Gymnastics scores season-high 196.475 in home-opening win over West Virginia

Season-high team scores on beam and floor powered BYU gymnastics to a 196.475-193.500 win over West Virginia in the Cougars’ home-opener on Friday night at the Marriott Center.

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PROVO, Utah — Season-high team scores on beam and floor powered BYU gymnastics to a 196.475-193.500 win over West Virginia in the Cougars’ home-opener on Friday night at the Marriott Center.

The Cougars’ season-best 196.475 included 49.100 points on the beam and 49.325 on the floor along with 49.225 on the bars and 48.825 on vault.

“It was unbelievable to have our first Big 12 meet in the Marriott Center,” said BYU head coach Guard Young. “It’s exciting for us to see these new teams which we typically haven’t competed against.”

BYU’s 49.325 on the floor came with each five scoring gymnasts recording season or career-highs. Sophie Dudley and Sydney Benson each posted 9.900s with Benson tying a career-high. Ava Jorgensen and Olivia Matern followed with 9.875 and 9.850, respectively. Kylie Eaquinto added a 9.800 on floor, her third score of 9.800 or higher on the night.

Mina Margraf led BYU with a season-high 9.875 on beam followed by 9.825s from both Dudley and Elease Rollins. Brynlee Andersen capped beam with a 9.800 to put the Cougars at 49.100.

Linsey Hunter-Kempler and Anna Bramblett posted BYU’s high scores on bars, each with a season-best 9.875. Bramblett’s 9.875 comes one meet removed from a fall on bars.

Eaquinto took the Cougars’ top vault score with her third 9.825 of the season.

Even with the win over the Mountaineers, Young sees room for improvement in BYU’s performance.

“We’re getting in some good, clean gymnastics,” Young said. “It’s big and aggressive but we have to start finding better landings. We need to dial those in.”

BYU takes the road for another Big 12 meet next week, this time at No. 1 Oklahoma. Watch the Cougars face the Sooners from the Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Oklahoma at 6:45 p.m. CST on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.