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The University of Utah Athletics
Six Red Rocks Named to Big 12 Preseason Team
12/11/2025 1:10 PM | Gymnastics
Utah Gymnastics represented by Avery Neff, Makenna Smith, Ashley Glynn, Ella Zirbes, Ana Padurariu, and Camie Winger
SALT LAKE CITY — Six Red Rocks have been named to the 2026 Big 12 Preseason Team the league announced Thursday afternoon.
Avery Neff, Makenna Smith, Ashley Glynn, Ella Zirbes, Ana Padurariu, and Camie Winger were all recognized as some of the best and brightest ahead of the season that officially starts in January.
Neff proved to be worth her No. 1 recruiting rank and then some as a freshman last season for the Red Rocks with confidence high she will continue down that path as a sophomore in 2026.
The reigning 2025 Big 12 Newcomer of the Year was unanimously voted to the all-around team while also earning spots on the preseason vault and beam teams. Neff was a force down the stretch last season after suffering an injury early on, being crowned the 2025 Regional all-around and vault champion, the 2025 Big 12 beam champion, and notching four All-American nods (one regular season and three NCAA).
There is equal confidence in senior Smith who was also unanimously voted to the all-around team with spots on the bars and floor teams as well.
As a junior, Smith grew her All-American count to 10 (three regular season, seven NCAA), notched 34 event victories, and was crowned the 2025 Big 12 bars champion while cleaning up on the 2025 All-Big 12 team (vault, beam, floor, and all-around).
Glynn and Zirbes were also unanimous votes to the vault and bars teams, respectively.
Glynn proved to be a steady asset for the Red Rocks on vault as a junior last season, posting a career-high on the event of 9.95 while earning a spot on the 2025 All-Big 12 vault team and being crowned the 2025 Big 12 vault champion.
Zirbes showed the same steady ability on bars for Utah Gymnastics as a sophomore, also setting a career-high for herself of 9.95 while earning spots on the All-Big 12 bars and vault team, and notching one more NCAA All-American nod to her resume on bars for a career total of three.
Utah's reputation as a "beam team" looks to continue in 2026 as Padurariu and Winger join Neff on the Big 12 Preseason beam team, making it the event the Red Rocks are most represented in ahead of the season.
Padurariu matched her career-high on the event of 9.95 last season as a junior, earning herself a piece of the Big 12 beam title.
Meanwhile, Winger set a career-high of 9.95 on beam as a sophomore, earning a spot on the 2025 All-Big 12 beam team, and a WCGA regular-season All-American nod.
FULL PRESEASON BIG TEAM
All-Around
Abigayle Martin, Arizona*
Kimberly Smith, Arizona State*
Kylie Eaquinto, BYU
Scarlett Sonnenberg, BYU
Avery Neff, Utah*
Makenna Smith, Utah*
Vault
Abigayle Martin, Arizona
Mila Brusch, Denver
Maddison Reidenbach, Denver
Ashley Glynn, Utah*
Avery Neff, Utah
Karleigh DiCello, West Virginia
Uneven Bars
Reese Grolla, Arizona State
Cecilia Cooley, Denver
Kiley Rorich, Denver
Frederique Sgarbossa, Iowa State*
Makenna Smith, Utah
Ella Zirbes, Utah*
Balance Beam
Abigayle Martin, Arizona
Reese Grolla, Arizona State
Brynlee Andersen-Broekman, BYU*
Avery Neff, Utah
Ana Padurariu, Utah
Camie Winger, Utah
Floor
Emma Strom, Arizona*
Kimberly Smith, Arizona State
Cecilia Cooley, Denver
Noelle Adams, Iowa State
Haylee Hardin, Iowa State*
Makenna Smith, Utah
* denotes unanimous selection
UP NEXT
Fans can join the Utah Gymnastics at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on Friday, Dec. 12 at 7 p.m. MT for their annual Red Rocks Preview that will showcase all the routines for the upcoming 2026 season.
FOLLOW THE RED ROCKS
For an inside look at the Utah Gymnastics program, including tournament, roster and news updates, fans can follow the Red Rocks on social media (Twitter: @UtahGymnastics |Instagram: @utahgymnastics).
DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL MOBILE APP OF THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH TODAY – UTAH 360
Avery Neff, Makenna Smith, Ashley Glynn, Ella Zirbes, Ana Padurariu, and Camie Winger were all recognized as some of the best and brightest ahead of the season that officially starts in January.
Neff proved to be worth her No. 1 recruiting rank and then some as a freshman last season for the Red Rocks with confidence high she will continue down that path as a sophomore in 2026.
The reigning 2025 Big 12 Newcomer of the Year was unanimously voted to the all-around team while also earning spots on the preseason vault and beam teams. Neff was a force down the stretch last season after suffering an injury early on, being crowned the 2025 Regional all-around and vault champion, the 2025 Big 12 beam champion, and notching four All-American nods (one regular season and three NCAA).
There is equal confidence in senior Smith who was also unanimously voted to the all-around team with spots on the bars and floor teams as well.
As a junior, Smith grew her All-American count to 10 (three regular season, seven NCAA), notched 34 event victories, and was crowned the 2025 Big 12 bars champion while cleaning up on the 2025 All-Big 12 team (vault, beam, floor, and all-around).
Glynn and Zirbes were also unanimous votes to the vault and bars teams, respectively.
Glynn proved to be a steady asset for the Red Rocks on vault as a junior last season, posting a career-high on the event of 9.95 while earning a spot on the 2025 All-Big 12 vault team and being crowned the 2025 Big 12 vault champion.
Zirbes showed the same steady ability on bars for Utah Gymnastics as a sophomore, also setting a career-high for herself of 9.95 while earning spots on the All-Big 12 bars and vault team, and notching one more NCAA All-American nod to her resume on bars for a career total of three.
Utah's reputation as a "beam team" looks to continue in 2026 as Padurariu and Winger join Neff on the Big 12 Preseason beam team, making it the event the Red Rocks are most represented in ahead of the season.
Padurariu matched her career-high on the event of 9.95 last season as a junior, earning herself a piece of the Big 12 beam title.
Meanwhile, Winger set a career-high of 9.95 on beam as a sophomore, earning a spot on the 2025 All-Big 12 beam team, and a WCGA regular-season All-American nod.
FULL PRESEASON BIG TEAM
All-Around
Abigayle Martin, Arizona*
Kimberly Smith, Arizona State*
Kylie Eaquinto, BYU
Scarlett Sonnenberg, BYU
Avery Neff, Utah*
Makenna Smith, Utah*
Vault
Abigayle Martin, Arizona
Mila Brusch, Denver
Maddison Reidenbach, Denver
Ashley Glynn, Utah*
Avery Neff, Utah
Karleigh DiCello, West Virginia
Uneven Bars
Reese Grolla, Arizona State
Cecilia Cooley, Denver
Kiley Rorich, Denver
Frederique Sgarbossa, Iowa State*
Makenna Smith, Utah
Ella Zirbes, Utah*
Balance Beam
Abigayle Martin, Arizona
Reese Grolla, Arizona State
Brynlee Andersen-Broekman, BYU*
Avery Neff, Utah
Ana Padurariu, Utah
Camie Winger, Utah
Floor
Emma Strom, Arizona*
Kimberly Smith, Arizona State
Cecilia Cooley, Denver
Noelle Adams, Iowa State
Haylee Hardin, Iowa State*
Makenna Smith, Utah
* denotes unanimous selection
UP NEXT
Fans can join the Utah Gymnastics at the Jon M. Huntsman Center on Friday, Dec. 12 at 7 p.m. MT for their annual Red Rocks Preview that will showcase all the routines for the upcoming 2026 season.
FOLLOW THE RED ROCKS
For an inside look at the Utah Gymnastics program, including tournament, roster and news updates, fans can follow the Red Rocks on social media (Twitter: @UtahGymnastics |Instagram: @utahgymnastics).
DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL MOBILE APP OF THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH TODAY – UTAH 360
Players Mentioned
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