BYU gymnastics: Cougars hope to boost qualifying score

SALT LAKE CITY — The BYU Cougar gymnasts are heading into the meet at the University of Utah with two main goals.

First, they want to solidify their place in the NCAA Regionals competition. Currently they are ranked No. 35, and they need to stay in at least that position to make it to the postseason. A high score at the Huntsman Center would certainly put them in a nice qualifying position. And they also want to set a solid road score to give them a little bit of confidence heading into the regional competition, which will be April 10.

The Cougars and 11th-ranked Utes are meeting for the second time this season when they compete tonight at 7 p.m. In the last meeting between the two teams, the Cougars scored a 194.375, but they've upped their scores since that last meeting, and they're hoping for a higher score this time around. BYU coach Brad Cattermole is sure they can do it, if they just go out and compete the way they can.

He notes that he likes to take his team up to the Huntsman Center to compete because his team has a history of pulling good scores when at the Red Rocks' home.

BYU already competed once this week, on Monday night, when the SUU Thunderbirds defeated them in Cedar City 195.950-195.350.

This is the Cougars' final regular season meet, and they'll be waiting for the final rankings of the season to be released on Monday to make sure they're in the field for regionals. The North Central Regional will take place in Salt Lake City at the Huntsman Center.

The Cougars will be counting on high scores from a wide range of gymnasts, including seniors Danielle Goldman, Megan Donehue, beam specialist Kaylee Gallup and McKell Merkley, junior Madeleine Johnson, a plethora of sophomores and a couple of freshman.

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