Record-breaking year
The 2009 season was one to remember for Red Rock fans8212;they saw Utah as the No. 1 team for part of the year and broke the NCAA record for average attendance per home meet, which they’d set more than 15 years ago. This year, Utah averaged 13,861 fans per home meet, beating the previous record by almost 700.
Not only did Utah break its own record, but the Red Rocks also had two crowds this season of more than 15,000 inside the Huntsman Center. Prior to 2009, there had been only four crowds in Utah gymnastics history to pass the 15,000 mark. Utah’s largest crowd of the year came on the final home meet of the season8212;15,082 fans came out for one last glimpse of seniors Nina Kim and Kristina Baskett on Senior Night. The other crowd with more than 15,000 came out in February to see Utah host BYU, SUU and Texas.
No. 2 across the board
For seniors Kim and Baskett, second place has haunted their careers from the time they started at Utah. For the final regular season rankings of their careers, it was no different.
After Utah was picked in the preseason this year as No. 2 behind Georgia (to whom they have finished second to every year since Kim’s and Baskett’s freshmen year), the Red Rocks had a three-week stint as the top team in the country. In the final week of the season, however, Utah found itself right where it was predicted to be: No.2.
But that’s just the beginning. Not only did the Red Rocks finish ranked second overall in the team all-around, but they also finished second on vault behind UCLA, as well as second on beam, bars and floor, all behind Georgia. On top of it all, Baskett is ranked second in the nation in the all-around competition, behind Georgia’s Courtney Kupets.
Regular-season highlights
Utah’s strongest meet thus far was probably also its regular season finale, when the Red Rocks traveled to Provo to take on BYU. In the regular-season finale, the Red Rocks not only set a season high in the team all-around (197.800) but also on the vault (49.550) and the floor (49.600). The team’s season high on the beam (49.450) came only two weeks prior to the meet against Arizona State, and Utah’s season high on the bars (49.525) came the first time the women squared off against BYU in the Huntsman Center.
Jamie Deetscreek was the only Red Rock this year to not count a fall during the regular season8212;the junior went 44-44 and competed in every all-around competition of the year. Kim and freshman standout Stephanie McAllister each counted only one fall, going 41-42 and 22-23, respectively.
Baskett was the only other gymnast to compete in every all-around along with Deetscreek and she led Utah in individual wins with 27. Behind Baskett in wins was Kim with 10 and junior Annie DiLuzio with seven. Baskett and Kim were the only Red Rocks to post more then 10 scores of 9.900 or higher. Baskett broke the 9.9 barrier 28 times, while Kim recorded 14 9.9s of her own.
Baskett also led Utah in the all-around competition in the regular season, scoring a season-high 39.675 on three different occasions and recorded seven all-around wins on the year. Four other Red Rocks participated in the all-around this year and each set career highs8212;Kim (39.60), Deetscreek (39.50), junior Daria Bijak (39.375) and sophomore Gael Mackie (39.125).
Lucas IsleyJamie Deetscreek runs to build up speed before her vault routine. The Utes set a regular season high on the Vault in their last meet of the season at BYU.