Obviously our team is devastated for Sabrina. It was a flukish thing really. – Utah co-head coach Tom Farden
SALT LAKE CITY — Friday’s quad meet will feature three gymnastics teams ranked in the top 15. Utah leads the way at No. 5, followed by No. 7 Denver and No. 15 Boise State. Illinois-Chicago rounds out the group competing in the Huntsman Center.
While the meet is expected to be competitive, Utah is balancing preparation with mental recovery as standout Sabrina Schwab was lost for the season after tearing her ACL Tuesday.
“Obviously our team is devastated for Sabrina,” said Utah co-head coach Tom Farden. “It was a flukish thing really.”
Farden said Schwab was completing a skill when her patella tendon dislocated after she landed on the beam, and then the ACL tear occurred after she came off the beam.
Utah was already adjusting lineups for the upcoming meet to give freshman Missy Reinstadtler experience. Reinstadtler was slated to replace Schwab on beam and Baely Rowe on floor.
Farden said the team has depth but Schwab, the 2016 Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, is another crushing loss in a long line of seasons with a major injury. Last year it was All-American Kari Lee to an Achilles tear.
“Sabrina had a breakout season last year, but even this season she was successfully competing a vault she learned just last year. She also had redesigned her bars routine, made the beam lineup and was still doing well on floor — a signature event,” said Farden. “She had earned her way into the all-around.
“It’s a very unfortunate thing, but we know we are not the only team going through this and we have to keep marching.”
Meet notes
“Denver and Boise State have been teams on the rise for a while now,” said Utah co-head coach Megan Marsden. “Boise State has given us a run in the Huntsman Center before so I don’t think they will be frazzled by the crowd. Denver seems really strong this season.”
Denver’s ranking is its second highest in program history with the Pioneers achieving No. 6 in both 2003 and 2010. Their best event is floor, where they are ranked No. 7, followed by beam at No. 9. Freshman Maddie Karr is ranked No. 10 in the all-around (39.462).
Boise State boasts a number of returners from last year’s Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference championship team — its second title in as many seasons— that was ranked as high as No. 9 nationally. All-arounder Sandra Collantes and Diana Mejia, who ranks No. 8 on bars lead the Broncos.
Illinois-Chicago is led by all-arounder Mikailla Northern.
Utah’s MyKayla Skinner and MaKenna Merrell will battle for the all-around title in what is expected to be a competitive meet.
Skinner has dominated Utah’s two meets this season, recording nine of 10 possible wins. She’s also dominated the Pac-12 weekly awards with back-to-back gymnast and freshman of the week nods.
“This is going to be a fun meet, and we like to host one quad meet every year because it helps our gymnasts get a feel for what the postseason will be like,” said Marsden.