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The NCAA Gymnastics Regionals are always an odd deal, with the top two teams in each group advancing to the NCAA Championships. It isn't so much about winning the meet as it is moving onto the big show two weeks away.

However, Utah's fourth-ranked gymnastics team still hopes to use Saturday's regional in Arkansas as a chance to make a statement.

The Utes compete at 3 p.m. MDT against Denver, Cal, Auburn, Arkansas and Central Michigan in Fayetteville, Ark.

The Utes might be young and down two gymnasts with season-ending injuries, but they still consider themselves a contender for the national title. They hope a good effort Saturday will prove their hunches correct.

"We have high expectations of ourselves and we want to come back with a win," junior Maddy Stover said. "We are a young team but we have been growing as a team all year, meet by meet. We have had different challenges but we have stayed a close knit group and we know we can get even higher scores. Our last performance was a solid meet for us, but we still didn't hit 24 for 24 and we need to do that."

The Utes aren't the only ones competing this weekend from Utah. Brigham Young and Utah State will be competing in the Seattle regional and Southern Utah is in Morgantown.

Realistically, the Utes, who have a regional qualifying score of 197.55, are the only ones expected to qualify for the NCAA Championships April 14-15 in St. Louis. Denver, the second seed, has a regional qualifying score of 197.04 and Cal, the third seed, averages 196.515.

However, co-coach Megan Marsden cautioned the Utes can't take anything for granted.

"If we do our job, we should move on," she said. "For us, our focus is hitting 24 for 24 and that is what we are talking about as a team."

One can't argue with the Utes' philosophy. They are the only team to qualify for all 35 NCAA Championships and have won 26 of 35 regional titles, including the 2016 title.

However, this Utah team seems bent on establishing its own bit of history and legacy after the Utes finished a disappointing ninth last year at the NCAAs.

That desire served as motivation in the regular season and has increased in the post-season, Stover said.

Winning the Pac-12 title was one notch, now the Utes are after another one.

"Being that young team we know we have to prove ourselves," Stover said.

With six sophomores and three freshmen on the team, it would be natural to worry how the Utes might perform under pressure with an NCAA championship berth at stake.

However, Marsden is confident in her team, especially after the way the Utes handled the Pac-12 Championships.

"We've talked about those things, but I have a good feeling about this team," she said. —

NCAA Regional Gymnastics Championships

Top two from each region advance to NCAA Championships. Region group listed with rank and qualifying score

Fayetteville, Ark.

4. Utah 197.55

9. Denver 197.04

16. California 196.515

21. Auburn 196.265

27. Arkansas 195.775

28. Central Michigan 195.765

Seattle

1. Oklahoma 198.01

12. Kentucky 196.845

13. Washington 196.575

24. Utah State 195.915

32. Stanford 195.695

34. BYU 195.46

Champaign, Ill.

5. UCLA 197.5

8. Oregon State 197.115

17. Iowa 196.51

19. Illinois 196.365

22. Eastern Mich. 195.97

26. Ohio State 195.825

Lincoln, Neb.

2. LSU 197.865

11. Boise State 196.91

14. Nebraska 196.725

25. Arizona 195.88

29. Iowa State 195.75

36. Minnesota 195.42

Morgantown, W.V.

6. Alabama 197.355

7. Michigan 197.135

18. Southern Utah 196.38

20. George Washington 196.34

23. West Virginia 195.92

31. Kent State 195.72

Gainesville, Fla.

3. Florida 197.635

10. Georgia 197.005

15. Missouri 196.54

30. New Hampshire 195.745

33. Penn State 195.59

35. North Carolina 195.43

—

BYU, USU, SUU head to regionals

Of the other three Utah-based teams competing at regionals, Southern Utah has the best chance of moving on to nationals. The 18th ranked Thunderbirds are the third seed in the Morgantown regional, behind sixth-ranked Alabama and seventh-ranked Michigan. The Thunderbirds are coming off a third-place finish at the Mountain Rim Gymnastics Championships, finishing behind Boise State and host Utah State.

Both Utah State and Brigham Young are in the Seattle region, where top teams are defending national champion Oklahoma and 12th-ranked Kentucky. Host Washington, ranked 13th, will have the home floor advantage.

The Aggies are making their fourth straight regional appearance, all under coach Natalie Walsh. The last time the Aggies advanced to the NCAAs was in 1991, when they placed 12th.

Last year the Cougars finished sixth in their regional under then second-year coach Guard Young. The Cougars last advanced to the NCAAs in 2005, when they finished 11th.