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Utah Gymnastics Advances to Fourth Straight NCAA Championship Final

by Utah Athletics
Apr 18, 2024

FORT WORTH Texas – After leading its semifinal session from start to finish, posting an overall score of 197.9375, Utah Gymnastics has advanced to its fourth consecutive NCAA Championships finals. Utah posted the top score of the second session in the championship semifinal to edge #4 Florida (197.8750), which also will advance, and eliminating #1 Oklahoma (196.6625) and #6 Alabama (195.4125).

Utah and Florida will be joined by #2 LSU (198.1125) and #3 California (197.7125), both of whom advanced from the first semifinal session earlier on Thursday. The National Championship meet will be televised live on ABC on Saturday at 2 p.m. MT.

Makenna Smith posted a career high in the all-around, scoring a 39.6375. After posting three scores of 9.9-plus on the night, which included a pair of 9.9125s on vault and bars, Smith added a 9.9250 on beam, along with a 9.8875 on floor.
 
After Amelie Morgan set the tone in the leadoff spot for the Red Rocks on the balance beam with a 9.9250, Abby Paulson and Maile O'Keefe turned in back-to-back scores of 9.950 to cement a powerful start at the midway point of the event. Following Morgan, Smith added a 9.9250 of her own.
 
Utah tallied a season high on the beam, scoring a 49.6375, to lead the team competition after the first event, edging second-place Alabama by .150 with its score of 49.4875. Florida was in third after the first rotation, after starting on floor scoring a 49.4500. Oklahoma rounded out the four teams in the session, scoring a 48.3250 on vault.
 
Heading over to floor, Smith got the rotation started for the Utes posting a score of 9.8875. After the Utah lineup saw a stumble, Paulson brought the Red Rocks composure back with a big 9.900. The Red Rocks regained momentum with back-to-back 9.950 scores, starting with Jaylene Gilstrap followed by O'Keefe scoring her second 9.9+ of the evening. The Red Rocks posted a score of 49.5875 on floor, marking its 11th performance this season at or above that score.

After the second rotation, Utah held onto the top spot with an overall score of 99.2250, leading now second-place Florida by .275 as the Gators totaled 98.9500 in their turn on vault. Oklahoma moved up one spot to third place, trailing the Utes by 1.237 at 97.9875. Alabama would slide down one spot into fourth place with a score of 96.7375.
 
Moving over to vault, Morgan was back in the leadoff position for the Red Rocks, tallying a score of 9.800. Ella Zirbes made her NCAA Championships debut on vault, posting a score of 9.9125 in her first event of the evening. Ashley Glynn would follow in the order, making her championships debut with the Red Rocks, adding a 9.800. Smith scored her second score of 9.9-plus of the evening, posting a 9.9125 in the fourth spot of the rotation for the Utes. Grace McCallum rounded out the Utah rotation, scoring a 9.7750, in the sixth spot.

The Utes maintained their first-place position through three events with an overall score of 148.4250, holding a slim .025 margin over second-place Florida, at 148.4000. Oklahoma held onto the third spot, trailing the Utes by 1.338 with a score of 147.0875. Alabama remained in fourth with an overall score of 146.1500.
 
Smith opened the final rotation for the Red Rocks with a  9.9125 on the uneven bars. Zirbes followed with a rotation-high 9.9250. Posting the third consecutive 9.9 or better on the rotation, Morgan scored a 9.900 in the third spot before Sabado rounded out the rotation with one final 9.900 to secure the win, holding off Florida's final push on the beam. McCallum tallied a 9.8750, while O'Keefe added a 9.8250 for the Red Rocks.
 
The Red Rocks' 49.5125 score on the bars marked its seventh performance this season at 49.500 or higher.

Utah will seek its NCAA-record-tying 10th NCAA team championship, and first since 1995 this Saturday, April 20, at 2 p.m. MT on ABC. Utah is set to compete alongside LSU, California, and Florida at Dickies Arena.

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