Utah is a top-4 team through a month. Is there another level Red Rocks can reach? How do they get there?
All things considered, Utah gymnastics couldn’t be in a much better position through the first month of the season.
Ranked No. 4 in the country behind two-time defending champion Oklahoma (No. 1), rising power Cal (No. 2) and surprise standout Kentucky (No. 3), the Red Rocks have been better so far this season in totality than perennial contenders like Florida (No. 8), LSU (No. 5), Alabama (No. 6) UCLA (No. 11) and Michigan (No. 13), to name a few. (Rankings are determined by average score currently, with national qualifying score, or NQS, taking effect later this month.)
And that is even with a somewhat disappointing showing at the Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad, when Utah finished fourth behind the Sooners, Tigers and Bruins and scored below a 197 for the first time in nearly two years.
Related
It may be a little awkward, but it’s the new norm this gymnastics season
How do gymnasts feel about the new format for postseason meets?
Utah is one of only six schools in the country that has scored a 49 or better on each event in every meet this season, joined by Oklahoma, Kentucky, Alabama, Arkansas and Ohio State. The Red Rocks are also one of only 18 teams that have not counted a fall so far this season.
Ranked No. 3 on balance beam, No. 4 on floor exercise, No. 10 on uneven bars and No. 13 on vault, Utah has proven elite on multiple events, with the potential for real improvement on both bars and vault.
Individually, sophomore Makenna Smith is a top-20 all-arounder, Abby Paulson is No. 4 in the country on beam and Grace McCallum is a top-10 competitor on bars and top 20 on floor. And there is Maile O’Keefe, the reigning NCAA all-around champion, who is tied with LSU’s Haleigh Bryant for the most perfect 10s so far this season.
Expectations are always high at Utah, though, due to the Red Rocks’ status as one of the blue bloods in the sport.
Utah is one of only seven programs to ever win a national title in the 40-plus years women’s gymnastics has been a sanctioned NCAA sport. And though the Red Rocks haven’t won a national title since 1995, expectations remain that they compete at the top of the sport year in and year out.
Related
“Everyone expects you to succeed,” first-year Utah head coach Carly Dockendorf said. “Fourth doesn’t feel good enough for some people, right?”
Dockendorf is quick to note, though, that her team hasn’t reached it pinnacle this season yet. Not even close.
“We definitely haven’t found our perfect one through six on each event yet,” she said. “That is what early season is for, to try some stuff out. ... Only two people (currently on our team) competed on vault at nationals last year. Four people are brand new (on vault) and there are two brand new people on beam and two brand new people on bars. It is going to take a little bit to figure out the order and the right people.”
Dockendorf also noted that though the Red Rocks have posted some significant scores, including a program-best season-opening score against Boise State and a high 197 at the Best of Utah — a neutral-site meet where NQS is concerned — they haven’t had a complete meet yet.
Through the first month, Utah hasn’t had both young newcomers and experienced veterans compete well at the same time.
“We haven’t put a full meet together,” Dockendorf said. “We saw the freshmen (Camie Winger and Ella Zirbes) and Ashley (Glynn) take a big step forward on Friday, which was huge and we needed, but then some of our veterans took a little bit of a step back. We’ve yet put all six (routines) together on each event, so I think that is holding our score back.”
Another thing that has been holding Utah back from that desired complete meet are landings and sticks.
Dockendorf noted specifically that against Arizona State her team did not hold the finishing position for long enough, incurring multiple deductions that easily could have been avoided. Deductions that added up.
Add in stuck landings, an emphasis for judges at the NCAA level, and there are clear areas for improvement going forward.
Of course, Dockendorf has seen her team grow significantly week to week.
“I think our execution is improving week to week,” she said. “Our handstands are better, our confidence is growing. We are moving in the right direction. But putting it all together is something we haven’t done yet.”
What the Red Rocks have managed to do is notable, though.
Florida is off to its worst start to a season since 2002, when the Gators were ranked No. 13 after the first month of competition. Florida is young and inexperienced, though talented, and it has shown.
Red Rocks on the air
No. 4 Utah
vs. No. 16 Oregon State
Friday, 6 p.m. MST
Huntsman Center
TV: Pac-12 Network
Stream: Pac-12 Live
Radio: ESPN 700
Michigan too has struggled early on while trying to replace arguably the best class of gymnasts in program history. The Wolverines have scored a 195 in a meet this season and are a bit perplexing. They’ve struggled mightily on vault, the event that was presumed to be their best entering the season.
UCLA has shown flashes, but consistency has proven difficult. The Bruins visibly miss Jordan Chiles, who elected to defer this season in order to train for the Paris Olympics. And UCLA will be without Emma Malabuyo at times as she attempts to represent the Philippines in Paris this summer.
Outside of Oklahoma, which returned nearly everyone from its national title-winning team from last year; Cal (the Bears are off to a program-best start); and rising SEC power Kentucky, Utah has been as good or better than every other team in the country.
All while replacing six notable gymnasts from the 2023 team.
It makes sense for a team like Oklahoma to be atop the standings at this point, given their returners. For Utah to be where it is through the first month only bodes well for the future.
“We are relying on younger inexperienced athletes to fill big spots,” Dockendorf said. “For a team like that it is going to take a little bit (of time to put it all together).”
