Mountain Pacific Sports Federation

2026 MPSF Women's Gymnastics Annual Awards

3/19/2026 11:00:44 AM

Photo: MPSF Specialist of the Year, Kara Houghton (by Sac State Athletics)
 
Southern Utah junior Niya Randolph (Las Vegas, NV) picked up seven of the 10 MPSF Gymnast of the Week awards in 2026 and is a first team all-conference honoree in all four events plus the all-around. In the MPSF, Randolph ranks second on vault, first on bars, fourth on beam, and second on floor, while also leading the all-around where she ranks 16th in the country and fourth regionally.  Randolph has surpassed the 39 in the all-around in nine meets this season, including an MPSF season-high 39.575 performance against Washington. That score stands as the second-highest all-around in MPSF and SUU history (only to her own 39.600 in 2024). Additionally, Randolph made history on the floor with a program-record 9.975 on March 6, which matched the second-best in the MPSF record book. Randolph added standout performances against top competition, including a 39.500 at Oregon State, a 39.450 against UC Davis, and a 39.400 against Boise State. Randolph becomes the first-ever MPSF Gymnast to earn three-straight MPSF Gymnast of the Year awards.
Southern Utah freshman Berlin Hall (Gilbert, AZ) earned MPSF Freshman of the Week honors in six out of the 10 weeks this season. She emerged as the top-ranked floor performer in the conference, and ranked fifth regionally on the event. Hall has scored a 9.900 or higher on floor five times this season. Her career-high of 9.925 in a rigorous meet at No. 13 Utah on February 20 highlighted her elite potential, while her strong vault performances which included a 9.80, demonstrate her value as a versatile contributor for SUU. Hall elevated her performance even further in the back half of the season. Her contributions have helped propel Southern Utah’s floor squad to a top-20 national ranking while producing one of the top-two scores in both program and conference history of 49.525 on March 6. Hall, one of two freshmen to be named a first-team All-MPSF honoree, is SUU’s third-straight MPSF Freshman of the Year recipient (Mia Hampton-2025, Brinlee Christiansen-2024).  
Sacramento State senior Kara Houghton (Parker, CO) competed on bars, beam and floor in each meet during the season and is an all-conference honoree on bars and floor. Houghton enters the MPSF Championship ranked among the top-eight in the MPSF in all three of her events. She is tied for fourth on bars (9.825 NQS) with a third-ranked average (9.784). Houghton has scored 9.80 or better on bars seven times this season with a high of 9.90. She ranks eighth on beam (high of 9.85) and seventh on floor in the MPSF. On floor, she has scored 9.80 or higher in nine meets (high of 9.90) including the last six of the season, with five titles. She went back-to-back in earning the MPSF Specialist of the Week award to close the regular season. Houghton earns her first career MPSF annual award and is Sacramento State’s second specialist of the year recipient (Amber Koeth-2023).  
   
Sacramento State third-year Head Coach Melissa Genovese has guided the Hornets to the MPSF’s second-best NQS of 194.006 and average of 193.820. The team finished the regular season ranked 49th in the nation, its best since 2017. Sacramento State also ranks second in the conference in NQS and average on vault, bars, and floor. The Hornets broke 194 five times this year, including four of the last five meets of the regular season, with three of its highest four scores over the final four meets. In a rigorous tri-meet against No. 16 California and No. 31 San Jose State on February 27, the Hornets scored a season-high 194.900. To wrap the regular season in a tough road meet at Washington, Sacramento State scored its second-best total of 194.800, highlighted by Sarah Lutrel’s second all-around win of the year as well as Kara Houghton’s floor title. The Hornets accumulated seven all-conference awards this year (Lutrel-3, Houghton-2, Jillianne Lastra-1, Kaitlin Driessen-1). This is the second MPSF Head Coach of the Year award for Genovese, who is one of two coaches MPSF history to have earned both the assistant and the head coach of the year award (Tanya Ho).  
Sacramento State ninth-year Assistant Coach Nicole Brandt’s vault team has seen a season-high of 48.750 despite losing five vault starters due to injury and illness for the season. Brandt has led the vault squad to a No. 2 MPSF ranking for the first time since 2017. The Hornets finished the regular season ranked 49th in the nation, their best since 2017. During the season, the Hornets used nine different starters on vault. All 16 healthy gymnasts competed in the lineup during the year to help the Hornets earn an NQS of 194.006. Despite the adversity, the team had three of its highest four scores over the final four regular season meets.
 
 
Sacramento State third-year Assistant Coach Megan Kyle’s uneven bars team has put up an impressive season high of 48.975, with senior Kara Houghton leading the way by scoring a season best 9.90 and season NQS 9.825. Kyle has led the bars squad to a No. 2 MPSF ranking for the first time since 2017. The Hornets finished the regular season ranked 49th in the nation, their best since 2017. All 16 healthy gymnasts competed in the lineup during the year to help the Hornets earn an NQS of 194.006. Despite the adversity, the team had three of its highest four scores of the season over the final four meets of the year.
 
 
Sacramento State third-year Assistant Coach Amber Koeth has led the floor team to a season-high 49.175 with all floor starters earning at least a 9.75 or better during the season. Six of the eight athletes who competed on floor throughout the season earned their career-high, with MPSF Specialist of the Year Houghton leading the way with a career-high 9.90 and NQS of 9.85. Koeth has led the floor squad to a No. 2 MPSF ranking for the first time since 2017. The Hornets finished the regular season ranked 49th in the nation, their best since 2017. All 16 healthy gymnasts competed in the lineup during the year to help the Hornets earn an NQS of 194.006. Despite the adversity, the team had three of its highest four scores of the season over the final four meets of the year.