LAS VEGAS — The Cougars opened their 2024 gymnastics season with a final score of 195.900 and a fourth-place finish at the Mean Girls Super 16 Gymnastics Championship Saturday afternoon.
With a final score of 195.900, BYU finished the Super 16 meet in fourth behind SUU (196.025) and Oregon State (196.525). Minnesota took home first with a final score of 196.850.
"This was a redemption competition for us," said head coach Guard Young. "We came to this competition last year, and it was not a good start to the season. So, to come down to the same arena and compete, it was an opportunity to start the season off better. We had a ton of new freshman compete today and they really came through for us. They proved that they are great athletes who can perform well under pressure."
Minnesota’s Mya Hooten won the All-Around with a score of 39.450. Following close behind was teammate Gianna Gerdes who notched a 39.425.
BYU’s Sydney Benson and freshman Ava Jorgensen tied with Hooten for the top vault score of the competition with a 9.875. Anyssa Alvarado ended the meet tied for second on bars with a 9.950.
BYU kicked off the Super 16 on the floor in the first rotation. The Cougars had five new floor routines from Mya Kirkham, Olivia Matern, Sophie Dudley, Kylie Eaquinto and Mina Margraf. Freshman Kirkham started BYU off with a 9.800 in her collegiate debut. The only returning routine from last year was senior Benson, who anchored the Cougars in the first rotation with a 9.775.
With a total score of 48.650, the Cougars ended the rotation in fourth, trailing SUU and Oregon State by .300. Minnesota led with a score of 49.275 as the teams moved to their second rotation.
In the second rotation, BYU took to the vault with a total score of 49.225. Jorgensen made her BYU debut on vault, scoring a 9.875 to start the rotation for the Cougars. Benson tied Jorgensen with another 9.875, followed by a career-tying 9.850 from Dudley and a 9.825 from Kirkham.
The Cougars found their rhythm on the uneven bars in the third rotation, with all six routines scoring above a 9.800. Allix Mason opened the rotation with 9.875, tying her career high on the apparatus.
With a 9.950 from senior Alvarado and a 9.875 from Lindsey Hunter-Kempler and Anna Bramblett, the Cougars finished with an event score of 49.425, moving them up to second place, tied with Oregon State with a team total of 147.300.
BYU ended the meet on the balance beam, earning an event score of 48.600. Freshman Brynlee Andersen competed for the first time as a Cougar, leading BYU with a 9.775 on the apparatus.
BYU hits the road again next week to compete in the Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad on Saturday, Jan. 13 at the Maverik Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. The competition will be broadcast on the ACC Network at 7 p.m. MT.