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The last gymnastics meet of the season in the Huntsman Center featured a final moonwalk, an impromptu dance routine on the balance beam, a perfect floor score, an attendance record and a decisive win over a Pac-12 foe.
Really, what else was needed to make the Utes' 197.5-196.275 win over Stanford (6-8, 3-4) much better?
The highlights of the night belonged to a rookie and a veteran savoring her final night in the Huntsman Center, as MyKayla Skinner and Baely Rowe tied for the all-around win with 39.65.
Rowe started and ended the competition, scoring a career-best 9.9 on the vault and earning 9.975 on the floor. She added a 9.9 on the uneven bars, a 9.875 on the balance beam and lots of tears.
Rowe, who has made the moonwalk her signature moment in her routine, lingered a few extra seconds in the routine, savoring her final effort. After landing, Rowe let loose the tears she was holding back during the performance.
Rowe put herself back together to cap off the night on the floor with her Prince-themed routine. The tears flowed again after she finished.
"It was one of the best nights I've ever had," Rowe said. "I was trying to approach it like any other meet and not what I had to do to be perfect. I wanted to have fun and enjoy this moment and remember this amazing team."
Part of Rowe's legacy is the way in which she has led the team. One of those who has benefited from her guidance was Skinner, who arrived to the team late in the fall.
It was fitting then that Friday's meet seemed to be a passing of that leadership to Skinner, who remained undefeated in the all-around in one of the craziest ways yet.
Skinner nearly fell off the balance beam but turned a big wobble into a dance move to earn 9.75. It was her lowest mark on the beam this year, but she made up for the low mark on floor with a 10.0.
Skinner has come so close to a perfect mark, earning four 9.95s and a 9.975 this year. The Utes (10-1, 5-1) have joked it was hard to find any deductions in many of those past efforts.
On Friday, Skinner took any chance of finding fault out of the judges' hands as she nailed every pass.
"It felt so good," Skinner said. "I have been waiting to compete in college forever and it was so fun. It is kind of sad because it is Baely's last night, but it was fun to do my thing and have Baely there every step of the way."
The final routines drew standing ovations from the crowd of 15,558 fans, who set a record in their own right. The Utes averaged 15,244 fans this year, a new Utah and NCAA record for attendance for a women's sport. —
Storylines
R Freshman MyKayla Skinner earned a 10.0 on the floor as the Utes easily beat Stanford in the final home meet of the year.
• Skinner nearly lost her footing on the balance beam, but she saved the routine and won a huge ovation from the crowd as she turned her flailing into a dance sequence.
• The Utes finished undefeated at home for the fifth season in a row.
Individual winners
Vault • MyKayla Skinner (Utah) 9.95
Uneven bars • MyKayla Skinner (Utah) and Elizabeth Price (Stanford) 9.95
Balance beam • Baely Rowe (Utah) and Danielle McNair (Stanford) 9.875
Floor • MyKayla Skinner (Utah) 10.0
All-around • MyKayla Skinner (Utah) and Baely Rowe (Utah) 39.65