Utah State heads west to face San Jose State in today’s Mountain West showdown! The Aggies have been quietly cruising through the season and are on track to make regionals for the first time since 2022—the season before head coach Amy Smith’s departure to Clemson. With a lingering low 195 in their NQS, Utah State will be eager to replace that score and solidify their regional hopes.
The Aggies have thrived this season thanks to their standout bar work, currently ranked 21st nationally, with four gymnasts posting 9.9+ scores. Keep an eye on freshman Lundyn Vandertoolen, who notched a career-high 9.925 last weekend. Vault, however, has been a weak spot, making the second rotation critical to Utah State’s success today.
San Jose State, on the other hand, sits just outside the regional bubble and is looking to build momentum. The Spartans have faced challenges replacing key routines lost to graduation and have been further hindered by injuries—particularly on floor. Freshman Madison Gustitus has been limited to beam following an early-season injury, and the loss of three-event contributor Mia Nelson to an Achilles tear has been a major blow. Despite these setbacks, the Spartans broke the 195 mark for the second time this season last weekend and will aim to replicate that result today.
Beam could be a stronghold for San Jose State, with Marissa Ashton leading the way after scoring a 9.900 last week. While Utah State is the favorite, any misstep could open the door for the Spartans to capitalize and pull off the upset.
Touch warm ups are going on right now, so we’ll be getting started soon!
Rotation 1: San Jose State VT, Utah State UB
Valuch (VT): Yurchenko full, one step back and piked down a little, nice distance 9.700
Orengo (UB): Good handstand, Straddled Jaeger, overshoot, clean. Another good handstand, double layout is short with a deep lunge and step, but stays on her feet 9.625
Reardon (VT): Yurchenko half, nearly stuck, a lit bit crooked and some knee bend in the air 9.825
Jelen (UB): Hit handstand. Maloney, Pak, big leg separation on both, caught too close on the Pak and has to rekip on the low bar, stuck double layout, will want to drop that one. 9.525
Jurries (VT): Yurchenko full, one step and lands a touch deep, solid chest position and block. 9.750
VanderToolen (UB): Good handstand. Maloney, Pak, small leg separation on the Pak. Half pirouette is fine. Handstand, stalder, double tuck with a hop. 9.775
Pitts (VT): Front pike half, nice amplitude, big step back and a slide. Clean form in the air. 9.725
Bibbey (UB): Fine handstand, good Tkachev, well above the bar. Excellent handstand. Bail with leg separation. Another great handstand, stuck double layout. Nice set, 9.800
Kirsch (VT): Tucked Yurchenko 1.5, big step forward 9.800
Brooks (UB): Good handstand. Ray, overshoot, clean. Great final handstand, double layout is stuck, excellent 9.875
Lopes (VT): Yurchenko 1.5, hop forward, significant knee bend throughout. 9.775
Kirstine (UB): Good handstand, straddled Jaeger, overshoot, caught super close but was somehow able to work through without falling, was short of horizontal on the overshoot though and some bent arms. Great final handstand, full twisting double tuck with a hop. 9.625
Exhibition Johnson (VT): Yurchenko full, step back, solid block, not the most distance. 9.650
Exhibition Vater (UB): falls on a Deltchev, saw her fall in touch as well. Redoes and catches it, overshoot. Great final handstand, nearly stuck double layout.
After 1: San Jose State 48.875, Utah State 48.700
San Jose State jumps out to the lead after a strong vault rotation that featured 3 nicely done 10.0 start value vaults. Utah State will be disappointed in that bar rotation having to count a couple of 9.6s after some fluky errors on high to low transitions. If San Jose State can get through bars its upset bid will be looking much more likely.
Rotation 2: Utah State VT, San Jose State UB
Brooks (VT): Yurchenko full, almost stuck, then took a tiny step at the end, chest a little forward 9.675
Lopes (UB): Good handstand. Maloney, Bail, a little short of handstand, on the Bail. Another solid handstand. Nice finishing position on the giant full, double tuck, small hop 9.700
VanderToolen (VT): Yurchenko full, small hop in place, a little piked at the end, but a nice vault 9.750
Reardon (UB): Good handstand, Maloney, Bail, leg separation on the Maloney. Another good handstand, double layout is stuck with a tiny waver, strong one. 9.850!
Gatzlaff (VT): Yurchenko full, hop backwards, a bit to the left. 9.750
Valuch (UB): Nice handstand, Piked Jaeger, overshoot, a little pikey in the overshoot. Hesitation on the giant full, double tuck is short with a step forward. 9.750
Medrano (VT): Yurchenko full, best block of the rotation so far, hop backwards and chest is forward. 9.750
Weyhmiller (UB): Good handstand, nice straddled Jaeger. Pak with legs glued together. Half pirouette is very short. Another good handstand on high bar, double layout is stuck. That routine was excellent aside from the pirouette. 9.650- yeah, the judges took off heavily for that pirouette
Morabito (VT): Yurchenko full with a hop, solid, really nice distance and stretched hip position throughout. 9.800
Konieczny (UB): Good handstand, Straddled Jaeger, another good handstand, Bail is fine. Hit final handstand, double layout with leg separation and a hop. 9.775
Stuart (VT): Yurchenko full, hop and chest quite low, not the biggest vault of the rotation 9.550
Jurries (UB): Hit handstand, Gienger, overshoot, a bit clunky in connection with some leg separation, Was trying to do a double layout but kind of did like an extremely open double tuck, interested to see what they do with that score wise, 9.725
After 2: San Jose State 97.675, Utah State 97.425
San Jose State made it through bars with a solid 48.800 and extends its lead. Utah State was okay on vault, but not stickick a single vault in a lineup of Yurchenko fulls is going to limit scoring potential. San Jose State heads to beam, lets see if it can pull off the upset!
Rotation 3: San Jose State BB, Utah State FX
Ashton (BB): Full turn. Bhs, loso, secure. Switch leap, switch half, looking straight on so not a great angle to see splits. Bhs, gainer full, stuck. Nice one. 9.825
Eagles (FX): Front lay, Rudi, nice amplitude. Switch side half, straddle jump, a little out of control. Double tuck, chest a little low but not bad, small step back, good control. 9.750
Valuch (BB): Full turn. Bhs, loso, tiny balance check. Punch front, excellent. Cat leap, switch half, lacking split. Back 1.5, stuck. 9.900!
Stuart (FX): Whip half, back 1.5, nice control. Switch ring, switch ring half, chest was very forward on both leaps, and lacking precision on the ring position. Double tuck, nicely done. 9.775
Macasu (BB): Bhs, loso, larger balance check. Switch leap, switch half is fine. Back 1.5 with a step 9.725
Orengo (FX): Front tuck through to double tuck, excellent control and chest position. Switch half, wolf 1.5, back leg was low on the switch half. Back 1.5, front lay, a little archy of the layout. 9.725
Weyhmiller (BB): Full turn. Bhs, loso, leg up balance check. Switch leap, switch half beat jump, great back leg position on the switch leap. Side aerial. Gainer full stuck, just that large balance check. 9.725
Medrano (FX): Double pike, good amplitude, does well to not move her front foot. Back 1.5, front layout, lacking some control. Switch half, wolf full is fine. Double tuck, huge but goes OOB. 9.450
Kirsch (BB): Bhs, Onodi, tiny waver but works through it well. Full turn. Switch leap, split quarter, lacking split on the switch leap. Bhs, tuck 1.5, hop forward. 9.750
Vater (FX): Front double full, clean. Switch leap, switch side half, not the highest on the second. Back 1.5, front lay, nice lift on the layout. Strong routine, 9.825
Gustitus (BB): Switch leap, split jump. Bhs, loso, excellent. Switch leap, switch half, superb positions but a flexed foot. Stuck gainer pike, really nice routine. 9.850
Morabito (FX): Full in, excellent amplitude and nicely controlled. Leaps are fine. Front layout, front full, front tuck, nicely controlled. 9.850
After 3: San Jose State 146.725, Utah State 146.350
A strong rotation for San Jose State gives it nearly a four tenth lead going into floor! Really strong work throughout that line up with a 9.900 from Valuch leading the way. Utah State was solid on floor but was lacking a little bit of control on passes to really break into the 9.8s. Morabito’s full in was a highlight. On to the last rotation!
Rotation 4: Utah State BB, San Jose State FX
Jelen (BB): Side aerial, bhs, nice extension. Beat jump, double stag, clean. Switch leap, looks like she might have been trying to connect to something but doesn’t and works through it fine with an arm wave. Bhs, gainer full, stuck, nice. 9.825
Valuch (FX): Front double full, good control. Switch half, Popa, nice precision. Back 1.5, front lay, not the highest layout, has to arch it over a bit. Solid Rudi, 9.725
Eagles (BB): Full turn. Bhs, loso, secure. Side aerial, split jump, keeps it moving. Switch leap, split jump is fine, not the cleanest. Back 1.5, nearly stuck, one step. 9.75
Weyhmiller (FX): Back 1.5, front layout, short and takes two steps back. Switch leap, switch ring half, nice second leap! Switch half, wolf full, fine. Really short double pike and falls, could tell from the start that was going to be short. 9.000
Orengo (BB): Cat leap, front toss, bhs, well connected. Full turn, large balance check. Switch leap, split jump, fine. Back 1.5, short with a step. 9.650
Johnson (FX): Front double full, fine could have a bit more control but clean in the air. Round off, Onodi across the floor. Rudi, loso, fine. Switch half, Popa, very short of split on the switch half. 9.775
Medrano (BB): Full turn. Bhs, loso, balance check but minimizes it. Beat jump, side aerial, nice. Split jump, split 3/4, nice. Gainer full with a hop. 9.700
Reardon (FX): Popa, Popa, nice straddle positions. Back 1.5, front lay, very arched layout position, but well controlled. Switch leap, switch ring half, lacking ring position. Double tuck, good amplitude. 9.800
Brooks (BB): Front aerial, one armed bhs, clean. Switch leap, backhandspring swing down. As always, love this low to the beam choreography. Split jump, split quarter, tight split positions Full turn. Bhs, gainer full, stuck. Excellent. 9.825
East (FX): Double tuck and OOB. Switch half, Popa, wolf full. Front layout, Rudi, piked down a bit, but really good control. 9.600
Vater (BB): Full turn, check. Front aerial, back tuck, very secure. Switch leap, straddle quarter, the leap looked short of split but didn’t have a great angle. Back 1.5 with a hop. 9.725
Lopes need somewhere in the direction a 9.6 to secure the win for San Jose State
Lopes (FX): Good double pike, nice amplitude and control, flexed feet. Switch side half, straddle jump, Shushanova. Front tuck through to double tuck, larger bounce back but stays in bounds that should do it! And it does, 9.775
FINAL: San Jose State 195.400, Utah State 195.175
San Jose State pulls off the upset! A solid, steady day for the Spartans with near 49s on three events. Some really strong individual performances with Olivia Reardon having a great day and an unofficial 39.200 in the All Around (beam exhibition). Utah State didn’t have to count a miss, but was just a little off across all events today and was missing Mya Witte on vault and beam.
VT: Olivia Reardon 9.825
UB: Brianna Brooks 9.875
BB: Devyn Valuch 9.900
FX: Nyla Morabito 9.850
AA: Devyn Valuch 39.025
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Live blog by Rebecca Williams
