The Utah Red Rocks gymnastics team opened their season with a convincing victory against the Minnesota Golden Gophers and the Iowa Hawkeyes at the Huntsman Center on November 10, 2023. The fifth-ranked Red Rocks scored 196.625, comfortably outpacing No. 15 Minnesota, which finished with 195.475, and No. 22 Iowa, which recorded 194.825. Despite the win, the team acknowledged there are areas needing improvement.
Utah coach Carly Dockendorf noted that while the performance had its highlights, it did not meet the team’s expectations. “There were some really good performances tonight, and definitely some things that we don’t normally see in practice,” Dockendorf said. “This was a solid effort, slightly below last year’s opening score of 196.775.”
With a roster featuring several newcomers, the team experienced typical early-season challenges, including issues with landings and bar routines. Senior gymnast Makenna Smith referred to the event as a “stepping stone,” stating, “We had some very, very good highs, and we had some things that we could definitely go and learn from.”
The evening began positively for Utah, especially on the vault. The team’s performance was highlighted by Zoe Johnson, who earned a score of 9.925. Although the vault squad collectively achieved a score of 49.2, several gymnasts struggled with landing consistency, signaling room for improvement.
As the competition progressed, consistency remained a challenge for the Red Rocks. The team recorded only two additional scores in the 9.9 range, while other scores ranged between 9.7 and 9.775. The uneven bars showcased the team’s potential, with Smith leading the lineup with a stunning 9.9. The group finished with a total of 49.15 on bars, followed by a strong performance on the beam, where they achieved their highest score of the night, 49.25.
Every gymnast on the beam scored in the 9.8 range, which was particularly impressive given that three had never competed in that event at the collegiate level previously. Dockendorf expressed optimism about the new beam lineup, saying, “We have a lot of girls that love doing that event, who have a really strong mind for that event.”
Freshmen Bailey Stroud and Abbi Ryssman made their collegiate debuts, with scores of 9.8 and 9.85, respectively. Junior Ella Zirbes excelled, securing a 9.875 to tie for the beam win alongside Avery Neff. Zirbes also impressed on the floor, achieving a score of 9.9 and winning the all-around competition with a total of 39.35.
Looking ahead, the Red Rocks will focus on refining their skills during training sessions leading up to their next meet at Sprouts. Smith emphasized the importance of concentrating on their practice routines rather than the scores. “When we tend to look at the scores, we start to become outcome-based and think we have to be superheroes,” she said. “So just working on falling back to what our muscle memory knows and all the hard work we put in all season is key.”
The upcoming week will see Utah face formidable opponents, including No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 2 LSU, and No. 4 UCLA. Dockendorf remarked on the challenge ahead, indicating that a focused approach is critical for their next performance: “Unless we do a better job of just focusing on us, it’s probably going to look similar as it did tonight.”
Event winners for the meet included:
– All-Around: Ella Zirbes (Utah), 39.350
– Vault: Zoe Johnson (Utah), 9.925
– Bars: Makenna Smith (Utah), 9.9
– Beam: Ella Zirbes (Utah), Avery Neff (Utah), 9.875
– Floor: Ella Zirbes (Utah), 9.9
The Red Rocks will aim to build on this performance as they continue their season.
