Utah’s Jaedyn Rucker performs throughout an NCAA gymnastics meet on the Huntsman Middle in Salt Lake Metropolis on Saturday, Jan. 28, 2023. Ryan Solar, Deseret Information
Utah’s Maile O’Keefe celebrates after competing on the beam as No. 4 Utah takes on No. 5 UCLA on the Jon M. Huntsman Middle in Salt Lake Metropolis on Friday, Feb. 3, 2023. Laura Seitz, Deseret Information
Utah gymnastics is now a meet away from making its forty seventh journey to nationals.
And if the Pink Rocks hold competing like they did Thursday afternoon at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles, California, there isn't a telling how far they will go this season.
Headlined by a few good 10s — courtesy of Maile O’Keefe and Jaedyn Rucker — Utah cruised to a straightforward victory within the regional semifinals, and simple may be underselling it.
The Pink Rocks scored a 198.125, the staff’s third greatest rating this 12 months and the second highest postseason rating in program historical past, beating the subsequent closest staff — Washington — by 1.35 factors.
That could be a large margin in gymnastics.
Utah recorded new season excessive scores on two occasions — bars (49.625) and vault (49.625) — and didn’t rating decrease than a 49.375 on any occasion.
The Pink Rocks additionally counted just one rating within the 9.7 vary and showcased again and again a capability to beat obstacles.
“One of many issues we speak about in coaching is we don’t should good. We simply need to go on the market and let the gymnastics occurs and see the place it take us,” Utah head coach Tom Farden mentioned. “It was a robust rating and a superb day. We're happy.”
Most happy with the intestinal fortitude displayed by the Pink Rocks, who overcame an early fall on beam by Kara Eaker after which critical errors on flooring by each Abby Brenner and Makenna Smith.
These are the type of errors that may spoil groups — look no additional than Auburn, which fell thrice on bars and completed in fourth place within the competitors — however they hardly affected Utah.
“The factor we're most happy with is the rhythm of the meet,” Farden mentioned. “How they gained confidence because the meet went on. That's what we're most happy with. The final two occasions each went 49.6-plus.”
Added O’Keefe: “We did a extremely good job staying in our Utah bubble.”
Due to it Utah is transferring on to the Los Angeles Regional last in convincing style.
Utah’s Maile O’Keefe celebrates after competing on the beam as No. 4 Utah takes on No. 5 UCLA on the Jon M. Huntsman Middle in Salt Lake Metropolis on Friday, Feb. 3, 2023.
Laura Seitz, Deseret Information
Defining second(s)
There have been loads of moments in Thursday’s meet that deserve recognition. Good routines from O’Keefe and Rucker for sure, although.
With one more good beam routine, O’Keefe’s declare to being one of the best beam employee in Utah gymnastics historical past solely continues to develop and she or he is quietly positioning herself to make a run on the most good routines in profession, after saying that she will probably be returning to Utah subsequent season.
Maile O'Keefe with the FIRST PERFECT 🔟 of the 2023 Regionals 🤩 #ThatsaW I @UtahGymnasticspic.twitter.com/Fhwf14cjV2
— espnW (@espnW) March 30, 2023
Funnily sufficient, O’Keefe didn’t know she scored an ideal 10 on Thursday, as she excused herself instantly following her routine to go to the restroom.
She finally came upon, although at this level the proper routines aren’t of as a lot import to her. As a two-time NCAA champion, former Pac-12 Gymnast of the Yr and two-time Pac-12 Specialist of the Yr she has lots particular person accolades. Now she desires a number of the staff selection.
“I wouldn’t say it will get outdated, however at this level within the season private accolades don’t actually imply a lot, except they will the staff,” O’Keefe mentioned. “That's what makes me happier. It's a actually good feeling realizing (that rating) counted for our beam squad.”
As for Rucker, she now is among the high 5 vaulters in Utah historical past, with two good 10s in her profession, each of which have come this season.
Nothing however perfection on this Jaedyn Rucker 🔟 😍 #ThatsaW@UtahGymnasticspic.twitter.com/TzNyA0JEYM
— espnW (@espnW) March 30, 2023
As a brand new member of the proper 10 membership, it's nonetheless a singular feeling for her, however she too values the affect her vault had on the staff rating, greater than what it meant for her as a person.
“Maile mentioned it completely,” Rucker mentioned. “It's recent for me, so I don’t suppose (scoring good 10s) will ever get outdated, but it surely doesn’t matter what I get except it's serving to the staff get to the place we need to be.”
Past the perfection, Cristal Isa’s beam routine, Jaylene Gilstrap’s flooring routine, O’Keefe and Brenner’s vaults and Amelie Morgan’s bars routine both saved rotations or began them off in such a way that Utah went on to season-best occasion performances.
Very similar to they did on the Pac-12 championships, Utah got here by means of with clutch routines in key moments many times.
Wants work
There have been loads of errors, although.
Apparent ones like Eaker falling on beam, Brenner struggling along with her last tumbling move on flooring and Smith stepping out of bounds on flooring.
Smaller ones too, particularly on flooring and beam, that restricted Utah’s scores from reaching their full potential.
O’Keefe received the all-around, however two of her scores didn’t even rely for staff occasion scores, which is directly illustrative of the Pink Rocks’ depth but additionally of the necessity for enchancment.
Morgan was elite because the leadoff on bars, scoring a 9.925, however she struggled with nerves to start out the meet on beam, incomes a 9.850.
The Pink Rocks have confirmed they are often higher, and they'll have to be as the extent of competitors improves this postseason.
“There have been some jitters on steadiness beam, uncharacteristic, with Kara slipping her mount,” Farden mentioned. “However they did a superb job of dealing with issues. ... On flooring train there are little issues that we will proceed to tweak and enhance, however in any other case we felt flooring was a superb stable efficiency.”
That’s encouraging
There was lots to be enthusiastic about with the Pink Rocks’ efficiency.
For the staff itself, nothing mattered greater than their potential to get higher and higher because the competitors drew on, with the vault and bars rotations being one of the best Utah had finished all 12 months.
“It was nearly as in the event that they received the second leg occasion (flooring) out of themselves after which vault was ripping,” Farden mentioned. “Hats off to Maile and Brenner who set the muse for that rotation. Each of them had beautiful vaults after which remainder of them leaned in and did their factor. ... They received ahold of vault right now.”
Farden additionally singled out Morgan’s leadoff routine on bars.
“Amelie has been so important,” he mentioned. “Her massive meet expertise actually exhibits, her confidence and quietness. And also you noticed what they did after that.”
Different gymnasts who stood out for notable performances have been:
- Abby Paulson, who received the ground title and scored a 9.9 or higher on each of her occasions.
- Gilstrap, who recorded a career-high 9.9 on vault, added a key 9.9 on flooring and stayed on the beam when she wanted to to assist Utah erase Eaker’s fall.
- Sage Thompson, who has struggled at occasions this season however walked away the occasion winner on bars, recording a 9.950 with what was arguably her greatest routine this season.
- Isa, whose beam routine rescued the rotation. She additionally tied Thompson on bars to earn an occasion win and was altogether precisely what a fifth 12 months senior needs to be.
- Jillian Hoffman, who returned from a two-meet absence to nail her vault and rating a 9.9, a key a part of Utah’s greatest vault rotation of the season.
Utah has lots to be enthusiastic about after a virtually historic efficiency within the regional semifinals and the Pink Rocks will hope to have continued success in future meets, beginning with Saturday’s regional last.
“We're excited,” Farden mentioned.
Understandably so.
To the regional finals! 💃#BackThePacpic.twitter.com/cq3lLNs9z9
— Pac-12 Convention (@pac12) March 30, 2023
Correction: The article initially said that Abby Brenner stepped out of bounds throughout her flooring routine. It has been up to date to mirror that she didn't step out of bounds and as a substitute struggled along with her last tumbling move.