CEDAR CITY, Utah - The Flippin' Birds return to the America First Event Center for the next three meets, beginning with this Friday, February 27, against UC Davis. Southern Utah will take on the Aggies in a MPSF conference showdown beginning at 6:30 p.m. MT. The meet is available to stream on overnght.com, and live stats are available via the link on the schedule page at suutbirds.com.
The Flippin' Birds last competed on the road at No. 13 Utah last weekend. Southern Utah got off to a slow start in the meet but finished strong, eventually falling 197.425-195.825. Junior Niya Randolph picked up a second-place finish in the All-Around with a 39.150. Freshman Berlin Hall picked up a tie for second place on the floor. Sophomore Emma Nipper and junior Elliot Bringhurst tied for second place on the beam, each earning a 9.900. In all, the Flippin' Birds tallied three routines that went 9.900 or better in the meet.
Coach Scotty Bauman Said
"We're excited to be back home in front of our fans. Competing at the AFEC gives our team a different kind of energy, and this is an important stretch for us. Right now, it's about putting four complete events together. UC Davis has some big routines, especially on beam, and they're led by a really dynamic all-arounder. For us, the focus is on details, landings, and trusting the work we've put in. If we stay aggressive and consistent, we'll put ourselves in a great position Friday night."
The Competition
UC Davis
The UC Davis Aggies continue to build momentum behind a star turn from Amelia Moneymaker, who has been the steady force in their lineup all season. Ranked No. 58 nationally, including an event high No. 42 on beam, the Aggies showed that strength in their latest tri-meet on the road at San Jose State, finishing third with a 192.825 against the San Jose State Spartans and Air Force. UC Davis closed the afternoon with a season-best 49.025 on beam, highlighted by matching 9.850s from Moneymaker and Alana Kim, plus clutch routines from Cady Chiu and Jehaan Poonja to anchor the rotation. Moneymaker once again delivered across the board, scoring a 9.875 on floor and finishing with a 39.150 in the all-around, the 22nd time in her career she's topped the 39.000 mark. She owns the team's top marks this season with a 9.950 on floor, a 9.900 on beam, and a season-high 39.300 all-around, giving the Aggies a proven headliner as they continue to chase consistency on vault (62), bars (61), and floor (60).
Southern Utah Notes
Week 6 National, Regional, and Conference Rankings:
- No. 28 National Ranking
- Vault: Ranked 32nd nationally (48.879 Ave).
- Floor: Ranked 25th nationally (49.125 Ave).
- Bars: Ranked 27th nationally (48.938 Ave).
- Beam: Ranked 27th nationally (48.921 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 15 Conference Weekly awards so far: Randolph (4), Hall (4), Pardue (2), Hampton (2), Bringhurst (1), Collum (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 196.825.
- Niya Randolph: Scored a 2026 season-high 39.500 in the all-around and a season-best 9.925 on floor in the road meet against Oregon State.
- Kayla Pardue holds the team's top vault score with a 9.925.
- Mia Hampton, Ariel Collum, and Niya Randolph are tied with the team's top mark on the bars with a 9.900.
- Freshman Berlin Hall and Randolph are tied for the top score on floor with a 9.925.
- Emma Nipper, Elliot Bringhurst, and Mia Hampton share the top mark on beam this season with 9.900.
- The Flippin' Birds recorded a season-high and top-five program score of 49.450 on the floor at Oregon State, and four gymnasts scored over a 9.900 at the meet.
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Don't miss a moment as the Flippin' Birds pursue greatness and soar to new heights in 2026! Help us pack the America First Event Center by buying your season tickets today! Visit tbirdtickets.com to reserve your seats!
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