The Red Rocks had a good season thus far, with Regionals kicking off this Saturday, but they pulled in some regular season honors today. The All-Pac-12 teams were announced, and MyKayla Skinner, Missy Reinstadtler and Kim Tessen all reeled in honors, with Skinner receiving five first-team selections. Skinner won awards for every event and the all-around, continuing her dominating career at Utah... even though she has yet to win Pac-12 Gymnast of the Year, although she’s the best gymnast in the Pac-12. Reinstadtler and Tessen pulled in second team honors for all-around and vault.
For the No. 4 ranked Red Rocks, they can compete for a national championship this year, and they’ve shown the can go big, but they need to put it all together in a couple of weeks, like what they did against Georgia when they went over 198. Fortunately, the can get some momentum and comfort at home this week after lettinmg the Pac-12 title slip through their fingers a week ago.
Here’s the full release from the Utah AD breaking down the all-conference honors a bit more:
SAN FRANCISCO—The conference office released the All-Pac-12 Gymnastics team today and four Utes reeled in 10 all-conference honors. Sophomore MyKayla Skinner led the way with five first-team All-Pac-12 awards, while junior MyKayla Skinner was a three-time first-team honoree and sophomores Missy Reinstadtler and Kim Tessen both made the second-team in one discipline.
Skinner was the only gymnast across the conference to win first-team All-Pac-12 distinction on every apparatus and the all-around while Merrell-Giles was one of just three gymnasts (along with Skinner and Stanford’s Elizabeth Price) to win at least three first-team accolades. Merrell-Giles’ awards were in the all-around, vault and floor. Reinstadtler (all-around) and Tessen (vault) are first-time all-conference honorees.
It marks the second-straight year that Skinner has led the league in first-team awards and she now has nine in her first two seasons. Merrell-Giles increased her career All-Pac-12 portfolio to five, having made the second team in the all-around and vault last season. Reinstadtler and Tessen are making their first appearance on the All-Pac-12 team.
Skinner (all-around, floor) and Merrell-Giles (vault) were both crowned individual champions at the Pac-12 Championship on Mar. 24. Skinner now has five career Pac-12 individual titles.
The All-Pac-12 teams are determined by Regional Qualfying Score. The first four Pac-12 gymnasts on each event and the all-around are awarded first-team honors and gymnasts ranked 5-8 are placed on the second team.