Red Rocks Make It To 49th Consecutive Nationals Appearance
Apr 5, 2025, 10:40 PM
The Utah Red Rocks react to Abby Paulson scoring a perfect 10.0 beam routine while competing in a gymnastics meet against Stanford and Utah State University at the Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, March 15, 2024. The Utah Red Rocks won. (Photo Cred: Kristin Murphey, Deseret News)
(Photo Cred: Kristin Murphey, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY —For the 49th consecutive year, Utah Gymnastics is headed to Nationals. But if you thought it was a smooth ride, think again.
The No. 4 Red Rocks had to dig deep Saturday night at the Huntsman Center, overcoming an early deficit to secure first place at the NCAA Regional Final.
4️⃣9️⃣ STRAIGHT! pic.twitter.com/wC3Wk3V6Xb
— Utah Gymnastics (@UtahGymnastics) April 6, 2025
Their final score of 197.825 edged out a strong UCLA squad 197.625, with Denver 197.350 and Minnesota 196.825 rounding out the field.
For a team with championship aspirations, the performance was equal parts inspiring and a reminder that there is work to be done.
Red Rocks win 2025 Regional Final
“Forty-nine straight. That’s something we’re incredibly proud of,” said head coach Carly Dockendorf. “Tonight wasn’t perfect, but it was gritty, and that’s what got us through. Huge respect to the other teams—they brought serious competition—and our fans brought the kind of energy that made a difference.”
The meet opened with Utah on bars, where they posted a 49.425—solid, but not enough to keep pace with Denver and UCLA. While Grace McCallum delivered her second consecutive perfect 10.0, the rest of the rotation lacked the spark to take early control.
🔥 AMAZING GRACE 🔥
Back to back 10s on bars‼️#RedRocks | @grace_mccallum2 pic.twitter.com/pI5c1SpTRm
— Utah Gymnastics (@UtahGymnastics) April 5, 2025
Beam told a similar story. Despite standout performances from McCallum (9.95) and Avery Neff (9.90), the Red Rocks remained in third heading into the third rotation.
Then came floor—and Utah flipped the script.
With their season on the line, the team erupted for a season-best 49.625. Neff posted a career-high 9.925, Jaylene Gilstrap matched her own with a 9.95, and McCallum’s near-perfect 9.975 capped a performance that lit up the arena and catapulted Utah into first.
Needing to hold off UCLA in the final rotation, Utah delivered under pressure on vault. Ashley Glynn’s 9.925 and a clutch 9.95 from freshman Zoe Johnson sealed the deal.
9⃣.9⃣2⃣5⃣ for Ash!#RedRocks | #DROP pic.twitter.com/rZNgKRunAC
— Utah Gymnastics (@UtahGymnastics) April 6, 2025
Utah’s resilient surge to the finish
“Regionals are never easy,” Dockendorf said. “You can’t predict how it’ll unfold. The best teams adapt, stay focused, and keep moving forward. This group never let go of that vision.”
The Red Rocks proved once again they’re resilient. They rose when it mattered. But in a field as deep as this year’s NCAA Championship, slow starts and inconsistencies won’t go unnoticed—or unpunished.
The goal isn’t just to extend a streak. It’s to compete for the national title. And to do that, Utah will need more than grit—they’ll need execution across all four events from start to finish. The potential is clearly there. Now, it’s about refining it.
What’s Next- NCAA Nationals
The Red Rocks will regroup and reset before heading to Fort Worth, Texas for their 49th consecutive NCAA National Championship appearance, April 17–19.
