PROVO, Utah – The No. 23 BYU gymnastics team will head south on Friday evening for a competitive face-off against Southern Utah at the America First Event Center, starting at 6:30 p.m. MT.
This matchup follows a strong performance by BYU, which recently tied its season-high floor score of 49.275 in a meet against Arizona. The Cougars also achieved a notable 49.125 on the bars, marking their highest score in that event since the season’s opening week. The Cougars showcased their superiority by outscoring Arizona on all four events, leading to a solid win with a score of 196.300 to 195.250. Sophomore Deb Silva captured the top spot on the vault with a score of 9.850, while teammates Kylie Eaquinto and Alilah Alvarado shone on the bars, both earning an impressive 9.875.
Currently, BYU ranks No. 16 in the nation on the uneven bars and No. 23 on floor. Notably, Daisy Stephenson achieved a personal milestone, improving her floor score by 0.200 and setting a new career high of 9.850. The Cougars are undefeated at home this season, having secured three victories at the Marriott Center.
This match against Southern Utah marks the second meeting between the teams this season. In their first encounter at the Best of Utah quad meet held in early January at the Maverik Center, BYU narrowly edged out the Thunderbirds with a score of 195.725 to 195.675. Historically, BYU faced Southern Utah three times during the 2025 season, with the Thunderbirds winning all three matches.
On the other side, Southern Utah recently competed in a tri-meet against San Jose State and Texas Woman’s University, where they secured a second-place finish with a score of 195.525. Junior Niya Randolph led the way with an all-around victory, while sophomore Mia Hampton garnered attention with a meet-high score of 9.9 on the uneven bars.
As both teams prepare to compete, fans eagerly anticipate what promises to be an exciting evening of gymnastics. BYU will aim to maintain their momentum while Southern Utah seeks to claim a victory against their rival.