BYU gymnastics has had a strong first-half schedule in the Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference. The team is a force to be reckoned with since it has Abbey Miner leading in awards and top team finishes.
BYU gymnastics is now eight meets into the 2020 season after coming off a huge road win against No. 5 Denver in Colorado where BYU won 196.200-195.175. Being on the road has not stopped BYU gymnastics from achieving their highest score under head coach Guard Young’s tenure and also since 2004 — a 197.075 against SUU on Jan. 24.
“We have three or four hard weeks ahead of us, but we have lots of depth and there will be a lot of teammates coming in and getting experience,” said Young. “Overall, I really like where we are at.”
For the first time in five years, the Cougars came home with the No. 1 ranking in the MRGC, beating Boise State in their home arena. The victory for BYU came as a team effort, with Miner leading the way once again.
Miner is competing for the first time in all-around and has been working for the last three years to reach this point, overcoming injury and limitations to get to this point of confidence in every event and her hard work is paying off.
Miner was awarded the MRGC Gymnast of the Week award for the first time in her career after the Best of Utah meet that took place mid-January. Miner has now taken home the award four times this season. Along with her Gymnast of the Week awards, Miner has also been awarded Co-vault Specialist and Co-floor Specialist of the Week from MRGC. With the early season filled with firsts for Miner, her awards are not the only thing she’s walking away with. Miner has also set career-high scores in uneven bars, balance beam and all-around.
“It’s been really rewarding this season being consistent and continuing to get better and better as the weeks have gone on and get that experience,” she said.
Miner is leading the way with six individual awards from the MRGC, but she is not the only gymnast to take home awards. Sadie Miner has taken home Vault Specialist of the Week, Helody Cyrenne was awarded Co-beam Specialist of the Week and All-American Shannon Evans was awarded both Floor and Co-vault Specialist of the Week as well as Gymnast of the Week.
Evans returned to the all-around competition in BYU’s home meet on Feb. 7 against Sacramento State University. In her return, she won the all-around competition with a 39.475. This all-around feat also led her to be awarded Gymnast of the Week, which is her eighth time winning the award during her time at BYU.
“You can’t replace a Shannon Evans at any event, and we all knew that Shannon would be back because we saw her training,” coach Young said. “It’s great having her out here and smiling and being the star that Shannon is.”
BYU already has a total of 12 awards within the first six weeks of awards, with more likely on the way once awards are given this week. Southern Utah University leads the conference with 13 awards, followed by Boise State and Utah State.
