It was a breezy day in West Valley City, Utah, and the stage was set for the Pac-12 women’s gymnastics championships. With the conference title and postseason seeding on the line, eight teams entered Maverik Center on March 19 ready to put on a show and notch a strong final score before NCAA regionals. After a contentious early afternoon session featuring UCLA, Washington, Arizona and Stanford, the top four seeded teams hit the floor to duke it out: Cal, Utah, Arizona State and Oregon State. With each team vying to be crowned the conference champion, the energy that ran rampant throughout the second session was remarkable. The stands gleaming red and the occasional non-Ute color filled the arena with roars of support and excitement, as teams flipped from one event to the next. Yet despite the noise and inevitable chaos of an event as grand as the Pac-12 championships, the Bears kept their focus and stayed within their “Bear bubble,” ultimately finishing second behind the fierce home team.
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Utah, Cal, Oregon State and Arizona State gymnasts warm up before the 2022 Pac-12 championships. (Theo Wyss-Flamm/Senior Staff)
The Utah, Cal, Oregon State and Arizona State gymnasts are introduced to the Maverik Center crowd before the conference championships commence.
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Cal freshman Maddie Williams performs her 9.925-scoring bars routine, which tied for second place on the event. (Theo Wyss-Flamm/Senior Staff)Co-head coach Elisabeth Crandall-Howell holds her hands up for high-fives after Williams finishes her bars routine. (Theo Wyss-Flamm/Senior Staff)
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Cal assistant coach Janelle McDonald hypes up sophomore Andi Li before she performs on bars. (Theo Wyss-Flamm/Senior Staff)McDonald cheers on freshman Mya Lauzon after her bars routine. (Theo Wyss-Flamm/Senior Staff)
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Cal redshirt senior Kyana George and Li walk hand in hand to the Bears’ next event. George sports the “Bear head,” given to gymnasts after a strong routine. (Theo Wyss-Flamm/Senior Staff)
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Williams flips on the beam, earning a 9.85 for the Bears. (Theo Wyss-Flamm/Senior Staff)Lauzon talks with junior Maya Green as she prepares to perform on beam. Lauzon’s anchor routine earned a 9.9 from all four judges. (Theo Wyss-Flamm/Senior Staff)
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Li performs a split leap during her floor routine, earning a 9.9. (Theo Wyss-Flamm/Senior Staff)
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Senior Grace Quinn anchors Cal’s floor lineup. Her 9.925 tied for third on the event. (Theo Wyss-Flamm/Senior Staff)Cal junior all-arounder Nevaeh DeSouza flips on vault. Her 9.875 tied for fourth on the apparatus. (Theo Wyss-Flamm/Senior Staff)
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Utah gymnasts celebrate winning their second straight Pac-12 championship title. The Red Rocks tallied a 198, reaching that mark for the third time this year. (Theo Wyss-Flamm/Senior Staff)
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The Bears clap during the awards ceremony. The Pac-12 awarded Cal its second-place title, as well as Li, Williams and Quinn their top three individual finishes. (Theo Wyss-Flamm/Senior Staff)Oregon State freshman Jade Carey and Utah freshman Grace McCallum pose together after tying for first place on floor. The longtime friends competed together for Team USA at the Tokyo Summer Olympics and earned gold on floor and silver in the team event, respectively. At the 2022 Pac-12 championships, Carey took home the outright all-around title, while McCallum’s perfect 10 earned her the crown in bars. (Theo Wyss-Flamm/Senior Staff)
Best of the best: Cal to compete in NCAA Regional Semifinals
The Bear hunt didn’t stop with their Pac-12 championship title — the team will attempt to tear through the competition in Oklahoma at the NCAA Regional Semifinals.
Best of the best: Cal to compete in NCAA Regional Semifinals
The Bear hunt didn’t stop with their Pac-12 championship title — the team will attempt to tear through the competition in Oklahoma at the NCAA Regional Semifinals.
Red Rocks roar as Utah wins, Cal claims 2nd at Pac-12 championships
The Bears’ fourth-best score and best away score of the season was enough to push them up one spot in the national rankings and secure a bid to the NCAA regionals in Oklahoma.
Red Rocks roar as Utah wins, Cal claims 2nd at Pac-12 championships
The Bears’ fourth-best score and best away score of the season was enough to push them up one spot in the national rankings and secure a bid to the NCAA regionals in Oklahoma.
Cal chases conference crown at Pac-12 championships
After securing its first Pac-12 regular-season championship, Cal women’s gymnastics will look to continue its record-breaking year. The next goal: a conference title at the Pac-12 championships Saturday.
Cal chases conference crown at Pac-12 championships
After securing its first Pac-12 regular-season championship, Cal women’s gymnastics will look to continue its record-breaking year. The next goal: a conference title at the Pac-12 championships Saturday.
