Eight members of the Utah Gymnastics team, known as the Red Rocks, were named to the Big 12’s All-Conference teams for gymnastics, according to a March 18 announcement. The selections repeat the team’s strong showing from the previous season.
The Big 12 determines its vault, bars, beam, floor, and all-around teams based on each gymnast’s National Qualifying Score (NQS) in each event. The All-Freshman team is selected by votes from Big 12 coaches. Each category has six available spots, and Utah placed at least one athlete on every team.
Utah Gymnastics had a particularly strong presence in vault and bars for the 2026 season. Five athletes made the six-woman All-Big 12 teams in these events: Avery Neff (9.920 NQS), Ella Zirbes (9.910), Makenna Smith (9.900), Ashley Glynn (9.890), and Zoe Johnson (9.870) earned spots on vault; Neff (9.935), Zirbes (9.925), Smith (9.865), Ana Padurariu (9.925), and Abbi Ryssman (9.865) were recognized on bars.
Three Utes were also named to both the beam and floor teams: Neff led beam with a 9.925 NQS, joined by Camie Winger and Ryssman who both scored 9.895; Smith and Zirbes tied with a 9.925 NQS on floor while Neff added a score of 9.895.
Neff was Utah’s only selection for the All-Big 12 all-around team with an NQS of 39.630, placing her first in the conference standings for that category. Ryssman was chosen as Utah’s representative on the All-Freshman team as voted by conference coaches.
The Red Rocks are scheduled to compete at the Maverik Center in the Big 12 Championships on Saturday, March 21 at 5 p.m., where they will defend their conference title.
