Utah Red Rocks came up short against another Top-5 opponent on Sunday. But here’s why Utah’s feeling positive.

Utah gymnasts traveled nearly 2,000 miles to compete in Morgantown, West Virginia, this weekend.

It was their longest trip of the year. Lucky for the Red Rocks, they won’t have to travel across the country for the rest of the 2025 season.

And, even if No. 4 Utah (197.425) lost against No. 2 Florida (197.575) and beat Big 12 foe West Virginia (195.575) during Sunday’s meet, the Red Rocks finished with their second-best road score of the season.

Senior Grace McCallum impressed after she finished with a 39.575 all-around score, which led the team. Utah’s lowest overall score on the night came on vault with a 49.225 mark.

“Pleased with their performance tonight,” Utah head coach Carly Dockendorf said after the meet. “To travel all the way over here and have our second-highest score of the year on the road. I think that that was a real positive for us.

“We were a little bit flat in some areas tonight, and we gave some tenths away on our landing, but our team did a really good job of just staying focused on our team the whole night. And I thought they did an excellent job competing all the way to the very last routine. We didn’t ever kind of give up or just kind of start going through the motions.”

Dockendorf is still encouraged despite being unable to beat the Gators.

“This is our biggest trip of the year,” Utah’s head coach said. “It’s always easy to compete at home, but being able to do it on the road, this is a facility we’ve never been to before. None of us have been here, and so for them to just adapt and adjust [was positive]. Our goal today was really to continue to take what we’ve been doing the last few meets and then put it in an uncomfortable environment and see if we can just continue to build from there.”

Ella Zirbes battling ‘performance anxiety’

Ella Zirbes is back on floor.

Her last appearance in the event came on Jan. 11 in the Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad in Oklahoma City.

The sophomore wasn’t herself during that routine, however. She lost her breath during the final tumbling pass of the event.

Zirbes hadn’t appeared in the event until Sunday’s meet.

Dockendorf said she has been dealing with performance anxiety.

“We were all extremely proud of Ella today. That was a huge step for her,” Dockendorf said. “Performance anxiety is a real thing in every sport, and for her, I thought that showed a lot of courage to get out there.”

Zirbes finished with a 9.825 score.

“She’s still working through a lot of things,” Dockendorf said. “But for her to take that step and go out and do her routine, even being a little bit uncomfortable, I thought that was really, really impressive for her.”

Makenna Smith battles sickness, moves deeper in floor lineup

Junior Makenna Smith was moved deeper into Utah’s floor lineup in Morgantown.

It’s the first time that happened this season.

Utah’s head coach is experimenting with scores.

“We may move her back at some point, but it’s just such an awesome routine,” Dockendorf said. “We really feel like she may benefit score wise, going a little bit deeper.”

Smith earned a 9.9 on floor from the judges.

Overall, She finished with a 39.475 all round score. Smith tied for the win on vault with a 9.95, which matched her career-high for the second time this year.

Moving deeper in the floor lineup wasn’t the only thing Smith had to adjust to Sunday.

According to Dockendorf, Smith competed while under the weather.

“She actually wasn’t feeling very good today,” so for her to go out and do what she did. You guys have seen McKenna compete, and she is high energy and fun, and she definitely didn’t have all of that today, so for her to go out and do what she did today."

What’s Next?

Utah will return to the Jon M. Huntsman Center to take on Arizona at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7, in Salt Lake City.

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