The Sacramento State gymnastics team will be entering the 2006 season competing in a new conference, the Western Athletic Conference, opting to leave a league they dominated for four years.

“I’m taking a risk here a little bit,” head coach Kim Hughes said. “We’re very excited about moving into the WAC.”

Hughes made moves during the off-season to prepare the team for a challenging 2006 schedule.

The team will be competing in the first collegiate gymnastics meet of the year and facing teams whose reputations precede them. The Oahu Invitational will host five other teams Jan 3rd: UCLA, California, Washington, Oregon State and Arkansas. Sac State will have to face Cal again in the first home meet of the season just 10 days later.

No one in the program seems to be worried, however. A huge senior class is expected to set the bar for the team. Recently, Hughes inked two seniors onto the team for a total of seven seniors. Also eight sophomores make for a promising future for Sac State in the WAC.

“We’re very confident that this year’s team will be an experienced one,” Hughes said.

In fact, so much experience and leadership is on the 2006 roster that Hughes picked three team captains.

Sophomore Melissa Genovese, senior Kimiye Narasaki and senior Trista Condren were all selected as co-captains for the upcoming season.

Genovese was one of three gymnasts from Sac State to make it to the first round of the NCAA Tournament last season.

The Hornets’ new conference opponents will be Boise State, Utah State, Southern Utah, San Jose State and Cal State Fullerton.