CEDAR CITY, Utah - The Flippin' Birds are set for the NCAA Division I Regional in Tempe, Arizona, opening competition Thursday, April 2 at 2:00 p.m. MT. Southern Utah will compete in the second round against BYU, Michigan State, and Georgia, with the top two teams from the session advancing to Saturday's Regional Final at 6:00 p.m. MT. Fans can catch the action live on ESPN+, with live stats available via virti.us.

Southern Utah is fresh from winning its fourth straight conference title. The Flippin' Birds hosted the MPSF Championships and walked away with the crown in their final season in the Conference. Beginning next season, Southern Utah will join the PAC-12 conference in gymnastics and look to extend a run of conference championships that spans two conferences. (Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference-2023, Mountain Pacific Sports Federation- 2024,25,26) The Flippin' Birds boast the reigning three-time MPSF Gymnast of the Year Niya Randolph and MPSF Freshman of the Year Berlin Hall. The T-Birds have a deep roster of talented gymnasts and are prepared to compete for a spot in the Regional Final.   

Coach Scotty Bauman Said

The Competition 

BYU
No. 24 BYU Cougars head into NCAA Regionals as one of the steadiest, most well-rounded squads in the field, ranked inside the top 25 on every event. The Cougars proved their grit at the Big 12 Championships, finishing third with a 196.175 at the Maverik Center. After a sluggish start, BYU flipped the switch late, closing with a 49.475 on floor and a 49.025 on vault to showcase their scoring upside when it matters most. Freshman Scarlett Sonnenberg set the tone with a 9.950 on floor, and with multiple routines peaking at the right time, the Cougars arrive at regionals with momentum, depth, and a real shot to make noise.

Michigan State
No. 11 Michigan State Spartans women's gymnastics brings both firepower and consistency into regionals, ranking in the top 15 across every event. The Spartans are coming off a statement performance at the Big Ten Championships, finishing runner-up with a 197.475 at the State Farm Center, their fifth straight top-two finish at the conference meet. MSU delivered across the board, posting 49.400 or better on three events, including a near-season-best 49.375 on beam and a 49.450 on floor. Senior Sage Kellerman captured the Big Ten bars title, while Nikki Smith and others added key podium finishes. Battle-tested and balanced, the Spartans look primed to make a serious postseason push.

Georgia
The GymDogs roll into regionals as a legitimate title threat, armed with top-10 rankings on every event, including a nation-leading-caliber No. 3 floor squad. The GymDogs turned heads at the SEC Championships inside the BOK Center, posting a 197.450—the top score of their session and their best conference mark in over 20 years. Georgia flexed its depth with a 49.425 on floor and matching 49.375s on bars and beam, powered by standout efforts from Kelise Woolford, Autumn Reingold, and Nyla Aquino. Sitting at 19-3 on the year and surging at the right time, Georgia enters regionals looking every bit like a team built for a deep postseason run.

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Southern Utah Notes

Week 12 National, Regional, and Conference Rankings:

• No. 28 National Ranking
• Vault: Ranked 29th nationally (48.928 NQS Ave).
• Bars: Ranked 30th nationally (48.950 NQS Ave).
• Beam: Ranked 35th nationally (48.813 NQS Ave).
• Floor: Ranked 23rd nationally (49.208 NQS Ave).
• SUU led the MPSF on all events 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 four consecutive Conference Championships in two separate conferences. Winning the Final MRGC Championship before transitioning to the MPSF and securing all three titles in their stint with the 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.

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