Completed Event: Gymnastics versus NCAA Championship Final on April 19, 2025 , , 4th of 4 (197.2375)
Final Score
Gymnastics
4th of 4 (197.2375)
vs NCAA Championship Final
Friday, March 18
Salt Lake City
7:00 PM
University of Utah
197.725
vs
196.600
Arizona State
Eberle Leads Utah Past Arizona State 197.725-196.600
3/18/2005 12:00 AM | Gymnastics
March 18, 2005
SALT LAKE CITY -
Ute senior Annabeth Eberle, so sick she could barely talk after the meet, wasn't about to let anything stop her in her last regular season home meet in the Huntsman Center. The crowd of 11,212 probably wasn't talking so well either after screaming itself hoarse over Eberle from the moment she was introduced to her final routine--a 10.0 on the floor exercise. In any case, the popular Ute made a grand finale while leading No. 2 ranked Utah past Arizona State 197.725-196.600.
A four-time All-American who has competed all-around since joining the Utes as a freshman off the U.S. National team, Eberle won it tonight with a season-best 39.675 despite struggling to breathe. Placing second and third were teammates Nicolle Ford (39.55) and Ashley Postell (39.450). Postell entered the final event leading the all-around race after posting her second 10.0 on the beam in as many meets. A step out of bounds on her floor routine cost her the victory. Postell took the step on an upgrade, as she finished with a double back for the first time this season.
The freshman became the first gymnast in school history ever to score back-to-back 10.0's on the balance beam. She is just one of three Utes to accomplish that feat on any event: Kristen Kenoyer hit back-to-back 10.0's on vault in 1993 and Theresa Kulikowski on bars in 2002.
Ironically, both Kenoyer and Kulikowski were in the stands as part of Utah's 30th anniversary of gymnastics celebration. Over 50 past gymnasts now living around the country came back for the event and were recognized in a pre-meet ceremony. Afterwards, most of the big crowd stuck around to watch a highlight video of Utah's gymnastics history.
But most of the highlights happened during the meet, where Utah led from start to finish against a depleted Arizona State squad whose assistant coach Shelly Schaerrer-Eaton was one of the former Utes honored.
Highlights in addition to Eberle and Postell's perfect scores included the first collegiate victory by freshman Jessica Duke, whose career-best 9.925 vault tied her for first with Eberle, and a career-best 9.95 on the floor by Kristen Riffanacht. Although senior Gritt Hofmann was disappointed that a lunge out of her final double back cost her a bigger floor score (she still received a 9.875), she, too went out to great fanfare. Hofmann also scored a 9.875 on the beam--a nice showing for her parents, who came from Berlin, Germany, to watch their daughter compete for the first time in college.
The meet was close only for one event, after which Utah led 49.375-49.100. One round later, five Utes scored a 9.85 or better on bars to expand Utah's lead to 98.825-98.200. Ford and Rachel Tidd picked up a win apiece by tying for first with 9.925 scores. Ford tied her season best with the score and continued a torrid pace that has seen her score a 9.90 or better in the last three meets. Tidd's share was her seventh bar victory of the year. She competed on only two events for the second straight week as she is still ill from an ear infection and has been unable to train.
Then came beam and Postell's second straight perfect 10.0. Her routine capped another great beam set by Utah, which saw every gymnast score a 9.825 or better. Arizona State finished up with a 49.200 on both floor and beam but it wasn't close to enough to catch Utah.
Fan Fest 2025 Coaches and Players Interviews: Gymnastics
Sunday, August 17
Seven New Inductees to Join Utah Athletics Hall of Fame in October 2025
Monday, July 28
Utah Gymnastic's Grace McCallum call out from University of Utah President Randall
Thursday, May 08
Utah Gymnastics Post-Meet Press Conference 4.5.25 | NCAA Regional Semifinal
Sunday, April 06