Vault has been up and down for the Utah Red Rocks over the years. At times, it has been the event that advanced them in the postseason. At others, it’s been the reason for disappointment.
On Saturday in Fort Worth, Texas, an NCAA championship for Utah hinged on vault yet again — this time, the Utes needed to hold onto a small lead by showing out on the event.
Unfortunately, they couldn’t quite get it done.
The Red Rocks finished third in the national championship final with a score of 197.800. LSU came away with its first gymnastics championship in school history.
(Tony Gutierrez | AP) Utah competitors pose for photos after taking third place in the NCAA women's gymnastics championships in Fort Worth, Texas, Saturday, April 20, 2024.
Utah held first place by less than one-tenth of a point going into the final rotation. But Camie Winger and Ella Zirbes, who went first and second, scored a 9.2875 and 9.6750, respectively. Despite Winger’s score being dropped, Utah couldn’t overcome Zirbes’s score combined with the way LSU executed its beam rotation.
Savannah Schoenherr of the Tigers fell during her beam routine. But the other five in the lineup scored at least a 9.950 to secure the win.
(Tony Gutierrez | AP) LSU's Aleah Finnegan celebrates after competing on the balance beam during the NCAA women's gymnastics championships in Fort Worth, Texas, Saturday, April 20, 2024.
The Red Rocks started the meet on the uneven bars, an event that gave them trouble in the regional finals. Only two gymnasts got scores above a 9.900, which led to a third-place position for Utah after the first rotation.
Utah moved into second place midway through the meet, exactly one-tenth of a point behind LSU. Three Red Rocks scored above a 9.900 in what is generally considered their best event.
“We’re just going to continue to focus on us until the very end,” coach Carly Dockendorf said in a live interview on the ESPN broadcast after the beam rotation.
On floor, the Red Rocks performed some of the best gymnastics of the entire season. None of the six gymnasts scored below a 9.900, which gave Utah the lead through three rotations. The lead was less than one-tenth of a point ahead of the Tigers, and just 0.15 ahead of Cal.
Meet Results
• LSU — 198.2250
• Cal — 197.8500
• Utah — 197.8000
• Florida — 197.4375
Top Utah Scores
Bars
• Grace McCallum — 9.950
• Maile O’Keefe — 9.900
Beam
• McCallum — 9.9375
• Amelie Morgan — 9.9125
Floor
• Jaylene Gilstrap, Abby Paulson, O’Keefe — 9.9250
Vault
• Makenna Smith, Ashley Glynn — 9.9125
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