The Daily Utah Chronicle

A long road to success

By By Tony Pizza, By Tony Pizza, and By Tony Pizza | March 1, 2007

Most gymnasts dream of competing at the sport's highest stage -- the Olympics. While most gymnasts realize those dreams come true for few people, just getting the chance to attend a university on an athletic scholarship is an opportunity few pass up. Despite receiving scholarship offers from schools like Illinois, West Virginia and BYU, Beth Rizzo turned down every one of those offers for the chance to compete as a Red Rock on Utah's gymnastics team.

Communication breakdown

By By Tony Pizza and By Tony Pizza | February 28, 2007

During vault warm-ups Friday before the Red Rocks took on Michigan, senior captain Nicolle Ford was visibly favoring her right ankle after finishing each practice vault. Earlier in warm-ups, head coach Greg Marsden noticed her limping, which led him to question his lone senior's ability to participate against the visiting Wolverines.

The good, the bad and the hopefully not-so-ugly

By By Tony Pizza and By Tony Pizza | February 26, 2007

All season long, the U gymnastics team has had shades of brilliance, but something has always brought the Red Rocks back to reality. Friday's meet against the Michigan Wolverines was no different. Despite cruising to a 196.225-193.800 win over the visiting Wolverines, the Utes took a major shot to the chin when Nicolle Ford short-landed a double layout in her first floor pass and fell to the mat in pain.

Pizza’s deliveries: What if athletes were more like moms?

By By Tony Pizza and By Tony Pizza | February 26, 2007

For some reason, over the past two weeks I've been in constant fear for my life. It seems like I can't go anywhere without almost being sideswiped by a 30-something mom on a cell phone barreling down the road in a Mormon Assault Vehicle (read: SUV) with no regard for my life.

U women set records, finish second at conference championships

By By Tony Pizza and By Tony Pizza | February 26, 2007

It seems that breaking a handful of school and conference records was not enough for the women of the U swimming and diving team to capture their second consecutive Mountain West Conference Championships crown this weekend. The U women shattered five school records -- including three MWC top times -- but the Utes still finished in second place with 618 points, behind archrival BYU with 747 points.

Combination lock

By By Tony Pizza and By Tony Pizza | February 23, 2007

The Red Rocks return to the friendly floors of the Huntsman Center after two straight weeks on the road, where the Utes were stung with their first loss of the season at the hands of No. 2 Georgia last week. Although the Utes scored their lowest total of the season when it counted most, the Utes did not spend this week licking their wounds.

Little Miss Sunshine

By By Tony Pizza and By Tony Pizza | February 22, 2007

There is a bumper sticker that reads, "Life is?never mind, my daughter's a gymnast, I HAVE no life." While U gymnast Nina Kim's parents are no strangers to the sacrifices necessary in gymnastics, Sanya and Jong Wook Kim began making bigger relinquishments for Nina's sake before she could even touch a balance beam.

Quest for perfection

By By Tony Pizza and By Tony Pizza | February 21, 2007

Given the fact that the women of the U swim team had never finished better than fourth in the conference before 2003, the word "dominant" wasn't a term used to describe them. Ironically, seniors Marissa Martin and Alison McInturff have yet to know their team as anything but dominant during their four-year stay at the U.

Road spill

By By Tony Pizza and By Tony Pizza | February 19, 2007

If the Red Rocks' meet against Georgia last Friday was a glass and their performance represented some form of liquid, there would be two ways to look at how the team filled the stemware. Pessimists would look at the Utes' lackluster performance in a 196.850-195.

Let the games begin

By By Tony Pizza and | February 16, 2007

When the Red Rocks travel to Athens, Ga., to take on the Georgia Gym Dogs, it won't just be a reunion of familiar faces. It will be an assembly of the two most successful teams in NCAA gymnastics history. Between Georgia and Utah, the schools have combined to win 16 of a possible 25 NCAA titles.