Denver’s Cecilia Cooley and Utah’s Avery Neff share Gymnast of the Week, while Arizona State’s Safia El Mammann earned Event Specialist and DU’s Abby Steeley collected Newcomer of the Week to round out the Big 12’s weekly honors.
Cooley set four season-high marks against Arizona, while she tallied or matched her career-best in vault (9.825), beam (9.925) and in the all-around competition (39.500). The New York native captured her fourth consecutive all-around title and her second straight beam title. Her performance helped the Pioneers record their highest home meet score of 196.600 to remain undefeated in Conference play.
Neff set three career highs in front of the home audience at the Huntsman Center against rival BYU. Neff, the Red Rocks anchor in the bars lineup, captured the nation’s first perfect 10 in the event this season and marked her second perfect score of the season in any event. She matched her career-high for the third consecutive meet with a 9.95 on beam, while the same score set a career-best for the sophomore on floor. She claimed four event titles in bars, beam, floor and the all-around as Utah posted a 198.025, its first 198+ score this season. Neff has claimed three consecutive all-around titles and ranks fifth nationally as she picks up her fourth league honor this season.
El Mammann earned two event wins in the Big 12 dual against West Virginia. The freshman from North Haven, Connecticut, set or tied her career-bests in the vault with a 9.850 and her first beam title with a 9.825. In her debut season with Arizona State, she has collected three event titles. El Mammann is the second Gym Devil to earn the league’s event specialist weekly award this season.
Steeley’s balance beam routine scored a 9.925 and earned the freshman her first collegiate event title as she shared the title with teammate Cooley. The duo came in clutch for Denver as both routines prevented the lineup from counting a fall that happened before them. The 9.925 matched the highest score on any apparatus in the Conference matchup against Arizona. Steeley claims her first league honor while she picked up DU’s second weekly honor for newcomers.
This week’s schedule includes No. 13 Utah at Southern Utah and No. 16 Denver at No. 23 BYU on Friday and West Virginia at Arizona on Saturday. Arizona State will travel to Denton, Texas, on Sunday for a quad meet against Texas Woman’s, Kent State and Oregon State.