BYU joins the lineup for Rio Tinto Best of Utah NCAA Gymnastics Meet

WEST VALLEY CITY – Maverik Center and four of Utah’s premier NCAA Women’s Gymnastics programs – The University of Utah, Brigham Young University, Southern Utah University, and Utah State University – have announced a multi-year partnership that will bring the four schools together to compete at the Rio Tinto Best of Utah NCAA Gymnastics Meet for the next five seasons.

The inaugural Rio Tinto Best of Utah event will be held on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2020 and is slated to begin at 7:00 PM MST. The partnership marks the first time that the schools will compete against one another in the same venue on a raised, podium floor.

“The Maverik Center of West Valley City is honored to host the Rio Tinto Best of Utah NCAA Gymnastics Meet,” said Maverik Center CEO Kevin Bruder. “Our community looks forward to continuing to host high caliber gymnastics events that elevate the level of competition.”

“It is incredible that our state has four outstanding Division I programs,” said Utah head coach Tom Farden. “It speaks volumes to the popularity of gymnastics in Utah and this meet will allow each school’s passionate fans to get a chance to see their team in a championship setting. The podium at the Maverik Center is simply one of the best and we are looking forward to this event this upcoming season!”

Tickets to the Rio Tinto Best of Utah NCAA Gymnastics meet are on sale now. Buy your tickets through the exclusive university presale links to take advantage of early bird discounted pricing on premium seats and to sit with your fan base.  The exclusive university special offers $25 premium seating that includes $5 off the regular ticket price and no online convenience fees.  Offer is valid through Saturday, Nov. 30. Full price tickets are available at smithstix.com and the Maverik Center Box Office.

BYU Ticket link: https://tinyurl.com/vpheqw5
University of Utah ticket link: https://tinyurl.com/y4qq47u4
Utah State ticket link: https://tinyurl.com/y2grt59d
Southern Utah ticket link: https://tinyurl.com/y64sstrb

Maverik Center recently announced a multi-year partnership with the Pac-12 Conference that will bring the Conference’s championship event for women’s gymnastics to the venue for the next three seasons, which began with the 2019 Pac-12 Women’s Gymnastics Championships that was held on March 23, 2019. The partnership marks the first ever neutral-site host for the sport’s premiere event. 

CHALK TALK

The Rio Tinto Best of Utah NCAA Gymnastics Meet marks the second time in history that Utah, BYU, Southern Utah, and Utah State will participate at the same event; only other gathering was the Smith’s Challenge Cup in 1993 where Utah won the quad-meet, Utah State finished second, BYU placed third, and Southern Utah tabbed fourth … Utah competes in the Pac-12 Conference, while the other three in-state schools are members of the Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference … There are 26 Utah natives on the 2020 rosters between the four schools (Utah-2, BYU-11, SUU-9, USU-4) … Maverik Center hosted the 2019 Pac-12 Championships and drew a crowd of 8,621 in its inaugural podium event.

SERIES SHORTS

BYU leads Utah State 79-48-1 (21-13 at neutral sites). BYU has won seven straight against Utah State, including three wins this past season.

Southern Utah and Utah State are tied in the overall series, 49-49, but SUU leads 16-6 on a neutral floor. Utah State had won four straight against SUU, but SUU took all three meetings in 2019.
Utah leads BYU 99-2 in the series and are undefeated on a neutral floor (25-0). With a win, Utah will record its 100th win against BYU dating back to when the series started in 1976.
Utah leads the series with Utah State 89-3 and is 22-1 on a neutral floor. The Aggies and Utes have not met since the NCAA Regional in 2016, while the two have not had a regular season meeting since the 2012 season.
Utah leads Southern Utah 24-0 in the series. The two teams have only met five times at a neutral site.
BYU is 23-19-1 in the overall series with Southern Utah. SUU topped BYU twice last season, while BYU tabbed one victory over SUU in 2019.

About BYU

Coach: Guard Young (5th season)
2019:NCAA Championships: DNQ

NCAA Baton Rouge Regional Semifinal: 4th of 4

Final Ranking: 21st
Record: 11-11

Notes: Appeared at an NCAA Regional for the 10th straight year … Shannon Evans was the Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference Gymnast of the Year in 2019 … Cougars return all but two gymnasts from last season … Helody Cyrenne, an All-MRGC First Team bars selection, tied for first place on bars at the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional … Cougars placed third at the MRGC Championships behind Boise State and Southern Utah in 2019.

About SUU

Coach: Scott Bauman (29th year)
2019:NCAA Championships: DNQ

NCAA Corvallis Regional Semifinal: 4th of 4

Final Ranking: 26th
Record: 7-10

Notes: Qualified for its seventh-straight NCAA Regional appearance in 2019 … Returns five MRGC All-Conference Second Team selections … Karley McClain was named the 2019 MRGC Freshman of the Year and was SUU’s sole all-arounder on the roster last season … Finished second at the MRGC Championships last season, finishing ahead of then-ranked No. 15 BYU and Utah State … Shylen Murakami notched three MRGC weekly awards in 2019; beam specialist of the week twice and bars specialist of the week early in the season.

About Utah

Coach: Tom Farden (5th/10th year)
2019:NCAA Championships: 7th

NCAA Baton Rouge Regional Final: 2nd of 4

Final Ranking: 7th
Record: 21-8

Notes: Utah has not lost to an in-state rival since 1998 … The young Ute squad returns 10-of-24 routines from the NCAA Championships last year… Utes return two All-Americans in Missy Reinstadtler (All-Around) and Sydney Soloski (floor) … Talented freshman class includes former USA National Team members, Maile O’Keefe and Abby Paulson … Qualified for its 44th consecutive NCAA Championships in 2019, overcoming the new and challenging NCAA postseason format … Utah placed second at the Pac-12 Championships in 2019.

About Utah State

Coach: Amy Smith (3rd year)
2019:NCAA Championships: DNQ

Final Ranking: 42nd
Record: 5-13

Notes: Returner Autumn DeHarde qualified as an individual for the NCAA Corvallis Regional last season … The Aggies placed fourth at the MRGC Championships in 2019 … Senior Brittany Jeppesen, along with juniors Taylor Dittmar, Mikaela Meyer, Leighton Varnadore and Logan Varnadore, earned academic all-MRGC honors last season ... Dittmar, Meyer and both Varnadores went on to earn Scholastic All-America Award accolades from the WCGA … DeHarde, who was the 2018 MRGC Freshman of the Year, earned second-team all-conference honors on floor last season … Leighton Varnadore earned second-team all-MRGC honors in the all-around.

About Maverik Center

Maverik Center, which can seat over 9,000 for women’s gymnastics, has hosted numerous marquee events over its 20-year history, including the 2002 Winter Olympics when it was the venue for the Ice Hockey Championships. The current home of the ECHL’s Utah Grizzlies, an affiliate of the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche, Maverik Center is dedicated to providing superior entertainment in a comfortable, enjoyable setting. Located in the heart of the Salt Lake Valley in West Valley City, Utah, the site will transform the second weekend in January for each of the next five seasons for the Rio Tinto Best of Utah NCAA Gymnastics Meet. For additional information please visit maverikcenter.com.