#4 Utah Gymnastics remains undefeated in Pac-12 Play, Downs #5 UCLA

SALT LAKE CITY Fourth-ranked Utah Gymnastics cruised past Pac-12 rival UCLA on Friday night, beating the Bruins 198.200-197.450 at the Jon M. Huntsman Center. Behind the Perfect 10 Maile O’KeefeUtah set a school record on beam (49.775) and also set a season high (49.575) to remain undefeated in Pac-12 play.

Grace McCallum posted a season-high 39.750 in the all-around, just .025 shy of the career high. McCallum posted a 9.90 or better on each event and won a share of the bars title with a 9.95. O’Keefe and Crystal One also earned a share of the bars title, while O’Keefe’s perfect score on beam earned her the win. Rounding event profits was Jillian Hoffmanwho posted a career-high 9.975 on the vault to win her second straight vault title.

The highly anticipated Pac-12 rivalry meet opened the night with a narrow margin as the Bruins took a slight 49.400-49.375 lead against the Utes. Jaylene Gilstrap opened the night with 9.80 in the lead on vault before Abby Brenner sent 9.85. Back-to-back 9.825s followed for Utah after the vaults Makenna Smith and Jaedyn Rucker, but the momentum began to turn when McCallum dropped the race in the first 9.90. As he did a week ago, Hoffman lit up the Huntsman Center crowd with a jammed Yurchenko 1.5. In just the second routine with a 10.0 start, Hoffman scored a career-high 9.975 to end the round.

The bars team continued the momentum with a 9.875 Amelie Morgan, which led to what was a season high as a group. Smith and Brenner each posted 9.85s before three straight 9.95s from O’Keefe, Isa and McCallum capped Utah’s season-best 49.575. After pushing the bars hard, the Utes led the Bruins by four tenths.

The Utah beam team left the crowd in awe again after their performance, which matched the school record previously set in 2020. The Utes scored a 49.775 for the round, the nation’s highest score of any season this season. event. Morgan and Abby Paulson each posted 9.875s, with Isa adding another 9.95 overnight.

McCallum and Add Eaker nearly earned a perfect after each Ute scored a 9.975, while O’Keefe earned a perfect score from the judges in the final routine of the round. O’Keefe now has five 10.0 beam in her career, one shy of matching Theresa Kulikowski’s school record of six perfect scores on beam.

With a comfortable lead of 148.725-147.875, Brenner set the tone on floor and started the round with a 9.875. Jaylene Gilstrap and Smith also added 9.875s, while O’Keefe and McCallum finished fifth with scores of 9.925s. A 49.475 on floor pushed the Utes to a 198.200, marking their first 198th score of the season and the fifth-best score in program history.

Utah Gymnastics heads to Fort Worth next weekend to compete in the Metroplex Challenge against Georgia and Illinois State on Saturday, February 11th. The Red Rocks kick off the race at 1:15 PM MT at the Fort Worth Convention Center.