SALT LAKE CITY—The opponents and weekends are set for the 2019 Utah gymnastics season and Ute fans can look forward to some top-flight competition. In addition to their Pac-12 slate, the Utes will face three SEC and two Big Ten powers with showdowns against LSU, Georgia, Missouri, Michigan and Penn State. In-state rival BYU completes the non-conference schedule.
Â
"The best way to prepare for the postseason is to go against nationally-competitive teams week-in and week-out, which is what this schedule is all about," said Utah co-head coach
Tom Farden. "That's also why we scheduled a podium meet (The Mardi Gras Invitational in St. Charles, Mo.). Getting on podium before the NCAA Championships is critical in our preparation."
Â
The Mardi Gras Invitational on Feb. 15 is a quad meet featuring Utah, LSU, Missouri and Stanford. Utah (2015) and LSU (2016-17) are both recent runners-up at the NCAA Championships, while Stanford has qualified into nationals 16 times and Missouri in 2010.
Â
Utah will open the season the weekend of Jan. 4-5 at home against the Penn State Nittany Lions, who are making their first appearance in the Huntsman Center since 2010. Utah's other non-conference home meet is against Michigan the weekend of Mar. 1-2 in the annual "Senior Night" meet. Utah has non-conference road meets at BYU on Jan. 11 and Georgia on Mar. 15, in addition to the neutral-site Mardi Gras Invitational on Feb. 15.
Â
The opponents, venues and weekends have been determined for Utah's Pac-12 schedule as well, with the league office planning to announce the exact dates in September. It is Utah's turn to host the most anticipated dual meet on the Pac-12 schedule with defending NCAA champion UCLA visiting Salt Lake City on the weekend of Feb. 22-24. Utah, which upset UCLA last year in Pauley Pavilion, placed fifth at the 2018 NCAA Championships. Other Pac-12 home dates include Arizona (Feb. 1-3) and California (Feb. 8-10).
Â
After 25 years of a Super Six team final, the NCAA Championships is moving to a four-team final in 2019, which necessitated a change in the regional format (the 2019 NCAA Regional sites are at Michigan, Georgia, LSU and Oregon State). The regional meet will expand from a single meet to four meets in three days with a first round "play-in" featuring two teams on Thursday, Apr. 4, a second round with two four-team semifinals on Friday, Apr. 5 and a four-team final on Saturday, Apr. 6. The top 16 seeds will automatically qualify into the second round.
Â
The top two finishers from each region will advance to the NCAA Championships in Ft. Worth, Texas, on Apr. 19-20.
Â
The Utah and NCAA postseason schedule is below. Listings with multiple dates will be clarified when the Pac-12 officially announces the conference schedule with dates, times and TV in September.
Â
2019 UTAH GYMNASTICS TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
Â
Date                        Opponent                                                        Location
Â
Jan. 4/5                   Penn State                                                        Salt Lake City
Â
Friday, Jan. 11Â Â Â Â Â Â Â at BYUÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Provo, Utah
Â
Jan. 18/19/20          at Oregon State                                                Corvallis, Ore.
Â
Jan. 25/26/27          at Arizona State                                              Tempe, Ariz.
Â
Feb. 1/2/3               Arizona                                                             Salt Lake City
Â
Feb. 8/9/10             California                                                         Salt Lake City
Â
Friday, Feb. 15       Mardi Gras Invitational                                      St. Charles, Mo.
                                 vs. LSU, Missouri, Stanford
Â
Monday, Feb. 18    at Stanford                                                       Stanford, Calif.
Â
Feb. 22/23/24Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â UCLAÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Salt Lake City
Â
Mar. 1/2                  Michigan                                                         Salt Lake City
Â
Mar. 8/9/10Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Bye
Â
Friday, Mar. 15       at Georgia                                                        Athens, Ga.
Â
Friday, Mar. 22       Pac-12 Championship                                     TBA
Â
Thursday, Apr. 4Â Â Â Â NCAA Regional First Round (2 teams)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â TBA+*
Â
Friday, Apr. 5Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â NCAA Regional Second Round (8 teams)Â Â Â Â Â TBA*
                                 Semifinal 1 & Semifinal 2
Â
Saturday, Apr. 6Â Â Â Â at NCAA Regional Final (4 teams)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â TBA*
Â
Friday, Apr. 19       at NCAA Semifinals                                       Ft. Worth, Texas
Â
Saturday, Apr. 20  at NCAA Finals                                              Ft. Worth, Texas
Â
+ The top 16 seeds will automatically qualify into the second round
*Regional hosts: Michigan, Georgia, LSU and Oregon State
Â