CEDAR CITY, Utah - The Flippin' Birds will be heading to the Best of Utah meet on Monday, January 20, where they will take on the University of Utah, BYU, and Utah State. That meet will take place at the Maverik Center in West Valley City. The first rotation will start at 6:00 p.m. MT and will be broadcast on BYUtv.  

The Flippin' Birds are coming off a road win at BYU 194.750-193.3775. Freshman Mia Hampton was a late addition to the beam rotation and delivered an impressive performance in her first all-around meet of the season, securing the top score with a 38.875. Sophomore Niya Randolph followed closely behind, finishing just 0.025 points shy with a 38.850. Sophomore Mackenzie Kelly claimed the top spot on vault with a score of 9.825, while senior Ellie Cacciola dominated the floor exercise, earning first place with a 9.875.

Coach Scotty Bauman Said

"The Best of Utah is one of the best meets in the country. Each team is well-coached and competitive year in and year out. We are excited to compete and battle with our in-state rivals."

The Competition 

Utah

The Utah Red Rocks gymnastics team is riding high after a dominant performance in their Big 12 Conference opener against Iowa State, where they posted a season-high 197.300. Senior Grace McCallum led the charge, winning the all-around with a 39.475 and dazzling on bars with a near-perfect 9.975 for the second consecutive week. Freshman Avery Neff showcased her potential, claiming event wins on vault (9.90) and beam (career-high 9.925), though her night ended prematurely due to an injury during the final rotation. Utah excelled across all rotations, highlighted by season-high scores on vault (49.300) and beam (49.350). Head coach Carly Dockendorf praised the team's poise and focus, emphasizing McCallum's leadership and the confidence exhibited by newcomers like Clara Raposo. 

Utah State

Utah State enters the upcoming Best of Utah meet aiming to build momentum after scoring a 194.150 in their home opener. The Aggies showed significant improvement on vault, earning a season-high 48.875, led by standout performances from sophomore Nyla Morabito (9.825) and freshman Kaylie Medrano (9.775). They also posted a season-high 48.775 on beam, with sophomore Sydney Jelen shining with a career-high 9.875. However, consistency remains a focal point for Utah State, as mistakes on bars (48.450) and floor (48.050) proved costly. With strong individual contributions across all apparatuses, including Brianna Brooks' event-winning 9.900 on bars and Morabito's floor title with a 9.850, the Aggies will aim to clean up routines and deliver a complete team performance against their in-state rivals at the Maverik Center.

BYU

The BYU women's gymnastics team showcased moments of brilliance in their matchup against Southern Utah last Friday but ultimately fell short. Senior Anna Bramblett-Wilde and sophomore Brynlee Andersen led the charge, earning season-best scores of 9.925 on the uneven bars and 9.950 on the balance beam, respectively—BYU's first scores above 9.900 this season. The Cougars shined on the floor exercise, delivering their second-highest team floor score of the season with a 48.825, highlighted by Sophie Dudley's season-high 9.850. Freshman Addi Glazier made her Cougar debut on the bars, while junior Kylie Eaqunito led the team on vault, helping BYU post a 48.475 in their first rotation. Despite strong performances in individual events, the Cougars couldn't overcome Southern Utah's consistent scoring. 

Southern Utah Notes

• Southern Utah currently sits at #31 in the Road to Nationals standings following week 2.
• Southern Utah currently has six gymnasts ranked in the top 100 nationally, including a few who are ranked in multiple events. 
• Niya Randolph and Brinlee Christensen are ranked 33 and 63, respectively, in the all-around. 
• Four gymnasts for the Thunderbirds have already earned Weekly Awards from the MPSF conference, including Randolph, Bringhurst, Hampton, and Neff.
• The Flippin' Birds have won consecutive Conference Championships in two separate conferences. Winning the Final MRGC Championship before transitioning to the MPSF and securing their first title in their new conference.
• The T-Birds finished the 2024 season ranked #27 in the country.
• Sophomore Niya Randolph was named the MPSF conference Gymnast of the Year for her outstanding consistency in the all-around in the 2024 season. Randolph set a new school and conference record for the all-around with a 39.600 in the home meet against BYU last season. 
• Sophomore Brinlee Christensen was named the MPSF Freshman of the Year for her outstanding debut last year.
• The Flippin' Birds swept the first-team All-MPSF honors with the top four bar workers in the conference. Randolph and Junior Trista Goodman each scored a 9.950 on the bars last year, setting a high standard for the team. The Thunderbirds set a new School and Conference record on the bars against Penn State last season, scoring 49.475. 
• The Thunderbirds are coached by Scott Bauman, who was named the MRGC Coach of the Year in 2023. 
• Associate Head Coach Jamie Wysong and Assistant Coach Jeff Richards were named the 2024 MPSF conference Assistant Coaches of the Year.   

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