Four Cougars earn weekly conference honors

PROVO, Utah — Four Cougars earned Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference weekly conference honors following the inaugural weekend of competition.

Mackenzie Douglas is the Vault Specialist of the Week, Brittni Hawes and Jessie Westergard shared Bar Specialist of the Week honors and Shannon Hortman garnered both Beam Specialist of the Week and Gymnast of the Week accolades.

Douglas, a junior from Queen Creek, Ariz., scored a 9.775 on vault to lead the Cougars to an overall mark of 48.600 in the event. Douglas finished tied for third overall in the event.

Hawes, a junior from Idaho Falls, Idaho, and Westergard, a sophomore from Norwell, Massachusetts, each tied career highs with matching 9.900s on bars. The duo finished tied for second overall and helped the Cougars to a meet-high 49.225 on the event.

Hortman, a freshman from American Fork, Utah, scored a 9.800 on beam to finish tied for third overall in her collegiate debut and also led the Cougars with a 38.975 in the all-around, finishing second in the meet. Overall, BYU finished second at its season-opening quad meet at Penn State (194.625), scoring a 194.525 and finishing ahead of Temple (191.925) and Bowling Green (190.725).

BYU hosts in-state rival No. 5 Utah in its season opener on Friday, Jan. 13. The meet will begin at 7 p.m. MST in the Marriott Center and will be broadcast live on BYUtv.