The Southern Utah University gymnastics team will host Arizona State University and Utah State University in their 2024 home opener. The tri-meet will take place on Friday, Jan. 19, at 7 p.m. in the America First Event Center and can be streamed on overnght.com.
Arizona State
The No. 24 Gym Devils are 1-1 to start the season after beating Central Michigan University 195.725-195.125 and falling to the University of Denver 196.900-196.375.
All of ASU’s best scores came against Denver. Anaya Smith was the top scorer on the vault in both meets, however, with 9.850 and 9.925. Cienna Samiley put up 9.900 on the bars against the Pioneers, while Kayla Lee posted 9.925 on the beam. Emily White has been Arizona State’s best all-arounder so far after scoring 39.375 while earning the team’s best floor score at 9.900.
Utah State
Though they are just two meets into the season, the Aggies are sitting at 0-6. They were the last-place finishers in both the North Carolina Quad Meet and the Best of Utah meet, where they scored 193.175 and 193.600, respectively.
Despite struggling with their team scores, Utah State has had a handful of strong individual performances. Nyla Morabito has put up their highest score on the vault with her 9.800 in North Carolina. Brianna Brooks scored a 9.875 on the bars for the Aggies’ highest single event score of the season so far. Brooks was also the team’s best and the Best of Utah meet’s second-best all-around performer after scoring 38.875. Both with 9.850s, Lexi Aragon leads on the beam and Jenna Eagles leads on the floor.
Southern Utah
The Flippin’ Birds are currently ranked No. 25 in the nation, just behind the Gym Devils. They have a 2-4 record after scoring 196.025 in the Super 16 Meet and 194.000 in the Best of Utah meet. Utah State is one of the two teams Southern Utah has topped.
Southern Utah has scored a 9.850 or higher in every event so far. Ellie Cacciola has the team’s best vault score with 9.850, while Aubri Schwartze and Isabella Neff are tied for the best bars’ score with 9.900. Schwartze also holds the Flippin’ Birds’ best beam score so far with her 9.850. Niya Randolph, the team’s only all-arounder up to this point and with a personal best of 39.300, leads on the floor with a 9.850.
Author: Anden Garfield
Photographer: Anden Garfield
sports@suunews.net
