Utah gymnastics tops BYU with its best score of the season, Avery Neff gets a 10.0

Utah’s gymnastics team found its groove Friday night, and the 12^th-ranked Red Rocks found it in a big way as they produced their best score of the season to top No. 23 BYU 198.025-196.025 at the Huntsman Center.

In a season full of ups and downs and inconsistencies, Utah was able to brush aside all the chatter and struggles and knock out its first four-event meet of 2026.

The best part about the meet was that even with the season high, the Red Rocks know they left tenths on the table, especially on vault where they finished with a 49.225.

“We know we can do a lot better vault,” said Avery Neff. “I think we are just trying to get our groove on everything and that showed today.”

Vault wasn’t bad by any means, it just wasn’t where Utah had gotten it in prior meets. The Red Rocks will take solid at this point, but they’re still shooting for a stronger start.

“We are putting more pieces back together, and we got a 198 with not even our most extravagant gymnastics, so I think that’s a really a huge testament of the fight of this team,” Neff said.

What was excellent in the meet for Utah, though, was bars. The Red Rocks once again hit the nation’s best score on the event, and did so in impressive fashion with a 49.75.

Makenna Smith set the tone with a leadoff 9.9, and the final four gymnasts didn’t go lower than a 9.925 as Abbi Ryssman (9.925), Ella Zirbes (9.975), Ana Padurariu (9.95) and Avery Neff (10.0) all shined.

It was Neff’s second perfect routine of her career, and her first on bars.

“We have proven before that we are such a great bars team,” said Zirbes. “Grace (McCallum) came up to us before and was like ‘What’s holding you back? You guys are the best bar team in the country so why don’t you show it?’ We took that and ran.”

McCallum is a year removed from competing for Utah and finishing as one of its best after earning an Olympic medal, and she’s now a student assistant coach for the team.

“I think this bars performance, compared to our other ones, we were more aggressive going for our handstands and like the little details,” Smith said.

“I think we’ve built the confidence up in the gym that we can go for it, and there isn’t a doubt that it’s not going to work.”

Utah also had strong beam and floor efforts. Neff and Camie Winger matched their performances from a week ago with back-to-back 9.95s to anchor the beam lineup and boost the team to a 49.50 total.

Floor settled in at 49.55 with Smith, Neff and Zirbes earning 9.95s, but the highlight on floor was Sage Curtis’s 9.9 in the final spot.  

“I was extremely proud of Sage tonight,” said Utah coach Carly Dockendorf. “I was like ‘Are you sure you’re a freshman?’ Because that was a veteran move to go out and just crush that routine knowing that a 198 for the team was on the line.”

The Huntsman faithful also knew what was on the line and erupted the minute Curtis’ score flashed, and then the scoreboard showed Utah with the 198.025.

All in all it was a good night for Utah as the Red Rocks knocked out season and career high after season and career high. They also stuck five landings on bars and six on beam. 

Neff won the all-around and pretty much summarized her night with her discussion around her team’s vault. The sophomore hit a career-best 39.70, which ranks in the top five nationally, and went for 9.95 or higher on three events.

But the total score also came with a 9.80 on vault, the event she hit a 10.0 on earlier this season — meaning there are some tenths still on the table.   

BYU

The score wasn’t what the Cougars had hoped for, but they still had bright spots across the meet.

Deb Silva finished third on vault with a 9.85, while teammate Scarlett Sonnenberg tied for fourth with a 9.825. Daisy Stephenson finished fourth on floor with a 9.875.

“My team was just super gritty tonight, and I love that,” said BYU coach Guard Young. “When there was a mistake, they fought, they stayed up and they didn’t give up. They fought for everything that they had so I’m really proud of the fight, and the effort that they gave.

“Utah was awesome. As a gymnastics fan, they were doing just great gymnastics. That bar rotation was the best in the country, so super proud of them and it was fun to be on the floor with them when they did that.”

Up next

Utah and BYU are both home next Friday. The Red Rocks host SUU, while BYU hosts No. 18 Denver. 

Event winners

All-Around — Avery Neff (Utah); 39.70

Vault — Makenna Smith and Ashley Glynn (Utah); 9.9

Bars — Avery Neff (Utah); 10.0

Beam —  Avery Neff and Camie Winger (Utah); 9.95

Floor — Ella Zirbes, Makenna Smith and Avery Neff (Utah); 9.95