#6 Utah Gymnastics Competes At Rio Tinto Best of Utah This Friday Night

Friday, January 13

West Valley City, UT

6:45 PM

University of Utah

Utah State

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#6 Utah Gymnastics Competes At Rio Tinto Best of Utah This Friday Night

1/9/2023 11:17 AM | Gymnastics

Meet Notes - Best of Utah

Red Rocks look to defend title against in-state opponents for fourth-straight year.

MEET WEEK
Sixth-ranked Utah Gymnastics looks to defend its title at the annual Rio Tinto Best of Utah NCAA Gymnastics meet this Friday, Jan. 13, when it takes on in-state foes BYU, No. 22 Southern Utah, and Utah State. The fourth edition of the podium event for the four teams will begin with introductions at 6:45 p.m. MT at the Maverik Center and will be televised on BYUtv. Mike Lageschulte and former Ute All-American Kyndal (Robarts) Pond will also be broadcasting live from the Maverik Center on ESPN 700's sister station, 101.5 The Eagle. Fans looking to catch the quad meet at the Maverik Center can purchase tickets here.

Also taking place at the Maverik Center this weekend will be the inaugural Wasatch Classic. On Saturday, there will be two more collegiate gymnastics events first featuring #6 UCLA, #19 Minnesota, #25 Washington and Boise State at 3 p.m. MT. The final session of the Wasatch Classic will be at 8 p.m. MT featuring #3 California, Oregon State, #16 Iowa and #20 Pittsburgh. Tickets can be found here.

QUICK STICKS
• Utah begins the meet on floor this year, while BYU will begin on vault, Utah State on bars, and Southern Utah on beam.
• Utah has won all three of the previous Rio Tinto Best of Utah events at the Maverik Center. The Red Rocks have previously scored a 197.100 (2022), 197.000 (2020), and 196.900 (2021).
• Against the three in-state opponents, Utah is a combined 223-5.
• Utah is ranked sixth overall after week one. The Utes rank fourth on beam, fifth on vault and ninth on bars.

CHALK TALK
• Utah posted its highest score in a season opener since the 2005 season and its third-best all-time last week against LSU. Utah scored a 197.275, only falling behind the 197.675 (2005) and 197.350 (2004) in program season openers.
• Makenna Smith made her Utah debut against LSU, competing on vault, bars and floor.
• Utah has hit 22-24 routines this season. Gymnasts who have hit every routine are Maile O'Keefe (3-3), Makenna Smith (3-3), Abby Brenner (2-2), Cristal Isa (2-2), Abby Paulson (2-2), Kara Eaker (1-1), Jaylene Gilstrap (1-1), Jillian Hoffman (1-1), Amelie Morgan (1-1), Lucy Stanhope (1-1), and Sage Thompson (1-1).
• Individual event winners this season are Grace McCallum (1), O'Keefe (1), and Smith (1).

SERIES STATS
• Utah last lost to an in-state rival during the 1998 season.
• Utah has won 91 straight contests against Utah State, 44 straight against BYU, and 28 straight against Southern Utah.
• Utah leads the all-time series against BYU 102-2, which includes a 28-0 record at a neutral site.
• Utah leads the all-time series against Southern Utah 28-0, which includes a 9-0 record at a neutral site.
• Utah leads the all-time series against Utah State 93-3, which includes a 60-3 record at a neutral site.

SCOUTING BYU
BYU opened the 2023 season at the Super 16 where the Cougars finished fourth in their session against Arizona State, Iowa, and California with a 193.775. Leading BYU in its season opener was Anyssa Alvarado, who finished second on bars with a 9.90, and Elease Rollins, who finished second on beam with a 9.90. BYU graduated seven seniors from the 2022 roster that finished the season with a 196.640 average score. BYU began the season ranked No. 22 in the WCGA Preseason Poll.

SCOUTING SUU
Southern Utah won its session at the Super 16 this past weekend with a 195.800 to start the season. SUU downed North Carolina, Washington, and Fisk in the season opener. Southern Utah was led by Karley McClain's 39.175 in the all-around, which placed second in the competition. The Thunderbirds host New Hampshire on Monday night for their home opener before traveling to West Valley City for the quad meet this Friday night. SUU began the season ranked No. 28 in the preseason poll and returned five of its top gymnasts from last season – Shylen Murakami, McClain, Caitlin Kho, Mayson Bentley, and Rachel Smith.

SCOUTING UTAH STATE
Utah State returns 12 gymnasts from last season and will be under the direction of first-year head coach Kristin White in 2023. White takes over the program after the Aggies finished No. 23 in the nation and captured the first-ever Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference championship last year. Key gymnasts returning for the Aggies include Grace Rojas, Ariel Toomey and Sofi Sullivan.

UP NEXT
Sixth-ranked Utah heads to top-ranked Oklahoma next Sunday, Jan. 22, to take on the reigning national champions on its home floor. The Utes and Sooners will compete at 6 p.m. MT on ESPN at the Lloyd Noble Center. It will be the third year in a row that the two teams have gone head to head in non-conference action with each team winning the meet at their respective home arenas in the previous two meetings.