Trailing by nearly a point heading into the final rotation of a first-round regional matchup, Southern Utah had nothing to lose finishing on floor—its lowest-ranked event this season. The Thunderbirds were aiming to finish strong after what was otherwise an off day, with powerhouse freshman Niya Randolph in the anchor spot also hoping to rebound from a miss on bars herself after taking an extra swing between her Maloney and bail.
But pressure began to build as the rotation progressed. A few wobbles from foe San Jose State turned into a fall that was followed by another missed routine, and suddenly, an opening-round victory was in reach for the first time all evening, with rookie Randolph needing at least a 9.800 to send Southern Utah to the second round.
“The reason I came to SUU was because of the coaches. I knew they could help me through all these moments,” said Randolph after her meet-winning floor routine. “I knew I could trust them, and they prepared us well. I felt 100-percent prepared, and I know the team did, too.”
A former four-star recruit, Randolph has been a feature all season long for the Flippin’ Birds, as she made waves amongst the gymternet with her split-legged double layout opening pass on floor—the first since viral UCLA legend Katelyn…
