CEDAR CITY, Utah - The Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) has announced its week four awards, and once again, two Thunderbirds have earned recognition. Sophomore Niya Randolph was named the Gymnasts of the week, while Senior Ellie Cacciola earned the Specialist of the week award. The pair of T-Birds helped SUU to a second-place finish at the Best of Utah meet last week.

Head Coach Scotty Bauman Said

"Niya and Ellie were incredible at the Best of Utah. They both went out and showed why we are one of the top teams to compete in the state, and this honor from the conference is well earned. They continue to get better with each meet."

Randolph was named Gymnast of the Week after a remarkable all-around showing that helped Southern Utah secure a season-high 196.175 at the Best of Utah. She demonstrated impressive consistency across all four events, posting a 9.800 on bars, 9.825 on vault, and 9.825 on beam, before sealing the team's final rotation with a 9.8255 on floor. Her all-around score of 39.275 was good enough for fourth place in a highly competitive field, cementing her as a key contributor to the Flippin' Birds' success.

Cacciola's leadership and execution earned her the Specialist of the Week honor as she delivered an exceptional performance on three apparatuses. She started strong with a 9.800 on vault, set the tone on beam with an outstanding 9.900, and saved her best for last with a stunning 9.925 floor routine, which tied for the top score in the meet against the #5-ranked Utah Utes. Cacciola's powerful and confident routines were crucial in securing the T-Birds' runner-up finish and further solidified her role as a leader for Southern Utah this season.

The Flippin' Birds will look to continue to impress as they take on their first conference opponent in a tri-meet at BYU featuring UC Davis.

Next Up

The Flippin' Birds will head back to Provo to take on the Cougars and conference foe UC Davis in a tri-meet on January 31. The meet will begin at 7:00 p.m. MT in the Marriott Center. The meet will be available to stream on ESPN+, and live stats can be found on virti.us. 

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