#4 Utah Gymnastics Remains Undefeated in Pac-12 Play, Downs #5 UCLA
SALT LAKE CITY – Fourth-ranked Utah Gymnastics powered past Pac-12 rivals UCLA on Friday night, downing the Bruins 198.200-197.450 at the Jon M. Huntsman Center. Behind a Perfect 10 from Maile O'Keefe, Utah matched its school record on beam (49.775) and also posted a season high on bars (49.575) to remain undefeated in Pac-12 play.
Grace McCallum posted a season-high 39.750 in the all-around, which is just 0.025 shy of tying a career high. McCallum posted a 9.90 or better on every event, and won a share of the bars title with a 9.95. O'Keefe and Cristal Isa also earned a share of the bars title, while O'Keefe's perfect score on beam earned her the win. Rounding out event victories was Jillian Hoffman, who posted a career high 9.975 on vault to win her second consecutive vault title.
The highly anticipated Pac-12 rivalry meet opened the night with little separation as the Bruins took a slight 49.400-49.375 lead over the Utes. Jaylene Gilstrap opened the night with a 9.80 in the leadoff spot on vault before Abby Brenner posted a 9.85. Consecutive 9.825s followed for Utah after vaults by Makenna Smith and Jaedyn Rucker, but the momentum began to turn after McCallum dropped in her first 9.90 of the competition. As she did a week ago, Hoffman lit up the Huntsman Center crowd with a stuck Yurchenko 1.5. In just her second routine with a 10.0 start, Hoffman posted a career high 9.975 to end the rotation.
The bars team continued the momentum with a leadoff 9.875 from Amelie Morgan, leading off what went on to be a season-high bars effort as a group. Smith and Brenner each recorded 9.85s before three-straight 9.95s from O'Keefe, Isa, and McCallum wrapped up a season-best 49.575 for Utah. After the strong push on bars, the Utes led the Bruins by four-tenths.
The Utah beam team left the crowd in awe once again after a performance that would match the school record on beam that was previously set in 2020. The Utes posted a 49.775 in the rotation, which is the highest score in the nation this season on any event. Morgan and Abby Paulson each contributed 9.875s, and Isa added her second 9.95 of the night.
McCallum and Kara Eaker nearly earned perfection after each Ute tallied a 9.975, while it was O'Keefe who earned the perfect score from the judges in the final routine of the rotation. O'Keefe now has five 10.0s on beam in her career, which is one shy from matching Theresa Kulikowski's school record of six perfect scores on beam.
With a comfortable lead 148.725-147.875, Brenner set the tone on floor and kicked off the rotation with a 9.875. Jaylene Gilstrap and Smith also added 9.875s, while O'Keefe and McCallum rounded out the scoring five with 9.925s. The 49.475 on floor pushed the Utes to a 198.200, marking their first 198 of the season and the program's fifth-best score in history.
Utah Gymnastics heads to Fort Worth next weekend to compete at the Metroplex Challenge against Georgia and Illinois State on Saturday, Feb. 11. The Red Rocks will begin the competition at 1:15 p.m. MT at the Fort Worth Convention Center.