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
Saturday, February 9
Salt Lake City, UT
1:00 PM
University of Utah
197.150
vs
196.225
California
Photo by: Russ Isabella
No. 4 Ute Gymnasts Stay Unbeaten with 197.150-196.225 Win over No. 14 Cal
2/9/2019 4:18 PM | Gymnastics
SALT LAKE CITY—The No. 4 ranked Utah gymnasts continued their sizzling start to the 2019 season, topping 197.000 for the sixth meet in a row to beat No. 14 California before a sellout crowd of 15,558 in the Huntsman Center in a Saturday matinee. The Utes improved to 6-0 overall and 4-0 in the Pac-12 with their 197.150-196.225 win over the visiting Bears, who dropped to 5-4, 2-2 Pac-12.
The six straight 197s is a school-record start and ties for the second-most consecutive 197s during any point of the season with the 2018 Utes. The school mark for consecutive 197 or better scores is seven, set in 2014 and 2016.
"Six in a row to start the season," marveled co-head coach Tom Farden. "This team is making history in what is probably the most historical gymnastics program in the country."
The benchmark was in peril heading into Utah's final competitor of the night after Sydney Soloski suffered her first fall of the season as the No. 5 competitor on floor. But MaKenna Merrell-Giles came through with a 9.875 routine to push the Utes over 197. The senior co-captain picked up her second all-around victory in a row in the process, tying her season high with a 39.575. Fellow senior co-captain Kari Lee finished second all-around with a 39.350 with a hobbled MyKayla Skinner sitting out of the floor exercise for the second meet in a row to rest a sore ankle.
"MaKenna was in her element today," praised Farden. "Obviously she is a matinee woman. Her demeanor was great and she is leading this team by example and as a captain."
Farden hinted that Skinner might be available next Friday in a podium quad meet in St. Charles, Mo., featuring the No. 4 Utes, No. 5 LSU, No. 13 Missouri and No. 24 Stanford. "The podium makes for softer landings. We'll see if the soreness is gone after tonight's meet and if so, we'll let MyKayla train tumbling next week. If she feels good, we'll let her rip (in Missouri)."
In addition to her all-around title, Merrell-Giles tied for first on beam with Lee, both with season-high 9.925s (Lee's second this season). Skinner won vault with a 9.95 soon after Merrell-Giles landed a 9.925.
"Talk about beautiful vaults!" raved Farden about Skinner and Merrell-Giles, adding, "Vault was the shining event of the night." He was also pleased with the other events, even with some bobbles on beam and a fall on floor. "We stuck three of our six bar landings and hit our handstands. We had some issues on beam but we didn't fold, which was great. MaKenna, MyKayla and Kari's beam routines were stunning. On floor, Syd (Soloski) tweaked her knee and couldn't punch off (on her last tumbling pass), but five of our six routines were very good," said Farden.
Utah showed why it has been one of the top two vault teams all season on the opening event, putting up a 49.475 (just off its season high of 49.500) that included two huge stuck vaults with 10.0 start values from Merrell-Giles and Skinner. Merrell-Giles scored a season-best 9.925 and Skinner built on it, scoring a 9.95 after nailing the most difficult vault performed in college gymnastics. Utah took a 49.475-49.100 lead over the visiting Bears.
Big scores were in short supply on the uneven bars, where Kim Tessen, Merrell-Giles and Skinner all scored 9.85s to pace a 49.175 set and give Utah a 98.650-98.200 halftime lead.
Shannon McNatt got the Utes off to a wobbly start on the third round, scoring a 9.65. Soloski wasn't fazed, scoring a 9.80 in her first beam routine of the season. Merrell-Giles and Lee then posted back-to-back 9.925s before Adrienne Randall struggled with uncharacteristic breaks for a 9.675—her first beam score below a 9.825. As usual, Skinner came through in the clutch with a 9.90 to end the set and get the Utes to a 49.225. After three rotations, Utah led Cal 147.875-196.225.
With the meet well in hand heading into the final round, hitting 197 became the goal. Macey Roberts got things off to a good start with a 9.875, which was matched later in the lineup by Randall and Merrell-Giles.
The Utes now head into a brutal stretch of their schedule, facing three meets against national powers in eight days, starting with the GymQuarters Invitational in St. Charles, Mo., on Friday, Feb. 15. The Utes turn around and head to Stanford in a scheduling quirk of back-to-back meets against the same opponent on Monday, Feb. 18. On Saturday, Feb. 23, the Utes return home to host defending NCAA Champion and No. 3 ranked UCLA.
The six straight 197s is a school-record start and ties for the second-most consecutive 197s during any point of the season with the 2018 Utes. The school mark for consecutive 197 or better scores is seven, set in 2014 and 2016.
"Six in a row to start the season," marveled co-head coach Tom Farden. "This team is making history in what is probably the most historical gymnastics program in the country."
The benchmark was in peril heading into Utah's final competitor of the night after Sydney Soloski suffered her first fall of the season as the No. 5 competitor on floor. But MaKenna Merrell-Giles came through with a 9.875 routine to push the Utes over 197. The senior co-captain picked up her second all-around victory in a row in the process, tying her season high with a 39.575. Fellow senior co-captain Kari Lee finished second all-around with a 39.350 with a hobbled MyKayla Skinner sitting out of the floor exercise for the second meet in a row to rest a sore ankle.
"MaKenna was in her element today," praised Farden. "Obviously she is a matinee woman. Her demeanor was great and she is leading this team by example and as a captain."
Farden hinted that Skinner might be available next Friday in a podium quad meet in St. Charles, Mo., featuring the No. 4 Utes, No. 5 LSU, No. 13 Missouri and No. 24 Stanford. "The podium makes for softer landings. We'll see if the soreness is gone after tonight's meet and if so, we'll let MyKayla train tumbling next week. If she feels good, we'll let her rip (in Missouri)."
In addition to her all-around title, Merrell-Giles tied for first on beam with Lee, both with season-high 9.925s (Lee's second this season). Skinner won vault with a 9.95 soon after Merrell-Giles landed a 9.925.
"Talk about beautiful vaults!" raved Farden about Skinner and Merrell-Giles, adding, "Vault was the shining event of the night." He was also pleased with the other events, even with some bobbles on beam and a fall on floor. "We stuck three of our six bar landings and hit our handstands. We had some issues on beam but we didn't fold, which was great. MaKenna, MyKayla and Kari's beam routines were stunning. On floor, Syd (Soloski) tweaked her knee and couldn't punch off (on her last tumbling pass), but five of our six routines were very good," said Farden.
Utah showed why it has been one of the top two vault teams all season on the opening event, putting up a 49.475 (just off its season high of 49.500) that included two huge stuck vaults with 10.0 start values from Merrell-Giles and Skinner. Merrell-Giles scored a season-best 9.925 and Skinner built on it, scoring a 9.95 after nailing the most difficult vault performed in college gymnastics. Utah took a 49.475-49.100 lead over the visiting Bears.
Big scores were in short supply on the uneven bars, where Kim Tessen, Merrell-Giles and Skinner all scored 9.85s to pace a 49.175 set and give Utah a 98.650-98.200 halftime lead.
Shannon McNatt got the Utes off to a wobbly start on the third round, scoring a 9.65. Soloski wasn't fazed, scoring a 9.80 in her first beam routine of the season. Merrell-Giles and Lee then posted back-to-back 9.925s before Adrienne Randall struggled with uncharacteristic breaks for a 9.675—her first beam score below a 9.825. As usual, Skinner came through in the clutch with a 9.90 to end the set and get the Utes to a 49.225. After three rotations, Utah led Cal 147.875-196.225.
With the meet well in hand heading into the final round, hitting 197 became the goal. Macey Roberts got things off to a good start with a 9.875, which was matched later in the lineup by Randall and Merrell-Giles.
The Utes now head into a brutal stretch of their schedule, facing three meets against national powers in eight days, starting with the GymQuarters Invitational in St. Charles, Mo., on Friday, Feb. 15. The Utes turn around and head to Stanford in a scheduling quirk of back-to-back meets against the same opponent on Monday, Feb. 18. On Saturday, Feb. 23, the Utes return home to host defending NCAA Champion and No. 3 ranked UCLA.
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