WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah – In the opening meet of the season for the Southern Utah University gymnastics team, the Thunderbirds finished fourth overall at the Best of Utah with a score of 195.00.
Utah took home the team championship by scoring 197.100, while Utah State finished as the runner up on a 195.875. BYU earned third place after recording a 195.225.
Kayla Horton was honored as SUU's team MVP for the night at the conclusion of the event.
"I was really pleased with the way we started off," said SUU head coach Scotty Bauman. I thought we had some uncharacteristic falls on beam and a few scores we thought would be a little better. We're not a program that's designed to come storming out of the gates and score 197.00's. We're a program that builds throughout the year and tries to peak really strong later in February. I think after we go home and get in a good home meet, after we get used to competing again under the lights, the girls will improve really quickly."
The Thunderbirds opened the night on bars where Nikki Thomas performed the first routine of the 2022 season and scored a 9.800. Hannah Nipp and Shylen Murakami led the way for SUU on the event with identical scores of 9.850. Mayson Bentley matched Thomas' score of 9.800, and Caitlin Kho finished in the middle with a mark of 9.825. As a team, Southern Utah finished bars with a score of 49.125. It would prove to be the best event of the night for the Flippin' Birds.
Balance beam proved to be a more challenging event for SUU as the T-Birds produced a score of 48.325. Murakami again finished with the event high for Southern Utah, registering a mark of 9.850. Nipp followed by earning a 9.775.
Southern Utah was able to regain some momentum with the Thunderbirds putting up consistent scores in their next rotation, as Aubri Schwartze, Nipp and Rachel Smith all recorded identical 9.700's on their floor routines. It was Horton who led the way in the event, though, as she earned a team-high 9.775 in her first performance of the new season. As a whole, the Flippin' Birds finished floor with a score of 48.575.
In the final rotation of the night, Horton again recorded an event high for SUU, along with Morgan Alfaro, as the pair earned 9.825's on vault. Rachel Smith was not far behind with a 9.800, and Ellie Cacciola and Stephanie Tervort both scored a 9.750. Collectively, Southern Utah put together a mark of 48.950 in the event.
The Flippin' Birds will be back in action in one week as they prepare to host Arizona in their home opener on Friday, January 14. The meet is slated to begin at 7 p.m. MT and a live broadcast will be available on ESPN+.
For all the latest on Southern Utah gymnastics, follow the Flippin' birds at @SUUGym on Twitter and @SUUGymnastics on Instagram, and like the Southern Utah Gymnastics Facebook page.
