For the past three seasons, Utah has finished third at nationals, showing it is a contender for the national title, but missing just a little something. The Utes have been on the radar for years, and today’s Red Rocks Preview will show what they are capable of, the depth they have, and how ready they will be to take on Boise State in a few short weeks at their home opener.
While the Utes have been on the climb for the past few seasons, this is a very different Utah team. Just within the past few months, there have been some major changes. With a head coaching change less than two months before the start of the competition season and five major athlete losses with three transfers and two graduating fifth-years, the Utes will have to use this as an opportunity to show how strong of a team they are and how they’ve been able to deal with some major adversity.
On the other hand, the Utes have Grace McCallum returning from injury this season and five new faces, with one transfer and four incoming freshmen, who should be able to contribute on each event. Keep an eye out for former five-star recruit Ella Zirbes, who has been one to watch coming off a level 10 all-around title at nationals this past year.
The energy in the Huntsman Center will undoubtedly be high, welcoming back fan favorites like Maile O’Keefe, Jaedyn Rucker, and Abby Paulson for their final seasons on the team, and it will be an amazing opportunity for the whole team to get used to this environment again and back into competition mode.
If you are following along, watch here starting at 9 p.m. ET.
OK, let’s get into it!
8:55, the livestream has started!
The team is marching out right now, so while we are getting ready, the line ups have been posted on Twitter via the Utah Gymnastics account! They seem to have a lot of depth already with 8 going on vault and bars and ten on beam and floor. Announcers have said there will be no scores tonight, and the girls will all be wearing leotards they designed! So sweet!
Rotation 1: Vault
After 1:
Winger: Debut in the Huntsman for the freshman! How exciting! Winger’s first vault in this arena, leading off strong with a Yurchenko 1/1 over rotated, building to the 1.5 she has coming for season. Great, aggressive start!
Zirbes: Another freshman making her debut! Almost identical to Winger; a big Yurchenko 1/1, will have no problem doing the 1.5 when the time comes!
Glynn: Strong Yurechnko 1/1 over rotated, getting ready do the Yurchenko 1.5 when the season starts! Beautiful and aggressive start for the transfer in her first time in the arena!
Smith: A 1/2 on, pike off with a small hop on the landing, but a great start with great form!
Rucker: Someone the Ute fans are SUPER excited to see! A huge Yurchenko 1/1 getting ready for her 1.5 when season comes.
McCallum: A big Yurchenko 1/1 prepping for a Yurchenko 2/1 later in the year! Very excited to see that and to see her get to compete this year after coming back from an injury last season!
Sabado: A good Yurchenko 1/1! A little short, with her chest down on the landing, but overall a good vault to start her night!
Kennedy: A freshman to close it out! A good Yurchenko 1/1; great height, but a little pike down on the landing, but a great first vault (ever!) in the Huntsman!
After 1:
After Rotation 1, the Utes look strong on vault! They have an impressive amount of 10.0 starts, which is an area they have struggled with in the past. With the five doing ‘timer’ Yurchenko 1/1 for either a 1.5 or double, they all most definitely have the power and amplitude to do these upgrades and get Utah back some of these tenths they have been missing the past couple of seasons. So, so far, this team is looking strong and prepared on this event!
Side note, these leotards are amazing!
Rotation 2: Bars
Winger: Winger getting settled into this lead-off spot for the second time! Starts off with a Maloney to immediate pak salto. Has a hiccup on the pirouette, has to save it and do a 1/1 pirouette and another kip. Full-in dismount, small scoot back on the landing.
Smith: Short on first handstand, beautiful pak down to the low bar. Maloney 1/2 to the high bar, gets her feet clipped on the low bar, and a new dismount! Toe on, front half off; huge air and just a small scoot on the landing.
Zirbes: Huge Ray to immediate pak salto, pirouette to toe circle back to the high bar. 1/2 in 1/2 out dismount, moves a little on the landing. Wow! What a beautiful routine!! Beautiful form, toe point and will be an amazing addition to this lineup.
Morgan: Maloney to the high bar, immediate 1/1 twisting pak salto, a little close with some leg separation. Back up to the high bar with a Maloney 1/2 and another new dismount! A stalder, tucked front 1/2 stuck!
McCallum: Beautiful handstand to start, Maloney to pak, right to stalder, back up to high bar with Maloney 1/2. A 1/2 in 1/2 out dismount, stuck! That routine will score BIG when the time comes!
O’Keefe: Maloney to immediate pak, slight leg separation but beautiful pirouette right on top of the bar. Double Arabian dismount with the smallest move back on the landing. A great start to her last, first debut in the Huntsman!
Sabado: Short first handstand but beautiful straddled Jaegar to shoot over. A little short on the last handstand, and a big double layout dismount! A clean routine overall!
Glynn: Maloney to start, right to overshoot, a little short. Beautiful last handstand, stalder to double tuck with a scoot back on the landing. But, amazing execution, the toe point!!!
After 2:
Bars was the other event the Utes needed to improve on from last season, and this rotation showed the depth this team has and their capability to do just this! Another 8/8 rotation with a lot of options to choose from as season nears. Moving forward for the Utes, only two stuck their dismounts, so in the next couple of weeks before the first meet, I’m sure this will be something they are focusing on to get back those extra tenths. Overall, after two, this team looks strong, aggressive and confident moving into the second half of this preview.
Rotation 3: Beam and Floor
These next two rotations will be going back and forth between beam and floor to get all ten to go on each!
BB Winger: Another lead off spot for the freshman! Starts off with a front toss to split jump. Switch leap to split jump, BHS LOSO, pretty solid. Gainer front full stuck to end her routine! Winger showing calm, but aggressive energy in all these lead off spots.
FX Smith: A 70s routine!! Love it! Front double full to start, great landing. Second pass, front 1 1/2 to back layout, big, controlled rebound out. Love, love, love this dance! Front 1.5 to stag to end her routine! Great first floor routine out!
BB Krump: Over rotated full turn to start, but brings it back with a clean BHS BHS LOSO. Beat jump, front toss to knee with a wobble to the side but hangs on. Straddle, straddle 1/4, starting to settle into this routine more. Front full stuck to end her routine!
FX Paulson: A Taylor Swift routine! I’m loving these routines already! Front thru to 2 1/2, a little over rotated but stays in. Front layout, front full second pass. Leap pass, Torjete 1/2 to sissone. Ending with back 1.5 to layout. A fun routine! These routines have been full sets so far, showing how well conditioned they are even before season is here.
BB Gantner: BHS LOSO to straddle jump to start. A questionable connection but keeps moving. Switch 1/2, solid. Front full dismount, small scoot on the landing, but a great debut for her first time in the arena!
FX Gilstrap: Always such beautiful dance and presentation already to start. First pass, front layout, front 1.5, perfect landing. Back 1.5, front layout, front pike, maybe a little under rotated. Torjete 1/2 to knee right to dance. Torjete 1/2 to ring, little bobble on the landing. Front layout, front full to end! Again, another strong routine!
BB McCallum: Candle mount to start. Triple wolf turn, perfect. Side aerial LOSO to start (new for her in the NCAA). Sissone to switch leap, beat jump, flashing the ‘U’. Gainer 1/1, stuck to end!
FX Sabado: Front layout, front full to start, a little off center, just a little too much power. Switch side to straddle 1/2. Spotted double tuck for her second and last pass, but looks strong for one of her first floor routines in this arena!
BB O’Keefe: Switch leap split leap to mount. Aerial LOSO, a little bobble on the landing, but pulls it back on. BHS Gainer 1/1 off the side, stuck! Always amazing to watch her do beam!
FX Zirbes: First floor for Zirbes in the arena! Clean front double full to start! Powerful routine and dance! Switch 1/2 to straddle 1/1. Second pass, back 1.5, front 1/1, a little loose on the punch, but saved it well. Great dance and presentation!
After 3:
The first five on each event looked great! Four of five did full, ‘independent’ sets on floor which is super impressive for this team of the year. Also loving these theme routines, the dance, and attention to detail already! For beam, Cristal Isa’s spot is one looking to be filled from the previous season, and there were several who showed the potential to do this when the season comes. Beam is always nerve wracking, especially if it is your first time up in front of a crowd like this, but each athlete handled it well, and showed their fight on the event (arguably just as important as the actual skills!) Both look strong, and with one more to go, the Utes have already shown their depth on these events, so seeing five more on each will be super exciting.
Rotation 4: Beam and Floor
After 4:
BB Smith: The 70s vibes are still rolling for Smith with Grease as her beam song! Front aerial, split jump, perfect. BHS LOSO, solid. Switch leap and full turn, flashing the ‘U’ before her dismount. Cartwheel gainer 1/1 off the side to end!
FX Winger: Love this dance already. Running punch 1.5 to start, great landing. Switch leap, Torjete ring 1/2. Back 1.5 to front full. Another really clean, SUPER powerful floor routine. Definitely one to watch as season gets closer on this event
BB Zirbes: Short split leap to split 1/2, maybe a little nervous. BHS LOSO, perfect landing, starting to settle in here! Gainer 1/1 off the side, small move on the landing, but overall a great first beam routine!
FX Glynn: Whip back to 2.5 to start! A little too much power on the landing, but recovers well! Torjete 1/2, straddle 1/1, straddle 1/1, front 1.5 to end!
BB Gilstrap: Starts with a solid wolf turn, BHS pike, tries to save it, but falls on the series. Back up with a switch leap to ring jump, big wobble on the jump. BHS Gainer 1/1 with a hop forward on the landing. Looks a little nervous, a little off on this routine, but definitely has the potential to break into this beam lineup.
FX Rucker: Super fun choreo and music! Back 1.5 to front 1/1, great controlled landing. Torjete 1/2 down to the floor, spotted on the last pass but a solid double tuck to end. Switching up her passes this year perhaps, but still looks strong and so fun to watch.
BB Paulson: Beat jump, aerial, LOSO to start. Switch leap, split jump. Both beautiful to start. Small bobble on full turn. Gainer 1/1 off the side, stuck to end! A great routine for Paulson
FX McCallum: Front layout, front 2/1 to start, a little under rotated. Torjete 1/2, straddle full, a little off but great extension. Double tuck, is a little under rotated and lands on her feet but drops to her hands and knees. She finishes and physically looks okay, just looks a little tired toward the end of the routine.
BB Morgan: Round off, BHS mount, new and beautiful mount! Solid triple series, BHS BHS LOSO. Switch leap to split jump, a small bobble on the full turn, and a gainer front full off the side, stuck to end flashing the ‘U’! Morgan looking so clean coming into this year, most definitely working on those details
FX O’Keefe: Huge double pike to start with a clean landing! Front layout, front full, very controlled, good landing. Torjete 1/1 for a leap. Ends her night with a back 1.5 to front layout, finishing strong!
Final:
That was so fun! My first live blog! The Utes look great! From the last two events in this final rotation, they continued to show their depth and strength. This team has a lot to choose from in terms of how they could put together lineups, resting people some weeks and giving others the chance to compete! Overall, vault is definitely on the rise for the Utes; seven 10.0 starts will give them the boost them have been looking for on this event for the past couple of years to get some of these extra tenths back. Bars has a lot of new faces who showed tonight they have the capability to fill in some of the gaps from last year. For the last two events, to be 10 deep on beam and floor is amazing, especially to early in the season to try and work out new different lineups and see where everyone fits best. One thing I noticed was how much more dance the Utes had on floor this season which I love; they look like they are having so much fun (which again, is one of the most important things at this point in these athletes careers). The endurance on floor looks great; all are doing full sets with only one uncharacteristic mistake which is huge. The mistakes made on beam just looked like nerves which is completely understandable and tonight was the perfect opportunity to get these jitters out.
This was a great preview of this 2023-2024 Utah team. They showed depth, strength and energy throughout the entire meet, and it was so enjoyable to watch! The Utes already look great and will once again be a team to keep an eye out for with a strong group of fifth years going into their last season and a new group of freshmen who showed how ready they are to be out on the floor.
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Live blog by Julianna Roland
