CEDAR CITY, Utah - The Thunderbirds will host back-to-back home meets in quick succession, beginning with conference opponent Sacramento State on Friday, February 7, at 6:30 p.m. in the America First Event Center. The Flippin' Birds will be right back in the AFEC on Monday, February 10, at 6:30 p.m. to take on Utah State University. Both meets will be available to stream on Overnght.com, and live stats can be found on virti.us. 

Southern Utah Returns home for the first time this year after another road win at the BYU tri-meet. The Thunderbirds finished with a 195.875 to beat the Cougars and Aggies. Sophomore Brinlee Christensen claimed her first all-around title of the season with a strong 38.950. Fellow sophomore Niya Randolph secured third in the all-around with a 38.550. Senior Ellie Cacciola dominated the beam, earning the top score of 9.875. On the floor, freshman Mia Hampton and senior Taylor Gull tied for first with an impressive 9.900.

Coach Scotty Bauman Said

"Our team has been working incredibly hard, and it's showing in the way we're competing. These home meets give us a great opportunity to showcase our depth and energy in front of our fans, and we can't wait to bring that fire to the AFEC."

MPSF Weekly Awards

Southern Utah made a statement this week, sweeping the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation's weekly awards. Taylor Gull earned Specialist of the Week after scoring a season-best 9.900 on floor, while Mia Hampton secured Freshman of the Week honors with standout performances on floor (9.900), vault (9.775), and bars (9.825). Brinlee Christensen claimed Gymnast of the Week, winning her first collegiate all-around title with strong scores across all four events. The Flippin' Birds continue to build momentum, proving they're a force to be reckoned with in the MPSF.

The Competition 

Sacramento State

Sacramento State enters this matchup following a strong performance at Boise State, where they posted a 194.600 team score. The Hornets continue to be led by senior Emma Morgenthaler, who claimed the all-around title with a 38.900, competing in all four events for the first time this season. Sarah Lutrel has also been a key contributor, tying for second on beam (9.850) and third on vault (9.775). The team's highest-scoring rotation last week was beam, where Athena Jones (9.825) and Grace Gilman (9.800) also delivered standout performances. With depth across all four events and a streak of individual event winners in every meet this season, Sacramento State will be looking to build on their momentum as they face Southern Utah.

Utah State

Utah State gymnastics is coming off a strong finish at the Boise State Tri-Meet, where they posted a season-high 195.850 and placed second overall. The Aggies' standout performance came on the uneven bars, where they scored 49.375, tied for the second-best mark in program history. Junior Avery Bibbey, graduate Brianna Brooks, and senior Dani Kirstine all tied for first with impressive 9.900s. Brooks also won the beam title with a 9.900, while Jenna Eagles earned a career-high 9.875 on floor to share the event win. Although they struggled on vault, Utah State's overall consistency and depth across multiple events make them a formidable opponent. With a lineup featuring strong all-around performers like Brooks, Bibbey, and Kirstine, the Aggies will be looking to build on this momentum as they face off in the upcoming matchup.

Southern Utah Notes

• Southern Utah currently sits at #28 in the Road to Nationals standings following week 4.
• The Flippin' Birds vault team is #24 nationally, while the bars team is ranked #29. The beam team is a bit further back at #36, and the floor team has moved up to #39 after a slow start. 
• Southern Utah is coming off a solid road performance at BYU, earning the first conference victory over UC Davis and completing the season sweep of the Cougars. 
• Niya Randolph, Mia Hampton, and Brinlee Christensen are nationally ranked 59, 67, and 74, respectively, in the all-around.
• The Flippin' Birds earned the first MPSF Weekly award sweep of the season, with Taylor Gull (Specialist), Mia Hampton (Freshman,) and Brinlee Christensen (Gymnast) being recognized for their outstanding performance.  
• The Thunderbirds have earned ten total Weekly Awards from the MPSF conference, including Hampton (3), Randolph (2), Bringhurst (1), Cacciola (1), Christensen (1), Gull (1), and Neff (1). 
• 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.   

Fan Fest

Don't miss out on Fan Fest this Monday, February 10, from 5:30-6:30 p.m. in the Ballroom of the student center. Stop by for free food, face painting, and fun, all leading up to the Flippin' Birds meet against Utah State!

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