No. 4 Ute Gymnasts to Compete at Washington

Saturday, January 28

Seattle, Wash.

2:30 PM

University of Utah

Washington

1/23/2017 3:02 PM | Gymnastics

Utah vs. Washington Meet Notes

This Week in Utah Gymnastics
The No. 4-ranked Utah gymnastics team (5-0, 0-0 Pac-12) opens Pac-12 play on Saturday, Jan. 28 against No. 19 Washington (2-4, 0-1 Pac-12) in Seattle. The meet starts at 1:30 p.m. PT/2:30 p.m. MT and will be televised live on the Pac-12 Networks. Live text commentary and scores can be found at UtahUtes.com.

National Rankings
Utah moved up a place to No. 4 in the national rankings after scoring a season-high 197.625 in a quad meet last week. The Utes are ranked No. 4 on vault (49.275 season average), No. 4 on floor (49.233), No. 5 on beam (49.283) and No. 6 on bars (49.258). MyKayla Skinner is ranked No. 2 in the all-around (39.642), No. 2 on floor (9.942), No. 4 on vault (9.925), No. 9 on bars (9.892) and No. 10 on beam (9.863). Baely Rowe is No. 3 in the all-around (39.625) and No. 5 on beam (9.90). MaKenna Merrell is No. 18 on vault (9.875) and Missy Reinstadtler checks in at No. 20 on floor (9.875). See sidebars on page 3 for Utah's complete national rankings.

Chalk Talk
MyKayla Skinner's 39.775 all-around score in last week's quad meet win is tied for the fifth-best in school history and tied for the best by a Ute freshman (with Ashley Postell in 2005) … Skinner, whose 39.775 all-around high is the second-best in the country this season and the best in the Pac-12, is again Utah's nominee for the Pac-12 Gymnast of the Week and Pac-12 Freshman of the Week. Skinner won both honors on Jan. 10 and Jan. 17. The conference office announces the winners on Tuesday afternoons … In her first three college meets, Skinner has won 13 of a possible 15 individual titles … In her first all-around of the season, senior Baely Rowe scored a career-high 39.625 last Friday … Ute individual event/all-around winners are: Skinner (13), Rowe (3) and MaKenna Merrell (2) … The Utes are 68-72 in hit routines (routines without a fall) … Gymnasts who have hit every routine are Skinner (12-12), Sabrina Schwab (8-8), Kari Lee (7-7), Kim Tessen (7-7), Macey Roberts (3-3) and Maddy Stover (3-3).

Ute Insider
Sophomore All-American Sabrina Schwab, the 2016 Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, will miss the remainder of the season after tearing her ACL in practice on Jan. 17. Schwab competed in the all-around in Utah's first two meets, placing second at BYU with a season high 39.300 … The status of Tiffani Lewis (toe injury) will be evaluated as the week goes. Until then, she is listed as either/or with Missy Reinstadtler on vault and Kim Tessen on floor, respectively … Tessen and MaKenna Merrell might flip positions in the bar lineup. Tessen has led off in the first two meets, followed by Merrell.

Series Shorts
While the Utes have never lost to Washington in 54 previous meetings (52-0-2), they have settled for ties twice in Seattle, where they are 14-0-2 all time. Both ties came down to the final routine of the meet with the last UW performer on floor scoring a 10.0 in 2001 and a 9.925 in 2013 … Utah has won eight straight since last tying in 2013, including the last two meets in Alaska Airlines Arena (2016 Pac-12 Championships, 2015 dual meet) … For complete series results, see page 2.

Scouting Washington
Coach: Elise Ray (1st season)
2016 NCAA Finish: DNQ
National Rank: No. 19
2017 Record: 2-4, 1-0 Pac-12
Season High: 195.325, Jan. 21
Notes: This Saturday's meet is the Huskies' first home meet of the season … first-year head coach Elise Ray was a UW assistant for the past five seasons … Washington opened Pac-12 play with a loss at No. 13 California (196.300-195.325) last week. The Huskies were 1-1 in the tri-meet at Berkeley with a win over San Jose State … all-arounder Hailey Burleson has a season-high 39.350 and is tied for 22nd in the nation in the all-around with a 39.275 season average.