One of NCAA gymnastics’ annual traditions—it’s time for Best of Utah! All four of the Salt Lake City area teams converge on the Maverik Center for in-state bragging rights as they’ll declare the rivalry’s 2024 winner early in the season.
The Red Rocks and Cougars are competing in their second quad meets of the weekend in the same arena, as both took part in the ESPN Collegiate Quad meets on Saturday (in different sessions). Utah finished fourth in the marquee session, unable to overcome a slow start on bars and beam. Nobody is looking for a revenge meet more than Maile O’Keefe, who’s 10 streak on beam ended with a fall on her acro series. The Cougars finished third in the final session, besting their opening weekend total by two-tenths. BYU was consistent across the board, with a standout beam set from the highlight of its evening.
The Thunderbirds should challenge for runner-up this afternoon after a strong debut performance that included counting nothing lower than a 9.7. While nobody popped off for any eye-catching totals, Southern Utah’s consistency is dangerous. Freshman Niya Randolph also had quite an underrated rookie opener with a nice 39.300 in the all around. Don’t forget about her.
The Aggies were less fortunate in their 2024 premier, as counting falls and misses derailed a chance at a solid team total. But, Utah State is still in rebuilding mode after losing coaches and a huge chunk of the roster to transfer a few seasons ago. Upperclassmen Brianna Brooks and Alivia Ostendorf are the leaders of this team once again.
Follow along with video (Sporfie) and scores!
Rotation 1: Utah Vault, BYU Bars, Utah State Beam, Southern Utah Floor
Winger (Utah): Y1.5. Good block, a tiny bit to her left, nearly sticks but moves one foot around. 9.800
Ostendorf (USU): Full turn, BHS LOSO, small check, split jump tuck full, big check, also low back leg in the split, front toss, another lean, dismounts RO 1.5, hops forward. 9.400
Zirbes (Utah): Y1.5. Gets height, not a ton of distance, steps forward. 9.850
Benson (BYU): Mounts with a hit handstand, toe on, Tkatchev, bail, very patient bars worker, dismounts double layout, bends for the stick. 9.750
Glynn (Utah): Y1.5. Great form in the air and good distance, legs give out on her a bit as she stumbles forward, doesn’t fall or put hands down. 9.650
Fernandez (SUU): Opens with a double tuck, no issues, easy leaps, RO 1.5 front layout, nice shapes throughout, closes with a Rudi, lunge slides to the side. 9.800
Eaquinto (BYU): Starts toe on, Maloney Pak, great half pirouette, works the last handstand, DLO hop in place. 9.850
Smith (Utah): Omelianchik. Nice form from the table to the landing, small hop forward. 9.875
Kirstine (USU): Begins BHS LOSO, lean to her left, full turn, small wobble, side aerial, much more confident, cat leap to side somi, switch leap to straddle 1/4, dismounts front full and gets the stick. 9.725
Rucker (Utah): Y1.5. Booming off the table, pencil-straight, step back as she comes in a little under. 9.825
Brooks (USU): Lovely low beam work to open, front aerial one arm BHS, slow but kept moving, switch leap straddle side, short of 180 on both, full turn, kicks out confidently, dismounts BHS fainter full, arches to hold on for the stuck landing. 9.775
Gilstrap (Utah): Yfull. Nearly stuck, fights but hops forward. 9.725
Alvarado (BYU): Toe on, Maloney to Pak, tiniest foot separation, nice half pirouette and final handstand, DLO with a step back. 9.750
Randolph (SUU): Mounts with a double layout, well landed, switch side straddle full straddle jump, good height in all three, front tuck to double tuck, opens a tad late and slides the lunge back. Quick and efficient routine. 9.850
Bramblett (BYU): Ray to overshoot, nice amplitude, hits her handstands, DLO with a hop forward. 9.875
Christensen (SUU): Gets going with a double tuck, front foot slides slightly, second pass RO 1.5 front full, mistimed the punch and comes in way short, fought hard not to fall but eventually succumbed, good leap series, closes with a Rudi, low landing but just the lunge.
After 1: Utah 49.075, BYU 48.950, Utah State 48.425, Southern Utah 48.225
Honestly, every team left too many tenths on the table in that opening rotation. The Utes looked very good on vault two days ago, and today looked fatigued with almost every vault coming in short. The Cougars were on pace with their bars total from Saturday, and are off to the most “normal” start of any team. While the Aggies didn’t count a fall, counting a mistake and nothing in the 9.8s made for a lackluster event total, while Southern Utah’s two fall rotation was a missed opportunity with almost everyone else going 9.8.
Rotation 2: Southern Utah Vault, Utah Bars, BYU Beam, Utah State Floor
McClain (SUU): Yfull. Some leg separation off the table, just a small hop. 9.725
Smith (Utah): Clean Maloney to Pak, good Shaposh half, toe on pike front half dismount. 9.850
Eagles (USU): Mounts with a front layout to Rudi, well controlled, double tuck, chest down into the lunge, switch side straddle full. 9.850
Sabado (Utah): Giant half to Jaeger to overshoot, a little low on the overshoot, nice handstands, DLO with a hop. 9.775
Peterson (USU): Starts off with a front layout Rudi straight jump, messy legs on both saltos, switch side straddle full, way short on the double tuck, falls. 8.850
Goodman (SUU): Yfull. Piked down, small hop. 9.650
Zirbes (Utah): Hits the opening handstand, Ray to Pak, redeems Saturday’s fall but then nearly falls on the half pirouette, almost stick on the FTDT dismount. 9.825
Randolph (SUU): Yfull. Nice position in the air and good distance, step back. 9.725
Margraf (BYU): Begins with a front aerial back tuck, leg lift balance check, cat leap to front toss, a bit of a pause, full turn, switch leap to split jump, dismounts front full, easy stick. 9.700
Morgan (Utah): Maloney to Bhardwaj, kept it in line today, good Shaposh half, toe on to front tuck half dismount for a stick. 9.950!
Andersen (BYU): BHS LOSO, secure, beat jump straddle half, full turn, side aerial, keeping composure despite screams for Morgan’s bars 9.950, BHS gainer full and nails the landing. 9.900
Gull (SUU): Yfull-on tuck off. Not much height but the best distance so far, step back. 9.750
Evans (USU): Opens with a front layout to Rudi, short in the twist and steps to the side in lieu of a lunge, switch ring to tour jete half, good ring position but short on the last leap, finishes up with a double tuck, chest down but good lunge.
McCallum (Utah): Maloney to Pak to Stalder, Shaposh half, slightest of leg separations in there, FTDT is stuck. 9.950
Ostendorf (USU): Starts with front layout to Rudi, beautiful, L jump full to switch side to straddle, dropped the leg in the first skill, nice double tuck. 9.800
O’Keefe (Utah): Maloney to Pak, feet apart slightly, nice half pirouette and final handstand, sticks the double Arabian dismount! 9.925
Stuart (USU): Mounts with RO whip-half front full, love the variety, done well too, switch leap to switch ring half, just shy of rotated fully, over-rotates the double tuck and falls OOB. 8.850
Winger (Utah, exhibition): Maloney to Pak, great form, half pirouette, fights for the stick on her FTDT dismount.
Rotation Totals: Southern Utah 48.775, Utah 49.500, BYU 48.975, Utah State 47.675
After 2: Utah 98.575, BYU 97.925, Southern Utah 97.000, Utah State 95.925
That’s more like it! The Red Rocks rebounded well on bars, showcasing the promise of improvements we saw from them in Week 1. Moving Morgan later in the lineup can pay dividends, as it did tonight. BYU fell just short of its beam total from Saturday, with missed opportunities in the leadoff and anchor spots, but is still right on pace with it’s previous scores and can improve upon them with a strong second half of this meet. The Thunderbirds are still off-track after their opening floor rotation, but have gained some momentum back with six hits on vault. Meanwhile, the Aggies are struggling, as they did in their opener, just hoping for some hits so they have a shot at beating their debut 193 from a week ago.
Rotation 3: Utah State Vault, Southern Utah Bars, Utah Beam, BYU Floor
Christensen (SUU): Giant half to piked Jaeger, slightly piked in her bail, dismounts DLO, stuck. 9.775
Morgan (Utah): RO BHS beat jump mount, BHS BHS LOSO, great so far, split leap to split jump, full turn, front full off the side, stuck. 9.950
Stuart (USU): Yfull. Dynamic block, quick twist, hop back. 9.675
Gantner (Utah): Her NCAA debut, forward roll mount, BHS LOSO straddle jump, quick enough for connection, switch half beat jump, great extension, full turn, tiny check, front full dismount, small hop. 9.750
Gatzlaff (USU): Yfull. Piked down at the end, good in the air. 9.675
Routsis (SUU): Maloney to bail, loose back but nice handstand, toe on to DLO, hops. 9.825
Dudley (BYU): Mounts with a double pike, so open in the air, nails the landing, switch side wolf full, good bouncy, front full front layout, ends with a double tuck, slightly under so steps forward. 9.825
McCallum (Utah): Starts off with a Candle mount, secure, low beam work into a double wolf turn, side aerial LOSO, has a wobble, cat leap to switch leap, easy, Sissone, tucked gainer full is dropped in for a stick. 9.775
Eaquinto (BYU): Mounts with a floaty Rudi, nice lunge, great form in her double pike, switch ring to switch half wolf full, no issues, closes with a RO 1.5 front layout. 9.825
Paulson (Utah): Begins with a forward roll, beat jump to side aerial LOSO, smooth, switch leap to split jump, full turn, dismounts gainer full, sticks it! 9.950
Benson (BYU): Gets underway with a double tuck, switch half to straddle full is cleanly done, front layout front full, short on the final double pike, lunges forward. 9.775
O’Keefe (Utah): Good opening leap mount series, side aerial LOSO is great, fluid full turn, BHS gainer full, stuck, and she’s set up for the score. 10!
Krump (Utah, exhibition): Missed the mount but got an “oooh” from the crowd, full turn, BHS BHS LOSO, big wobble, beat jump to front toss to her knee, good save as she was off a bit, then falls on some low beam choreo, straddle jump straddle side, dismounts front full, stumbles back but avoid the fall.
Rotation Totals: Utah State 48.600, Southern Utah 49.350, Utah 49.550, BYU 49.075
After 3: Utah 148.125, BYU 147.000, Southern Utah 146.350, Utah State 144.525
Now that everyone is warmed up, we’re seeing some great gymnastics! Redeeming herself of her fall two nights ago, O’Keefe restarted her perfect 10 streak to finish off another strong rotation for the Red Rocks. Getting back into the 197s is well within reach with just some hits on floor. The Cougars are looking much better too, finally getting above 49 after falling just shy in the opening two events and within a new season-high with hit vaults. The Thunderbirds excelled on bars, their best event, and have made themselves favorites for an improved team score. Utah State finally hit some routines, avoiding a fall or sub-9.5 score. While a 194 is out of reach, a better score than Week 1’s seems likely.
Rotation 4: BYU Vault, Utah State Bars, Southern Utah Beam, Utah Floor
Jorgensen (BYU): Yfull-on pike off. Not much height but great form, tiny hop in place. 9.800
Kennedi McClain (SUU): Front toss BHS, big check after working through the connection well, split jump straddle side, cat leap pike front toss, another adjustment, full turn, beautiful and aggressive leg kick out of it, gainer full is stuck. 9.625
Dudley (BYU): Yfull. Good block, soft knees, small hop. 9.700
Kirstine (USU): Starts with toe on, Maloney to bail, quick into the circle jump to the high bar, giant full is late but sticks the double tuck dismount. 9.775
Winger (Utah): Mounts with a front double full, comes in short but works and holds to just lunge back and cover, switch ring to tour jete half, rotated part of the last leap on the floor, closes with RO 1.5 front full, gets that landing. 9.800
Back-to-back falls from Southern Utah on beam.
Aragon (USU): Clear hip, Tkatchev, nice, very clean bail, good last handstand, dismounts FTDT, small hop. 9.800
Eaquinto (BYU): Yfull. Great form on the table and throughout the vault, hops back. 9.775
Paulson (Utah): Opening front tuck to RO 2.5 is done well, controls the step to avoid OOB, front layout front full, good shapes, switch full split jump, RO 1.5 front layout, no issues. 9.925
Benson (BYU): Yfull. Not as much height as Eaquinto, but nice form, hops back. 9.775
Evans (USU): Toe on, Maloney to Pak, slightly archy, dismounts giant full to double tuck, knees almost give out but holds on to take a lunge forward. 9.575
Gilstrap (Utah): Front layout Rudi, super high, well landed, RO 1.5 front layout is equally as nice, tour jete half to a knee, switch leap to switch ring half, front layout front full, late twist but gets it around for a decent step into the lunge. 9.850
Raesly-Patton (BYU): Yfull-on pike off. Better height than Jorgensen’s but more flexed feet, hop back. 9.725
McCallum (Utah): Giant opening full-in, switch leap through to tour jete half straddle full, easy, ends with a front layout to Rudi, problem-free. 9.950
Brooks (USU): Huge Ray to bail, slightly short of handstand in the bail, sticks the FTDT. 9.875
O’Keefe (Utah): Mounts with a double pike, excellent toe point, good lunge, front layout front full, great, switch leap to switch ring half, hits her positions, ends the meet with RO 1.5 front layout, messy feet but clean landing. 9.950
Rotation Totals: BYU 48.775, Utah State 49.075, Southern Utah 47.650, Utah 49.600
Final: Utah 197.725, BYU 195.775, Southern Utah 194.000, Utah State 193.600
After a slow start on vault, the Red Rocks rebounded with insanely impressive 49.5-plus scores the rest of the night, which is exactly how you want to see a team fight. It’s unfortunate that this isn’t the performance we saw from them in the premier session of the ESPN quad here two days ago. BYU and Southern Utah fell short of their previous totals of the year, the Cougars after not getting vault landings and the Thunderbirds after a meltdown on beam. Utah State finally rallied, putting together it’s best rotation of the year in the final rotation on bars. That helped the Aggies best their opening week score, but there’s still a lot of work to do.
Event Winners:
All Around: Smith (Utah), 39.525
Vault: Smith (Utah), 9.875
Bars: McCallum (Utah), Morgan (Utah), 9.950
Beam: O’Keefe (Utah), 10.000
Floor: McCallum (Utah), O’Keefe (Utah), 9.950
Read this next: The Mount: Predictions, Picks, and Other Things to Know Ahead of Week 2
Live blog by Brandis Heffner
