Season-high score helps Cougars finish in third at MRGC championship

BOISE, Idaho -- Senior Makenzie Johnson Halliday led the Cougars to a third-place finish and season-high score of 196.100 in the Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference Championship in Boise Saturday night.

"I am so excited for our team," BYU head coach Guard Young said. "They performed great, hitting 24 out of 24 routines, but we still need to stick more. We only had four sticks for the night and that's what made the difference. We had the difficult task of starting on beam, but after hitting six routines I knew it was going to be a great night for the Cougars."

Boise State claimed the conference title for the second-straight year with a 197.025. Southern Utah came in second with a 196.575 as Utah State finished in fourth place with a 195.850.

Halliday was named Gymnast of the Year and earned All-MRGC First Team on vault and floor and Second Team on all-around. Sin To also earned All-MRGC First Team on vault while Mackenzie Douglas earned Second Team on vault, bars and floor.

Halliday finished with a 39.275 as an all-arounder for the third-best score of the meet. Utah State’s Bailey McIntire took the all-around title with a score of 39.425.

BYU started the meet on beam with Emily Vidmar scoring a 9.800. Jill Van Mierlo, Mikaela Jones, Halliday and To each recorded scores of 9.750 to bring the Cougars to a total of 48.800. After the first rotation, Southern Utah led with 49.225 followed by Boise State with a 48.975. Utah State came next with a 48.925.

On floor, Halliday led the Cougars with a high score of 9.925. Douglas followed Halliday by scoring her personal best of 9.900. Vidmar notched a 9.850 with Natasha Trejo and To setting matching scores of 9.800. Cheyenne Hill also set a career-high score with a 9.775. Boise State took the lead after Krystine Jacobsen scored a 9.975 on bars. Southern Utah held second place while BYU pulled into third just above Utah State.

In the third rotation, Halliday and To led the team tying with scores of 9.850. Douglas landed a 9.825 with Hill tying her career-high score of 9.775. Jones recorded a 9.725 on vault to help the Cougars finish with a 49.025. The Thunderbirds moved back into first place with a 147.675 at the end of the third rotation while the Broncos fell into second with a 147.400. The Cougars held its lead over the Aggies 147.100-146.650.

Douglas set a career-high 9.875 on bars to lead the Cougars in the final rotation. Brittni Wilde and Van Mierlo both notched scores of 9.800 while Vidmar added a 9.775 to finish the night.

The Cougars will look to continue their season in the NCAA regionals. The NCAA will announce its selections on Monday.

MRGC Awards and All-Conference Teams

Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference Co-Coaches of the Year
Tina Bird & Neil Resnick, Boise State

Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference Gymnast of the Year
Makenzie Johnson Halliday, BYU

Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference Freshman of the Year
Shani Remme, Boise State

All-MRGC First Team (All-Around)
Danielle Ramirez, Southern Utah
Bailey McIntire, Utah State
Sandra Collantes, Boise State

All-MRGC Second Team (All-Around)
Makenzie Johnson Halliday, BYU
Natalie Trejo, Southern Utah

All-MRGC First Team (Vault)
Makenzie Bennion, Boise State
Ann Stockwell, Boise State
Danielle Ramirez, Southern Utah
Makenzie Johnson Halliday, BYU
Sin To, BYU

All-MRGC Second Team (Vault)
Mary Frances Bir, Boise State
Jillian Chappel, Utah State
Bailey McIntire, Utah State
Mackenzie Douglas, BYU

All-MRGC First Team (Bars)
Krystine Jacobsen, Boise State
Diana Mejia, Boise State
Bailey McIntire, Utah State

All-MRGC Second Team (Bars)
Kirsten Yee, Southern Utah
Natalie Trejo, Southern Utah
Mackenzie Douglas, BYU

All-MRGC First Team (Beam)
Danielle Ramirez, Southern Utah
Sarah Means, Boise State
Stacie Webb, Southern Utah
Bailey McIntire, Utah State

All-MRGC Second Team (Beam)
Krystine Jacobsen, Boise State
Hayley Sanzotti, Utah State

All-MRGC First Team (Floor)
Maddie Krentz, Boise State
Sandra Collantes, Boise State
Natalie Trejo, Southern Utah
Makenzie Johnson Halliday, BYU

All-MRGC Second Team (Floor)
Shani Remme, Boise State
Krystine Jacobsen, Boise State
Mackenzie Douglas, BYU