The San Jose State gymnastics team, led by one local athlete, is
looking to make history and advance further than it has before.
Dani Albright, who graduated from Gunderson High School in 1999,
has set many SJSU gymnastics records. Albright, along with Kelli
McCoy and Sarah Molasky, will be honored in the team
’s senior night Friday against California.
The San Jose State gymnastics team, led by one local athlete, is looking to make history and advance further than it has before.
Dani Albright, who graduated from Gunderson High School in 1999, has set many SJSU gymnastics records. Albright, along with Kelli McCoy and Sarah Molasky, will be honored in the team’s senior night Friday against California.
“Dani has always been one of the focal sports of San Jose State women’s gymnastics,” said second-year SJSU coach Wayne Wright. “She has always been one of the top competitors for the team. Her leadership as a senior with the seven freshmen this year has been big.”
“It will be kind of sad, but it will be fun,” said Albright about her final home meet. “There won’t be any more pressure than I always put on myself in a regular meet.”
“I just try to concentrate as much as I can and focus in on the little things I need to do,” Albright added.
The Spartans (10-9) are still fighting for a team berth in the NCAA regional Championships April 6 in Washington. If it makes it, it would be the first time in the 23-year history of the program SJSU has made it as far, Wright said.
“I’ve seen the program grow for a lot of years,” Wright said. “To have somebody of Dani’s caliber to help the program continue to grow and move in the right direction has helped put San Jose as a contender on the map.”
Last week, San Jose lost to Arizona 197.300-193.550. Albright finished fourth overall in the all-around with a score of 38.525 and tied for third on the floor exercise.
The Spartans’ RQS (regional qualifying score) of 193.830 places them above Air Force (192.520). Albright, who has qualified for Regionals the last two years, is in good position to go this year if the team does not make it. San Jose State has held the top spot in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federating rankings the whole season.
Albright is ranked first in the conference in the all-around category. She has an RQS of 39.011, which ranks her 13th in the region in all around. She is tied for eighth in the region on floor. Albright was named MPSF Athlete of the Week twice this year. She has continually put pressure on herself to succeed.
“I try to go to practice every day and workout as hard as I can,” Albright said. “I think hard work pays off. It has in the past. I am a big perfectionist. So I expect to go there and do it right every single time I go.”
The team practices about three and a half hours five days a week. Albright said she has been able to refine her skills and techniques in her four years at San Jose State.
“Once you get into college, you don’t learn a lot of new skills,” Albright said. “You become a little more consistent while just changing a few here and there. I have been pretty consistent all four years.”
Albright holds nine of the top ten all-around scores in school history. The co-captain of the team also holds the school records in the vault and floor exercises.
“At this point Dani has been much more consistent than last year,” Wright said. “Her scores have shown that she has improved with her consistency. She is the best gymnast San Jose State has ever had. She really wants to be the best.”
Albright, who has a full scholarship, was named as a 2000 San Jose State Scholar Athlete. She is completing a degree in administration of justice with a minor in sociology.
Albright started into gymnastics before she was two years old.
“When you are really young, you learn basic discipline and coordination skills,” Albright said. “I learned really fast and liked it, so my mom just kept me in it.”
Albright moved to Morgan Hill in her sophomore year of high school.
“I have always gone to school outside of where I live because of gymnastics,” Albright has said. “My gymnastics clubs have been nowhere near my house.”
Albright said she could never image being where she is now and doing so well.
“When I first came in I didn’t think I would be able to break records like that,” Albright said. “I don’t really look at those things. I push for myself and expect the best out of me. Whatever the outcome is, that is what it is. I just happened to break the records.”
Albright said she has received a lot of encouragement from her team, and it has helped her motivate herself.
“This year the team is much more focused on the team and not as much on being individuals ,” Albright said. “We really push and help each other.”
Albright said she hopes to coach in the summer before she heads into a career in law enforcement. But right now, she is breaking all rules and records on the floor.
