SALT LAKE CITY—Utah gymnastics fans will get a sneak preview of the preseason No. 5 ranked Utes at the 15th-annual Red Rocks Preview on Friday, Dec. 15 at 7 p.m. in the Huntsman Center. Admission and parking to the popular exhibition meet is free. All seating for the Red Rocks Preview is general admission, allowing early-arriving fans to sit in seats that are normally reserved. The doors will open at 5:30 p.m.
The 2017 Red Rocks Preview will be broadcast live on radio for the first time in school history. ESPN 700, Utah's flagship radio station, will air all of Utah's home meets and postseason competitions this season with
Mike Lageschulte calling the play by play and former Utah All-American and NCAA champion Georgia Dabritz providing color commentary.
The first 1,000 fans in attendance will receive a free schedule magnet and the Ute gymnasts will host an autograph session at the conclusion of the meet, signing 2018 team posters. The Kid Zone, which has moved to a new location on the concourse at portals 13-15, will open at 5:30 p.m. and will feature Santa and Mrs. Claus, a balloon artist, face painter, poster-making station and life-sized Swoop bobble head.
An introduction complete with a light show, fireworks and the playing of the 2018 intro video will lead into the meet. Once the exhibition gets underway, the entire team will move as one for the first two rotations on vault and bars. The Utes will then split into two groups of alternating competitors on beam and floor for the last two rotations.
Fans will have a chance to add to Utah's record-setting season ticket sales at the Red Rocks Preview by visiting the ticket office. Utah's season ticket sales currently stand at 9,096, breaking the previous record of 8,763 set last year when the Utes averaged an NCAA gymnastics record 15,224 fans to their home meets. Single-meet tickets will go on sale to the general public on Dec. 27 following the Crimson Club presale. Scholarship donors may purchase single-meet tickets starting Dec. 18, followed by level eight and below donors on Dec. 20 and season ticket holders Dec. 22.
Utah, which finished fifth at the 2017 NCAA Championships and won its third Pac-12 championship in the last four years, returns 10 letterwinners and five All-Americans, including NCAA floor exercise champion and all-around runner-up
MyKayla Skinner. Freshmen
Alexia Burch and
Sydney Soloski will make their Ute debuts at the Red Rocks Preview.
Utah will open its regular season on Friday, Jan. 5 against BYU in the Huntsman Center. The home schedule features four dual meets, including contests with preseason No. 12 Oregon State (Jan. 19), No. 15 Washington (Feb. 3) and No. 16 Georgia (Mar. 16). The Utes will host an NCAA Regional on Saturday, Apr. 7.
