CEDAR CITY, Utah — The Flippin' Birds opened the 2026 season with a 195.675-194.300 win against Boise State. Southern Utah took the lead in the first rotation and held steady in the second event before extending in the back half of the meet on the beam and wrapping with an explosive floor rotation.
Junior Kayla Pardue made a triumphant return to the lineup, earning a first-place finish on the vault with a 9.850. The T-Birds earned the top two spots on the bars with Niya Randolph scoring a 9.900 and Mia Hampton earning a 9.850. SUU scored the top four finishers on both beam and floor, with Hampton claiming first on the beam with a 9.875, and Freshman Berlin Hall taking home the top honors on the floor with an outstanding 9.875. Randolph set a high standard for the season, taking first in the all-around with an incredible 39.400. Hampton was right on her tail, though, with a 39.275, a new career high.
Head Coach Scotty Bauman Said
Meet Recap
Vault (48.775)
The Flippin' Birds opened the meet on vault with a dynamic performance. Hampton led off with a 9.700, while junior Elliot Bringhurst added a 9.750. Randolph kept things rolling with a clean 9.800, followed by the much-anticipated return of Kayla Pardue, who scored a huge 9.850. Freshman Berlin Hall made her debut and contributed a 9.675, and junior Mackenzie Kelly closed the event with a 9.675 of her own. Southern Utah grabbed the early two-tenths lead with a team mark of 48.775.
Bars (48.750)
Southern Utah continued on bars for the second rotation, showing off sharp execution. Randolph led off with a crisp 9.900, followed by Hampton with a smooth 9.850 routine. Trista Goodman returned to the lineup and delivered a solid 9.750 before junior Maria Ferguson battled through a fall on her release, earning a 9.075. Junior Alex Routsis added a 9.450, while junior Kendall McGuire closed the rotation with a 9.800, setting the Thunderbirds up at the halfway point with a 97.525.
Beam (48.925)
The Thunderbirds aimed to improve their momentum, holding a slight lead heading to the beam. Randolph opened with a fantastic routine that earned a 9.850 from the judges, followed by Hampton, who grabbed a 9.875 in the third event of the night for each of the two all-arounders. Miller showed determination, battling to a beautiful 9.800, while Bringhurst worked through a strong routine for a 9.800 of her own. Ferguson added a hard-fought 9.600, and Junior Marisa de Groot anchored the event, making her competitive debut with a 9.500, bringing the Flippin' Birds to a 146.450 with one rotation to go.
Floor (49.225)
Southern Utah brought high energy to the floor for the final event, feeding off the crowd's excitement. Hampton set the pace with an engaging 9.850, followed by junior Alyssa Fernandez's confident 9.775. Sophomore Sage Paladino electrified the crowd with a show-stopping 9.800, a new career best, while Hall matched the intensity with a powerful 9.875. Randolph kept the energy going with a dynamic 9.850, and Junior Carilia Martinez wrapped up the event with a spirited 9.850 in her competitive debut. The Flippin' Birds wrapped up the meet with a total score of 195.675.
Next Up
The Flippin' Birds will head to West Valley City for the Best of Utah on Monday, January 12, at 7:00 p.m. Southern Utah will take on The University of Utah, BYU, and Utah State in the ever-competitive meet.
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