By Regan Hunsaker, SUU Athletics
CEDAR CITY, Utah – For Southern Utah gymnasts Trista Goodman and Kayla Pardue, last season didn’t go as planned. Though the Flippin’ Birds picked up their third straight Conference Championship, each missed significant time due to injury, and instead of competing, they spent their time recovering. Instead of chasing scores, they were learning to walk again. But now, after months of setbacks, sweat, and rehab, both are pushing to rejoin the lineup in 2026.
They’re not doing it alone. Together, they have been roommates, teammates, and now training partners in recovery. Goodman and Pardue have leaned on each other every step of the way, and their return could be one of the season’s most compelling storylines.
The Injury That Changed Everything
Pardue’s season ended before it even began, at the Red and White Scrimmage in early December while warming up for the first event of the night.
“I knew as soon as I punched that I did something… I still flipped, landed on one foot, and rolled,” she said. “Then I looked at Bella and said, ‘I did it on the punch. I’m not OK.”
The diagnosis: a Lisfranc fracture, a rare and serious midfoot injury that ended her chance to repeat as one of the top vaulters in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation.
Goodman’s Season Cut Short
Trista Goodman, SUU’s standout bar worker, managed to open the 2025 season strong, scoring season highs of 9.850 on both vault and bars and earning Second Team All-MPSF honors. Her consistency helped keep SUU’s lineups steady early on, backed by a 9.83 NQS on bars.
But midway through the season, her year was suddenly cut short.
“It kinda just felt like somebody kicked me,” she said. “It didn’t hurt at first, but when our trainer, Jo, did the Thompson test, I started to freak out. I knew what that meant.”
A torn Achilles. Just like that, Goodman’s season was over.
The injury marked a frustrating halt in what had been a remarkable collegiate run. As a sophomore in 2024, she earned First Team All-MPSF honors on bars, where she scored a career-best 9.950 — tied for second in SUU and MPSF history. As a freshman, she dropped a 9.900 at the Super 16 Meet and was named Bars Specialist of the Week.
Staying in the Fight
Injured, but not invisible. Both gymnasts refused to fade into the background.
Goodman, unable to compete, became a consistent voice on the sidelines.
“I just went to every meet I could, cheered on my team, talked to them when they needed someone to distract them or support them,” she said. “I was just there if anybody needed anything.”
“The hardest part was just relearning how to walk properly again,” she said. “Just learning how to reuse it and having to really focus on it each step I take.”
Coming off a 2024 season where she tied the SUU and MPSF vault record with a 9.950 at Boise State and notched a career-high 9.850 on floor, Pardue was poised for a breakout junior year. Instead, she found herself in a new role, supporting from the sidelines.
“I never really felt like I wasn’t part of it,” she said. “I helped out as much as I could… and for the most part, I was just as loud as I could be, because my voice was the only thing I could really utilize at the time.”
Recovery in Tandem
Both athletes credit each other for keeping their spirits high during the grind of recovery. Whether it was daily frustrations or just laughing about learning to walk again, having someone who understood made the difference.
“It really helps to have a buddy,” Goodman said. “We have been roommates, so we pretty much just do everything together.”
“We never felt alone because we could rant to each other,” Pardue added. “We both sympathized, because we were both crippled — and it was just kind of funny.”
Their bond goes beyond injury. They’ve spent their entire college careers side by side.
“We’ve been through the entirety of college together… failures, classes, everything,” Pardue said. “I love her with my whole heart.”
The Return Trail
Goodman’s comeback path is focused on bars — the event she’s training toward with precision and patience.
“I’ve mainly been focusing on bars and just taking it slow,” she said. “Focusing on little details and getting my strength back… right now, it’s just to be able to get back out there and at least compete bars.”
For Pardue, the goal is to finish her senior season on vault and her own terms.
“If I can go out with my senior year with good vaults under my belt and walk out of here healthy, I’ll call that a win,” she said. “The dream is doing well and competing pain-free.”
There’s a storybook ending potentially on the horizon. SUU will host the MPSF Championship this spring — a full-circle moment for Pardue, who helped the Thunderbirds win the title as a freshman when they last hosted.
“That freshman year conference we hosted was one of my favorite competitions ever,” she said. “I’m excited to recreate that moment as a senior, kind of like a closing statement.”
Bigger Than Gymnastics
Neither athlete made the journey alone. They credit their teammates, trainer Jordan Matthews, and coaches for keeping them connected and cared for.
“Everybody on the team was always offering to give me rides, letting me know if I ever needed help,” Goodman said. “Jo has just been awesome, she’s honestly made me laugh through this whole thing.”
“I never felt like I was just pushed to the side,” Pardue said. “I was always included… I never felt alone. And I’ll never take that for granted.”
Goodman has a message for younger gymnasts watching her battle back.
“Rest is best,” she said. “I’ve had about five surgeries related to gymnastics, and every time I’ve taken time off, it’s actually made me better when I came back.”
Both gymnasts have already won in ways that don’t show up on scorecards. And when they step back onto the competition floor, whether it’s bars, vault, or just walking across the mat, it’ll be more than a return. It’ll be a triumph.
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