ANCHORAGE, Alaska - The Flippin' Birds have their sight set on the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Championship on Saturday, March 22, in Anchorage, Alaska. The Thunderbirds will enter the meet as the top-ranked team in the conference, looking to secure their third straight conference title. The meet will begin at 4:00 p.m. MT and will be broadcast on overnght.com.
The Southern Utah gymnastics team concluded their regular season last week with a hard-fought meet in Boise, falling to the Broncos 196.775-196.150. Despite the loss, the Thunderbirds delivered standout performances, including sophomore Brinlee Christensen's career-best all-around score of 39.475, placing her among the top five in program history. Sophomore Niya Randolph finished second in the all-around with a 39.300, while Christensen and senior Ellie Cacciola tied for first on vault with scores of 9.850. Christensen also earned a 9.900 on both bars and floor. With a 12-5 overall record and an undefeated 4-0 conference mark.
Coach Scotty Bauman Said
"I'm so proud of this team and everything they've accomplished this season. They've worked hard, stayed focused, and really supported each other every step of the way. Competing for another conference title is an exciting opportunity, and I know they're ready to give it their all. We're looking forward to a great meet in Anchorage."
MPSF Awards
The Southern Utah gymnastics team made history by sweeping all five major end-of-year awards in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation and earning 18 of the 37 all-conference honors. Sophomore Niya Randolph was named MPSF Gymnast of the Year for the second consecutive season, while freshman Mia Hampton earned Freshman of the Year honors, and senior Ellie Cacciola was recognized as Specialist of the Year. Head Coach Scotty Bauman was awarded Coach of the Year after leading the Thunderbirds to a No. 23 national ranking and a program-best NQS of 196.315. Assistant Coaches Jamie Wysong and Jeff Richards also received back-to-back Assistant Coach of the Year honors. To learn more about the Thunderbirds conference award success click here.
The Competition
UC Davis
UC Davis gymnastics wrapped up its regular season in style, earning a 195.800 victory over Sacramento State to complete a season sweep. Leading the way was Amelia Moneymaker, who delivered a historic performance by setting a school record in the all-around with a 39.550, which ranks fourth all-time in MPSF history. Moneymaker shined across all events, highlighted by a career-high 9.950 on the floor and a 9.900 on bars. Megan Ray also had a strong showing, tying Moneymaker for first on vault with a 9.850 and adding solid scores on beam (9.800) and floor (9.850). Ayumi Oshiro matched her season-high with a 9.850 to tie for first on the beam and secured third place on the floor with another 9.850. Keanna Abraham contributed a 9.825 on vault for a third-place finish. With standout performances throughout the season, Moneymaker, Ray, Abraham, and Oshiro were all named to the 2025 All-Mountain Pacific Sports Federation teams, cementing their status as some of the conference's top competitors.
Sacramento State
Sacramento State has showcased an impressive season, with four of its athletes earning spots on the 2025 all-Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) teams. Senior Emma Morgenthaler led the way as a first-team all-MPSF all-arounder, consistently posting high scores, including a season-best 39.150 at Alaska Anchorage. Junior Sarah Lutrel also earned first-team honors on beam for the second year in a row, boasting an NQS of 9.830, and secured second-team recognition on vault. Sophomore Hannah Sitzman was a standout on bars, earning second-team all-MPSF honors with an NQS of 9.830 and a career-best 9.900. Fellow sophomore Athena Jones received second-team honors for both beam and floor, with a season highlight of 9.900 on floor. The Hornets recently delivered a season-best team score of 195.250 in their regular-season finale against UC Davis, led by strong performances from Lutrel, Morgenthaler, and Sitzman.
Alaska Anchorage
The Alaska Anchorage gymnastics team heads into the 2025 MPSF Championship meet with four Seawolves earning second-team all-conference honors. Senior Montana Fairbairn led the way with All-MPSF selections on floor exercise and vault, boasting team-best National Qualifying Scores of 9.835 and 9.700, respectively. Fellow senior Grace Costello claimed all-league honors on beam with a 9.690 NQS, while sophomore Jamilia Duffus earned recognition on bars with a 9.705 NQS. Freshman Hannah Boyd was acknowledged as an all-around competitor, achieving an NQS of 37.795. The Seawolves recently showcased their resilience at the Towson tri-meet, earning a season-high 48.900 on bars — the fourth-best in program history. Duffus, Boyd, and junior Madelyn Gomez each posted impressive 9.8 scores, with Gomez and Boyd achieving career highs. Fairbairn continued her strong form on floor with a 9.825, while Costello contributed steady scores across multiple events. As hosts of the MPSF Championship, UAA looks to carry its momentum into the final competition.
Southern Utah Notes
National and Conference Rankings:
- No. 23 National Ranking — Highest in the MPSF.
- Vault: Ranked 20th nationally (49.135 NQS).
- Floor: Ranked 18th nationally (49.310 NQS).
- Bars: Ranked 29th nationally (49.130 NQS).
- SUU led the MPSF on vault, bars, beam, and floor.
Major Award Winners:
- Southern Utah became the first program in MPSF history to sweep all five major end-of-year awards.
- MPSF Gymnast of the Year: Niya Randolph (Sophomore) — Second consecutive year receiving the award.
- MPSF Freshman of the Year: Mia Hampton (Freshman) — Earned eight Freshman of the Week awards.
- MPSF Specialist of the Year: Ellie Cacciola (Senior) — Ranked first in MPSF on vault and beam, second on floor.
- MPSF Head Coach of the Year: Scotty Bauman — Guided SUU to a No. 23 national ranking and conference-best NQS of 196.315.
- MPSF Assistant Coaches of the Year: Jamie Wysong and Jeff Richards — Recognized for leading top-ranked vault, floor, and bars squads.
- The Thunderbirds have earned 21 total Weekly Awards from the MPSF conference, including Hampton (8), 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.
All-Conference Honors:
- 18 of 37 total All-MPSF selections awarded to SUU gymnasts.
- 11 First-Team All-MPSF honors — Most in the conference.
- Notable First-Team Honorees:
Record-Breaking Performances:
- Achieved a season-best score of 196.900 against No. 29 Boise State, tied for the third-highest score in MPSF history.
- Broke the 196-point barrier in eight meets this season.
Other Notable Performances:
- Niya Randolph: Scored a season-high 39.450 in the all-around and a conference-best 9.925 on bars.
- Mia Hampton: Posted a 9.900 on floor twice this season and finished the season ranked third in the MPSF on floor.
- Ellie Cacciola: Earned a conference-leading 9.870 NQS on vault and 9.865 NQS on beam.
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