Utah Gymnastics Trio Earns Pac-12 Weekly Awards
Feb 9, 2021, 5:37 PM
Utah’s Alexia Burch performs on the bars as Utah and Washington compete in an NCAA gymnastics meet at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Jan. 30, 2021. No. 4 Utah won 197.475-193.300. (Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)
(Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Utah Gymnastics nearly swept the Pac-12 weekly awards once again after three gymnasts earned awards from their performance last week.
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The Utah Gymnastics team beat Arizona State 197.450-197.150 in Tempe on Saturday, February 6, claiming their third straight win.
Star Maile O’Keefe won her third Pac-12 Gymnast of the Week award in the last four weeks. She won her second straight all-around title with a 39.525 score against the Sun Devils. O’Keefe recorded career-highs on vault and floor, posting a 9.925 on the floor and a 9.90 on vault. It’s the third all-around title for O’Keefe this season.
On the season, O’Keefe ranks first in the Pac-12 on beam and all-around. She is No. 2 in the nation on beam and No. 7 in the all-around.
#Pac12Gym Gymnast of the Week: Maile O'Keefe.
Full release ➡️ https://t.co/7xddtYEGZ8#GoUtes | @UtahGymnastics pic.twitter.com/Sk1hXOSuJZ
— Pac-12 Conference (@pac12) February 9, 2021
Senior Alexia Burch earned Pac-12 Specialist of the Week, recording her first ever specialist honor of her career. Burch posted a career-high 9.975 on vault against Arizona State. One judge gave her a perfect 10 on the event. She helped Utah gain the second highest vault score in the country at 49.475. Burch won her third straight vault title this season.
#Pac12Gym Specialist of the Week: Alexia Burch.
Full release ➡️ https://t.co/7xddtYEGZ8#GoUtes | @UtahGymnastics pic.twitter.com/vtCq06kaTu
— Pac-12 Conference (@pac12) February 9, 2021
Jaedyn Rucker earned the Pac-12 Weekly Coaches Choice award after a stellar performance in her home state. The Mesa, Arizona native claimed her second Coaches Choice award of the season after posting a career-high 9.90 on the floor and tied her career-high of 9.875 on the vault.
#Pac12Gym Weekly Coaches Choice: Jaedyn Rucker.
Full release ➡️ https://t.co/7xddtYEGZ8#GoUtes | @UtahGymnastics pic.twitter.com/wkd3axPZpg
— Pac-12 Conference (@pac12) February 9, 2021
The Red Rocks will next be in action on Friday, February 19 when they host No. 10 UCLA at the Jon M. Huntsman Center. The meet will begin at 7 p.m. MST and will be televised on ESPNU.
Trevor Allen is a Utah Utes Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the Crimson Corner podcast. Follow him on Twitter: @TrevorASports. You can download and listen to the podcast, here.
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