LOGAN, Utah – Despite battling through a year of uncertainty with the COVID-19 pandemic, Utah State's gymnastics team still enjoyed one of its finest seasons in program history as the Aggies competed in their 26th NCAA Regional Championship, including their first since 2017.
 
When the dust finally settled, Utah State ended the year ranked No. 25 in the nation, their best finish since finishing 15th in 1999. The Aggies also tied for 25th in 1998.
 
VAULT FOR JOY: Utah State scored 49 or better on vault in six straight meets, which set a school record. The Aggies averaged a school-record 49.005 on the event, marking the first time in school history they have ever averaged 49 or better.
 
Utah State finished the season with a team vault National Qualifying Score (NQS) of 49.163, which tied for 21st in the nation. The Aggies notched three of their top vault scores in school history with a 49.225 (tied for third) at the Denver tri meet, and a pair of 49.175s (tied for fifth) at both BYU and Utah.
 
At the 2021 NCAA Regional Championships in West Valley City, the Aggies recorded their top vault score at a regional meet with a 49.075, bettering the 48.950 set at the NCAA Seattle Regional in 2017.
 
Senior Mikaela Meyer, who was named the Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference co-Vault Specialist of the Year, and earned first-team accolades on the event, averaged 9.838 on vault, which ranks second all-time in school history.
 
Fellow seniors Leighton Varnadore, who garnered second-team all-MRGC honors on vault, and Autumn DeHarde, averaged 9.809 (tied for fifth all-time) and 9.800 (ninth all-time), respectively, on the event. Sophomore Rebecca Wells averaged 9.798, which ranks 10th all-time.
 
SO GRACE-FUL: Junior Grace Rojas led Utah State on bars this season as she averaged 9.809 on the event, which ranks third all-time in school history. As a team, the Aggies averaged 48.877, good enough for fourth-best in school history.
 
Utah State scored a 49.025 on bars at the NCAA Regional Championships, which is the second-best score the team has ever produced at a regional meet.
 
BEAM 'EM UP: The Aggies scored 49 or better on beam in nine straight meets, which set a school record, and averaged 49.032 on the event, which ranks second all-time in school history. Utah State finished the season with a team beam NQS of 49.263, which tied for 16th in the nation.
 
Utah State recorded three of its top beam scores in school history in 2021 with a 49.400 (third) at the Denver tri meet, a 49.275 (tied for fifth) against Southern Utah and a 49.225 (tied for eighth) at Southern Utah.
 
Senior Autumn DeHarde averaged 9.883 on beam, which ranks second all-time in school history. The native of Sussex, Wis., holds the school record with a beam average of 9.889 set in 2020, and she also averaged 9.827 in 2018 and 2019, which is tied for fourth all-time.
 
DeHarde was named the MRGC Beam Specialist of the Year and earned first-team honors on the event.
 
Varnadore and senior Taylor Dittmar averaged 9.780 and 9.729 on beam this season, which rank 11th and 18th all-time in school history, while Wells averaged 9.755 on the event, which ranks 17th.
 
FLOORNOMENAL: Just like she did on beam, DeHarde led the Aggies on floor in 2021 with an average of 9.864, which ranks fifth all-time in school history. Wells averaged 9.836, which ranks 14th all-time.
 
Utah State began the NCAA Regional Championships on floor with a 49.125, which set a school record for a regional meet. Leading the way on the event was Wells, who tied for third overall with a career-high 9.900, which ranks third all-time for a regional meet. DeHarde tied for 13th on floor with a 9.875, which is tied for fourth for a regional.
 
As a team, the Aggies averaged 49.036 on floor, which ranks fourth all-time in school history.
 
ALL-AROUNDERS: Varnadore garnered first-team all-MRGC honors in the all-around during the season while Wells made her debut in the all-around at the NCAA Regional Championships, where she recorded a 39.200, which is the best score in school history for a regional meet.
 
Varnadore had a 39.150 at the regionals, a score that ranks third for a regional meet.
 
196 AND BEYOND!: Utah State recorded three of its best all-time team scores in school history this season with a 196.775 (third) at the Denver tri meet, a 196.600 (tied for fifth) at BYU and a 196.500 (seventh) at Utah.
 
Inside the friendly confines of the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum, the Aggies had a 196.250 in the MRGC Championships and a 196.225 against Southern Utah, which rank seventh and eighth all-time at home.
 
Utah State notched four of its best away scores in school history with a 196.775 (third) at the Denver tri meet, a 196.600 (fourth) at BYU, a 196.500 (fifth) at Utah and a 196.250 (seventh) at Boise State.
 
Fans can follow the Aggie gymnastics program at twitter.com/USUGymnastics, on Facebook at Utah State Gymnastics, and on Instagram at USUGymnastics. Fans can also follow the USU athletic program at twitter.com/USUAthletics or on Facebook at UtahStateAthletics.
 
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