Mountain Pacific Sports Federation

MPSF Women's Gymnastics Annual Awards Announced

3/20/2025 11:00:44 AM

Photo: Niya Randolph Repeats as MPSF Gymnast of the Year (by: SUU Athletics)

2025 MPSF Women's Gymnastics Annual Awards & All-Conference Teams (PDF)
 
Southern Utah sophomore Niya Randolph (Las Vegas, NV) was a four-time MPSF Gymnast of the Week this year. She enters the postseason ranked 37th nationally in the all-around, with additional top 100 national rankings on floor and bars. In the MPSF, she owns the top spot on bars (9.860 NQS), while ranking sixth on vault (9.820 NQS), seventh on beam (9.800 NQS), fifth on floor (9.865 NQS), and holds the No. 1 all-around ranking (39.335 NQS), resulting in five all-conference honors. Randolph has posted season-highs of 9.850 on vault, an MPSF season-high 9.925 on bars, 9.825 on beam, and 9.925 on floor. One of her two all-around bests of 39.450 against No. 29 Boise State (Mar. 7), which tied for seventh in the MPSF record book, led the Thunderbirds to match the MPSF’s third-highest overall total of 196.900. Randolph has put up all-around scores above 39.000 in 10 of 12 meets this year, while her last five regular season contests all went for at least 39.300. Randolph is the fourth to repeat as MPSF Gymnast of the Year (Kelley Hebert, UC Davis-2017-18; Katie Yamamura, UC Davis-2012-13; Abbey Rogers, Air Force-2008-09).
Southern Utah freshman Mia Hampton (Meridian, ID) collected an incredible eight MPSF Freshman of the Week awards out of 11 weeks of competition. She has posted a 9.825 on vault, 9.875 on bars, 9.775 on beam, and 9.900 on floor twice, with an all-around high of 39.250. These scores place her among the top competitors in the conference, as she ranks seventh on vault (9.810 NQS), eighth on bars (9.810 NQS), and third on floor (9.870 NQS, top-100 NCAA). In the final home meet vs. No. 29 Boise State, Hampton started the final rotation with a 9.825 floor, leading to SUU’s matching of the third-highest overall total in MPSF history of 196.900. Hampton, the only first-year gymnast to be named a first-team All-MPSF honoree amongst all events, is SUU’s second MPSF Freshman of the Year recipient (Brinlee Christiansen-2024).  
Southern Utah senior Ellie Cacciola (Owasso, OK) leads the MPSF on both vault (9.870 NQS) and beam (9.865 NQS) while ranking second on floor (9.88 NQS). Nationally, she holds a spot in the top-100 on all three, including a No. 36 ranking on vault. Her performances have earned two MPSF Specialist of the Week awards. Cacciola has posted season-highs of 9.900 on vault and beam. On floor, she continues to showcase precision and confidence, topping out at 9.925 on Jan. 20 to share the 2025 conference-high. In her final home meet against No. 29 Boise State, Cacciola scored a 9.875 on vault to share the title, as part of a rotation which matched the MPSF season-high of 49.200. She later scored a 9.900 on floor in her final home routine to help SUU match the third-highest overall total in MPSF history of 196.900.  A three-event first-team all-conference honoree this season, Cacciola earns her first career MPSF annual award.  
Southern Utah 34th-year Head Coach Scotty Bauman has guided the Thunderbirds to a remarkable 2025 season. Southern Utah ranks 23rd nationally through the regular season, owning a conference-best NQS of 196.315. SUU also ranks first in the MPSF on vault (49.135 NQS) and floor (49.310 NQS), sitting in the top-20 in both, while the bars (49.130 NQS) and beam (48.995) squads also top the conference. SUU broke the 196-point barrier in eight of its 12 meets this year, including the last seven consecutively, highlighted by equaling the third-best score in MPSF history of 196.900 in a win over No. 29 Boise State (Mar. 7). In addition to the 196.900, SUU has scored MPSF season-highs of 49.200 on vault (MPSF all-time T-6th, Mar. 7), 49.275 on bars (MPSF all-time T-11th, Mar. 2), and 49.375 on floor (MPSF all-time T-12th, Jan. 20). Southern Utah is the first program to sweep the five major MPSF annual awards, while the Thunderbirds collected more than half (11 of 20) of the first-team All-MPSF honors and 18 of the 37 overall. This is Bauman’s first MPSF Head Coach of the Year award.
   
Southern Utah ninth-year Associate Head Coach Jamie Wysong, who leads the Thunderbird vault and floor teams, has developed two of the most dominant squads in the MPSF. Under Wysong’s guidance, SUU’s vault and floor teams rank first in the conference, with national rankings of 20th on vault (49.135 NQS) and 18th on floor (49.310 NQS). The Flippin’ Birds also boast five of the top seven floor workers in the MPSF and five of the top seven vaulters, including the No. 1 ranked Ellie Cacciola. Beyond her technical coaching, Wysong demonstrated exceptional leadership when she took the reins during SUU’s home finale against No. 29 Boise State, leading the team to a victory in Scotty Bauman’s absence. The 196.900 overall team score matched the third-best in MPSF history. Wysong repeats as MPSF Assistant Coach of the Year.
 
Southern Utah Assistant Coach Jeff Richards, who coaches the bars team, has played a crucial role in SUU being the top bars team in the MPSF (49.130 NQS), which also ranks 29^th nationally. SUU gymnasts occupy six of the top-eight spots in the conference on bars, including the top-three, with Niya Randolph as the highest-ranked individual. Richards has demonstrated remarkable resilience and adaptability after a motorcycle accident just before the season, shifting from spotting duties to more administrative responsibilities without missing a beat. His ability to maintain excellence despite this challenge has been a testament to his dedication and coaching ability. Richards repeats as MPSF Assistant Coach of the Year.