CEDAR CITY, Utah – The reigning three-time conference champion Southern Utah University Flippin' Birds are ready to soar into another thrilling season of competition. The 2026 campaign marks Southern Utah's final year in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) before making the highly anticipated move to the PAC-12 Conference in 2027.
Head Coach Scotty Bauman Said
"This season is going to be really special for our program. We've built an incredible foundation over the past few years, and our athletes are hungry to keep pushing that standard even higher. Competing one more year in the MPSF gives us a chance to finish what we started, and we're excited to challenge ourselves against all of our future Pac-12 opponents. Our fans are going to love the energy and talent this group brings to the floor every single meet."
The Flippin' Birds are coming off another historic year that saw them capture their third straight conference crown and finish the season ranked No. 21 nationally. With high expectations and elite talent returning, the Thunderbirds are gearing up for a challenging schedule that includes some of the nation's top programs.
Southern Utah will give fans a first look at this year's squad on Friday, November 14, with the annual Preview Meet inside the America First Event Center at 6:30 p.m.
The regular season officially kicks off at home on Friday, January 9, when the Thunderbirds welcome Boise State to Cedar City. The Flippin' Birds will then head north for the Les Olson Best of Utah meet on Monday, January 12, in West Valley City, where they'll square off against in-state rivals Utah, BYU, and Utah State.
A road trip to Logan follows on January 17 to take on Utah State, before the T-Birds travel to San Jose State on February 1 for a tri-meet including Air Force and Texas Woman's University.
The excitement returns to Cedar City on Friday, February 6, when SUU hosts BYU for Alumni Night, celebrating the rich tradition of the Thunderbirds' gymnastics program. The Flippin' Birds then embark on a three-meet road stretch that includes another matchup in Logan with Utah State, Sacramento State, and Alaska Anchorage (February 9), a trip to Oregon State (February 14), and a highly anticipated showdown at the University of Utah on February 20.
Southern Utah returns home for a crucial late-season run, hosting UC Davis on February 27, Utah State on March 2, and closing out the regular season with Senior Night against Washington on March 6.
The Flippin' Birds will have the opportunity to defend their conference title in front of the home crowd as they host the MPSF Championships on Saturday, March 21, at 6:00 p.m. inside the America First Event Center.
Head Coach Scotty Bauman and the Thunderbirds have their sights set on another championship run and are eager to make their final season in the MPSF one to remember.
Follow Us
For all the latest on Southern Utah gymnastics, follow @SUUGym on Twitter, @SUUGymastics on Instagram, and like the Southern Utah Gymnastics Facebook page.
Donate
To help support Thunderbird athletics, consider making a donation today! To learn more about how you can support, click here.
