The Red Rocks were dealt a huge blow the day before their regional qualifier when they found out that senior Nina Kim would not be able to perform.
Utah gymnastics head coach Greg Marsden couldn’t be happier, however, with the way his team advanced to nationals with a 197.675 to win the West Regional.
“Obviously, we are a better team with her than without her,” Marsden said of Kim’s absence. “Now, with that said, this should give us even greater confidence in ourselves and I’m really happy with the people who stepped in and did a great job.”
Kim had the flu leading up to Saturday’s meet. When she woke up Friday it was apparent she wouldn’t be able to compete in the regional qualifier.
Kim, who was set to take part in the all-around competition, was replaced in the lineup by freshman Stephanie McAllister on beam and floor, and sophomores Gael Mackie and Jacquelyn Johnson on vault and bars, respectively. The three underclassmen filled in and helped Utah to its second highest score of the season.
The Red Rocks began the night with a bye, but came out with guns blazing in the meet’s second rotation, scoring a 49.550, their second highest floor total of the year. McAllister, sophomore Kyndal Robarts and senior Kristina Baskett all tied career highs on the floor, and Utah never looked back.
“We just came out on fire,”
Marsden said. “Floor is an event that has gotten better throughout the season and we are really hitting on all cylinders right now.”
Utah then moved on to the vault where Mackie filled in for Kim and did so in an impressive fashion. The Vancouver native set a career high on the vault, scoring a 9.825, Baskett added a 9.950 of her own, and Utah finished with its third highest vault score of the year, a 49.450.
Utah then sat out for its second bye of the night before moving on to the uneven bars where Johnson made her career debut in the event, scoring a 9.825.
“I’m really happy for (Johnson),” Marsden said. “Because she really has had to play the support role and she has cheered on the group so often. She’s been frustrated that she hasn’t had her opportunity to show what she’s capable of and she finally got that opportunity tonight. She stepped up and did a great job for us.”
To go along with Johnson’s career high, Baskett added a 9.925 of her own and Utah finished with a 49.250 on the event.
The Red Rocks concluded their night on the beam, and did so in a decisive fashion, even without anchor Kim. Daria Bijak tied a career high with a 9.925 and all-arounder Jamie Deetscreek set her own career high by scoring a 9.950. McAllister again filled in for Kim and scored a 9.8 in her first career beam routine at Utah.
When it was all said and done, Utah swept the podium in the all-around. Deetscreek finished third, scoring a 39.475, which was the second highest of her career. Bijak set a career high in the all-around, finishing the night with a 39.550, but it wasn’t enough to knock off Baskett, who wrapped up her eighth all-around of the season by scoring a 39.650, which was good enough to be her second highest score of the season.
“I was really happy with my performance tonight,” Baskett said. “And to be able to do it in front of my family and the people I love is really cool.”
“(Baskett) has been a lock for us all year,” Marsden said. “When she comes (to Seattle) it’s really special for her and she always takes advantage of the opportunity and tonight was no exception.”
Utah has now advanced past the regionals for the 28th straight time, a national record. Joining Utah from the West Regionals was Illinois, which outperformed higher seeded Auburn which actually finished fourth overall.
Other top seeds joining Utah were Florida and UCLA in the North Central region. Arkansas and Stanford finished first and second out of the South Central Region. Oregon State, LSU, Alabama and Oklahoma will join top-ranked Georgia and Penn State as the other finalists in the Nationals, which will be held April 16 through April 18 in Lincoln, Neb. The Cornhuskers could not advance out of the Southeast Regional to attend their own hosted national competition.
Greg HarlowUtah gymnasts Jacquelyn Johnson, Stephanie McAllister, Jamie Deetscreek and Beth Rizzo cheer on teammates during their floor routine. The Red Rocks advanced to nationals with a score of 197.675 at the west regional qualifier in Seattle.