Upcoming Event: Gymnastics at Iowa State on January 25, 2026 at 3:00 P.M.
3:00 P.M.
Gymnastics
at Iowa State
The University of Utah Athletics
Reflecting on a Super Season
6/13/2018 4:21 PM | Gymnastics
Gymnasts Participate in Historic Final Super Six
College gymnastics history is filled with references to the Utah gymnastics dynasty, so it was only fitting that the Utes were there for the final Super Six in NCAA history. Participating at an unprecedented 43rd-consecutive national championship, Utah helped usher out the era of the six-team NCAA finals as one of just two schools to qualify for both the first (1993) and last (2018) Super Six. Starting in 2019, the NCAA Gymnastics Championships will move to a four-team final.
Â
Anything less than a Super Six finale would have been anticlimactic for a team that began preparing for the 2018 NCAA Championships just days after the 2017 championships ended. Spearheaded by seniors-to-be Maddy Stover and Tiffani Lewis, the Utes held a team-only meeting upon their return to Salt Lake City to strategize about the next season.
Â
The result was a pledge to accelerate their preseason training in order to establish themselves firmly among the title contenders right from the start. Their commitment paid off. Ranked in the top four from start to finish of the regular season, the Utes beat six ranked teams during that time, including a dual meet win over eventual national champion UCLA in Pauley Pavilion and a home win over SEC rival Georgia.
Â
The Utes kicked off postseason play by placing second at the Pac-12 Championship in a down-to-the-wire finish that came up just 0.15 short of their goal for a fourth Pac-12 title. Leading the way were all-around and floor champion MyKayla Skinner and vault champion MaKenna Merrell-Giles. With Skinner's second-straight Pac-12 all-around title (her fifth overall Pac-12 title), the career record holder for Pac-12 Gymnast of the Week awards solidified her position as the best gymnast in the "Conference of Champions."
Â
Not satisfied with their near miss at the Pac-12 meet, the Utes took care of business two weeks later at the NCAA Regional, placing first to clinch one of the top six seeds into nationals. At regionals, Skinner and Merrell-Giles collected more gold, with Skinner winning the all-around, bars and tying for first on floor with Merrell-Giles. Sophomore Missy Reinstadtler, who blossomed into one of the country's best gymnasts during the postseason, won the regional beam title.
Â
Off to the NCAA Championships went the Utes for a record 37th time as the only program to qualify for every NCAA Championship. On the first day of competition, it took a herculean comeback for Utah to advance out of its semifinal and into the historic final Super Six.
Â
On Utah's first event in semifinal action, only Skinner performed true to form on vault. The super sophomore's 9.9375 score would hold up as the top score across both semifinals, earning Skinner her second NCAA individual crown (she was the 2017 floor champion).
Â
Skinner's stunning vault seemed to revitalize the Utes, who clawed back into contention with a big bar set that featured a 9.875 by Merrell-Giles and a 9.925 by Skinner. The momentum from bars continued through the first routine on beam—a 9.85 from Stover—before the middle of the lineup got the jitters. Staring at elimination following a fall and several breaks, Reinstadtler (9.8625) and Skinner (9.925) came to the rescue and kept Utah's Super Six dreams alive heading into the floor exercise.
Â
The Utes were lights out on their final event, erupting for the second-best floor score (49.4625) in the evening session and securing a berth in the Super Six. Skinner led the way with a 9.9375 and freshman Sydney Soloski scored a 9.9125.
Â
Skinner's scorecard—a 9.9375 on vault, 9.925 on bars, 9.925 on beam and 9.9375 on floor—gave her an overall score of a 39.725 and a second-place all-around finish. She earned All-America honors on every event and the all-around (four first team and one second team). Making their first appearance as All-Americans were Reinstadtler in the all-around and Soloski on floor, both as second-teamers.
Â
The next night, the Utes marched out for their 21st and final appearance in the 25-year history of the Super Six.
While mistakes on their first two events prevented the Utes from contending for a record 11th national title, their gutsy finish on the balance beam propelled them into fifth place. The beam wobbles from the previous night disappeared and their 49.350 marked the first time all season that beam was the high scoring event for the Utes.
Â
Two sophomores led the way for Utah in the Super Six with Skinner placing third in the all-around with a 39.625 and Reinstadtler placing 10th with a 39.375.Â
Â
As the confetti fell on the competing teams at the conclusion of the championship, the 2018 Utes savored their last time on the floor with seniors Stover, Lewis and Erika Muhaw. Two weeks later, the underclassmen called a team meeting. It was time to start planning for a new era.
Â
2018 Utah Gymnastics Highlights
Â
Sophomore MyKayla Skinner became a two-time NCAA champion (floor 2017, vault 2018) and a two-time NCAA all-around runner-up (2017-18).
Â
Skinner became Utah's first NCAA vault champion since Kristen Kenoyer in 1992 and its first consecutive NCAA all-around runner-up since Ashley Postell placed second from 2006-08.
Â
Skinner was a 2018 NCAA All-American on every event and the all-around, placing first on vault, second in the all-around, fourth on beam, fifth on floor and seventh on bars.
Â
Sophomore Missy Reinstadlter (all-around) and freshman Sydney Soloski (floor) earned second-team All-America status at the NCAA Championships. Both are first-time All-Americans.
Â
Earning NACGC regular-season All-America honors were Skinner (all-around, vault, floor, bars and beam) and MaKenna Merrell-Giles (all-around, vault and floor).
Â
In just two seasons, Skinner already ranks second in Utah's All-America record book with 18 All-America awards (nine NCAA, nine regular season).
Â
NCAA Regional champions: Skinner (all-around, bars, floor/tie), Merrell-Giles (floor/tie) and Reinstadtler (beam).
Â
Pac-12 champions: Skinner (all-around, floor) and Merrell-Giles (vault).
Â
First-team All-Pac-12 honorees: Skinner (all-around, vault, bars, beam, floor) and Merrell-Giles (all-around, vault, floor).
Â
Second-team All-Pac-12 honorees: Reinstadtler (all-around) and sophomore Kim Tessen (vault).
Â
Skinner was named Pac-12 Gymnast of the Week five times, bringing her career total to a Pac-12 record 12 awards. Merrell-Giles earned her first Pac-12 Gymnast of the Week award.
Â
Team awards went to Skinner (MVP), Merrell-Giles (Coaches' Most Improved), Reinstadtler (Dahl Academic-Athletic) and Stover (Greg Marsden Leadership).
Â
Megan Marsden earned her 200th career victory as Utah's co-head coach. She is now 201-72-3 in nine seasons.
Â
Utah finished with an overall record of 24-10.
Â
Utah led all NCAA women's sports in attendance for the eighth time, averaging 15,139 fans a meet.
Â
Â
Anything less than a Super Six finale would have been anticlimactic for a team that began preparing for the 2018 NCAA Championships just days after the 2017 championships ended. Spearheaded by seniors-to-be Maddy Stover and Tiffani Lewis, the Utes held a team-only meeting upon their return to Salt Lake City to strategize about the next season.
Â
The result was a pledge to accelerate their preseason training in order to establish themselves firmly among the title contenders right from the start. Their commitment paid off. Ranked in the top four from start to finish of the regular season, the Utes beat six ranked teams during that time, including a dual meet win over eventual national champion UCLA in Pauley Pavilion and a home win over SEC rival Georgia.
Â
The Utes kicked off postseason play by placing second at the Pac-12 Championship in a down-to-the-wire finish that came up just 0.15 short of their goal for a fourth Pac-12 title. Leading the way were all-around and floor champion MyKayla Skinner and vault champion MaKenna Merrell-Giles. With Skinner's second-straight Pac-12 all-around title (her fifth overall Pac-12 title), the career record holder for Pac-12 Gymnast of the Week awards solidified her position as the best gymnast in the "Conference of Champions."
Â
Not satisfied with their near miss at the Pac-12 meet, the Utes took care of business two weeks later at the NCAA Regional, placing first to clinch one of the top six seeds into nationals. At regionals, Skinner and Merrell-Giles collected more gold, with Skinner winning the all-around, bars and tying for first on floor with Merrell-Giles. Sophomore Missy Reinstadtler, who blossomed into one of the country's best gymnasts during the postseason, won the regional beam title.
Â
Off to the NCAA Championships went the Utes for a record 37th time as the only program to qualify for every NCAA Championship. On the first day of competition, it took a herculean comeback for Utah to advance out of its semifinal and into the historic final Super Six.
Â
On Utah's first event in semifinal action, only Skinner performed true to form on vault. The super sophomore's 9.9375 score would hold up as the top score across both semifinals, earning Skinner her second NCAA individual crown (she was the 2017 floor champion).
Â
Skinner's stunning vault seemed to revitalize the Utes, who clawed back into contention with a big bar set that featured a 9.875 by Merrell-Giles and a 9.925 by Skinner. The momentum from bars continued through the first routine on beam—a 9.85 from Stover—before the middle of the lineup got the jitters. Staring at elimination following a fall and several breaks, Reinstadtler (9.8625) and Skinner (9.925) came to the rescue and kept Utah's Super Six dreams alive heading into the floor exercise.
Â
The Utes were lights out on their final event, erupting for the second-best floor score (49.4625) in the evening session and securing a berth in the Super Six. Skinner led the way with a 9.9375 and freshman Sydney Soloski scored a 9.9125.
Â
Skinner's scorecard—a 9.9375 on vault, 9.925 on bars, 9.925 on beam and 9.9375 on floor—gave her an overall score of a 39.725 and a second-place all-around finish. She earned All-America honors on every event and the all-around (four first team and one second team). Making their first appearance as All-Americans were Reinstadtler in the all-around and Soloski on floor, both as second-teamers.
Â
The next night, the Utes marched out for their 21st and final appearance in the 25-year history of the Super Six.
While mistakes on their first two events prevented the Utes from contending for a record 11th national title, their gutsy finish on the balance beam propelled them into fifth place. The beam wobbles from the previous night disappeared and their 49.350 marked the first time all season that beam was the high scoring event for the Utes.
Â
Two sophomores led the way for Utah in the Super Six with Skinner placing third in the all-around with a 39.625 and Reinstadtler placing 10th with a 39.375.Â
Â
As the confetti fell on the competing teams at the conclusion of the championship, the 2018 Utes savored their last time on the floor with seniors Stover, Lewis and Erika Muhaw. Two weeks later, the underclassmen called a team meeting. It was time to start planning for a new era.
Â
2018 Utah Gymnastics Highlights
Â
Sophomore MyKayla Skinner became a two-time NCAA champion (floor 2017, vault 2018) and a two-time NCAA all-around runner-up (2017-18).
Â
Skinner became Utah's first NCAA vault champion since Kristen Kenoyer in 1992 and its first consecutive NCAA all-around runner-up since Ashley Postell placed second from 2006-08.
Â
Skinner was a 2018 NCAA All-American on every event and the all-around, placing first on vault, second in the all-around, fourth on beam, fifth on floor and seventh on bars.
Â
Sophomore Missy Reinstadlter (all-around) and freshman Sydney Soloski (floor) earned second-team All-America status at the NCAA Championships. Both are first-time All-Americans.
Â
Earning NACGC regular-season All-America honors were Skinner (all-around, vault, floor, bars and beam) and MaKenna Merrell-Giles (all-around, vault and floor).
Â
In just two seasons, Skinner already ranks second in Utah's All-America record book with 18 All-America awards (nine NCAA, nine regular season).
Â
NCAA Regional champions: Skinner (all-around, bars, floor/tie), Merrell-Giles (floor/tie) and Reinstadtler (beam).
Â
Pac-12 champions: Skinner (all-around, floor) and Merrell-Giles (vault).
Â
First-team All-Pac-12 honorees: Skinner (all-around, vault, bars, beam, floor) and Merrell-Giles (all-around, vault, floor).
Â
Second-team All-Pac-12 honorees: Reinstadtler (all-around) and sophomore Kim Tessen (vault).
Â
Skinner was named Pac-12 Gymnast of the Week five times, bringing her career total to a Pac-12 record 12 awards. Merrell-Giles earned her first Pac-12 Gymnast of the Week award.
Â
Team awards went to Skinner (MVP), Merrell-Giles (Coaches' Most Improved), Reinstadtler (Dahl Academic-Athletic) and Stover (Greg Marsden Leadership).
Â
Megan Marsden earned her 200th career victory as Utah's co-head coach. She is now 201-72-3 in nine seasons.
Â
Utah finished with an overall record of 24-10.
Â
Utah led all NCAA women's sports in attendance for the eighth time, averaging 15,139 fans a meet.
Â
Players Mentioned
/ Gymnastics
/ Gymnastics
/ Gymnastics
/ Gymnastics
/ Gymnastics
/ Gymnastics
/ Gymnastics
/ Gymnastics
Utah: 196.625 vs. Minnesota: 195.475, Iowa: 194.825 | Gymnastics Post-Meet Press Conference
Saturday, January 03
ESPN+ Feature | Utah Gymnastics' Ana Padurariu
Friday, January 02
Utah Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2025 | Gymnastics' Georgia Dabritz
Monday, October 13
Fan Fest 2025 Coaches and Players Interviews: Gymnastics
Sunday, August 17