The Utah gymnastics team heads into its final regular-season meet Saturday, and it is a big one. Longtime rivals No. 12 Utah and No. 5 UCLA square off at 8:30 p.m. MDT in Pauley Pavilion.
Both squads are coming off regular-season conference titles, with Utah going undefeated in the Big 12 and UCLA doing likewise in the Big Ten. Since parting ways from the Pac-12, both teams have been dominant in their new conferences, winning both regular-season titles and last year’s championship meets.
Both are favored to win their conference championship meets this year as well. Prior to the two teams leaving the Pac-12, Utah had claimed four-straight Pac-12 titles.
This meet will test Utah to see how it responds to competing against one of the nation’s best. It is a test that didn’t come during its conference season.
“I think this meet is at a great point in the season for us,” said Utah gymnast Avery Neff. “Maybe we haven’t had a push like this in competition for a while, but I think that’s also a blessing for us this year because we have been trying to figure out a lot of things.”
Utah’s season has been a roller-coaster of sorts. In its other big test against UCLA and now No. 1 Oklahoma and No. 2 LSU to open the season, the Red Rocks faltered, with three gymnasts falling off the beam, resulting in a 195.90 score for the first time since 2016.
The bumps, another 195-range score on the road, and the successes, a 198.025, which ranks seventh nationally, are in the rearview mirror as Utah is focused on the task at hand while coming off its second-best score of the season.
“We are going to have to have that extra edge, and more intense pressure that we have been training for to compete against UCLA in their home arena,” added Neff, who is competing in Pauley for the first time.
Last season, No. 5 Utah topped No. 4 UCLA at the Huntsman Center, but the Red Rocks finished below the Bruins in the NCAA finals. This year, Utah will need the regular-season upset to happen on the road, a place where it hasn’t reached its potential. Overall, Utah holds a 68-38-1 advantage over UCLA.
“It’s fun that we get to keep this rivalry alive even without us being in the same conference,” said senior Makenna Smith. “UCLA is a really great team to go up against, and they have a really awesome crowd that brings really awesome energy. It reminds me of home, so I think it makes it a little bit easier to compete.”
Conferences
Scoping out other conferences, Oklahoma won its second-straight SEC regular-season title — the Sooners had to start their streak over after leaving the Big 12 for the SEC. The SEC has eight of the top 15 teams in the country. The Big Ten follows with four teams in the top 15, while the ACC has two teams and the Big 12 has Utah. The ACC will crown its regular-season winner this weekend.
All-around
UCLA’s Jordan Chiles ranks second in the all-around and Neff is fourth. The senior Chiles has multiple 10.0s this season and just needs a perfect score on beam to get a Gym Slam.
Neff has recorded three perfect scores this year with two on vault and one on bars.
“Jordan is such a world-renowned name, and she has built an amazing brand for herself, which I think is amazing for her,” said Neff. “It is cool to see myself and be like, ‘Wow, I’m close to her in the all-around,’ you know? I think it shows the work ethic being put in, but ultimately the all-around placement isn’t my focus, my focus is on our team.”
The sophomore is Utah’s biggest scorer, as evident by her all-around ranking. Utah will need those big scores to contend with the Bruins on their floor on Senior Night.
Around the state
Twenty-fourth-ranked BYU travels to No. 14 Clemson, while Southern Utah is at Boise State Friday. Utah State competes against Arizona State and Southeast Missouri in Tempe, Arizona, Sunday.
