So far this season, the Utah gymnastics team has been able to overcome adversity and pressure over the first four meets to remain unbeaten.
Even though this quick start to the season has been a team effort, there are a few particular faces to thank for their individual contributions to the team, including Breanna Hughes, Baely Rowe and Kari Lee. Each of these gymnasts have different talents that help the Red Rocks overall, but there’s another face that’s turning heads as well.
Sophomore Samantha Partyka is having an astounding season in her second year as a Ute, and has been a game-changing ingredient that completes the team’s winning formula. The Katy, Texas native has two event wins so far once against SUU, where she earned a 9.90 score on the beam, and her most recent near-perfect 9.975 routine on the floor against Arizona that sent the Huntsman Center into a frenzy.
“It’s probably the best floor routine I’ve ever done,” said Partyka, describing her performance on the floor. “It was really fun just getting out there last and be the ‘icing on the cake’. I just did the best of what I was capable of. It just felt really good.”
Joining Hughes as the two all-arounders for Monday’s meet, Partyka was a big influence in Utah’s first complete performance of the season versus the Wildcats, but she wasn’t hesitant to credit her teammates in the floor lineup that helped get the job done as well.
“We just really wanted to get out there and do what we do in practice and that’s what we did,” Partyka said. “We just fed off each other and kept on building up, and it made it really exciting. We all went out there and did what we’re capable of.”
Things are beginning to go well for the experienced sophomore after a semi-disappointing freshman year. Even though she became an All-American on the vault, Partyka was very frustrated about not being able to compete to her fullest potential in other events due to a season-long back injury.
Co-head coach Megan Marsden knew the injury in 2015 was very hard in Partyka’s first year with the program.
“She’s really hard on herself and was very disappointed in her freshman year,” Marsden said. “We knew that she was coming in with a back injury, and just had to be cautious only allowing her to do so much training. She wasn’t able to really get ready for all of the events.”
But with Partyka focusing her time on the vault, her competitiveness and drive to improve helped her reach an accomplishment only a few freshmen have claimed — All-American status.
“Because of her talent, even with a little bit of training, she slid into the vault lineup and became an All-American,” continued Marsden. “That tells you that she is very talented. So it’s been fun to watch her begin to blossom.”
With fellow team and classmate Lee out with an unfortunate season-ending injury, Partyka is ready to take her place as one of the talented all-arounders, and prove that her potential can become a reality within this young Utah team.
Marsden is very excited for Partyka’s future and can’t wait to see what she can do the rest of the season. She’s also hoping that the gymnast learns to have fun, and not put as much pressure on herself.
“She’s still hard on herself, but she’s beginning to realize that she can help this team win meets,” Marsden said. “I love watching that and watching her become a complete gymnast.”
Partyka’s next challenge will be against No. 5 UCLA this Saturday and she is ready to show the country what she can do as an all-arounder in Utah’s most challenging meet yet.
@chad_marquez