It’s a Rocky Mountain showdown in Salt Lake City!
Utah aims to bounce back from last week’s season-low 196.600 at Arizona State. The Utes, currently the No. 1 beam team in the country, had an uncharacteristically low beam total that kept them out of the 197s they’re used to. Freshman Zoe Johnson made her competitive debut on floor last week after several exhibitions, scoring an impressive 9.900. Ella Zirbes also shined with a season-best 9.925 on floor in her third meet back, performing a reworked routine designed to manage performance anxiety. Meanwhile, Makenna Smith continues to be the team’s anchor, consistently delivering high scores and sticking her Omelianchik with precision.
Denver had a slow start to the season but turned things around last week with its best performance yet, posting a season-high 197.125 at home. Consistency on beam remains the key for the Pioneers, as the other three events have been solid throughout the season. Junior Cecilia Cooley is having a breakout year after returning from a knee injury, while sophomore Maddison Reidenbach has made waves with her upgraded Yurchenko 1.5, scoring a 9.975 last week. Fellow sophomore Madison Ulrich also recently added her double layout back into her floor routine, boosting the team’s…
