Utah Red Rocks Finish Third at NCAA Gymnastics Championships Despite Strong Start

In a thrilling NCAA women’s gymnastics championship final in Fort Worth, Texas, the Utah Red Rocks led after three rotations but ultimately fell to a third-place finish due to a crucial low score on vault. The Red Rocks finished with a score of 197.800, while LSU claimed its first gymnastics championship in school history with a score of 198.2250.

The championship came down to the final rotation, with Utah holding onto a slim lead of less than one-tenth of a point. However, Camie Winger and Ella Zirbes, who competed first and second on vault, scored a 9.2875 and 9.6750, respectively. Despite dropping Winger’s score, Utah couldn’t overcome Zirbes’s score combined with LSU’s strong beam rotation.

LSU’s Savannah Schoenherr fell during her beam routine, but the rest of the lineup delivered stellar performances, with five gymnasts scoring at least a 9.950 to secure the championship win.

The Red Rocks started the meet on uneven bars, an event that had troubled them in the regional finals, leading to a third-place position after the first rotation. They moved into second place midway through the meet, just one-tenth of a point behind LSU, before taking the lead after the floor exercise.

Utah’s floor routines were exceptional, with none of the six gymnasts scoring below a 9.900. However, a disappointing performance on vault ultimately cost them the championship title.

Despite the third-place finish, the Red Rocks showcased impressive performances throughout the meet, with Grace McCallum, Maile O’Keefe, and others delivering top scores in various events. Coach Carly Dockendorf expressed pride in her team’s efforts and emphasized the importance of focusing on their own performances until the very end.