(Photo Courtesy: Utah Gymnastics/Facebook)
The No. 4 University of Utah Utes will enter the Pac-12 championships top-ranked Pac-12 team and the defending conference champions at their home arena.
The team stands with an 11-1 overall record and a 6-0 Pac-12 record this season, with their only loss at Georgia by just 0.175. In the week leading up to the championships, the Utes have been ranked No.1 in the nation on bars and vault. Four of the team’s all-around gymnasts scored above a 39.500 this season.
This group, with no gymnasts actually from Utah, without a doubt has what it takes to come out on top this year. Holding the title of defending Pac-12 champions, Utah is the only team to finish in the top three for the past three years. On a more specific note, the Utes also have three returning Pac-12 individual champions: senior Tory Wilson, the defending all-around champion; senior Georgia Dabritz, the 2014 champion on vault, bars, and floor; and senior Corrie Lothrop, who was the 2012 Pac-12 all-around champion.
With the Utes all-around score being the best in the three-year history of the Pac-12 Championships coming in at a 197.925, it’s no question that they will continue to impress at the Huntsman Center on Saturday.
Biggest Strength
EVENT: UNEVEN BARS
If there’s one thing the Utes can do better than anyone, it’s swing. Not only have they been ranked No. 1 on bars as a team, but Georgia Dabritz has been ranked No. 1 in the nation on the uneven bars for the fourth straight week, earning a 9.975 as her regional qualifying score, just 0.025 shy of a perfect score. She also hold Utah’s best event score this year, earning a perfect 10.000 on the uneven bars three times this season. The Utes have captured the bars title in every regular season meet this year, with Dabritz gaining eight victories and Corrie Lothrop tying for first against UCLA.
Biggest Weakness
N/A
It’s pretty safe to say that Utah doesn’t have a huge weakness that could stop them from getting the gold. They have the consistency, the technique, and the motivation. Overall, the Utes are 320-56-4 (85%) all-time against Pac-12 teams. These girls have made a name for gymnastics in a national spotlight, breaking its own NCAA attendance record, averaging 14,950 attendees to home meets this year.
Having a team this good means having strong all-around individuals. With Georgia Dabritz earning a 39.700 twice, Tory Wilson being the top ranked all-arounder in the Pac-12 earning a 39.650, and Corrie Lothrop with a 39.575, it’s no wonder why these gymnasts have beat other top-ranked teams such as UCLA and Stanford.
Prediction
Being the defending champion and being in the top 3 for three years in a row, the Utes have a great foundation going into this meet. With so many gymnasts holding titles and multiple perfect scores this season, the Utes could obtain a second win. I believe the Utah Utes will come out in 1st place in front of their home crowd.
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