Gael Mackie, a 2004 Canadian Olympian, is trying to complete her schooling in time to join the Utes for the 2007 season.

Mackie originally was going to defer until the 2008 season so she could train for the 2008 Olympics. However, she said she is ready to eager to start her college career and may or may not pursue her plans of competing in Beijing.

"My goal in life was to go to the Olympics, it wasn't necessarily to go to two Olympics," she said. "I'm super excited to go to college and I can still train in Salt Lake for the Olympics."

Mackie currently is nursing a stress fracture in her right tibia that prevented her from competing in the World Championship trials. She hopes to start training again this week.

The Utes had a scholarship available for Mackie because Shire is transferring to Missouri, which is about 20 minutes away from her home in Columbia.

Both Shire and Utah coach Greg Marsden said Shire's decision to transfer was "mutual."

Shire was one of several gymnasts who struggled with their conditioning last year, but she worked her way into the lineup through the season and scored a 9.875 on the vault and a 9.85 on the balance beam in the Super Six to help Utah finish second.

However, Shire and Marsden frequently didn't share the same views. Their clash of personalities, plus Shire's wish to be closer to home, led to the mutual decision that she should transfer, Shire said.

Shire will walk onto the Missouri team since there were no scholarships available for this year.

"I underestimated how far from home it was, and that affected my mood and I wasn't feeling happy with myself after a year," she said. "I'm not going to lie, it was a rough year and Greg and I are just different people, but we left on great terms."

Marsden said he called Mackie to tell her he had an extra scholarship for the upcoming season after Shire's decision was made. Marsden said he considered giving the scholarship to Beth Rizzo, a walk-on last year who earned her way into the lineup, but felt obligated to offer it to Mackie first since she had technically been promised one when she signed.

If she completes her schoolwork and paperwork in time, Mackie could be with the team when the season starts in January. Utah opens the season Jan. 11 against Georgia.

Mackie's strengths are the uneven bars and balance beam.

NOTES: Virtually all of the gymnasts participated in summer workouts, Marsden said. One of the exceptions was Katie Kivisto, who remained home in Florida recuperating from elbow surgery that hampered her routines. . . . Cameron Linford, who has spent the last six seasons as a manager, has been hired as the team's director of operations. . . . Former gymnast Shannon Bowles has been hired as a nutrition consultant to work with the team. . . . The NCAA committee has approved a new format that will use all team scores except the lowest to determine regional qualifying scores. In the past, six scores were used to determine the RQS, which in turn determines which teams qualify for the regional championships. "It makes the entire season count for something, rather than just half like in the past," Marsden said.