The Red Rocks have always been able to pack the Huntsman Center. Friday night, it could very well turn into standing room only.
Last year, when Utah hosted BYU in the Huntsman Center, the single-meet attendance record was broken as 15,447 Utah supporters showed up to cheer on their Red Rocks. Expect much the same in the 2009 edition of this one-sided rivalry Friday when Utah hosts BYU along with Southern Utah and Texas Women’s in the Red Rocks’ only quad meet of the season.
“Just because of the other sports it makes (the BYU meet) more of a competition,” said junior Jamie Deetscreek. “We don’t like BYU anyway and even though it’s not much competition, there’s still that fire.”
To get in the spirit of the rivalry, the Red Rocks have not worn any blue all week, instead donning as much crimson as possible as they prepare for their rivals from the south.
“It’s always fun to compete against BYU,” said head coach Greg Marsden. “It’s fun in a different way than to compete against a Georgia or a UCLA, but this is fun too.”
Fresh off becoming the No. 1 team in the country, Utah now faces one of its most grueling weeks of the season. But even though the team is excited about being the top in the land, the Red Rocks are staying focused on their ultimate goal.
“It’s pretty exciting because it hasn’t happened in a long time,” said junior Annie DiLuzio. “But it doesn’t mean as much as it will at the end of the season. We want to be No. 1 at nationals, not just right now.”
DiLuzio has been a huge part of the Red Rocks’ success this season with two event victories, as well as being the nation’s No. 3 performer on floor. But even with the early-season success, DiLuzio knows the next week will be no walk in the park.
“I have never done (three meets in one week) before, and I’ve been here for three years,” DiLuzio said. “So we’re just going to try to take it one meet at a time and try some different lineups for Monday, move some people around to give some people a break.”
With the Red Rocks’ roster running thin, the addition of Kyndal Robarts will add depth to a team that needs it. Robarts made her season debut last weekend in Corvallis, Ore., and set a personal best on beam with a 9.875, which helped Utah set a season high on the event.
“Kyndal seems to have a confidence and an ability to rise to the occasion in a heated moment,” Marsden said. “She’s always competed better than she trains, so it was important to get her back on beam because we have struggled to be consistent in that leadoff spot.”
After the quad meet Friday, the Utes will travel to Logan, where they will face off Monday night against Utah State. After their return, the Red Rocks will leave Thursday for Lincoln, Neb., where they will take on the No. 12 Nebraska Corn Huskers.
Nebraska will be the only ranked opponent Utah will face during the three-meet stretch. The Lincoln meet also happens to be the site of this year’s national championships.
Marsden knows by the time the Red Rocks get to Nebraska it will be no easy task for his team.
“We’re just going to hopefully recover and maintain some kind of sharpness,” Marsden said. “And hopefully, by the time we get to (next) Friday we’ll be ready to go again.”
Lennie MahlerDaria Bijak and the No. 1 ranked Red Rocks return home this week and will host a quad meet against BYU, SUU and Texas Woman?s.