Utah's sixth-ranked gymnastics team will likely use the same patched-together lineup it did on March 4 against Florida when it tries its luck at No. 5 Oregon State tonight at 8 p.m. MT.
Freshman vaulter Victoria Shanley's back spasms haven't improved to the point that coach Greg Marsden wants to risk using her in that jarring event, and freshman all-arounder Corrie Lothrop has been diagnosed with a floating chip in her ankle that will eventually require surgery.
Lothrop returned to the beam lineup last week but probably won't be able to do a lot more than that, said Marsden.
Since the surgery would necessitate probably six weeks out, she likely won't have it until after the season and will try to do what she can. She might be able to do bars, but Marsden isn't expecting her to compete on floor or vault, though he said he wouldn't rule out anything for sure. Earlier this week, she was talking about going all-around tonight.
Lothrop, an alternate to the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team, has been given a splint to wear while sleeping to hopefully keep the ankle from relaxing and allowing the chip to move into a spot where it hurts.
If Lothrop can only do beam, freshman Hailee Hansen will likely get her fourth competition on bars, and senior Gael Mackie will probably vault and do floor.
"This could be our team," Marsden said, looking toward the final two meets of the regular season and the postseason that begins with the NCAA regionals April 2. "You have to play the hand dealt you."
Utah is still without top all-arounder Kyndal Robarts, a senior who injured a knee Jan. 22. She has been cleared to train a little bit but no timetable for her return is certain. She has said she will come back this year if she can.
Even with the depleted lineup last week, Utah pushed No. 1-ranked Florida until the final event before falling 197-196.75, so there is hope for a strong meet at OSU.
The Beavers are 16-5 with a high score of 197 they hit last week at Stanford, when they upset the nation's former No. 2 team. They rank No. 1 nationally on bars and are led by sophomore all-arounder Makayla Stambaugh (39.525 high) and junior Leslie Mak (39.45). Utah's best are Lothrop (39.50) and junior Stephanie McAllister (39.475).
"Oregon State upset Stanford (last) week on the road and had a good score, so they're obviously another contender. It will be another tough meet up there, but it will be good," Marsden said, because it will be a learning situation for his young team that could wind up back at Corvallis in three weeks because the Beavers are hosting one of the regionals. If both teams were to drop one place in the rankings, Utah would likely be sent to Gill Coliseum to start the postseason.
"If we do our job (tonight), it should go down right to the end," said Marsden, "and we have to be in that situation yet stay relaxed and confident and not tighten up, so it's a good meet to have."
Co-coach Megan Marsden sees just getting away from the state as helpful practice for the postseason for a team that is half freshmen. Utah's been in-state for the last six meets.
"We've been at home for a lot of weeks, and I think it's good to have to adjust to airplane travel, time change, just some of those silly things," she said. "I think we need to get back into that to prepare for postseason.
"We've been so impressed with (the freshmen) this year in terms of adjusting to lots of people watching, high expectations each week of hitting your routines, dealing with adversity within a routine and staying on the equipment" added Mrs. Marsden. "Freshmen sometimes take a year, and this group seemed to figure it out quickly."
College gymnastics
(6) Utah at (5) Oregon State
Today, 8 p.m.
SUU hosts 3-way gymnastics meet today
CEDAR CITY — The Southern Utah University women's gymnastics team will host Iowa and Utah State today in a tri-meet beginning at 2 p.m. as the team will honor the five departing seniors on Senior Day.
The five seniors set to be honored are Lindsey Schultz, Ari Lamb, Shannon Coughlin, Jenna Vogt and Bailey Pendley. The class helped the Thunderbirds to a Western Athletic Conference title in 2010 and rewrote the SUU gymnastics record book. Schultz will graduate as the school record-holder on vault with a 9.950 and will be joined by Lamb after she posted the second-highest mark on beam with a 9.925 earlier this season.
The meet will also include a presentation to honor head coach Scott Bauman, marking his 20th year as head coach of the program. More than 100 former SUU gymnasts are anticipated to be in attendance during the meet.SUU hosts 3-way
gymnastics meet today
CEDAR CITY — The Southern Utah University women's gymnastics team will host Iowa and Utah State today in a tri-meet beginning at 2 p.m. as the team will honor the five departing seniors on Senior Day.
The five seniors set to be honored are Lindsey Schultz, Ari Lamb, Shannon Coughlin, Jenna Vogt and Bailey Pendley. The class helped the Thunderbirds to a Western Athletic Conference title in 2010 and rewrote the SUU record book.