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Tuesday, September 26, 2023 | 
Sports University of Utah

Five Utah gymnasts are All-Americans

Maile O’Keefe, Abby Paulson, Sydney Soloski, Alexia Burch and Cristal Isa all earned WCGA All-America honors

By Trent Wood Trent Wood
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Utah’s Maile O’Keefe competes on the bars during the Pac-12 gymnastics championships in West Valley City on Saturday, March 20, 2021. On Thursday, O’Keefe was named a first team All-American in the all-around and on balance beam, one of five Red Rocks to be honored.

Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News

Utah’s gymnastics team boasts some of the best collegiate gymnasts in the country.

That was made official Thursday morning as the Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association (WCGA) announced its 2021 regular season All-America awards. (The Pac-12 announced all-conference honors Friday, and seven Red Rocks were recognized).

Five Red Rocks earned the much-sought for designation: Maile O’Keefe, Abby Paulson, Sydney Soloski, Alexia Burch and Cristal Isa.

Maile O’Keefe

  • First-team All-American in the all-around and on balance beam.
  • Second-team All-American on uneven bars.
  • First-team All-Pac-12 on the all-around and on bars and beam.

The reigning Pac-12 Gymnast of the Year, O’Keefe is now a four-time All-American, after earning second-team honors on beam as a freshman.

Abby Paulson

  • First-team All-American on beam.
  • First-team All-Pac-12 on beam.

Paulson finished the regular season tied for sixth in the country on beam and earned three event wins. She is now a two-time All-American, after earning the same honor as a freshman.

Sydney Soloski

  • First-team All-American on floor exercise.
  • First-team All-Pac-12 on floor.

Soloski is now a three-time All-American, after earning first-team honors for the first time in her Utah career. She finished the regular season tied for eighth in the country on floor and picked up five event victories.

Alexia Burch

  • Second-team All-American on vault.
  • First-team All-Pac-12 on vault.

Burch earned her first All-America honors of her career — she was also named Pac-12 Specialist of the Year — after finishing the regular season tied for No. 10 on vault. She earned five events victories this season.

Cristal Isa

  • Second-team All-American on beam.
  • First-team All-Pac-12 on bars and beam.
  • Pac-12 honorable mention in the all-around.

Isa is a second-team All-American on beam for the second consecutive year, after finishing tied for No. 13 in the country. She is now a three-time All-American after earning second-team honors on beam and the uneven bars last season.

Jaedyn Rucker

  • Pac-12 honorable mention honors on floor and vault.

Rucker had a breakout regular season in his first season on the floor for Utah. She finished tied for seventh in the conference on floor, and eighth on vault.

Cammy Hall

  • Pac-12 honorable mention honors on vault.

Hall was a regular contributor for Utah on vault and tied for eighth in the conference in the event.

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