Senior swan song

An airline pilot, interior designer, journalist, nutritionist, sports psychologist.

Utah's senior gymnastics class, the biggest senior class coach Greg Marsden's ever had, is the most diverse group the gym Utes have had, too, from their international backgrounds to their future fields of endeavor.

The senior Utes — two Americans plus a German, Hungarian and South African — compete for the last time in this state Friday night in the Huntsman Center at 7 when No. 23 BYU visits the No. 2-ranked U.

For many reasons, from injuries to learning the English language and culture, this senior class didn't rewrite the record book but has had a unique impact.

"They've never really been the stars of the team, but they've been the core of the team," said Marsden.

"It's been a good, solid group that have been role players. People who would step up and do whatever you ask of them, accept their roles — never being satisfied necessarily, but they'll accept it and be positive and do what they can to help the team. And then work to have an opportunity to do more."

Certainly Gritt Hofmann personifies that. She thought she had graduated last spring, but the NCAA granted her an extra season last summer due to earlier medical hardships. The Berliner could have gone on with her life, but she came back with renewed purpose and continued to grow as a gymnast at age 25.

"We would not be as competitive as we are after the loss of Rachel (Tidd to a career-ending back injury) had Gritt not been able to come back or not wanted to come back," Marsden said. "No question this has been her best year with us."

Hofmann, limited by shoulder problems, surprised herself by learning new skills and becoming a regular in three events instead of the one or two she'd done most of her first four years. "I think, yeah, I accomplished what I wanted, and it's been a great experience," said the budding interior designer whose parents are coming from Germany for a second time for her second senior night.

Four seniors will have parents in the audience Friday, and Gabi Onodi's Hungarian club coaches will be here.

Kristen Riffanacht, co-captain for a rare second year, battled injuries her last two seasons. They were a "depressing setback, but I've tried to take advantage of this year as much as I could," said the resident of Connecticut who plans to follow in Dr. Keith Henschen's footsteps in sports psychology in graduate school after another year at the U.