After three events at the Pac-12 Championships, UCLA gymnastics sat in second place, but beam, an event that the team has struggled with all season, was approaching.
“I think just going to the last event, we were kind of tense I think because we wanted it so bad,” said Pauline Tratz. “We do have the potential. So I think that just kind of got to us, but from now on just improving because that won’t happen again.”
A 48.425 team score in the event sent the Bruins sliding from second and the team ended the meet in third place with an overall 196.725 mark at Maverik Center in West Valley City, Utah on Saturday evening. Additionally, UCLA had first-place individual finishes in floor, vault and uneven bars.
Utah was crowned champion at 197.725, followed by Cal (197.375), then Arizona State (196.375).
Competing in Session 2 of the day, the Bruins (6-2) started out on a high. They proved why floor is their strongest event this year by scoring a season-best 49.525. Pauline Tratz and Chae Campbell tied for first place (9.950).
Both Tratz and Campbell also earned postseason conference honors at the conclusion of the meet, with the former receiving the Scholar Athlete of the Year accolade and the latter receiving Freshman/Newcomer of the Year.
A slightly different setting enhanced each gymnast’s presence on floor, as well as the other events. The floor at Maverik Center is podium, a more forgiving surface with extra bounce compared to Pauley Pavilion and other Pac-12 arena floors.
A limited number of fans were also allowed at the championships, creating crowd noise that the Bruins had seldom encountered this season.
“I feel like today it was a lot easier with the crowds, interacting with them, doing the eight clap,” said Sekai Wright. “It’s kind of like our little den. It was just, like, a good feeling just to have people in the stands because we do it for the fans.”
The team followed up its floor performance with another season-high, this time in vault. UCLA recorded a team score of 49.425, with Wright scoring a season-high 9.950 to win first place.
“I’m just eternally grateful just for the opportunity to even get to compete in the Pac-12,” Wright said. “This is my first year competing in Pac-12, so it’s kind of exciting, but the hard work, it just paid off. And it’s just great to see that my team had my back.”
UCLA moved to second place after vault and held the position with a 49.350 team score in uneven bars. Margzetta Frazier tied for first with a 9.950 mark. Norah Flatley was in the lineup for the first time this season, after being sidelined with an ankle injury, and scored a 9.875.
The Bruins will next compete in the NCAA Regionals April 1-3.
“Clearly, it’s disappointing that we didn’t put it all together,” said coach Chris Waller. “However, there’s a lot of things that we can look at where the work is paying off. And this being the tail end of finals week and people doing finals yesterday and today, like, I’m extremely proud of the team. I think we can keep building from here.”
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