By Spencer Rodak, Southern Utah Gameday
CEDAR CITY – Hosting Big Ten Conference member Washington on Senior Night, Southern Utah gymnastics used a record-breaking performance from Niya Randolph to secure a 196.900-195.550 victory.
Randolph set the program’s record on the floor with a 9.975 score, while Carilia Martinez added a career-best 9.925 on floor and Rylee Miller tied a career-high mark on beam (9.900).
First rotation – vault
As is customary at home, the Thunderbirds began the meet on vault, earning a 49.125 score. Mackenzie Kelly got things underway with a 9.775, which Elliot Bringhurst followed with a 9.700. Senior Kayla Pardue then added a 9.875 before Niya Randolph edged out her teammate with a 9.900. Vinciane Le Pen was next up, totaling a 9.825 before Sage Paladino rounded out the scoring with a 9.750. Senior Ellie Thomson added a score of 9.700 on exhibition to cap the rotation.
🚨SEASON HIGH FOR NIYA WITH A 9.900 🚨#OneFamilyOneFight ⚡️ #TBirdNation ⚡️ #RaiseTheHammer pic.twitter.com/SXZd9WsddN
— SUU Gymnastics (@SUUGym) March 7, 2026
Second rotation – bars
SUU moved to bars next, earning a score of 48.950. Alex Routsis began with a 9.700, before Mia Hampton added a 9.800 score. Ariel Collum then totaled a 9.650, with Randolph then securing a 9.925 score. Rylee Miller’s 9.750 was next, before Kendall McGuire recorded a 9.775. Senior Trista Goodman finished with an exhibition, scoring a 9.625.
🚨NIYA CONTINUES HER STRONG MEET WITH ANOTHER SEASON HIGH OF 9.925 🚨#OneFamilyOneFight ⚡️ #TBirdNation ⚡️ #RaiseTheHammer pic.twitter.com/49uLbAHAIW
— SUU Gymnastics (@SUUGym) March 7, 2026
Third rotation – beam
The T-birds were then up on beam, equaling a season-high score of 49.300. Randolph started with a 9.775, which Hampton followed with a 9.900. Emma Nipper’s 9.625 and a career-best 9.900 mark from Miller followed, which Maria Ferguson then added to with a 9.875. Marisa de Groot then earned a 9.825, followed by senior Amelia Rieder’s exhibition routine, which earned a 9.825.
RYLEE CONTINUES TO IMPRESS 🤯#OneFamilyOneFight ⚡️ #TBirdNation ⚡️ #RaiseTheHammer pic.twitter.com/h15JdUEPYG
— SUU Gymnastics (@SUUGym) March 7, 2026
Final rotation – floor
Southern Utah ended the night on floor, tying the second-highest mark in school history with a 49.525 score. Hampton started off with a 9.850, while Miller followed with a solid 9.875. Alyssa Fernandez then added a 9.825 before Carilia Martinez put on a show with a new career-high score of 9.925. Berlin Hall followed with a 9.900 before Randolph delivered a near-perfect routine to earn a 9.975, the highest-ever score in Flippin’ Birds history.
HISTORY IS MADE 🚨
NIYA sets a PROGRAM RECORD 9.975 ⚡️#OneFamilyOneFight ⚡️ #TBirdNation ⚡️ #RaiseTheHammer pic.twitter.com/e3Vkf98KOv
— SUU Gymnastics (@SUUGym) March 7, 2026
In the end, SUU totaled a final score of 196.900 to edge out the Huskies and close out the home regular season schedule.
Coach Bauman post-meet
Up next
The Flippin’ Birds now close out the regular season with a road meet at Boise State on Friday, March 13.
The meet is slated to start at 7 p.m. and can be seen on the Mountain West Network.
Photo courtesy of SUU Athletics.