CEDAR CITY, Utah - The Flippin' Birds are headed to the Pacific Northwest for their next meet this Saturday, February 14, against Oregon State. The meet will begin at 3:00 p.m. MT and can be viewed through the link on the schedule page at suutbirds.com.
The Flippin' Birds last competed on February 9 on the road at the USU quad meet. Southern Utah finished second with a 195.525, just behind Utah State but well ahead of conference foes, Alaska Anchorage and Sacramento State.
Junior Niya Randolph won the all-around with a 38.650 and placed second in both bars and third on floor. Sophomore Mia Hampton tied with Randolph for third on the floor as well. Senior Kayla Pardue placed second on the vault with a 9.825. Freshman Ariel Collum posted a career-high and meet-winning 9.900 on the bars. Junior Elliot Bringhurst put together an incredible 9.875 beam routine that tied for the top spot in the event. Bringhurst and freshman Berlin Hall tied for third place on the vault with a 9.750.
Coach Scotty Bauman Said
"We're excited to get back on the road and compete against a really solid Oregon State team. They're strong across the board, so it'll take a complete meet from us. If we stay confident, trust our gymnastics, and compete for each other, we'll put ourselves in a good spot."
The Competition
Oregon State
Oregon State enters the week ranked No. 26 nationally and continues to show upward momentum across the lineup, highlighted by a strong No. 19 ranking on bars and a balanced presence on beam (21st) and floor (28th). The Beavers are coming off a runner-up finish at a quad meet in Boise, where they posted a 195.450 and steadily built confidence after a slow start on beam. Oregon State closed the meet with a season-best 49.025 on vault, underscoring its depth and ability to surge late in competition. Ellie Weaver anchored a standout bars performance, while Lauren Letzsch and Sophia Esposito continued to provide consistency and scoring power, with Esposito claiming multiple event titles and the all-around crown. With proven contributors across all four events and momentum trending in the right direction, the Beavers are one of the top contenders in the West.
Southern Utah Notes
Week 6 National, Regional, and Conference Rankings:
- No. 27 National Ranking
- Vault: Ranked 29th nationally (48.869 Ave).
- Floor: Ranked 26th nationally (49.025 Ave).
- Bars: Ranked 32nd nationally (48.844 Ave).
- Beam: Ranked 24th nationally (48.869 Ave).
- SUU continues to lead the MPSF on vault, bars, beam, and floor so far this season.
MPSF Awards:
- Southern Utah swept the MPSF Weekly awards in four out of five weeks so far.
- The Flippin' Birds have tallied 12 Conference Weekly awards so far: Randolph (4), Hall (4), Pardue (2), Hampton (1), and Routsis (1).
- In 2025, Southern Utah became the first program in MPSF history to sweep all five major end-of-year awards.
- 2025 MPSF Gymnast of the Year: Niya Randolph (Sophomore) — Second consecutive year receiving the award.
- 2025 MPSF Freshman of the Year: Mia Hampton (Freshman) — Earned eight Freshman of the Week awards.
- 2025 MPSF Head Coach of the Year: Scotty Bauman — Guided SUU to a No. 21 national ranking and conference-best NQS of 196.315.
- 2025 MPSF Assistant Coaches of the Year: Jamie Wysong and Jeff Richards — Recognized for leading top-ranked vault, floor, and bars squads.
- The Flippin' Birds have won three consecutive Conference Championships in two separate conferences. Winning the Final MRGC Championship before transitioning to the MPSF and securing their first two titles in their new conference.
Top Performances of 2026 so far:
- Team's high score this season is 196.000
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