CEDAR CITY, Utah - The Flippin' Birds are set to host the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) Championships on Saturday, March 21, at 6:00 p.m. MT. Southern Utah enters the event as the top-seeded team with a National Qualifying Score (NQS) of 195.955. The Flippin' Birds also sit atop the conference rankings in each event and have earned the first overall seed for the championship event. The event is available to stream on overnght.com, and live stats are available on virti.us. 

Southern Utah is coming off a tough road loss at Boise State, 196.275-195.850. Junior Niya Randolph was once again electric, earning a first-place finish in the all-around as well as the floor. Sophomore Sage Paladino and Freshman Berlin Hall tied for second place on the floor each, earning a 9.900. Three Southern Utah gymnasts tied for third on the bars, scoring 9.875. Senior Kayla Pardue took home the top score on vault with a 9.900, while junior Elliot Bringhurst earned a third-place finish on the event with a 9.800.

Coach Scotty Bauman Said

"Hosting this championship is something our program takes a lot of pride in, and our team has put in the work all season to prepare for this opportunity. We know the level of competition in the MPSF is strong, so for us, Saturday is about staying locked in on our gymnastics, trusting each other, and competing with confidence in front of our home crowd. If we do that, we'll put ourselves in a great position to reach our goals."

The Competition 

Sacramento State

The Sacramento State Hornets gymnastics team enters postseason competition ranked No. 49 nationally, highlighted by a balanced lineup that also sits 49th on bars, 50th on beam, 56th on floor, and 60th on vault. The Hornets are coming off one of their strongest performances of the season, posting a 194.800 team score against a tough Washington squad, fueled by standout individual efforts and consistent execution across the lineup. Leading the way is Sarah Lutrel, who captured the all-around title with a 39.100, her second win of the season, while Kara Houghton continues to shine on floor, tying for first with a 9.850 and claiming her fifth event title this year. Sacramento State showed particular strength on bars with a team-high 48.900 and demonstrated resilience late in the meet by outperforming Washington on both floor and beam. With momentum building and key contributors peaking at the right time, the Hornets will look to carry that confidence into the MPSF Championships.

UC Davis

The UC Davis Aggies head into postseason competition ranked No. 59 nationally, led by a beam squad that stands out at No. 47, while also ranking 62nd on bars, 63rd on floor, and 65th on vault. The Aggies closed their regular season with a 191.175 at a challenging quad meet in Berkeley, using the competition as a final tune-up before conference championships. UC Davis showed flashes of potential, particularly on the floor, where Avah Reichow and Amelia Moneymaker each matched, scoring 9.875s to tie for fifth, highlighting the team's scoring upside in the event. Moneymaker also delivered a strong all-around performance with a 38.900, including a 9.850 on bars to place fifth, while Alana Kim led the way on vault with a 9.800.

Alaska Anchorage

The Seawolves gymnastics team enters the MPSF Championships ranked No. 71 nationally, with their strongest event coming on bars at No. 63, along with rankings of 67th on beam, 74th on vault, and 77th on floor. The Seawolves have shown significant improvement over the second half of the season, raising their team average by more than two points since mid-February and posting several top-25 scores in program history. Alaska Anchorage is coming off its best performances of the year in Virginia, where strong showings on vault and bars led to team scores of 192.275 and 192.675. Junior Claudia Lessig has been a standout leader, highlighted by a 9.900 on beam, one of the top marks in program history, while also contributing consistently in the all-around. The Seawolves have also seen key production from athletes like Jamilia Duffus, Ariana DeSouza, and emerging freshmen Tessa Richardson and Alexandra Karkowski, giving the lineup added depth and momentum.

Southern Utah Notes

Week 9 National, Regional, and Conference Rankings:

• No. 26 National Ranking
• Vault: Ranked 28th nationally (48.935 NQS Ave).
• Bars: Ranked 29th nationally (48.968 NQS Ave).
• Beam: Ranked 29th nationally (48.900 NQS Ave).
• Floor: Ranked 20th nationally (49.223 NQS 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 of the season. 
• The Flippin' Birds have tallied 21 Conference Weekly awards this year: Randolph (7), Hall (6), Hampton (3), Pardue (2), Bringhurst (1), Collum (1), and Routsis (1). 
• 2026 MPSF Gymnast of the Year: Niya Randolph (Junior) — Third consecutive year receiving the award.
• 2026 MPSF Freshman of the Year: Berlin Hall (Freshman) — Earned six Freshman of the Week awards.
• 13 separate gymnasts earned All-MPSF honors this season for the Thunderbirds, and some of those gymnasts earned multiple All-Conference awards, totaling 20 for the team. 

• 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!

NCAA Gymnastics Championship Selection Special

Southern Utah is already locked into position to compete at the NCAA Division I Regionals based on NQS rankings. The team will find out where and when they compete on Monday, March 23, during the NCAA Bracket Reveal hosted on ESPNU at 10:00 a.m. Tune in to see where the Flippin' Birds are placed in the bracket!

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