It’s Spectrum Magic night in Logan, Utah! Complete with new leotards inspired by the arena itself, the Aggies will aim to boost their season average and strengthen their position for the top spot in the conference. Keep an eye on Brianna Brooks, a model of consistency for Utah State throughout her career. She ranks in the Mountain West’s top five on bars and beam, where she posted 9.900s on each event last week. Utah State has surged into the national top 30 on these events, thanks to standout performances from Dani Kirstine on bars and Sydney Jelen on beam.
San Jose State will start the meet on bars, where a solid rotation can put pressure on the Aggies early. Upperclassmen Sophia Konieczny and Jaudai Lopes have been key for the Spartans, carrying their consistent scoring from last season into 2025. They currently rank as the top Spartans on bars in the Mountain West. Although San Jose comes in as the underdog, their scoring potential peaks on beam in the final rotation. Veteran Katherine Weyhmiller, who has posted a 9.925 this January, leads the lineup alongside Freshman of the Year contender Madison Gustitus, setting up a crucial event for the Spartans to shine.
Video is available through the Mountain West Network broadcast, with scoring through StatBroadcast.
Rotation 1: Utah State VT, San Jose State UB
Vandertoolen (USU): goes for the stick on her y full, and takes a deep squat to save it. 9.525
Lopes (SJSU): toe hs to maloney and overshoot, taking an elbow bend on each skill in the interior of her routine. finishes with a high blind full to nearly stuck double tuck. 9.675
Gatzlaff (USU): BIG block, keeps her kips open through her entire y full and takes a controlled hop back. 9.725
Reardon (SJSU): toe hs to Maloney and overshoot, again bent elbows on her connection and fights to get amplitude carrying through from the start of the series. big double layout to finish. 9.600
Medrano (USU): very flared y full! small hop back, with great form in the air throughout. 9.725
Valuch (SJSU): starts with a precise first handstand, and takes it to her blind half to Jaeger. her legs are glued this whole routine! nearly stuck double tuck. 9.525
Morabito (USU): she’s really found her vault rythym this year — big second flight phase in her y full, and controls her rotating speed to keep her landing to one hop backwards. 9.775
Weyhmiller (SJSU): blind half to a HIGH jaeger, finishes rotating over the bar and then keeps her same confidence in her Pak. closes out with a nearly post-season ready double layout, taking one step back out of a very steady routine. 9.750
Eagles (USU): closed shoulder angle on her block causes her to not go as high as she would’ve liked, small pike down from her y full and two small steps out of it. 9.600
Konieczny (SJSU): aggressive start with her handstands, big blind half to jaeger rivaling the height of Weyhmiller. she’s not afraid to tap hard on her giants, and shows a near stickable double layout. 9.775
Stuart (USU): gets a small block off the table, pikes her y full, and takes two large steps out. with open shoulders onto the vault this can gain back valuable tenths. 9.550
Jurries (SJSU): drills her double lay with only a small hop out. 3/4 angle shows her legs GLUED through her entire dismount. 9.650
Jelen (USU): exh – similarly piked y full as some of her teammates in the lineup slots.
Cato (SJSU): exh – Maloney Pak hits easily, with precise pirouette work. toe hs full to double tuck closes her routine, getting a valuable hit under her belt after an uncharacteristic routine last week.
After 1: San Jose State 48.450, Utah State 48.375
Scoring isn’t live yet, so it’ll be updated as available. Both teams showed strong individuals to start the meet, though titles will ultimately be decided by the amount of depth that can be shown off tonight.
Rotation 2: San Jose State VT, Utah State UB
Valuch (SJSU): starts the rotation with a stuck y full! lacking a little height, but not for a lack of any entry form or blocking issues. 9.700
Orengo (USU): we join part way through, in time for her fighting (but ultimately hopping) for her double layout. 9.700
Reardon (SJSU): y half with a lunge forward, tons of distance in her second flight phase. consolation points to the commentator for questioning if it’s a half or a 1.5. 9.700
Jelen (USU): toe hs to Maloney Pak with a leg separation in each flight, precise half turn then back up to the high bar. tiny hop on her double layout, after doing her best to absorb the landing.
Jurries (SJSU): y full, the most height we’ve seen today but also the biggest step back out of it. when she finds the stick, expect it to be a conference leading vault. 9.650
Vandertoolen (USU): toe hs low Maloney but still connects to Pak. Stalder double tuck, showcasing gorgeous flexibility. 9.825
Kirsch (SJSU): tuck y1.5, shoulder width step to the right on her landing, and in slow mo is shown tucking before she leaves the table. 9.750
Bibbey (USU): HUGE Tkatchev, then clear hip to overshoot equally solid. sticks her double layout with a small hip angle adjustment. 9.850
Lopes (SJSU): super efficient y full on and off the table quickly, with minor knee and foot form deductions in each phase. 9.700
Brooks (USU): Ray to overshoot horizontal, and back up to the high bar in no time. sticks her double layout finding the ground easily. 9.775
SJSU has scratched the sixth vault, counting their first five.
Kirstine (USU): we’re watching a kid in overalls dancing while hearing about the routine. cuts to her routine just in time to see her stick a full in though, i’m glad we got to see the exclamation mark on her routine. 9.800
Vader (USU): exh – clear hip to what has the makings of a big Geinger right to her stomach. she goes for the series again and catches, this time a definite Deltchev being credited. closes with a double layout that looks like it let go a split second too early.
After 2: 97.325, San Jose State 96.900
Still no confirmation of scores, but the meet is looking close at the halfway. Vault is deducting on landings and shoulder angles on par with how bars is taking on handstands, so I’m expecting it to be tight going into the second half of the meet.
Rotation 3: Utah State BB, San Jose State FX
Jelen (USU): a little off center in her aerial bhs, but keeps it on without any major checks. beautiful double stag, and switch split shortly after, and carries her momentum into a confident stuck bhs gainer full. 9.750
Valuch (SJSU): fhs front double twist to open, then gets quickly into her switch half to popa that each could use a little more height. she keeps her second pass within the line by a matter of inches, and then finishes with a strong fhs Rudi and shuffle back. 9.750
Eagles (USU): bhs loso with a small check, otherwise moving very quickly. aerial to straddle very clean, as is her switch to split series. she gets on and off the beam incredibly fast, dismounting with a near stuck roundoff 1.5. 9.700
Weyhmiller (SJSU): opens with a floaty roundoff 1.5 to front layout, and puts on a masterclass in knee and ankle extension . switch to switch ring half will likely get docked on height and the notorious ring shape, but her switch half to wolf full hit with no issues. double pike with a low landing to finish. 9.725
Orengo (USU): cat to a high front toss and bhs, as we join shortly after her mount. switch to split each slightly off with her back leg low, but it doesn’t affect her going into her near-stuck roundoff 1.5. 9.675
Johnson (SJSU): she’s going all out in the dance, and carries her energy into a punch double front twist. cartwheel onodi gets her to the next corner, a fhs rudi that flirts with the white line. her two passes will likely get docked on height, and then the shuffles that come as she adjusts her landing positions. 9.725
Medrano (USU): again joining halfway, we see her switch to split 3/4. dismounts with a new gainer full, stuck cold. 9.775
Reardon (SJSU): standing Popa Popa series to get started! she runs HARD into a double tuck, and takes it out of bounds with one foot. switch to switch ring half, missing some of the release that comes with the ring. second pass is a roundoff 1.5 punch layout, with a landing that surprises her with three small steps. 9.600
Witte (USU): pauses right off the start, then nails her bhs bhs loso. she’s incredibly solid in finding the beam on all of her skills, and gets her chest up quickly to finish all of them. dismounts with a gainer pike and a hop forwards. 9.825
Lopes (SJSU): sky high double pike to open, keeping it within the controlled lunge. switch side, to a unique straddle half and Shushunova half. she has great contrast between faster and slower parts of her routine, and both engage the crowd. double tuck to finish, a tad low with a shuffle forward. 9.825
Brooks (USU): she exudes confidence, drilling her front aerial to one arm bhs. switch to bhs swingdown goes effortlessly into an open shoulder roll and low beam choreo. bhs gainer full, holding the stick. 9.875
Jurries (SJSU): big double pike to open, looking like an upperclassman on the event. even higher on her double tuck, with spare time opening before the floor finds her. switch half to popa to wolf full rotates seamlessly. she closes with a front full front layout, capping off a dynamic and clean set for her floor debut! 9.725
Ashton (SJSU): exh – she has a strong run, going into an equally strong Rudi. her choreo opens with a standing loso, and now I’m ready to see her big front tumbling again! switch half to Popa easily, as is her front layout front full.
After 3: USU 146.250, SJSU 145.650
Still tricky to tell without official individual scoring coming through, but this could come down to the last routine tonight! Both teams are finishing on the event they’ve shown they can rally on, provided they can find their momentum early in the rotation.
Rotation 4: San Jose State BB, Utah State FX
Valuch (SJSU): bhs loso to open, slight bend in her knees on both. drills her front tuck, with almost all of her toes gripping off the side of the beam! very confident roundoff 1.5 with a step to the side to finish her all around campaign tonight. 9.675
Eagles (USU): settling into her fun choreography early, then books it into a sky high fhs Rudi. switch half to straddle half gets plenty of height, and are controlled well on landings. she closes with a double tuck — something was off in her block, so she held the tuck accordingly longer and had to take steps back. 9.725
Ashton (SJSU): bhs loso fluid as ever for the beam specialist. switch to switch half both hit 180, and she controls her power right into a bhs gainer full. 9.775
Stuart (USU): Tokyo Drift gets the student section going! She opens with a strong bounding pass. She’s also the first gymnast I’ve seen tonight hit the ring in her switch ring half. Massive double tuck to finish, with a big hop-to-lunge backwwards out of it. 9.750
Macasu (SJSU): bhs loso just as easily as her two prior teammates, and same as her switch to switch half. she dismounts with a roundoff 1.5, with a step to the side from how hard she was pulling around the twist. 9.725
Orengo (USU): front tuck to double tuck, stays in by the smallest amount. she’s all smiles on floor! switch half to wolf 1.5 rotate very precisely, and go quickly into her roundoff 1.5 to layout. great way to close out her night. 9.750
Weyhmiller (SJSU): bhs loso and switch to switch half and beat jump effortlessly (did you know SJSU is a bhs loso and switch to switch half team?) she adds a side aerial, and then nails her gainer full. 9.850
Medrano (USU): textbook double pike to open, with toe point usually reserved by gymnasts for bars and beam. she catches her breath during the dance, going for a switch half to wolf full. absolutely rallies for her double tuck. carbon copy of her first pass, but now with the tuck. 9800
Konieczny (SJSU): joining partly through, unfortunately coming off on her bhs loso. cat to switch half takes another large check, but stays on. finishes with a bhs gianer full. 8.900
Vater (USU): books it into her front double full, taking a big step forward out. sissone to switch to switch side half gets to her next corner, dialing in for her roundoff 1.5 to front layout and a cheeky moonwalk. 9.625
Gustitus (SJSU): switch to split, and a fluid as ever bhs loso. switch split again with a pause then connected switch half and beat jump. cartwheel to her knee as she gets ready to dismount, closing her one and only routine on the night with a nearly stuck gainer pike. 9.500
Morabito (USU): opens with a big tucked full in, minimal leg separation as she twists. BIG sissone into her choreo, then wraps around a switch full and split full. finishes with a front layout front full front tuck, and she eases into her ending pose. 9.850
Reardon (SJSU): exh — hesitant on her bhs loso, counting a check and some underrotation. she dismounts with a switch to gainer full, which is no doubt tricky to connect unless lined up perfectly.
Peterson (USU): exh — roundoff double tuck up in the rafters, and controlled beautifully. switch side to Popa lacking the height it needs to be comfortable, but rotates as needed. she finishes with a fun Rudi to double stag jump, and choreography that i’m reading as powering herself down.
FINAL: Utah State 195.125, San Jose State 194.225
Lots of fun gymnastics tonight from both teams! While San Jose State pulled together a strong final rotation, it wasn’t enough to catch the Aggies running away with the team crown after floor. Morabito capped off a steady meet for Utah State, en route to the team’s first win of the season.
Up next for the Aggies is a road trip to face Southern Utah on Monday night, while the Spartans will have a week’s time to regroup before visiting Boise State.
VT: Nyla Morabito, Utah State (9.775)
UB: Avery Bibbey, Utah State (9.850)
BB: Brianna Brooks, Utah State (9.875)
FX: Nyla Morabito, Utah State (9.850)
AA: Devyn Valuch, San Jose State (38.650)
READ THIS NEXT: Questions, Comments, Concerns: Week 5
Live blog by Peri Goodman
