The Utah Red Rocks haven’t been whole for a month. But this weekend at the final Pac-12 Gymnastics Championships, they will get one of their most important pieces back in the rotation.
Amelie Morgan, who left the team to compete in the British Gymnastics Championships, is back with the Red Rocks and preparing to help her team win a conference title. She went overseas in hopes of qualifying for the Paris Olympics this summer.
“The whole team is so excited to have her back,” Utah coach Carly Dockendorf said Tuesday. “Of course, her scores will be important for us on a few events. But I think more than anything, she brings a level of confidence and stability, not just to the staff, but to all the athletes.”
In Britain, Morgan finished fourth overall in the all-around, third on bars and second on beam.
Dockendorf said she will be cautious with Morgan as she works her way back after a long flight from Britain. She plans to have Morgan at practice on Friday.
Dockendorf said several gymnasts stepped up for the Red Rocks in Morgan’s absence. And even if some of those gymnasts will see themselves out of rotations now that Morgan is back, that doesn’t mean they won’t be potentially crucial throughout the postseason.
“She’ll obviously be back in multiple lineups and some people will obviously have to go out,” Dockendorf said. “That’s part of the name of the game and just shows the strength of our team. ... Every event, we have multiple people that could go in and do the job. That just shows so much strength and depth of our program right now. And just because they’re number seven or eight doesn’t mean they won’t be used.”
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