BYU gymnastics defeats Utah State on senior night

The BYU gymnastics team beat the Utah State Aggies 196.450 to 195.425 on senior night Friday in the Smith Fieldhouse.

“We’ve been working on eliminating our distractions in warmups and I think it’s worked,” head coach Guard Young said. “Celebrating our seniors, it was very nostalgic being in the Smith Fieldhouse tonight. It was really special to send off our seniors from the place they have competed in for the last four or five years.”

The Cougars’ first rotation began on vault. Sophie Dudley started off strong with a score of 9.800. The freshman Kylie Eaquinto had the highest score for the team with a 9.875. One of the six seniors being honored Allix Mason closed off the apparatus with a 9.825. The Cougars final vault score was 49.025.

With the lead over Utah State (48.775), the next apparatus was the uneven bars. Mason and Sydney Benson both started the cougars off with 9.750. Eaquinto scored a career high 9.825, she continues to impress us during her first season at BYU. Senior and captain Anyssa Alvarado finished with a 9.875 earning her first place overall. The Cougars had three gymnasts over a 9.800.

The third rotation was beam, which the Cougars have struggled with in previous meets. Mason opened up with a 9.825. Following Mason was Madison Raesly-Patton with a 9.875. With the highest score of the night on the beam, Mina Margraf rounded her score to 9.900 and took first overall. Sophomore Heidi Schooley closed the third rotation with 9.800.

“I was just focused on having fun, breathing throughout my routine, and focused on going out there and doing the best I could,” Margraf said after her performance on the beam.

The Cougars entered the final rotation leading the Aggies 147.225 to 146.450. 

Eliza Miller — the sophomore from Cincinnati — started the floor with a 9.850. Benson and senior Elease Rollins both also scored a 9.850. Schooley had the highest score for BYU with a 9.875. Senior Rebekah Ripley performed her viral barbie routine and closed off the night with a 9.725.

“I started crying before my floor routine and felt every emotion you could think of,” Rebekah Ripley said of how she felt on senior night. “I’m sad to leave the sport and happy to have been a part of it and grateful to compete for BYU.”

BYU will prepare for its next competition on March 1 at 11 a.m. in the Marriot Center.