 overall | No. 3 at MPSF | No. 53 in regular season
Ending its season in third at the MPSF Conference Championships with a score almost three points off number two and the winner Southern Utah was definitely not the ending the Hornets worked for. Though the team scored 193s throughout the year, it improved to the point that it was consistently scoring in the mid 194 to 195 range. With two scores of 195+ preceding this competition, the championship meet was not an accurate indicator of all this team was capable of.
Losses & Gains
| RETURNING |
| Seniors: Kara Houghton, Sarah Lutrel, Rylin Zimmerman |
| Juniors: McKenna Carnesi, Chloe Cohen (R-Jr), Athena Jones, Olivia Schmitt (R-Jr), Hannah Sitzman, Rose Wilson |
| Sophomores: Kaela Copeland, Kaitlyn Driessen, Lexi Frank, Maliyah James, Jillianne Lastra (RS) |
| IN |
| Freshmen: Cadence Gaumont, Kayla Herrera, Kristin Rolfe (RS), Makayla Townsend |
| Transfers: Emily Countryman (SUU, R-Fr) |
| OUT |
| Graduated: Simone Dumas-Guzman (FX), Grace Gilman (VT/BB/FX), Ruby Mach, Emma Morgenthaler (AA) |
| Retired: Summer Hausner |
| INJURY UPDATE |
| Summer Hausner has been unexpectedly removed from the roster. |
Apparatus Deep Dive
Vault
2025 Event Ranking: No. 54 | NQS: 48.730 | Average: 48.592 | High: 48.900
Returning NQS: Sarah Lutrel (9.795), Rylin Zimmerman (9.770), Kaitlen Driessen (9.740), Grace Gilman (9.725), Lexi Frank (9.685)
Other Contributors: Cadence Gaumont, Kristin Rolfe (RS), Makayla Townsend
Bars
2025 Event Ranking: No. 51 | NQS: 48.675 | Average: 48.400 | High: 48.975
Returning NQS: Hannah Sitzman (9.830), Kara Houghton (9.790), Athena Jones (9.710), Maliyah James (9.675), Sarah Lutrel (9.600), Chloe Cohen (9.590),
Other Contributors: Rose Wilson, Cadence Gaumont, Kayla Herrera, Kristin Rolfe (RS), Makayla Townsend
Beam
2025 Event Ranking: No. 41 | NQS: 48.965 | Average: 48.683 | High: 49.075
Returning NQS: Sarah Lutrel (9.830), Athen Jones (9.815), Grace Gilman (9.785), Kaitlyn Driessen (9.780), Kara Houghton (9.745)
Other Contributors: Cadence Gaumont
Floor
2025 Event Ranking: No. 55 | NQS: 48.910 | Average: 48.644 | High: 49.125
Returning NQS: Athena Jones (9.820), Sarah Lutrel (9.795), Kara Houghton (9.750) Grace Gilman (9.740),
Other Contributors: Olivia Schmitt, Cadence Gaumont, Kristin Rolfe (RS)
Records Watch
Team: 196.825 | AA: 39.450 (Kalliah McCartney) | VT: 49.150/9.950 (Kalliah McCartney) | UB: 49.400/9.975 (Kara Houghton) | BB: 49.325/9.950 (Sarah Lutrel) | FX: 49.425/9.950 (Amber Koeth)
Seniors Houghton and Lutrel hold two of the four individual records, both with 9.950+ scores. Many of the other records have stood for years, like the 9.950 on floor that was initially set in 2004 and the 9.950 on vault that was set in 2014. This is a strong team and could be the year Sacramento State bests some of those numbers.
The Big Picture
Losing an impactful senior class can be hard for a team to recover from, but it’s how it fills in these gaps that proves the strength of the team year in and year out. Having to replace eight weekly lineup spots is going to be a challenge, capped off by the loss of all arounder Morgenthaler to graduation. Incoming freshman Gaumont has the potential to be an all arounder this season if she adjusts well to college life. Even with these obstacles, this team has a handful of returning scores on each event that are all solid and it should have a great season. Sacramento State will look to build on the scores it got in the middle of March last season and will want to put its showing at the conference championship in its rearview mirror.
Likely 2026 finish: Third in the MPSF No. 3
Alaska
Alaska is going into this season knowing it could end better than its last team showing, but with a potentially very impactful freshman class, this could be redemption for the Seawolves in 2026.
2025 Rewind
No. 68 overall | No. 4 at MPSF | No. 68 in regular season | WCGNIC semifinals
Alaska got off to a hot start last season with scores trending upward, but lost its momentum in March, dipping two points lower, scoring 190s and 191s for the remainder of the season. Coming in fourth place out of four teams in the MPSF championships by over two points, the Seawolves need to make some changes this season to be more competitive with the other teams in their conference. They showed sparks of potential early last season, but need to build on the capability more.
Losses & Gains
| RETURNING |
| Seniors: Ariana DeSouza, Madelyn Gomez, Audrey Guess, Breeann Spain |
| Juniors: Jamilia Duffus, Claudia Lessig, Jada Niles, Avery Tillmanns |
| Sophomores: Maribelle Albert, Hannah Boyd, Jordan Grindol, María José Prieto, Verena Wong |
| IN |
| Freshmen: Kyli Cole, Madison Jordan, Alexandra Karkowski, Becca Mitchell, Kacey Pratley (RS), Tessa Richardson, Hannah Rojo |
| OUT |
| Graduated: Marcela Bonifasi, Grace Costello (VT/BB/FX), Montana Fairbairn (VT/BB/FX), Alyssa Manley (UB), Hayley Perkins |
| Retired: Grace Wellington |
Apparatus Deep Dive
Vault
2025 Event Ranking: No. 67 | NQS: 48.155 | Average: 47.904 | High: 48.500
Returning NQS: Maribelle Albert (9.630) Verena Wong (9.600), Jamilia Duffus (9.590), Hannah Boyd (9.580)
Other Contributors: Hannah Rojo, Becca Mitchell, Claudia Lessig, Tessa Richardson
Bars
2025 Event Ranking: No. 64 | NQS: 48.150 | Average: 47.569 | High: 48.900
Returning NQS: Jamilia Duffus (9.705), Claudia Lessig (9.665), Jada Niles (9.630), Avery Tillmanns (9.615), Hannah Boyd (9.415)
Other Contributors: Madelyn Gomez, Hannah Rojo, Becca Mitchell
Beam
2025 Event Ranking: No. 67 | NQS: 48.240 | Average: 48.019 | High: 48.800
Returning NQS: Breeann Spain (9.635), Hannah Boyd (9.590), Ariana DeSouza (9.575), Claudia Lessig (9.560)
Other Contributors: Jada Niles, Hannah Rojo, Becca Mitchell, Alexandra Karkowski, Kyli Cole,
Floor
2025 Event Ranking: No. 69 | NQS: 48.450 | Average: 48.270 | High: 49.025
Returning NQS: Ariana DeSouza (9.775), Hannay Boyd (9.680), Breeann Spain (9.620)
Other Contributors: Madelyn Gomez, Jordan Grindol, Hannah Rojo, Becca Mitchell, Alexandra Karkowskil, Kyli Cole
Records Watch
Team: 194.200 | AA: 39.200 (M’rcy Matsunami) | VT: 48.675/9.925 (Dominique Ingram) | UB: 49.075/9.925 (Elena Tkacheva) | BB: 49.075/9.925 (Sophia Hyderally) | FX: 49.075/9.950 (Elena Tkacheva)
The Seawolves have several records standing from before the 2000s, so breaking any of these, specifically the individual bar and floor records, would be a huge accomplishment. Returners Niles and Duffus got the closest last season, scoring just within a tenth of breaking these records, and with another year of competition experience, maybe this will be the year, but they are going to have a surpass a 9.925, something no athlete for Alaska did last season.
The Big Picture
The freshmen class has the ability to really shake things up this season and have an immediate impact for the Seawolves across all four events. Rojo and Mitchell could become instrumental to the lineups early on based on their consistent club and international careers and hopefully having that transfer to college. Current all-arounder Boyd, in just her sophomore season, also has a chance to be a big part of these lineups for this season and years to come. Overall, the Seawolves may not have finished where they hoped in 2025, but they’re poised to regroup and rebuild with returning and new talent on the team and to have a turning point year for the program in 2026.
Likely 2026 finish: Fourth in the MPSF
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Article by Julianna Roland
