LOGAN, Utah - Members of the Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference faced off in the first dual meets of the 2023 season this week as BYU posted a 195.475-195.300 victory over Boise State in Provo, while Southern Utah notched a 196.600-193.425 win over Utah State in Cedar City.
Two Thunderbirds stood atop the podium on vault in SUU's result over the Aggies as sophomore Ellie Cacciola and freshman Kayla Pardue scored matching 9.850s to finish first on the event. Their effort was equaled in Provo as Boise State junior Emily Lopez scored a 9.850 on vault as the trio shared MRGC Vault Specialist of the Week honors. The award on vault is both Lopez and Pardue's second of the 2023 season.
BYU senior Anyssa Alvarado recorded her second MRGC Bars Specialist of the Week award after scoring a 9.925 on the event against the Broncos. She shared the weekly honor with Southern Utah senior Shylen Murakami, who also scored a 9.925 on the event.
Lopez and Cacciola each captured another weekly accolade as the duo scored matching 9.925s on beam to share MRGC Beam Specialist of the Week honors. The award is Lopez' second-consecutive honor on the event this season.
Southern Utah gymnasts were represented again on floor as seniors Karley McClain and Rachel Smith recorded 9.925s on the event. BYU senior Rebekah Bean Ripley also scored a 9.925 on floor in the Cougars' dual meet victory over Boise State making the MRGC Floor Specialist of the Week a triplet.
McClain finished the meet against the Aggies with a 39.475 in the all-around, matching her season high and logging her third-consecutive MRGC Gymnast of the Week honor.
MRGC dual meets continue this week when BYU visits Utah State in the Aggies' home opener on Friday, Jan. 27. Southern Utah will face Boise State in Boise that same day, also in the Broncos' 2023 home opener.
The 2023 MRGC Championships will be hosted by Southern Utah on Saturday, March 18. Fans can purchase tickets by calling the Southern Utah ticket office at 435-586-7872 or by visiting the Southern Utah ticket office online at www.suutbirds.com.
The Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference is one of only two NCAA Division I gymnastics-only conferences in the nation and is made up of member institutions: Boise State University (Boise, Idaho), Brigham Young University (Provo, Utah), Southern Utah University (Cedar City, Utah) and Utah State University (Logan, Utah).
Vault Specialist of the Week
WK1 - Kayla Pardue, SUU (9.850)
WK2 - Emily Lopez, BSU (9.850)
WK3 - Ellie Cacciola, SUU (9.850)
Kayla Pardue, SUU (9.850)
Emily Lopez, BSU (9.850)
Bar Specialist of the Week
WK1 - Trista Goodman, SUU (9.900)
Anyssa Alvarado, BYU (9.900)
WK2 - Emily Lopez, BSU (9.950)
WK3 - Anyssa Alvarado, BYU (9.925)
Shylen Murakami, SUU (9.925)
Beam Specialist of the Week
WK1 - Elease Rollins, BYU (9.900)
WK2 - Emily Lopez, BSU (9.900)
Sofi Sullivan, USU (9.900)
WK3 - Emily Lopez, BSU (9.925)
Ellie Cacciola, SUU (9.925)
Floor Specialist of the Week
WK1 - Hailey Vultaggio, SUU (9.875)
WK2 - Karley McClain, SUU (9.925)
WK3 - Rebekah Bean Ripley, BYU (9.925)
Rachel Smith, SUU (9.925)
Karley McClain, SUU (9.925)
Gymnast of the Week
WK1 - Karley McClain, SUU (39.175)
WK2 - Karley McClain, SUU (39.475)
WK3 - Karley McClain, SUU (39.475)
