No. 21 BYU prepares for MRGC Championships on Saturday

PROVO, Utah – No. 21 BYU prepares to battle for the Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference crown at the 2022 MRGC Championships on Saturday at the ExtraMile Arena in Boise, Idaho, at 6 p.m. MDT. 

The Cougars will face No. 24 Boise State, No. 25 Utah State and No. 31 Southern Utah. Among the four teams, BYU is No. 1 in the MRGC and No. 1 on the floor apparatus, being ranked No. 16 on the event nationally. 

Last season, BYU earned the title MRGC Champions for the second year in a row. BYU was awarded its first MRGC Champions title in 2020 as the conference's top-rated team before the annual championship meet was canceled due to the start of the pandemic. Notching a 196.925 at last year's MRGC meet, the Cougars took home the victory over Boise State’s 196.725, Utah State’s 196.250 and Southern Utah’s 196.225.  

Meet Information

• When: Saturday, March 29
• Time: 6 p.m. MDT
• Location: ExtraMile Arena
• Live Stream: Mountain West Digital Network
• Live Stats: Statbroadcast.com

THE COUGARS. Currently ranked No. 21, BYU won its final meet of the season on Saturday at the Smith Fieldhouse with a score of 196.825 to edge out Arizona’s 196.300. Senior Sadie Miner-Van Tassell competed for the all-around and again matched her career-high score of 39.525, earning her the MRGC Gymnast of the Week honors for ninth-consecutive week. Miner-Van Tassell was also awarded MRGC Vault Specialist of the Week (9.925) and Co-Floor Specialist of the Week with fellow teammate, Brittney Vitkauskas. The pair posted individual scores of 9.925 on the event. Anyssa Alvarado took home her first MRGC Bars Specialist of the Week accolade with a solid 9.925.

THE AGGIES. Currently ranked No. 25, USU heads into the MRGC Championship as No. 3 in the conference. Utah State closed out its regular season with a second-place finish at the Minnesota quad meet on Saturday afternoon at the Maturi Pavilion. With a slow start on bars, the Aggies finished the meet with a final score of 195.200. Despite this loss, USU finished the season with 11 wins, which is the most wins in a single season since 2015 for the Aggies. Brie Clark was also awarded MRGC Co-Floor Specialist of the Week with her score of 9.925 in the quad meet. 

THE BRONCOS. Currently ranked No. 24, BSU prepares to host the MRGC Championship ranked close behind BYU as No. 2 in the conference. Boise State finished out its regular season with a third-place finish in the Arizona State tri-meet on Friday. The Broncos posted a final score of 195.775, falling to No. 15 Arizona State (196.800) and No. 1 Oklahoma (197.625).  Despite the loss, Boise State’s Emily Muhlenhaupt earned MRGC Co-Bars Specialist of the Week honors for her third-consecutive week. 

THE THUNDERBIRDS. Currently ranked No. 31, SUU prepares for the MRGC Championship as No. 4 in the conference. Southern Utah finished out its regular season with a 196.975-188.550 victory over William & Mary on Friday at the America First Event Center. SUU also celebrated a new school record with a team score of 49.425 on beam. The Thunderbirds dominated in the Week 10 MRGC awards, taking home three awards. Hannah Nipp and Aubri Schwartze earned individual scores of 9.925 to earn the Beam Specialist of the Week while Shylen Murakami earned Co-Bars Specialist of the Week with a score of 9.925.