SEATTLE — In its last meet of the 2014 season, BYU gymnastics scored a 194.650 to finish sixth at NCAA Regionals at the Alaska Airlines Arena on Saturday.
The score matches BYU's 2011 regional mark, the best since 2005 when the team advanced to nationals.
Alabama (197.550) and Nebraksa (196.975) earned the two best scores and will both advance to the national competition. Denver (195.625) finished third followed by Washington (195.550) and Boise State (195.275).
The Cougars started on bars where sophomore Eliane Kulczyk and senior Raquel Willman Hatch led the way, each scoring a 9.800. Junior KayCee Gassaway and sophomore Makenzie Johnson both added a 9.775 to help BYU score 48.900, its best event score of the meet.
On the second rotation for the Cougars, sophomore Emily Vidmar scored a team-high 9.750 and Johnson chipped in a 9.675 on beam.
Next, Johnson notched a 9.800 on her floor routine closely followed by Kulczyk's 9.775. Both Gassaway and Vidmar scored a 9.725 to add to the total score.
BYU scored a 48.825 on vault, its last event of the day. Gassaway's 9.825 on vault was the top individual score recorded by BYU at the meet. Kulczyk contributed the next best mark, a 9.800, and Hatch received a 9.775
Johnson and Hatch both competed in every event. Johnson finished the event with an all-around score of 38.950 while Hatch earned a 38.450.
The meet marks the 23rd time BYU head coach Brad Cattermole has led his team to an NCAA Regional meet in his 27 years at the helm.