WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah – Utah State's gymnastics team recorded the second-best season-opening score in school history with a 195.800 to place third at the fourth-annual Rio Tinto Best of Utah Meet on Friday night at the Maverik Center.

No. 6 Utah won the meet with a 197.750, No. 22 Southern Utah finished second with a 196.175 and BYU placed fourth with a 195.175.

"I am so proud of our team," said first-year Utah State head coach Kristin White. "To come into this environment with all of these fans was incredible. This team fought every step of the way, from the minute our staff was hired to start working with them, they've just been amazing, they've bought in, they've started to believe in the vision of this program and I couldn't be prouder of the way that we've started this season tonight."

Sofi Sullivan was tabbed the Aggies' MVP of the meet as the senior from Manhattan Beach, California, tied for fourth on beam with a 9.900.

"The meet was really good," Sullivan said. "We were able to do what we do in the gym every day, and put it all out on the floor. I love this new coaching staff and I really think that it showed today."
 
Fourteen different Aggies competed in the meet with three officially making their collegiate debuts in freshmen Avery Bibbey and Marley Peterson, and sophomore Dani Kirstine.

Utah State opened the meet on bars, recording a solid 49.025 on the event. Senior Jessica Gutierrez led the meet off for the Aggies with a 9.825 to tie for ninth. Bibbey followed suit in the third spot with a 9.825 on her own. Fifth-year senior Grace Rojas and senior Lexi Aragon each had 9.800s, tying for 14th in the process.

The Aggies kept the momentum going in the second rotation with another 49.025 on beam. After Sullivan's 9.900, junior Brianna Brooks tied for ninth with a 9.825 and Aragon tied for 11th with a career-high 9.800.

"We did amazing," Brooks said. "This was one of the best performances we've had. It was really cool to see everyone show up today, be excited and bring the energy. I was really proud of the team."

Utah State moved to floor in the third rotation and recorded another 49.025. A trio of Aggies tied for sixth (matching 9.850s) in seniors Alivia Ostendorf and Ariel Toomey, and sophomore Amari Evans. For Toomey, the 9.850 matched her career high.

The Aggies closed the meet on vault, where they tallied a 48.625 as Brooks tied for fifth with a 9.825.

For more information on the Utah State gymnastics program, follow the Aggies on Twitter at @USUGymnastics, on Facebook at UtahStateGymnastics and on Instagram at USUGymnastics.

Utah State at Rio Tinto Best of Utah Meet | West Valley City, Utah | Maverik Center | January 13, 2023

Team Results: 1. Utah – 197.750 (vault: 49.350, bars: 49.350, beam: 49.675, floor: 49.375); 2. Southern Utah – 196.175 (vault: 48.825, bars: 49.150, beam: 48.850, floor: 49.350); 3. Utah State – 195.800 (vault: 48.625, bars: 49.025, beam: 49.025, floor: 49.125); 4. BYU – 195.175 (vault: 48.800, bars: 49.175, beam: 48.200, floor: 49.000).

Vault: 1. Jaedyn Rucker – Utah, 9.925; 2. Lucy Stanhope – Utah, 9.900; T3. Makenna Smith – Utah, 9.850; T3. Grace McCallum – Utah, 9.850; T5. Allix Mason – BYU, 9.825; T5. Sydney Benson – BYU, 9.825; T5. Abby Brenner – Utah, 9.825; T5. Ellie Cacciola – SUU, 9.825; T5. Brianna Brooks – USU, 9.825; T10. Payton Gatzlaff – USU, 9.800; 14. Alivia Ostendorf – USU, 9.775; 18. Angel Stuart – USU, 9.700; 22. Marley Peterson – USU, 9.525; 24. Grace Rojas – USU, 9.400.

Bars: 1. Grace McCallum – Utah, 9.975; 2. Anyssa Alvarado – BYU, 9.900; T3. Makenna Smith – Utah, 9.875; T3. Shylen Murakami – SUU, 9.875; T5. Anna Bramblett – BYU, 9.850; T5. Abby Brenner – Utah, 9.850; T5. Cristal Isa – Utah, 9.850; T5. Caitlin Kho – SUU, 9.850; T9. Jessica Gutierrez – USU, 9.825; T9. Avery Bibbey – USU, 9.825; T14. Grace Rojas – USU, 9.800; T14. Lexi Aragon – USU, 9.800; T20. Brianna Brooks – USU, 9.775; T20. Dani Kirstine – USU, 9.775.

Beam: 1. Kara Eaker – Utah, 10.000; 2. Maile O'Keefe – Utah, 9.950; 3. Grace McCallum – Utah, 9.925; T4. Sofi Sullivan – USU, 9.900; T4. Abby Paulson – Utah, 9.900; T4. Cristal Isa – Utah, 9.900; T9. Brianna Brooks – USU, 9.825; T11. Lexi Aragon – USU, 9.800; T15. Jenna Eagles – USU, 9.750; T15. Grace Rojas – USU, 9.750; 21. Alivia Ostendorf – USU, 9.625.

Floor: T1. Grace McCallum – Utah, 9.925; T1. Karley McClain – SUU, 9.925; 3. Jaylene Gilstrap – Utah, 9.900; T4. Hailey Vultaggio – SUU, 9.875; T4. Aubri Schwartze – SUU, 9.875; Maile O'Keefe – Utah, 9.850; T6. Rebekah Bean Ripley – BYU, 9.850; T6. Ellie Cacciola – SUU, 9.850; T6. Alivia Ostendorf – USU, 9.850; T6. Ariel Toomey – USU, 9.850; T6. Amari Evans – USU, 9.850; T15. Angel Stuart – USU, 9.800; T18. Marley Peterson – USU, 9.775; T22. Payton Gatzlaff – USU, 9.700; 24.

All-Around: 1. Grace McCallum – Utah, 39.675; 2. Karley McClain – SUU, 39.325.

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