CEDAR CITY, Utah - The Flippin' Birds will close out the regular season the same way they opened it, against the Boise State Broncos. Southern Utah travels to Boise for a Friday night showdown on March 13, with the meet set to begin at 6:00 p.m. MT. Fans can watch the action on the Mountain West Network, with live stats available through Virti.us.

Southern Utah enters the meet after taking down Washington 196.900-195.550. Junior Niya Randolph set a program record on the floor with a 9.975, taking first place. Randolph placed first on the vault and bars as well en route to a top finish in the all-around with a 39.575. Senior Kayla Pardue placed second on the vault, while the Flippin' Birds secured the entire podium on beam, Mia Hampton and Rylee Miller tying for the top spot at a 9.900, and Maria Ferguson coming in third. Carilia Martinez placed second on the floor with a new career-best 9.925, and Berlin Hall took third with a 9.900. The floor team posted the second-highest score in program history, 49.525, and the second-highest floor score in MPSF conference history. The beam team tied the season-high with a 49.300. 

Coach Scotty Bauman Said

"Boise State is always a really solid team, and they have been building momentum the last few weeks. We know going into their gym will be a great test for us. This week is about carrying the momentum from last Friday with us on the road, staying sharp in the details, and putting together four strong rotations as we get ready for the postseason."

The Competition 

Boise State

Boise State enters this week ranked No. 42 nationally and has shown steady improvement throughout the season, particularly on bars and beam, where the Broncos are currently ranked No. 36 and No. 38. In their most recent meet, Boise State posted a 195.925 team score against No. 15 California, highlighted by season-highs on both bars (49.100) and beam (49.150). Sophomore Kristina Shchennikova led the Broncos on bars with a career-best 9.925, the highest individual score for Boise State this season, while freshman Sydnie Whipple added a career-high 9.875 on beam. Boise State has also found consistency on vault, where four gymnasts posted matching 9.775s in the lineup, and on floor, where every routine scored 9.750 or higher. The Broncos' recent performances show a team building momentum late in the season, especially with back-to-back improvements on bars and a season-best beam rotation in their last outing.

Southern Utah Notes

Week 9 National, Regional, and Conference Rankings:

• No. 26 National Ranking
• Vault: Ranked 30th nationally (48.931 Ave).
• Floor: Ranked 21st nationally (49.200 Ave).
• Bars: Ranked 30th nationally (48.964 Ave).
• Beam: Ranked 25th nationally (48.950 Ave).
• SUU continues to lead the MPSF on vault, bars, beam, and floor so far this season.

MPSF Awards:

• Southern Utah has swept the MPSF Weekly awards in five weeks so far. 
• The Flippin' Birds have tallied 20 Conference Weekly awards so far: Randolph (6), Hall (6), Hampton (3), Pardue (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:

• The team's high score this season is 196.925.

• Niya Randolph: Scored a 2026 season-high 39.575 in the all-around and a program-best 9.975 on floor in the meet against Washington.
• Kayla Pardue holds the team's top vault score with a 9.925.
• Niya Randolph holds the team's top mark on the bars with a 9.925.
• Randolph also has the top score on the floor with a 9.975.
• Hampton is tied with Emma Nipper for the team's best beam score this season with 9.925.
• The Flippin' Birds recorded a season-high and the second-best floor score in program history with a 49.525 on the floor against Washington.

MPSF Championship Tickets On Sale Now

Don't miss a moment as the Flippin' Birds pursue a fourth straight conference title! Help us pack the America First Event Center by buying your tickets today! Visit tbirdtickets.com to reserve your seats! 

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