Record Breakers, part 1: USU gymnastics season recap

The last time Utah State University gymnastics celebrated a winning season was in 1999.

This season, concerns over the spread of COVID-19 forced the NCAA to cancel winter sport championships prior to the end of the season. But before the season was shut down, the Aggies earned a victory against No. 17 BYU on senior night, ultimately finishing the year with a record of 7-6-1.

The 2020 campaign not only brought the team its first winning season in 21 years, but also a perfect home season for the first time in 41 years. Utah State took home three of four titles against BYU — two going to junior Autumn DeHarde and one split between senior Brittany Jeppesen and freshman Sofi Sullivan. A career-high 9.900 earned Jeppesen the title on senior night and was a highlight in what would be the final days of her time at Utah State.

“I actually have been waiting for that number for a really long time,” Jeppesen said. “I kept getting 9.875 throughout my career, just never really getting that 9.900. So just going up there on senior night, I was really actually pretty nervous but I felt prepared. So I don’t know when I hit that, when I stuck it, I was just so excited.”

YOU LOVE TO SEE IT!

A HUGE 9.900 for @Britjeppesen1 on Senior Night!#AggiesAllTheWay pic.twitter.com/CInoDraUXL

— USU Gymnastics (@USUGymnastics) March 7, 2020

The following days were filled with a different emotion, however. Uncertainty and confusion stemming from the rapid spread of the coronavirus has put a stop to nearly every sport in the world. Utah State was scheduled to take on No. 4 Utah in Salt Lake City on March 13, the last meet of the regular season. After that, the strong possibility of heading to NCAA Regionals. 

Decisions were made quickly. By Thursday afternoon, spring sports and winter championships were postponed indefinitely. By the evening, they were officially canceled by the Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference and the NCAA. According to third-year head coach Amy Smith, the uncertainty of whether or not the team would be heading to face the University of Utah that following Friday was left until the last minute.

“It was very hectic. It was very chaotic. And things were really changing by the minute, literally,” she said. “We were on a call in the morning and the meat was ago. And then I think by two o’clock that day, everything had been shut down.”

Not a lot was known about the coronavirus at that point, especially in the United States where the spread was still somewhat unknown. As the athletes were still learning about the virus, still digesting information on what precautions should be taken, they were informed that they could no longer compete. Needless to say, it was hard for them to grasp that they had performed for the last time that season. For a few, the last time in their careers. 

“I don’t think any single one of us would have expected our season to end here. It just seemed so unrealistic,” Jeppesen said. “We would have never imagined that it’s just completely done. You know, especially being a senior, Ellie and I were just so shocked because it’s like the end of our career like we’ll never do gymnastics again.”

Jeppesen said that while they were frustrated with the decision, “There’s people like our university that make decisions, and so we really just put our trust in that.” She believed it was the right move to make. In times of a pandemic, it’s essential to focus on what’s most important — everyone’s safety should be first priority. Still, the team kept working until they were forced to stop. According to Smith, up until the team’s last practice on March 12, the group was training harder than it had all season and was starting to recognize their potential. 

Coach Amy Smith gives a pep talk to her team before they begin their rotation on the beam during Utah State’s gymnastics match vs Boise State at the Dee Glen Spectrum in Logan, UT on Feb. 7, 2020 (Amber French/USUSM).

“I just really think they finally really looked at it and believed, ‘oh my gosh, we really could win the conference championship,’” she said. “We’ve beat everybody in this conference. We could do this. And I think that was one of the hardest things too… seeing it in their eyes, that little little glimmer in your eyes, and like, ‘yeah, we can do this.’ It was just, that was hard to walk away from.”

By season’s end, the group was No. 29 in the nation and No. 19 in beam, with Sullivan and DeHarde leading the way. Nicknamed “Beam Queens,” the pair capped the year joint No. 22 in the nation in beam, a huge accomplishment for Sullivan.

“You know, that’s huge for us, 19th, ending there on beam. It was really exciting,” she said. “I think that we just trained really hard on beam throughout the season and preseason and everything and it really paid off.”

Earlier this season, Sullivan — as a freshman — set the school record with a score of 9.975 on beam in the program’s first win of the 2020 campaign against Air Force. 

DeHarde already holds the school’s all-time record for beam titles at 12, which she set against BYU. However, one record does not suffice, according to DeHarde.

“I want to break more records,” she said. “I’ve been working for 10, I want the 10 so bad. I’ve been so close for how many years? So I’m really hoping to do that senior year.”

With winter championships and spring sports being canceled by the NCAA, the idea that this season could be lost in the memories of people years down the road isn’t unthinkable. Sure, most will probably remember how the coronavirus pandemic caused nearly every sports organization to take unprecedented action and postpone seasons. But hopefully what won’t be lost are the results that transpired when games were still safe enough to be played.

Editor’s note: Mountain West was changed to Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference

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— sports@usustatesman.com