CEDAR CITY, Utah - The Thunderbirds will make the return trip to Boise, Idaho to take on the Broncos on Friday, March 14, at 7:00 p.m. MT in ExtraMile Arena. The meet will be available to watch on Mountain West Network, and the live stat link can be found on the virti.us.   

Southern Utah's Flippin' Birds secured a 196.900-196.300 victory over Boise State on senior night, setting season highs on vault, beam, and overall score. Sophomore Niya Randolph led the all-around with a 39.450, also winning floor with a 9.925, while sophomore Brinlee Christensen placed second in the all-around with a 39.300. Senior Ellie Cacciola tied for first on vault with a 9.875, and sophomore Maria Ferguson took the top spot on bars with a 9.900. The team delivered strong performances across all events, culminating in a high-energy floor rotation that sealed the win.

Coach Scotty Bauman Said

"We are excited to compete at Boise State this weekend. The Broncos are a very well-coached team; the rivalry we have built with them over the years pushes both programs to be better, and this year is no different."

MPSF Weekly Awards

Three Southern Utah gymnasts earned weekly honors from Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF). Freshman Mia Hampton was named Freshman of the Week after posting solid scores of 9.800 on vault and bars and a 9.825 on floor. Senior Ellie Cacciola earned Specialist of the Week, leading the team with a 9.875 on vault, 9.825 on beam, and a 9.900 on floor during her senior night performance. Gymnast of the Week Niya Randolph continued her all-around dominance, scoring a season best matching 39.450 while winning floor with a 9.925 and adding strong scores on vault (9.850) and bars (9.875). 

The Competition 

Boise State

Boise State Gymnastics continues to climb the rankings, now sitting at #28 in the Road to Nationals standings. The Broncos remain a powerhouse on bars, holding steady at #21, while their beam squad has improved to #26. Vault now ranks #40, and floor sits at #44. Boise State fell to #21 Southern Utah, 196.900-196.300 last week in Cedar City. The Broncos still managed to hit key milestones, including tying their season-best beam score of 49.175 and posting their second-highest overall team score of the year.

Emily Lopez and Alyssa Vulaj led the charge for the Broncos, with Lopez earning the beam title behind a stellar 9.900 performance, while Vulaj claimed a share of the vault title with a 9.875. The Broncos started strong on bars, recording a 49.225 with junior Sydney Leitch setting a career-high 9.875. Vulaj and freshman Noelle Ball propelled the vault team to a 48.875, with Ball posting a career-best 9.825. Boise State also delivered on the floor, tallying a 49.025 behind team-high 9.850s from Vulaj and Elaina McGovern. With consistent top finishes and continued improvement across all events, the Broncos remain a strong contender as they head toward the postseason.

Southern Utah Notes

• Southern Utah sits at #22 in the Road to Nationals standings following week ten. 
• The Flippin' Birds vault team is #20, and bars are #28 nationally, while the beam team is ranked #33. The top-ranked rotation for the T-Birds is the floor team, which is now ranked #18.
• Southern Utah is coming off scoring a season-high 196.900 in the final home meet of the season against Boise State.
• The Thunderbirds have earned season sweeps over former MRGC conference foes BYU and Utah State. 
• Niya Randolph and Brinlee Christensen are nationally ranked 34th and 52nd in the all-around.
• Southern Utah Swept the MPSF Awards for the third time this season in week ten. 
• The Thunderbirds have earned 20 total Weekly Awards from the MPSF conference, including Hampton (7), Randolph (4), Bringhurst (1), Cacciola (2), Christensen (2), Gull (2), Miller (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 and have made regional appearances for the last 11 straight years (Excluding COVID)
• 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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