MEET WEEK
The No. 3 Utah gymnastics team (6-0, 2-0 Pac-12) will continue Pac-12 play on the road this week, taking on No. 12 California (6-4, 1-2 Pac-12) on Saturday, Feb. 8 in Berkeley, Calif. The top-15 matchup will begin at 12:30 p.m. PT in Haas Pavilion and will be aired on the Pac-12 Networks. Jim Watson will serve as the play-by-play announcer, while Amanda Borden will be on the call as the color analyst.
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IN THE RANKINGS
Following a season-high score at Arizona last week, Utah has jumped one spot in the RoadToNationals rankings, coming in as the nation's No. 3 team to enter Week 5. Remaining inside the top-10 on every event this year, the Utes rank No. 4 on beam, No. 6 on floor, No. 7 on vault, and No. 8 on bars.
Kim Tessen is No. 9 on bars and No. 13 on vault to lead the Utes.
Cristal Isa ranks No. 21 on beam.
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CHALK TALK
• Utah scored a season-high 197.300 in their first road dual meet of the season. The Utes also earned season-high scores on every event against Arizona.
• Five Utes set career-high marks or matched a career-best in Tucson, highlighted by
Sydney Soloski scoring career-highs on the two events she competes on, vault (9.875) and floor (9.95). Also having career-high performances were
Cristal Isa (bars),
Maile O'Keefe (all-around, vault, bars, beam),
Abby Paulson (beam), and
Kim Tessen (floor).
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Paulson and
Tessen have both scored a 9.90 or higher on at least one event in all four meets this season. Paulson has recorded a 9.90 or higher on beam three times and on floor once. Tessen has earned a 9.90 or higher on bars and floor three times each, and vault twice.
• Individual winners this season are
Tessen (5),
Isa (3),
Paulson (3),
Soloski (3),
O'Keefe (2),
Alexia Burch (1),
Hunter Dula (1), and
Emilie LeBlanc (1).
• Utah has hit 92-96 routines this season. Gymnasts who have hit every routine without a fall are
O'Keefe (15-15),
Burch (9-9),
LeBlanc (8-8),
Paulson (8-8),
Soloski (8-8),
Randall (7-7),
Dula (4-4), and
Cammy Hall (4-4).Â
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UTE INSIDER
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Missy Reinstadtler, an All-American in the all-around, is inching toward a return to her all-around status. Already a starter on vault and bars, Reinstadtler entered the floor lineup for the first time this season against Arizona and has done an exhibition beam routine in each of the previous two meets.
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Maile O'Keefe moved into the leadoff spot on bars for Utah and scored a season-high 9.80. O'Keefe earned a 39.325 in the all-around last week and has improved her all-around score in each outing.
• Utah shuffled three beam positions, moving O'Keefe into the No. 3 spot and
Adrienne Randall to the No. 4 position, while
Abby Paulson earned the nod as the beam anchor. All three Utes earned season-high scores, while Paulson won the beam title with a 9.925 to lead Utah's phenomenal beam set.
• Utah has earned two Pac-12 weekly awards this season. Tessen was named Pac-12 Specialist of the Week (Jan. 14) and O'Keefe was named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Week (Jan. 29).
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SHARING THE SPOTLIGHT
Through three meets this season, Utah has seen eight different gymnasts earn an event victory. The Red Rocks have competed 11 gymnasts this year and the eight Utes stepping up to earn event victories exhibits the depth on the team and the ability of different gymnasts to make an impact. Utah is nine deep on every event with a constant battle for lineup positions week in and week out.
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Against Arizona State two weeks ago, six different Red Rocks claimed event victories. Of the returners, Utah has seen four different returners earn event victories on an event they had not previously held a title on.
Sydney Soloski has earned her first career vault title,
Kim Tessen earned her first career bars and floor titles,
Cristal Isa has earned her first career bars and floor titles, while
Hunter Dula has earned her first career bars title.
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SERIES SHORTS
Utah leads the all-time series with California 25-2 (6-1 in Berkeley). Last time the Utes faced the Golden Bears in Berkeley, Cal came away with the upset 197.500-197.450 to earn their second-ever win against Utah. The Utes are on a five-meet win streak over the Bears. Â
SCOUTING CALIFORNIA
Co-Head Coaches: Justin Howell and Elisabeth Crandall-Howell (8th year)
2019 NCAA Finish: No. 11
National Rank: 12
Record: 6-4, 1-2 Pac-12
Notes: Scored a season-high 197.325 in their Pac-12 opener against Stanford at home … Cal is ranked No. 6 as a team on bars … Bears are led by three all-arounders in Maya Bordas, Kyana George and Nevaeh DeSouza … George is tied for No. 5 in the nation on vault and No. 21 on beam, and holds a team-high 39.575 in the all-around (vs. Stanford) … Cal sophomore Milan Clausi is the daughter of former Ute All-American, NCAA champion, Olympian and Crimson Club Hall of Famer Missy Marlowe and former Utah football player Joe Clausi.
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UP NEXT
After being on the road for back-to-back weeks, Utah will return to the friendly confines of the Jon M. Huntsman center for the matinee meet against No. 22 Oregon State. The meet between the Red Rocks and Beavers is at 1 p.m. MT in Salt Lake City and will be televised on the Pac-12 Networks.
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