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
Photo by: Misty-Jade Carlson
Crowd of 250 Turn out to Celebrate 50 Years of the Red Rocks
2/9/2025 10:00 PM | Gymnastics
Current, former gymnasts, staff and super fans helped mark Utah gymnastics’ historic milestone
SALT LAKE CITY—A crowd of 250 people dressed to the nines, flooded the Ken Garff Red Zone Saturday evening to celebrate 50 years of Utah Gymnastics. The Red Rocks held a "Red and Black Ball" for alumni, their families, staff, and super fans to reminisce on half a century of hard work, dedication, fun, and excellence that has resulted in the most dominant sports dynasty in the country.
Utah has been a force in collegiate gymnastics since its inception in 1975, when legendary head coach Greg Marsden set to work creating a sports behemoth that has spanned over his 40-year career. The Red Rocks are proudly the only team to have competed for all 48 NCAA national championships, and are tied with the Georgia Bulldogs with the most national titles won at 10.
"It is overwhelming to think about the collective success of all of you here tonight," said Deputy Athletics Director and COO, Charmelle Green. "You all have set a standard of excellence that has stood the test of time. As I look around the room, and reflect on all that you have accomplished collectively, I can't help but to have a profound sense of admiration, appreciation, and respect for all of you. Your presence is a reminder of what is possible."
The Red Rocks are the gold-standard in sport, having provided the blueprint to other teams in and out of gymnastics over the years on how to build a fan base, brand and market themselves, and, most importantly win, and win a lot.
From Marsden to his wife and co-coach Megan, current head coach Carly Dockendorf, and the many athletes that have come through the program, the Red Rocks' accomplishments are infinite.
Utah boasts the most All-America awards with 407 and counting, while Marsden is the only collegiate gymnastics coach to amass 1,000 wins and earn coach of the year seven times. The Red Rocks also set the longest home-win record of any sport, male or female at 23 years (1979-2002) which equates to 170 meets.
Though only in her second year at the helm, Dockendorf wasted little time making her own history, leading Utah to its 48th straight appearance at Nationals where they placed third, which is the highest finish ever from a first-year head coach.
"When I accepted this position a year and a half ago, I really did it with a lot of courage because I knew I wasn't going to do it alone," said Dockendorf. "One thing I had learned during my time at Utah is that it's not one person that makes it happen. It's an entire community of people with passion, dedication, and love to keep this program at the very top. It's the volunteers, it's the fans, it's the staff, and most importantly, it's the Red Rocks."
"GIVE ME A U! GIVE ME A T! GIVE ME AN A! GIVE ME AN H!"
Perhaps the most important piece to the Red Rocks success outside of bringing in some of the best coaches and athletes the sport can provide, has been the community engagement, and fan dedication which was brought up many times throughout the evening.
"Many college gymnastics programs across the nation have devoted fans, but really, nothing compares to the fans that fill the Huntsman Center during a Utah gymnastics meet," said three-time MVP and 11-time All-American Melissa Vituj. "Hearing the roar of the crowd when you stick your dismount, or finish your floor routine is incomparable to any other arena."
Utah's fan base has proven to be the most dedicated, over the years leading gymnastics attendance 37 times, winning 11 all-women's sports attendance awards, and setting a record of 16,109 back in 2015 as the Red Rocks hosted Michigan at the Huntsman Center.
The Red Rocks fan base has influenced school traditions such as "Flashing the U" and the "U-T-A-H" cheer started by super fan John Bircumshaw, who was one of the 250 in attendance Saturday night.
Five-time NCAA Champion, 12-time All-American, Olympian, Honda Broderick Cup winner, NCAA Top VI Award winner, and WAC Female Athlete of the Year recipient Missy Marlowe choked up when describing what the fans have meant, and still mean to her in present-day life.
"It's the most empowering, loving family here that I can imagine," said Marlowe. "We love our fans. To be able to sit here with people that have had season tickets for 35 years is impressive. I don't even know how to put that in words."
Needless to say, Utah gymnastics has been, and continues to be, a force from every angle that shows no signs of stopping any time soon.
"I can wholeheartedly say, when I think of my time here at Utah, some of the first things that come to mind are all the memories, friendships, and family that I was able to create," said four-time national champion, 19-time All-American, and current student-coach Maile O'Keefe. "The Utah family is like no other. It is continuous. Every year we are so lucky to gain more sisters, and on top of that, we are so lucky to have an amazing support system of fans, donors, and people who come to our meets every single year that love us."
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Utah has been a force in collegiate gymnastics since its inception in 1975, when legendary head coach Greg Marsden set to work creating a sports behemoth that has spanned over his 40-year career. The Red Rocks are proudly the only team to have competed for all 48 NCAA national championships, and are tied with the Georgia Bulldogs with the most national titles won at 10.
"It is overwhelming to think about the collective success of all of you here tonight," said Deputy Athletics Director and COO, Charmelle Green. "You all have set a standard of excellence that has stood the test of time. As I look around the room, and reflect on all that you have accomplished collectively, I can't help but to have a profound sense of admiration, appreciation, and respect for all of you. Your presence is a reminder of what is possible."
The Red Rocks are the gold-standard in sport, having provided the blueprint to other teams in and out of gymnastics over the years on how to build a fan base, brand and market themselves, and, most importantly win, and win a lot.
From Marsden to his wife and co-coach Megan, current head coach Carly Dockendorf, and the many athletes that have come through the program, the Red Rocks' accomplishments are infinite.
Utah boasts the most All-America awards with 407 and counting, while Marsden is the only collegiate gymnastics coach to amass 1,000 wins and earn coach of the year seven times. The Red Rocks also set the longest home-win record of any sport, male or female at 23 years (1979-2002) which equates to 170 meets.
Though only in her second year at the helm, Dockendorf wasted little time making her own history, leading Utah to its 48th straight appearance at Nationals where they placed third, which is the highest finish ever from a first-year head coach.
"When I accepted this position a year and a half ago, I really did it with a lot of courage because I knew I wasn't going to do it alone," said Dockendorf. "One thing I had learned during my time at Utah is that it's not one person that makes it happen. It's an entire community of people with passion, dedication, and love to keep this program at the very top. It's the volunteers, it's the fans, it's the staff, and most importantly, it's the Red Rocks."
"GIVE ME A U! GIVE ME A T! GIVE ME AN A! GIVE ME AN H!"
Perhaps the most important piece to the Red Rocks success outside of bringing in some of the best coaches and athletes the sport can provide, has been the community engagement, and fan dedication which was brought up many times throughout the evening.
"Many college gymnastics programs across the nation have devoted fans, but really, nothing compares to the fans that fill the Huntsman Center during a Utah gymnastics meet," said three-time MVP and 11-time All-American Melissa Vituj. "Hearing the roar of the crowd when you stick your dismount, or finish your floor routine is incomparable to any other arena."
Utah's fan base has proven to be the most dedicated, over the years leading gymnastics attendance 37 times, winning 11 all-women's sports attendance awards, and setting a record of 16,109 back in 2015 as the Red Rocks hosted Michigan at the Huntsman Center.
The Red Rocks fan base has influenced school traditions such as "Flashing the U" and the "U-T-A-H" cheer started by super fan John Bircumshaw, who was one of the 250 in attendance Saturday night.
Five-time NCAA Champion, 12-time All-American, Olympian, Honda Broderick Cup winner, NCAA Top VI Award winner, and WAC Female Athlete of the Year recipient Missy Marlowe choked up when describing what the fans have meant, and still mean to her in present-day life.
"It's the most empowering, loving family here that I can imagine," said Marlowe. "We love our fans. To be able to sit here with people that have had season tickets for 35 years is impressive. I don't even know how to put that in words."
Needless to say, Utah gymnastics has been, and continues to be, a force from every angle that shows no signs of stopping any time soon.
"I can wholeheartedly say, when I think of my time here at Utah, some of the first things that come to mind are all the memories, friendships, and family that I was able to create," said four-time national champion, 19-time All-American, and current student-coach Maile O'Keefe. "The Utah family is like no other. It is continuous. Every year we are so lucky to gain more sisters, and on top of that, we are so lucky to have an amazing support system of fans, donors, and people who come to our meets every single year that love us."
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