Pac-12 Championship Session Two

Recap

The Big Storyline: Utah used season highs on beam and floor to propel itself to the Pac-12 championship title despite a shaky final vault rotation that barely broke 49. The Utes were led by Maile O’Keefe who took home three event titles and the all around win. California nabbed second place after posting the highest total of the night on bars and Kyana George tying for the floor title. UCLA was in contention for the team title until falls on beam in the final rotation took it out of contention, but it still had four gymnasts claim shares of event wins. Arizona State was shut out of the titles, but it did hit all 24 routines to finish fourth in a strong showing.

Postseason Implications: All four teams have locked themselves into seeded spots heading into regionals. Despite the Utes’ win, the Golden Bears remain ahead of them in the rankings as the Sun Devils also remain ranked higher than the Bruins.

Records: This was Arizona State’s first time competing in the evening session of the conference championship meet. 

Conference Awards

• Gymnast of the Year: Maile O’Keefe (Utah)
• Event Specialist of the Year: Alexia Burch (Utah)
• Freshman of the Year: Chase Campbell (UCLA)
• Coaches of the Year: Justin Howell and Elisabeth Crandall-Howell (California)

Preview

• No. 5 California | 197.575 NQS | 198.050 season high
• No. 6 Utah | 197.469 NQS | 197.575 season high
• No.11 Arizona State | 197.088 NQS | 197.450 season high
• No.13 UCLA | 197.038 NQS | 197.100 season high

If you can only watch one meet, here’s why it should be this one… With any of these four teams capable of winning, this second session of the Pac-12 championship should be a treat! California notched multiple program records late in the regular season to steal the top seed from Utah, who has been one of the most consistent teams in the nation this year. UCLA is the reigning champion and has a roster of upperclassmen who know exactly what it takes to taste victory while Arizona State would love to cap off its historic season with a title nobody would’ve expected in January. Whoever shows up with the most hit routines will likely emerge as champion by the end of the night!

If this is one of many meets you’ll be watching, don’t miss this… California’s bar lineup has set both school and NCAA records this season, so make sure you’re tuning in to watch it in the second rotation. Utah will also be on beam in the second rotation, and with Maile O’Keefe and Abby Paulson in the lineup, we could be treated to multiple 10s. UCLA has yet again put out a couple viral floor routines, so look for the Bruins to get off to a great start to the meet while Arizona State will wrap up on its strongest event, bars.

What’s the bigger picture to keep an eye on? California and Arizona State have both never won the Pac-12 championship meet, and this is a great opportunity for either team to change that. All four teams are also currently in position to be seeded heading into regionals, and good or bad performances could preview what comes next.

By the Numbers

Past Champions

• UCLA: 19 titles, last won in 2019
• Oregon State: 6 titles, last won in 2013
• Stanford: 5 titles, last won in 2008
• Utah: 3 titles, last won in 2017

Records Watch

• Team: 198.400 (UCLA, 2019)
• Vault: 49.675 (Utah, 2015)
• Bars: 49.675 (Oregon State, 2013)
• Beam: 49.650 (Stanford, 2004)
• Floor: 49.775 (UCLA, 2019)
• All Around: 39.825 (Richardson, UCLA, 2004)
• Vault: 10.000 (Anna Basaldua, Arizona, 1992)
• Bars: 10.000 (Megan Fenton, UCLA, 1993),
• Beam: 10.000 (Kyla Ross, UCLA, 2017)
• Floor: 10.000 (Tina Brinkman, Arizona State, 1992)

Last Time Out

At the 2019 Pac-12 championship meet, UCLA posted a huge 198.400 to take the team title, followed by Utah’s giant 198.025 for second and Oregon State’s 196.600 for third. Bruin Kyla Ross was the star of the meet, posting 10.0s on bars and floor en route to winning both events and the all around. UCLA teammate Katelyn Ohashi and Utah’s MyKayla Skinner matched Ross’ perfect mark on floor to share the event title, with Ohashi also taking the beam title and Skinner tying for the vault title with Bruin Felicia Hano.

*Special thanks to Drew Porche for all of the Records Watch data provided in this preview.