Bruins back home, beaming
The UCLA gymnastics team was tested last week. It was competing in rival Utah’s gym and without all-around competitor Chae Campbell.
The No. 6 Bruins didn’t win, but they did post their secondhighest score and had key performances from walk-on freshmen to give them some momentum in their return today to Pauley Pavilion for their second home meet of the season.
“Utah is not an easy place to compete,” UCLA first-year coach Janelle McDonald said. “So for our freshmen to get an opportunity to go out there and hit their routines was a huge confidence booster for each of them. That was really exciting to see.”
Campbell was absent due to a family emergency, and McDonald said Wednesday that she was back on campus and set to resume training at the end of the week ahead of the Bruins’ dual meet against Arizona State (1-2).
In her absence, walk-on freshmen Maddie Anyimi and Clara Wren stepped up against Utah. Although it’s unclear if either will be in the lineup for UCLA (1-1-1) today at 2 p.m., McDonald didn’t rule out future appearances.
“They’re working on cleaning up details, landings, and I’m just excited for them to keep growing in their gymnastics,” she said.
UCLA’s balance beam performances are also looking up. The Bruins achieved their highest event score of the season against Utah, and four out of five gymnasts in the event lineup reached 9.900 or higher.
Balance beam scores had wavered this season and dipped below 49.00 in UCLA’s first two Pac-12 dual meets of the season before rising to 49.575 against Utah.
McDonald and beam coach Autumn Grable have been drilling fundamentals and adding exercises to build mental strength, like pressure sets that simulate a meet with high-pressure situations.
“We’ve had a couple of rocky beam rotations,” said Emily Lee, who scored a 9.90 in beam against Utah. “And right after, (Grable) is coming up with game plans, the kind of assignments on beam that are going to help us compete better under pressure.”
Freshmen Ciena Alipio and Selena Harris scored careerbests in beam, with 9.875 and 9.950, respectively. Harris earned her fifth consecutive Pac-12 Freshman/Newcomer of the Week honors as a result.
She’s now tied the Pac-12 record for most Freshman/Newcomer of the Week awards, set by California’s Toni-Ann Williams in 2015.
Harris ranks fifth in the country as an all-around competitor and has hit every routine this season.
“She has a special mix of power and artistry and it’s really fun to get to coach somebody like that. The nerves don’t get to them,” McDonald said.
Sophomore Jordan Chiles was named the Pac-12 gymnast of the week after earning first place in three events to win the all-around against Utah. Chiles ranks eighth nationally in the all-around, third in vault and sixth in floor exercise.
The pair will return with the Bruins to Pauley Pavilion to face an Arizona State team that matched a seasonhigh meet score of 196.800 in its loss to California last week. Senior Hannah Scharf set a career high on floor and a season high in uneven bars and the all-around.
The Bruins are excited for the return to home, but also feel well prepared to compete anywhere after the challenge of Salt Lake City.
“Our team thrives off of ... any energy at all,” Lee said. “Knowing that energy isn’t really directed towards us, it makes it harder to compete, but we can’t afford to think like that. So when the crowd does cheer, energy is energy and we try to use it to the best of our advantage.”