BYU gymnasts react after a teammate finishes ground routine towards Utah State throughout 2023 season. Brooklynn Kelson, BYU Picture
BYU gymnasts rejoice throughout meet towards Utah State throughout the 2023 season. Brooklynn Kelson, BYU Picture
Editor’s word: Ninth in a collection of articles inspecting how every BYU program will stack up towards its new convention foes. Right this moment’s program: gymnastics.
BYU ladies’s gymnastics head coach Guard Younger is aware of a factor or two about Large 12 nation.
A two-time nationwide champion gymnast at BYU, Younger went on to win a staff silver medal on the 2004 Olympic Video games as a member of the U.S. nationwide staff. He additionally was an assistant coach for the College of Oklahoma males’s gymnastics staff for 10 seasons, serving to the Sooners win 4 NCAA championships and ending with nationwide runner-up groups 5 occasions earlier than leaving to take the pinnacle ladies’s job at BYU.
Coming into his ninth season, Younger has introduced the Cougars again to constant NCAA postseason appearances and High 25 rankings, together with a No. 16 closing rank in 2020. After competing as an impartial for a few years, BYU joined the Mountain Rim Gymnastics Convention and claimed convention titles in 2020 and 2021.
Now Younger takes his first house to his second house as BYU will compete towards defending nationwide champion Oklahoma and the remainder of the Large 12 when the brand new season begins in January 2024. The Cougars might be led of their inaugural 12 months by a handful of fifth-year seniors benefiting from their further 12 months of eligibility because of COVID-19: Anyssa Alvarado, Lindsey Hunter, Allix Mason and Elease Rollins.
Rollins is an All-American on stability beam and a two-time MRGC Beam Specialist of the Yr. Alvarado has a number of all-conference honors on uneven bars whereas Hunter (bars) and Mason (vault, bars, beam) even have 4 years of experience.
Others returning contributors embrace junior Sydney Benson, the highest vaulter within the MRGC in 2023, and fellow juniors Sophie Dudley and Anna Bramblett. Kylie Eaquinto, the convention Freshman of the Yr in 2023, competed on vault and bars in each meet final 12 months and in addition returns.
The Cougars welcome three freshmen, all of whom will immediately contribute in 2023. They embrace Alpine native Mya Kirkham, Orem native Brynlee Andersen and four-star recruit Ava Jorgensen of Gilbert, Arizona.
Large 12 ladies’s gymnastics
Winners of six nationwide titles within the final 9 seasons and just one end beneath third on the NCAA championships since 2010, Oklahoma is the staff to beat in all of ladies’s gymnastics. The Sooners are coming off their second straight nationwide title in 2023, posting a nation-leading 10 staff scores of a minimum of 198, tied for essentially the most in a season in NCAA historical past.
Oklahoma has additionally received 10 of the final 11 convention titles; the opposite title belongs to Denver, a gymnastics-only member of the convention that has seen nice success since becoming a member of the convention in 2016. The Pioneers snuck in a single Large 12 crown in 2021.
The one different two Large 12 groups to sponsor ladies’s gymnastics are Iowa State and West Virginia. Iowa State final received the Large 12 in 2006 (when present Oklahoma head coach Okay.J. Kindler was the pinnacle coach of the Cyclones) and West Virginia’s prime Large 12 end was a distant second out of three groups in 2015.
Regardless of the dominance by the Sooners, the Cyclones, Mountaineers and Pioneers every have 25 or extra appearances on the NCAA Event. Iowa State and West Virginia are all the time lingering across the backside of the highest 25 whereas Denver has been a constant prime 15 program.
How will BYU fare?
BYU’s 2024 nonconference slate might be highlighted by a meet towards the Large Ten’s Ohio State; the Buckeyes will go to Provo a 12 months after ending No. 13 within the nation. The Cougars will go on the highway for 2 convention meets and host two convention foes earlier than competing within the Large 12 championships in Norman, Oklahoma.
So how will BYU match up within the Large 12? Following Denver’s blueprint can be an excellent begin. The Pioneers competed with the Cougars within the MRGC earlier than becoming a member of the Large 12 in time for the 2016 season. In Denver’s eight earlier seasons earlier than becoming a member of the Large 12, the Pioneers ranked within the prime 15 thrice with a median rank of 17.3. In eight years of Large 12 membership since then, nonetheless, the Pioneers have been ranked within the prime 15 each season with a median rating of 10.1.
Possibly Denver joined the Large 12 proper as this system was able to take a leap — it had been a mainstay within the High 25 for many years earlier than becoming a member of the convention. However maybe it’s no coincidence that the highest 5 finishes in class historical past have all come as members of the Large 12. Not solely does elevated competitors assist with recruiting, however with the way in which gymnastics is judged, the higher your competitors seems, the higher you are inclined to look, and the upper your scores are inclined to rise as nicely. As rating and NCAA qualification are primarily based off a method of staff scores, each tenth of some extent helps.
In sum, defeating Oklahoma and possibly Denver is probably going an excessive amount of to ask of the Cougars within the first 12 months, however BYU ought to in all probability prime Iowa State and West Virginia. Because the Cougars program will get acclimated to the Large 12, I can simply see scores climbing larger and better every year and convention trophies coming inside attain.
Large 12 groups at a look
Right here’s a take a look at the Cougars’ convention competitors listed in my predicted order of end:
Oklahoma
Overview: Eight completely different Sooners earned All-America honors final 12 months; 10-time All-American Olivia Trautman and All-American vault specialist Allie Stern accomplished their eligibility, however the remainder of the staff is again, together with the same old assortment of top-tier freshmen, together with USA Nationwide Group member Addison Fatta. The Sooners might be within the combine for one more NCAA crown in 2024.
Final season end: No. 1 nationally, 1st in Large 12.
High gymnasts: Jordan Bowers (Jr., All-American, Large 12 all-around and ground champion), Ragan Smith (Sr., All-American, Large 12 bars, beam and ground champion), Audrey Davis (Sr., All-American, Large 12 bars champion), Danielle Sievers (Jr., All-American, Large 12 vault champion), Religion Torrez (So., All-American, Large 12 Newcomer of the Yr).
Convention titles: 19 (1984-’86, ’91, ’93, ’04, ’08-10, ’12-19, ’22-’23).
NCAA appearances: 39 (1982-’95, ’98-’23).
BYU and Oklahoma historical past: Oklahoma leads, 9-7. OU received the final assembly in 2021 by a rating of 197.800-196.900.
Denver
Overview: So long as Jessica Hutchinson is on the roster, the Pioneers might be contenders. Hutchinson is a two-time Large 12 Gymnast of the Yr with a number of All-America honors getting into her fifth season. Denver does lose two-time AAI Award finalist Lynnzee Brown however returns a loaded roster and welcomes incoming freshman Madison Ulrich, the Degree 10 Nationals bars champion.
Final season end: No. 8 nationally, 2nd in Large 12.
High gymnasts: Jessica Hutchinson (Sr., All-American, Two-time Large 12 Gymnast of the Yr), Rylie Mundell (Sr., Large 12 vault and bars champion), Rosie Casali (Sr., All-Large 12 bars).
Convention titles: 4 (2002, ’12, ’14, ’21).
NCAA appearances: 27 (1994, ’96-’97, ’99-’23).
BYU and Denver historical past: Denver leads the collection, 34-21. The 2 groups final competed in 2021, with the Pioneers taking a decent 197.375-197.300 victory.
Iowa State
Overview: The Cyclones made a training change this offseason and might be led by Ashley Miles Greig, a four-time NCAA champion as a gymnast at Alabama from 2003-’06 however who has no collegiate teaching expertise. Iowa State missed the NCAAs final 12 months for less than the second time since 1996, however Faculty Fitness center Information ranks Iowa State’s incoming recruiting class twelfth within the nation.
Final season end: No. 44 nationally, 4th in Large 12.
High gymnasts: Maddie Diab (Sr., Large 12 ground champion), Hannah Loyim (Jr.).
Convention titles: 3 (1977, ’00, ’06).
NCAA appearances: 25 (1996-’15, ’17-’22).
BYU and Iowa State historical past: BYU leads, 7-6-1 with Iowa State profitable the final matchup, 195.400-194.450. The Cougars haven’t defeated the Cyclones since 2008.
West Virginia
Overview: The Mountaineers lose three of their prime 4 scoring gymnasts from final season. All-arounder Abbie Pierson is the highest returner; the fifth-year senior has scored 9.925 or larger on three occasions in her profession.
Final season end: No. 30 nationally, third in Large 12.
High gymnasts: Abbie Pierson (Sr.), Anna Leigh (Jr.).
Convention titles: 11 (1992-’98, ’01, ’04, ’08, ’12).
NCAA appearances: 37 (1984-’02, ’04-’13, ’15-’23).
BYU and West Virginia historical past: BYU leads 2-0, having received in 1990 and principally just lately in 2019.
BYU gymnasts rejoice throughout meet towards Utah State throughout the 2023 season.
Brooklynn Kelson, BYU Picture