Nationally ranked gymnast Rebecca Wells vaults to new heights

April 2, 2021 marked the day that Rebecca Wells became a part of the gymnastics Hall of Fame at Utah State University. Wells earned the honor by breaking the school record for the best all-around score at the NCAA Regional Championships in Salt Lake City, last year, scoring a 9,900 in her floor routine and a 9,850 on the vault. Both were the third best scores at Utah State. 

Wells started her gymnastics career as someone who “loved to tumble around the house.” 

“My official gymnastics career started at the age of three, after my father was given a business card from a local man who owned a gym,” Wells said. 

After starting at her first gym, Rebecca was able to solidify her affinity for gymnastics and master how to push her body and self to extremes. From a young age, she was motivated to excel. 

“One of the most important things to remember about training is that your hardest days are the days that you are going to progress the most,” Wells said.  

With this ideology, Wells has been able to excel in her high school, club and college careers.  

Training under Matt Baker, Wells high school determination allowed her to accomplish ninth on beam and in the all-around at the 2019 Junior Olympic National Championship — finishing third on beam and in the all-around, and fifth on vault at regionals.  

“She was one of my most hard-working gymnasts and I am extremely proud of her recent accomplishments,” Baker said. 

Claiming a two-time national qualification and five-time level 10 regional qualifier, Wells became the 2017 state champion on beam and took second in the event at the 2018 state championships.  

Wells chose to attend Utah State after her club career and in doing so jump started her collegiate gymnastics career competing in all four gymnastics events – vault, floor, uneven bars and balance beam.  

“When I was deciding on a college, I just loved the environment and people at Utah State,” Wells said. “The team was so nice and I immediately felt welcome.”  

She now competes on USU’s team with 18 other gymnasts, six of which are juniors just like her. 

“I love my team because we do everything together,” Wells said. “We have great team unity, we just all get along really well.” 

Wells, as well as the other women’s gymnasts have ranked No.11 nationally and recently defeated Air Force in the USU Homer Opener.They are projected to be in the top 10 gymnastic teams this next year.  

In addition to these record-breaking team rankings, Wells was awarded Gymnast of the Week at the Best of Utah Meet, Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference Vault Specialist of the Week and was recently named the American First Credit Union USU athlete of the week.  

On top of her athletic capabilities, Wells excels academically in her major – Kinesiology and exercise science.  

“I always wanted to be a physical therapist,” Wells said.  “Growing up I would go to therapy appointments due to injuries or practices and I loved being there and seeing how much it helped me as well as others.” 

She plans on opening her own physical therapist office after her post-graduate physical therapist schooling.

“I look forward to helping other athletes like myself be healthy and attain their physical goals,” Wells said.   

“I would also love to coach someday,” Wells said. “If that is in the cards.”  

With one more year of her collegiate gymnastics career, Aggies are excited to see how Wells will continue to flourish and dominate the sport as she concludes her time at USU.

Wells and her fellow USU gymnasts face SUU on Feb. 4 at 7 p.m.