Red rocks remain No.2
Last week was a bye week for the Red Rocks, but despite not having a meet, Utah remained the No. 2-ranked team in the country in this week’s polls. This is the second week in a row Utah has been ranked No. 2 after three weeks atop the national polls.
This is Georgia’s second week in a row as the top team in the country, and the Gym Dogs will travel to UCLA this weekend to defend their top spot. This past week Georgia hosted the No. 4 Florida Gators and posted the highest single meet score of the season8212;198.2, which beat out Utah’s 197.525 that came against Michigan.
Individual rankings
Many of Utah’s individual rankings stayed the same during the bye week. Senior Kristina Baskett is No. 2 in the nation in three different places again this week8212;all-around (39.540), vault (9.925) and bars (9.920). Baskett is also tied with junior Annie DiLuzio for No. 8 in the country on floor, averaging 9.880.
Senior Nina Kim is ranked No. 10 in the all-around (39.385) as well as No. 6 on the beam, averaging 9.885 on the event. Both Daria Bijak and Gael Mackie are nationally ranked on bars, with Bijak at No. 5 (9.890) and Mackie No. 11 (9.880).
Injury update
The bye week offered head coach Greg Marsden a prime opportunity to rest any injuries the team might have had from the hectic schedule it had prior to the week off.
The remainder of the season seems increasingly in doubt for redshirt junior Beth Rizzo. Rizzo has continued to progress over the weeks but still feels pain in her ankle when tumbling.
“The longer we go and the closer we get to the end the less likely the chance (Rizzo will compete),” Marsden said. “And it may not have much to do with where she is physically as much as I got people that have been doing it all season, and doing a good job.”
DiLuzio was one of the only Red Rocks who used the majority of the off week to rest a nagging foot injury. The junior had surgery during the summer and has experienced foot injuries before her time at Utah. But DiLuzio has had seven to eight days to rest the foot and will return to practice this week.
The only other Red Rock to miss time last week was junior Daria Bijak, who missed Friday and Saturday’s workouts because of illness. Bijak was back at practice Monday and will be ready to go come Friday night when Utah hosts Arizona State.
“Daria is going on about two years of constant competing,” Marsden said. “So it’s good for her when we can get her off and she can take a little rest.”
Thien SokAnnie DiLuzio used several days during the bye week to rest an injured foot. She returns to practice this week in anticipation of the Red Rocks upcoming meet versus Arizona State Friday.