The last home meet of Utah gymnastics’ 2026 campaign is Saturday at 3 p.m. MST in the Huntsman Center against West Virginia and No. 24 BYU.
Utah will recognize its four seniors, who are a combination of two transfers, one walk-on and a four-year starter. Each has contributed to the team in her own way.
Ashley Glynn transferred to Utah from Temple University after her freshman season. The Hockessin, Delaware, native has been in bars and floor lineups and has become a mainstay on vault, where she is the reigning Big 12 co-champion. She holds career highs on vault of 9.975, bars 9.95 and floor 9.9.
“I felt like college gymnastics in general was always something I was working towards, so now that it’s time to say goodbye to it, it just feels surreal,” said Glynn. “I’ve been thinking about the growth I’ve had with transferring programs and moving out here, and really everything I’ve accomplished at Utah with the fans and donors supporting me and our team.”
Sarah Krump grew up in Holladay, Utah, and watched the Red Rocks before moving to Las Vegas when she was 15.
“I knew it was going to be difficult being a walk-on, but I also knew that that didn’t really matter to me,” said Krump. “What really mattered was getting to be part of this legacy team, which has been a dream of mine since I was a young girl. I even have pictures of me in the Huntsman Center with Swoop when I was like 6 or so years old.”
Krump has earned her way into floor lineups, and on beam, and received a scholarship her senior season. She’s a co-captain with fellow senior Makenna Smith and sophomore Avery Neff.
“When I got the scholarship, it was gratifying, kind of a culmination of hard work,” she said. “It was the cherry on top of a career that had already been a dream come true.”
Ana Padurariu transferred to Utah after leaving UCLA to train for the Olympics, which ended in heartbreak due to an injury. She’s a former member of Canada’s National Team who hails from Whitby, Ontario. Padurariu is married to professional soccer player Tommy Silva.
She has been a regular on beam with a career-high of 9.95 and is the Big-12 co-champion on the event. She has a matching career high on bars.
“It’s definitely been a wild ride — my process and my journey was anything but linear. I made plans, and the world gave me an opposite plan,” explained Padurariu. “I think every season that I’ve been in has taught me more about myself, more about life, and more about how to just be where my feet are and enjoy the moment.”
Padurariu gets a bonus ending after Senior Night as Utah closes out its regular season the following week at UCLA, her first school.
“When I saw the schedule, I was like, ‘Wow, I get to enjoy my time here in the last little bit but also have a full-circle moment of being at UCLA Senior Night,’” Padurariu said.
While Padurariu has only been with Utah two years, she said she will miss the fans and that there is “truly nothing like the Huntsman Center” — she got to experience the atmosphere as a rival and as a Red Rock.
Makenna Smith is a 10-time All-American, and the reigning Big 12 floor champion and bars co-champion. The Albuquerque, New Mexico, native has career highs of 9.50 or better on all four events. She was just named a finalist for the AAI Award, where NCAA coaches recognize the most outstanding senior gymnast.
“I can have all my goals that I want to accomplish with scores and all of the accolades, but I think when it comes down to it, those aren’t the things people are going to remember you by,” explained Smith. “I’ve tried to embody the idea that people remember you by how you make them feel.”
Smith — who is a fan favorite, especially on floor, where she showcases her Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders era via AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck” — said she has a very-over-the-top, fun pair of sunglasses ready for her introduction Saturday.
She also admitted she’s been reflecting a lot on the past four years.
“I think this senior class is just so fun,” Smith noted. “I mean, Sarah and I came in and it was just the two of us, which was odd because other classes had quite a few girls. We had fun, just the two of us, and then Ashley came, then Ana came, and then we had this little hodgepodge class that cares so deeply for the program. I can’t believe our time together is coming to an end.”
The four seniors aren’t the only ones reflecting on their careers, as Utah coach Carly Dockendorf said she’s been penning down memories for a speech she’ll give this week to recognize the group.
“They come here and they grow as women, and hopefully they take some things that we’ve taught them along the way, but they’ve really taught me a lot in different ways,” said Dockendorf.
“McKenna is just unapologetically her, and her authenticity is inspiring. I think you don’t see, too often, people go out and be so comfortable just being them. I want to be more like her.
“You have Ana, who just competes with so much joy, and she’s so service-oriented, and to be able to bring that to the team and to this university, just such a unique person in that way.
“Sarah … I feel like she’s grown the most since she’s been here. She didn’t come in as a five-star recruit or a national champion and didn’t really compete much her first year. Every year she’s been here she’s competed more, and that takes a lot of perseverance to do that. I’ve told her, ‘Your story is going to be one I’m going to share for years to come, because it is so inspiring.’
“Ashley, she is the definition of perfection. I mean, that girl works so hard … you’re like, how can she work any harder, and she’s like, ‘I’m gonna work harder.’”
