McCallum caps senior night with 10.0 as Red Rocks beat UCLA with season-high score

SALT LAKE CITY — Avery Neff and Makenna Smith both knew before anyone else.

The two were hopping up and down on opposite ends of the scorers tables, seeing perfect scores tucked away before being revealed for all to see.

As the two scores went up from the judges, both 10's, the entire Huntsman Center — a sellout crowd of 15,558 — joined in on the action to celebrate their beloved senior, Grace McCallum, with an ear-splitting cheer.

"I just like to live it through the girls, especially if it's not me scoring it," Neff said of the exciting moment. "I'm still a part of the team and so I want to be just excited as them. And that was my first 10 that I've really seen on beam, and so it was super special for me to see it, and just so special for me to see it for Grace for senior night."

In her final regular-season meet at the Huntsman Center, McCallum went out with style to earn her first perfect score on beam of her collegiate career. And everyone in the arena recognized the moment as the cheering persisted long enough that it delayed the start of UCLA's next gymnast on floor.

And across the way was McCallum's former Olympic teammate Jordan Chiles cheering her on, as well. Game respects game.

"I just felt really grateful," McCallum said. "I've put in a lot of work the last four years and have really tried to build my confidence on that event. And so to finally see it all pay off was just really an amazing moment, and I just felt very grateful to have gotten the 10 on senior night."

"For Grace to finally get her 10, that was — you couldn't ask for more on a senior night," Red Rocks head coach Carly Dockendorf added. "But she has worked for that, and she deserves that. Just so excited that it happened tonight for her."

The perfect score was just part of an electric night in which the Red Rocks put together a complete meet from start to finish. And when all was said and done Saturday night, No. 5 Utah came away with its highest score of the season, a 198.100, to top No. 4 UCLA (197.425).

For Dockendorf, it was testament to the hard work she sees on a daily basis with her team. It was also a confidence builder to her team to know what they're capable of as the team prepares for postseason competition.

"I think tonight really showed what this team is capable of, because this was a huge meet — No. 4 versus No. 5, an iconic meet year after year," Dockendorf said. "And for our team to be able to come in and focus on what our goal was and then to make it happen, I truly believe that that is going to be a launching point for us for these next coming weeks that are so important. And it proved to them what they are capable of.

"I'm just so proud of this team tonight," she added. "We really talked about making this a special night for our seniors, and definitely need to thank our fans for showing up. That was electric tonight, and the energy could be felt throughout the entire evening, all the way to the last routine."

A meet against rival UCLA — on FOX no less — didn't need any extra motivation from the gymnasts, but the Red Rocks showed early it was ready for the moment.

Ella Zirbes and McCallum started off the night with back-to-back 9.850 scores on vault before Neff raised the stakes with what appeared to be a flawless Yurchenko 1.5 with a stick that sent the Huntsman Center into pandemonium early.

Everyone in attendance — outside of the two judges — believed it deserved to be a perfect score in Neff's first time back on vault at the Huntsman Center since her injury early in the season.

The result, though, was a career-high 9.950 and a momentum-building vault — for herself and the team — that propelled the Red Rocks to a season-high 49.425 after Smith added a 9.925 with another stick in the fifth spot.

It would be that kind of night for Smith and Neff — as well as McCallum — who were the standout performers for both teams as the trio finished in the top of the all-around competition. Smith came out on top with a 39.700, while the other two tied with 39.675 scores.

It was a sort of passing the baton moment from all-arounder McCallum on senior night to Smith and Neff.

"This is kind of the passing of the baton, even just looking at the all-around scores, both with her and Makenna, those are massive all-around scores," Dockendorf said. "So to have Grace graduate out as an all-arounder, and to know that the future is bright for many of these athletes on our team is — it's really exciting."

Against some of the best competition in the country — including against five Olympians — Neff was the all-around leader until Smith and McCallum closed out the night on floor. But it was a clear showing of the Red Rocks' future.

Neff scored a 9.925 on bars and beam before earning a 9.875 on floor in just her second time back in the all-around competition after her injury — a career-high in the all-around. And given a disappointing first attempt on the road a week prior, Neff was determined to have a better night at home.

"I definitely didn't think I would be here after my little incident," Neff said. "So I think last week wasn't my best, but I had to give myself a little grace. ... Today, I feel like I showcased that to myself, that even though I had a little setback, I can still put my mind to it and still do the best that I can, and especially with a team that backs me up with everything."

After the first rotation, the Red Rocks were tied with UCLA before opening up a lead in the second rotation that the team would never relinquish. As the Red Rocks continued to build momentum as the meet developed, the Bruins struggled to piece together crisp routines.

And as Utah went into the final rotation of the night with a 0.575 lead over UCLA — and a real chance to earn a coveted 198 score — Dockendorf had to remind herself there was still more to go, and it wasn't time to celebrate just yet.

"I did have to keep checking in with myself, like, 'It's not over yet. It's not over yet. We've still got one more rotation to go here,'" Dockendorf joked. "But I just thought, overall, our team was really focused tonight. They were really determined.

"We came in here to win; that was our goal. We weren't afraid to talk about that this week. We weren't trying to just say, 'Let's just go be our best.' No, our goal was to come in and win tonight, and I really felt like they kept that focus all night and were just determined to make that happen."

The Red Rocks now turn their attention to the Big 12 championship at the Maverik Center next Saturday before hosting NCAA regionals at the Huntsman Center.

Team scores

No. 5 Utah

• Vault: 49.425
• Bars: 98.950 (49.525)
• Beam: 148.550 (49.600)
• Floor: 198.100 (49.550)

No. 4 UCLA

• Bars: 49.425
• Vault: 98.600 (49.175)
• Floor: 147.975 (49.375)
• Beam: 197.425 (49.450)

Red Rocks scores

1st Rotation: Vault (49.425)

• Ella Zirbes: 9.850
• Grace McCallum: 9.850
• Avery Neff: 9.950
• Ashley Glynn: 9.800
• Makenna Smith: 9.925
• Zoe Johnson: 9.850

2nd Rotation: Bars (49.525)

• Makenna Smith: 9.950
• Ashley Glynn: 9.850
• Avery Neff: 9.925
• Amelie Morgan: 9.875
• Ella Zirbes: 9.850
• Grace McCallum: 9.925

3rd Rotation: Beam (49.600)

• Amelie Morgan: 9.875
• Camie Winger: 9.950
• Makenna Smith: 9.850
• Grace McCallum: 10.0
• Avery Neff: 9.925
• Ana Padurariu: 9.850

4th Rotation: Floor (49.550)

• Ashley Glynn: 9.825
• Ella Zirbes: 9.900
• Avery Neff: 9.875
• Jaylene Gilstrap: 9.900
• Makenna Smith: 9.975
• Grace McCallum: 9.900

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