Completed Event: Gymnastics versus NCAA Championship Final on April 19, 2025 , , 4th of 4 (197.2375)
Final Score
Gymnastics
4th of 4 (197.2375)
vs NCAA Championship Final
Friday, January 13
Provo, Utah
7:00 PM
University of Utah
196.900
at
194.175
Brigham Young
No. 5 Utes Beat BYU behind Skinner’s Sweep
1/13/2017 9:47 PM | Gymnastics
Freshman wins five titles in 196.900-194.175 Win
PROVO, Utah—MyKayla Skinner won every event and the all-around in her first college road meet and the No. 5 Utah gymnasts coasted past BYU 196.900-194.175. Skinner, who has nine wins in her first two meets, got plenty of help from her teammates in a win where the Utes got stronger with each ensuing event.
"We have a unique situation in that her teammates make MyKayla better and she makes them better," said Ute co-coach Tom Farden after his team improved to 2-0 on the season and extended its win streak over the Cougars to 37 straight. "They have a great competitive spirit."
Case in point was vault, where sophomore MaKenna Merrell "stuck her (vault) like a lawn dart," said Farden. "So MyKayla sees MaKenna's 9.90 score come up and she's thinking 'I can do that.' And she did!"
Skinner's 39.600 in the all-around topped the 39.550 she scored in her college all-around debut last week, something Farden marveled over as it came on the road. Sophomore Sabrina Schwab, in her first season as an all-arounder, also topped her all-around performance from last week, scoring a 39.300 against the Cougars to finish second. Merrell took third in the all-around with a 39.250.
If there was any disappointment in the meet, it was Utah's start on bars. "We looked cautious and tentative and missed some handstands," said Farden. "But we got better and better as the meet went on. We had a good vault set and were spectacular on floor and beam."
"We are showing signs of being an emotionally strong team, but also showing signs of a young team. Remember, we have just one senior," said Farden.
Not that Utah's start on bars was horrible. Skinner scored a 9.875 and Tiffani Lewis added a 9.85 in a 49.125 set that put the Utes up out of the gates over BYU with its 48.700 on vault.
The Utes stepped up their game on vault, looking sharp on their landings and blasting to a 49.300, boosted by 9.90s from co-champions Merrell and Skinner and a 9.85 from Lewis. Utah led 98.425-97.575 at the midway point.
On the third rotation, Utah did all but put the meet out of reach by scoring a 49.275 while BYU stumbled to a 47.875 on beam. Skinner was so excited by her 9.95 routine that she danced off the mat, waving U's to the crowd of nearly 4,000 (many of them Ute fans) in the Marriott Center. Setting her up was a 9.90 from Schwab immediately prior to Skinner's career high.
As spectacular as Utah's floor set was, beam was even better from top to bottom, with all six gymnasts doing walk-through routines. Skinner got the first beam win of her two-meet career, scoring a 9.875 to edge teammates Maddy Stover, Kari Lee and Baely Rowe—all with 9.85s.
"We have a unique situation in that her teammates make MyKayla better and she makes them better," said Ute co-coach Tom Farden after his team improved to 2-0 on the season and extended its win streak over the Cougars to 37 straight. "They have a great competitive spirit."
Case in point was vault, where sophomore MaKenna Merrell "stuck her (vault) like a lawn dart," said Farden. "So MyKayla sees MaKenna's 9.90 score come up and she's thinking 'I can do that.' And she did!"
Skinner's 39.600 in the all-around topped the 39.550 she scored in her college all-around debut last week, something Farden marveled over as it came on the road. Sophomore Sabrina Schwab, in her first season as an all-arounder, also topped her all-around performance from last week, scoring a 39.300 against the Cougars to finish second. Merrell took third in the all-around with a 39.250.
If there was any disappointment in the meet, it was Utah's start on bars. "We looked cautious and tentative and missed some handstands," said Farden. "But we got better and better as the meet went on. We had a good vault set and were spectacular on floor and beam."
"We are showing signs of being an emotionally strong team, but also showing signs of a young team. Remember, we have just one senior," said Farden.
Not that Utah's start on bars was horrible. Skinner scored a 9.875 and Tiffani Lewis added a 9.85 in a 49.125 set that put the Utes up out of the gates over BYU with its 48.700 on vault.
The Utes stepped up their game on vault, looking sharp on their landings and blasting to a 49.300, boosted by 9.90s from co-champions Merrell and Skinner and a 9.85 from Lewis. Utah led 98.425-97.575 at the midway point.
On the third rotation, Utah did all but put the meet out of reach by scoring a 49.275 while BYU stumbled to a 47.875 on beam. Skinner was so excited by her 9.95 routine that she danced off the mat, waving U's to the crowd of nearly 4,000 (many of them Ute fans) in the Marriott Center. Setting her up was a 9.90 from Schwab immediately prior to Skinner's career high.
As spectacular as Utah's floor set was, beam was even better from top to bottom, with all six gymnasts doing walk-through routines. Skinner got the first beam win of her two-meet career, scoring a 9.875 to edge teammates Maddy Stover, Kari Lee and Baely Rowe—all with 9.85s.
Players Mentioned
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