Completed Event: Gymnastics versus NCAA Championships on April 16, 2026 ,
Final Score
Gymnastics
vs NCAA Championships
The University of Utah Athletics
Utah Gymnastics Places Two on CSC Academic All-District
6/18/2026 4:00 PM | Gymnastics
Makenna Smith and Ella Zirbes earn recognition for competition and classroom excellence
SALT LAKE CITY — Makenna Smith and Ella Zirbes have been named Academic All-District by College Sports Communicators this week for outstanding performances in competition and in the classroom for Utah Gymnastics in 2026.
Smith graduated this spring with a 3.537 cumulative GPA, double majoring in psychology and criminology while Zirbes earned a perfect 4.0 cumulative GPA studying kinesiology.Â
Zirbes will be a senior for the upcoming 2027 Red Rocks season.
As an athlete, Smith finished her Utah Gymnastics career as a 2026 team captain, 12-time All-American (five regular season, seven NCAA), and tied 11th in the country on both vault and floor. She earned the 2026 Big 12 vault title (9.95) and was the runner-up in the all-around (39.600). Additionally, Smith was named All-Big 12 on vault, bars, and floor.
ÂThrough her career, Smith hit 216-220 routines and finished with 46 career victories while earning career-high scores of 9.975 on vault, bars, and floor, 9.95 on beam, and 39.725 in the all-around which ties eighth all-time in Utah Gymnastics history.Â
2026 was a breakthrough year for Zirbes who won the all-around in her first time competing all four events for the Red Rocks during the season opener against Iowa and Minnesota. The Utah junior finished the year tied 14th on vault, tied 15thon bars, and tied 11th on floor while extending her All-America count to seven (four NCAA, three regular season).Â
ÂZirbes was one of three Red Rocks to compete as an individual at the NCAA Championship (floor) and was named All-Big 12 on vault, bars, and floor. She ended the 2026 season with 20 career victories and counting, and has career-highs of 9.925 on vault, 9.975 on bars, 9.875 on beam, 9.95 on floor, and 39.550 in the all-around.
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Players Mentioned
/ Gymnastics
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Wednesday, April 15
Saturday, April 04
Sunday, March 15
Sunday, March 08