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The University of Utah Athletics
No. 3 Gymnasts at No. 2 UCLA on Sunday
2/12/2018 10:31 AM | Gymnastics
Big Pac-12 showdown in Pauley Pavilion on Feb. 18
This Week in Utah Gymnastics
The No. 2 and 3 teams in the nation will clash on Sunday, Feb. 18 in Los Angeles when No. 3 Utah (7-1, 4-0 Pac-12) visits No. 3 UCLA (9-1, 3-0 Pac-12) in Pauley Pavilion. The meet starts at 5 p.m. PT/6 p.m. MT and will be televised live on the Pac-12 Networks. Live Utah commentary and scores will be available on UtahUtes.com.
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In the Rankings
The Utes remained in the top three in the national rankings after a 197.075-195.400 win over Arizona State. Utah (197.292 season average) slipped one spot to No. 3 behind Oklahoma (197.880) and UCLA (197.346). The Utes are the nation's top ranked team on floor, averaging a 49.450, and are led by No. 3 MaKenna Merrell-Giles (9.938). Utah is No. 2 on vault (49.429), where it has three vaulters ranked in the top 10: Merrell-Giles and MyKayla Skinner are tied for No. 4, both with 9.917 season averages, and Kim Tessen is tied for 10th (9.883). The Utes are No. 4 on bars (49.275), where Skinner is tied for fifth (9.908). The Utes are No. 8 on beam (49.138), led by No. 25T Skinner (9.862). For the complete national rankings, see the sidebar on page 3.
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Rivals
Utah and UCLA have combined to win five of the six Pac-12 Championships to date. Utah won conference titles in 2014, 2015 and 2017, while UCLA's titles came in 2012 and 2016 … This Sunday's meet marks the second time Utah and UCLA have met this season. UCLA claimed a 197.200-196.975 win in the non-conference Elevate the Stage meet in Reno, Nev., on Jan. 14, where the Utes finished second ahead of Washington and Stanford. Utah sophomore MyKayla Skinner won the all-around (39.700), floor (9.975), vault (9.95) and bars (9.95) at the Reno quad meet and finished second on beam … Skinner and UCLA's Madison Kocian were members of the 2016 U.S. Olympic team (Skinner as an alternate). UCLA's Kyla Ross was a 2012 U.S. Olympian … Skinner (floor) and Ross (bars and beam) combined to win three NCAA individual titles as freshman in 2016. Skinner was the 2017 NCAA all-around runner-up and the Pac-12 all-around champion … Currently, Skinner and Ross are No. 2 and 3 in the national all-around rankings.
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Chalk Talk
Utah's next three meets are on the road: at UCLA (Feb. 18), at California (Feb. 25) and at Michigan (Mar. 10). The Utes have just one regular-season home meet remaining: Senior Night against Georgia on Friday, Mar. 16. The Utes will host an NCAA Regional on Saturday, Apr. 7 … Utes have won three Pac-12 Gymnast of the Week citations this season: MyKayla Skinner on Jan. 9 and Jan. 16 and MaKenna Merrell-Giles on Feb. 6. Skinner has been honored nine times in her career as the Pac-12 Gymnast of the Week, which ties the conference all-time mark … Utah leads the nation in home attendance with a 15,121 average. The 15,558 fans for the Washington meet on Feb. 3 is also tops in the country … The Utes have hit 140-of-144 routines, including 24-of-24 routines in three meets … Ute individual winners are: Skinner (17), Merrell-Giles (10), Kari Lee (2), Tiffani Lewis (2), Sydney Soloski (1) and Kim Tessen (1) … Gymnasts who have hit every routine without a fall are: Skinner (24-24), Lee (19-19), Lewis (18-18), Maddy Stover (6-6), Sydney Soloski (5-5), Alexia Burch (4-4).and Shannon McNatt (2-2)
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Ute Insider
Freshman Sydney Soloski missed last week's meet after breaking her nose in practice. Her return to training and competition is unknown at this time. Soloski is tied for 24th in the nation on floor, where she has three 9.90 or better scores … With her five victories last week in a win over ASU, MyKayla Skinner now has 60 career wins. Her 16 career all-around wins ranks fourth in school history. Skinner leads the Utes with four all-around wins this season … MaKenna Merrell-Giles has received the only 10.0 by a Ute this season—on vault vs. Washington on Feb. 3. Merrell-Giles and Skinner both have a 9.975 on floor … Utah has four 39.000-plus all-arounders: Skinner (39.725 high), Merrell-Giles (39.675), Kari Lee (39.425) and Missy Reinstadtler (39.375).
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Series Shorts
Utah leads the series with UCLA 53-31-1, but is 0-1 this year after a loss to the Bruins on Jan. 14 at the Elevate the Stage meet in Reno, Nev. … UCLA has won the last three contests with Utah's most recent win at the 2017 Pac-12 Championship … The Utes lead 11-9 in Los Angeles, where they have lost five straight. Utah's last win in Pauley Pavilion was back in 2008 … For complete series results, see page 2.
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Scouting UCLA
Coach (year): Valorie Kondos Field (28th)
2017 NCAA Finish: 4th
National Rank: 2
Record: (9-1, 3-0 Pac-12)
Notes: Season-high 197.950 in a loss to No. 1 Oklahoma (198.050) on Feb. 4 … scored a 197.750 in a win at Cal last Saturday … Bruins received three 10.0s in their narrow home loss to Oklahoma: Felicia Hano and Katelyn Ohashi on floor and Christine Peng-Peng Lee on beam. Peng-Peng Lee has two 10.0s on beam this season and five in her career … Kyla Ross is the team's top all-arounder, ranking No. 3 in the nation with a 39.575 season average (39.700 high) … UCLA All-Americans are Ross, Hano, Ohashi, Peng-Peng Lee and Madison Kocian.
The No. 2 and 3 teams in the nation will clash on Sunday, Feb. 18 in Los Angeles when No. 3 Utah (7-1, 4-0 Pac-12) visits No. 3 UCLA (9-1, 3-0 Pac-12) in Pauley Pavilion. The meet starts at 5 p.m. PT/6 p.m. MT and will be televised live on the Pac-12 Networks. Live Utah commentary and scores will be available on UtahUtes.com.
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In the Rankings
The Utes remained in the top three in the national rankings after a 197.075-195.400 win over Arizona State. Utah (197.292 season average) slipped one spot to No. 3 behind Oklahoma (197.880) and UCLA (197.346). The Utes are the nation's top ranked team on floor, averaging a 49.450, and are led by No. 3 MaKenna Merrell-Giles (9.938). Utah is No. 2 on vault (49.429), where it has three vaulters ranked in the top 10: Merrell-Giles and MyKayla Skinner are tied for No. 4, both with 9.917 season averages, and Kim Tessen is tied for 10th (9.883). The Utes are No. 4 on bars (49.275), where Skinner is tied for fifth (9.908). The Utes are No. 8 on beam (49.138), led by No. 25T Skinner (9.862). For the complete national rankings, see the sidebar on page 3.
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Rivals
Utah and UCLA have combined to win five of the six Pac-12 Championships to date. Utah won conference titles in 2014, 2015 and 2017, while UCLA's titles came in 2012 and 2016 … This Sunday's meet marks the second time Utah and UCLA have met this season. UCLA claimed a 197.200-196.975 win in the non-conference Elevate the Stage meet in Reno, Nev., on Jan. 14, where the Utes finished second ahead of Washington and Stanford. Utah sophomore MyKayla Skinner won the all-around (39.700), floor (9.975), vault (9.95) and bars (9.95) at the Reno quad meet and finished second on beam … Skinner and UCLA's Madison Kocian were members of the 2016 U.S. Olympic team (Skinner as an alternate). UCLA's Kyla Ross was a 2012 U.S. Olympian … Skinner (floor) and Ross (bars and beam) combined to win three NCAA individual titles as freshman in 2016. Skinner was the 2017 NCAA all-around runner-up and the Pac-12 all-around champion … Currently, Skinner and Ross are No. 2 and 3 in the national all-around rankings.
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Chalk Talk
Utah's next three meets are on the road: at UCLA (Feb. 18), at California (Feb. 25) and at Michigan (Mar. 10). The Utes have just one regular-season home meet remaining: Senior Night against Georgia on Friday, Mar. 16. The Utes will host an NCAA Regional on Saturday, Apr. 7 … Utes have won three Pac-12 Gymnast of the Week citations this season: MyKayla Skinner on Jan. 9 and Jan. 16 and MaKenna Merrell-Giles on Feb. 6. Skinner has been honored nine times in her career as the Pac-12 Gymnast of the Week, which ties the conference all-time mark … Utah leads the nation in home attendance with a 15,121 average. The 15,558 fans for the Washington meet on Feb. 3 is also tops in the country … The Utes have hit 140-of-144 routines, including 24-of-24 routines in three meets … Ute individual winners are: Skinner (17), Merrell-Giles (10), Kari Lee (2), Tiffani Lewis (2), Sydney Soloski (1) and Kim Tessen (1) … Gymnasts who have hit every routine without a fall are: Skinner (24-24), Lee (19-19), Lewis (18-18), Maddy Stover (6-6), Sydney Soloski (5-5), Alexia Burch (4-4).and Shannon McNatt (2-2)
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Ute Insider
Freshman Sydney Soloski missed last week's meet after breaking her nose in practice. Her return to training and competition is unknown at this time. Soloski is tied for 24th in the nation on floor, where she has three 9.90 or better scores … With her five victories last week in a win over ASU, MyKayla Skinner now has 60 career wins. Her 16 career all-around wins ranks fourth in school history. Skinner leads the Utes with four all-around wins this season … MaKenna Merrell-Giles has received the only 10.0 by a Ute this season—on vault vs. Washington on Feb. 3. Merrell-Giles and Skinner both have a 9.975 on floor … Utah has four 39.000-plus all-arounders: Skinner (39.725 high), Merrell-Giles (39.675), Kari Lee (39.425) and Missy Reinstadtler (39.375).
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Series Shorts
Utah leads the series with UCLA 53-31-1, but is 0-1 this year after a loss to the Bruins on Jan. 14 at the Elevate the Stage meet in Reno, Nev. … UCLA has won the last three contests with Utah's most recent win at the 2017 Pac-12 Championship … The Utes lead 11-9 in Los Angeles, where they have lost five straight. Utah's last win in Pauley Pavilion was back in 2008 … For complete series results, see page 2.
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Scouting UCLA
Coach (year): Valorie Kondos Field (28th)
2017 NCAA Finish: 4th
National Rank: 2
Record: (9-1, 3-0 Pac-12)
Notes: Season-high 197.950 in a loss to No. 1 Oklahoma (198.050) on Feb. 4 … scored a 197.750 in a win at Cal last Saturday … Bruins received three 10.0s in their narrow home loss to Oklahoma: Felicia Hano and Katelyn Ohashi on floor and Christine Peng-Peng Lee on beam. Peng-Peng Lee has two 10.0s on beam this season and five in her career … Kyla Ross is the team's top all-arounder, ranking No. 3 in the nation with a 39.575 season average (39.700 high) … UCLA All-Americans are Ross, Hano, Ohashi, Peng-Peng Lee and Madison Kocian.
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