Trio of gymnasts represent USU at regionals
SALT LAKE CITY – While the University of Utah rolled to another regional title, three Utah State gymnasts quietly made a name for themselves at the NCAA North Central Regional gymnastics meet Saturday.
“It’s a great building block for us as a team,” said Utah State head coach Jeff Richards. “We’ve been a young team, but the leadership they will bring back next year from this meet is great. They looked confident and strong in warm-ups. They did well.”
Aggie senior Rebecca Holliday anchored the three, sophomore Paige Jones made her second regional appearance, and freshman Sarah Landes finished strong for Utah State. All three competed in the all-around.
No Aggie gymnast finished in the top 10. Landes flipped into the No. 12 spot, scoring a 38.325 , and Holliday landed in 16th with a 38.125. Jones finished 20th with a 35.400.
The Aggies competed with other teams since just three gymnasts qualified for the meet. Jones competed with No. 17 Minnesota, and Holliday rotated with No. 24 Iowa State University. Landes was with the host, No. 8 Utah.
“I looked at it as an advantage,” Landes said of rotating with the Utes. “They are an amazing team. Watching someone go and nail a solid rotation is great and then it’s my turn.”
Holliday was the lone Aggie in action on the first rotation. She had too much power on her vault and stumbled forward on her landing. The senior scored a 9.400.
Landes and Jones were both in action for the second rotation while Holliday had a bye. Minnesota struggled on bars, recording several falls, and Jones followed suit. A missed grab on her release sent her to the mat.
Landes scored a 9.775 on floor and received big cheers from the Utah crowd.
All three Aggies were in action in the third rotation. Holliday scored a 9.575 on bars – a score that wasn’t well received by the crowd.
“A lot of times, when I’m down there, I don’t hear a lot,” Holliday said. “In the march out I did, but after that you kind of don’t hear a lot except for your coaches and the people you are rotating with.”
Jones fell twice on beam and scored an 8.050, and Landes picked up her second 9.775 of the night on vault.
Holliday was alone in action again in the fourth rotation. Despite a few wobbles she stayed on the beam, and her feet were glued to the floor on the dismount, earning her a 9.650.
In the fifth rotation, Landes scored a 9.700 on bars. Jones added a 9.450 on floor, continuing to struggle with stumbles on her tumbling passes, and Holliday had a bye.
“(Jones) tried to recover after those first two events,” Richards said. “Going to those last two events – her best events – she just let the first two get to her. I think she came in really wanting to shine, being close to home, and she wanted to do her best.”
For the sixth and final rotation Jones landed a 9.200 on vault, and Landes fell on beam and received a 9.075.
“It was exciting,” Richards said. “Going into that last event I couldn’t even watch beam. (Landes) had a shot at beam to be the second all-arounder to go to nationals, and it just wasn’t in the cards tonight. I think she was just truly off. She warmed up very strong, but when she went she was just off. “
Holliday completed the final routine of the meet on floor with a 9.550.
“I didn’t know I was the last one going until I saluted and got off,” Holliday said. “Then they were like, ‘And that’s the end,’ and I thought, ‘Oh, my gosh, all those people were probably just watching me.’ So that was cool.”
The meet capped off Holliday’s career as an Aggie.
“I was so close to regionals every year,” Holliday said. “So I’m really excited that I accomplished that. I’m also excited that it was my senior year. It was my most fun year and also my best.”
The University of Utah won the meet with a final score of 196.8250 and moves on to the national tournament in Duluth, Ga. The University of Nebraska also punched its ticket, finishing second with a score of 196.5250.
– meredith.kinney@aggiemail.usu.edu