Crimson Club Magazine - April 2024

M A G A Z I

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APRIL 2024

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APRIL 2024

M A G A Z I N E

18 22 Forever

16 Utes with Wings Supporter Saluting America First Credit Union

21 Swim & Dive All-Americans

Game Preview Football spring game coming up Saturday

Horner, Waxman and Nilsson Garup shine

38 Carpenter’s Changeup Former pitcher

24 NCAA Skiing Runner-Up Palmer-Leger and Solbakken win gold

32 Four-Peat

Pac-12 Champs O’Keefe leads Red Rocks to title

excelling in outfield

Contents Picture This U Giving Day Recap

On The Cover Sydney Palmer-Leger won her third career NCAA title in the Nordic freestyle to lead Ute skiers to runner-up finish The Crimson Club Magazine is produced monthly by the University of Utah Athletics Department.

2-15

17 19 20 22 23

Ken Garff Hole In One Challenge

New Crimson Collective Membership Program Women’s Basketball NCAA Second Round Run

Runnin’ Utes Advance to NIT Final Four

Sports Updates

42-45

Crimson Club Staff Crimson Club Benefits

IBC

Branden Carlson soars to put an exclamation point on Utah’s 91-82 NIT second-round win over the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Jon M. Huntsman Center.

All-American Alissa Pili had a game-high 26 points in Utah’s NCAA Tournament first-round win over South Dakota State in Spokane, Washington.

Bruer Webster (left) and Core Jackson (right) celebrate Hunter Antillon’s (center) home run in the Utes’ 7-5 win over Stanford on March 29 at Smith’s Ballpark.

Ana Luiza Cruz teamed with Marcela Lopez to get a doubles win over USC’s No. 14 Eryn Cayetano and Emma Charne on April 7 at the Eccles Tennis Center.

Braxton Watts earned his first collegiate victory and led the Utes to a runner-up finish at The Goodwin in San Francisco.

Beach volleyball’s Bella Vezzani and Rylee Johnson recorded wins over Santa Clara and UTEP on March 23 in Arizona.

Ryan Stines scored a pair of goals in lacrosse’s 14-6 win over Robert Morris on April 5 at Ute Field.

Donor Spotlight

America First Credit Union Continues Commitment to Utes with Wings Program supporting Ute women’s athletics received a $100,000 contribution from AFCU during U Giving Day

As the lead supporter of the Utes with Wings program, America First Credit Union has made a lasting impact on numerous University of Utah female student-athletes. With Ute teams and individuals succeeding at all-time record high levels over the past year, America First reaffirmed its desire to connect those achieving great heights in their sport with the community that is supporting them by contributing $100,000 to the Utes with Wings program during U Giving Day 2024. The Utes with Wings program enhances the experience of Utah female student-athletes and financially supports numerous areas of need for all women’s programs, including the enhancement of sports facilities, personal development workshops, and special programs. America First takes pride in knowing its support and donations over the years have contributed to Utah’s female student-athletes reaching new heights with their goals and ambitions. “America First values being a trusted partner in the

track & field placed in the top 15 at the Championships, women’s basketball advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and women’s diving captured the Pac-12 Conference team title. Gymnast Maile O’Keefe claimed the 2023 NCAA titles in the all- around and balance beam while Sydney Palmer-Leger won the 2024 NCAA women’s Nordic skiing freestyle race. “We hope that by standing by our philosophy of ‘people helping people,’ we have made a difference in their lives,” said Gallegos. “Seeing the success of the women’s programs in recent years is truly remarkable, and knowing that our contributions are a part of that success is very

community, especially at the collegiate level,” said Tammy Gallegos, the Executive Vice President and Chief Strategic Engagement Officer for AFCU. “Partnering with Utes with Wings gives America First Credit Union the ability to support female student-athletes, which in turn allows us an opportunity to develop the next generation of female leaders and contributors in our community.” Over the past 12 months, skiing was the NCAA runner- up, gymnastics won its fourth-consecutive Pac-12 Championship and has advanced to the national semifinals, softball competed in NCAA College World Series, cross country and

CRIMSON CLUB MAGAZINE APRIL 2024

Donor Spotlight

communities we serve. We believe our two organizations are hitting a home run and creating a meaningful experience for the student athletes, fans, community, and our members. Sports unite people, and America First is excited to partner with Utah Athletics to strengthen our community and help build a brighter future.”

athletes to benefit from Name, Image and Likeness activity. Last November, Utah Athletics and America First announced a 10-year partnership to name the Utah baseball program’s future on-campus home America First Ballpark. “America First Credit Union is grateful for our continued and expanded relationship with Utah Athletics as their official credit union and now naming rights partner for the new stadium, Gallegos said. “The credit union has a strong commitment to enhancing and improving the

rewarding. We appreciate the hard work and dedication of the student-athletes, coaches, and support staff, and know that work is ultimately the key to the program’s success.” America First Credit Union has supported Utah Athletics in other areas. This past year, AFCU introduced the official Utah Athletics-branded Visa debit card, allowing cardholders to show off their Utah Utes pride with every purchase. It has also been a prominent contributor in creating meaningful opportunities for Utah’s student-

Over $116,000 Contributed on U Giving Day

Utah Athletics would like to thank everyone who contributed to Utes with Wings during U Giving Day 2024. During the 1,850-minute campus- wide fundraising event April 2-3, together we raised $116,180 for our women’s athletics programs! We want to extend a special thank you to America First Credit Union for contributing our lead gift of $100,000. Donations came in from Crimson Club members, Ute fans and alumni from all across the United States and Canada. Crimson Club Board member Ellie Fair was our top Campaign Champion, bringing in 25 donations for $642. Your donations will continue to enhance the experience of our female student-athletes and financially support numerous areas of need for all of our women’s programs. Facility improvements, team retreats and personal development workshops are all things that have been made possible through this

program in recent years. If you missed U Giving Day but still wish to contribute to Utes with Wings, please click on the link below.

DONATE

CRIMSON CLUB MAGAZINE APRIL 2024

Athletics Department News

Utah Football 22 Forever Game on Saturday Ultimate Tailgate begins the day followed by the MUSS game at 10 a.m. and Spring Game at 11 a.m.

• The 22 Forever Game will begin at 11 a.m. • Utah football’s Moment of Loudness will take place between the third and fourth quarters. • A 20-minute field access period for fans will be available following a 15-minute cool down period for the team. The spring game on Saturday will consist of four, 10-minute quarters and a 12-minute halftime with the second half The Game being a running clock outside of timeouts. Each team will receive two timeouts per half. Others rules applied in the game include: • There will be no punts, kickoffs or returns in the game, and PATs and field goals will not be live. The Utes have been divided into two teams, the Red Team and the White Team. Defensive analyst Vince Conti The Teams will be the head coach of the Red Team with Jim Harding, Quinton Ganther, Sharrieff Shah and Luther Elliss serving as full-time coaches. On the White Team, Vince’s brother, Dom Conti, will serve as the head coach outside of his special teams analyst duties. He will be joined on the sideline

Utah football is back in Rice- Eccles Stadium on Saturday, April 13 for the annual 22 Forever Game, putting a bow on 2024 spring camp. The game will kick off at 11 a.m. MT on Pac-12 Networks. Tickets for the 22 Forever Game are on sale now with all proceeds going to the 22 Forever Memorial Scholarship, which honors the memories of Ty Jordan and Aaron Lowe. With fans’ generous donations to the 22 Forever Memorial Scholarship with over $900,000 raised since 2021, Utah Athletics has set the goal to hit $1 million to officially make it an endowed scholarship annually. • Four tickets for $22 in bleacher seats. • Two tickets for $22 in chairback seats. Tickets

• One ticket for $22 in premium seats.

Fans can purchase tickets at www.UtahTickets.com or can call/text 801-581-8849.

Timeline and Parking

Utah fans are heading to campus once again to experience one of the best football atmospheres in the country on Saturday with several events on the docket. • Parking on Saturday on the University of Utah Campus will be free with exceptions to the West Lot attached to Rice- Eccles Stadium and the East Lot behind the stadium, that are both reserved for the game. • The East stadium tailgate lot will open at 6 a.m. for registered Ultimate Tailgaters. • Gates will open at 10 a.m. with the MUSS Flag Football Game taking place at that time.

CRIMSON CLUB MAGAZINE APRIL 2024

Athletics Department News

by Andy Ludwig, Freddie Whittingham, Alvis Whitted, Morgan Scalley, Colton Swan and Lewis Powell. Utah fans will get to see seniors Cameron Rising (QB) and Brant Kuithe (TE) back on the field in Rice-Eccles Stadium for the first time in over a year with the dynamic duo sitting out the 2023 season due to injury. Rising and Kuithe have linked Who’s Playing? up for nine touchdowns the past few years with Utah fans excited to see the Heisman and Mackey Award hopefuls shine once again, both playing for the Red Team on Saturday.

A few standouts joining the team captains on the Red Team include transfers Taeshaun Lyons (WR) and Dorian Singer (WR), along with veteran returners in Jaylon Glover (RB), Brandon Rose (QB), Spencer Fano (OL) and Landen King (TE). Headliners playing for the Red defense include Johnathan Hall (S), Sione Fotu (LB), Nate Ritchie (S) and Aliki Vimahi (DT) with fans also getting a glimpse at Smith Snowden (CB) and Kana’i Lopes (LB). The White Team will be headlined by returning Swiss Army knife Micah Bernard (RB) with Utah fans also getting their first look at newcomer Isaac

Wilson (QB). Wilson along with Luke Bottari (QB) and Macloud Crowton (QB), will have their pick of talent to link up with, including Mycah Pittman (WR), David Washington (WR) and Daidren Zipperer (WR), who have all had strong springs. On defense for the White, Simote Pepa (DT) and Tevita Fotu (DT) will lead the front four with Hunter Andrews (LB) playing his first “game” at Rice- Eccles Stadium after joining the Utes as an early enrollee this spring. Transfer Alaka’i Gilman (S) and Tao Johnson will hold down the secondary, also being joined by newcomer Cameron Calhoun (CB).

Ken Garff Hole In One Challenge on May 14 Bring your foursome to support the Crimson Collective at Thanksgiving Point Golf Course

holes on every green with a change to win a one-year lease of a brand-new car from Ken Garff. There is limited space so register your foursome today with a $3,000 donation. Sponsorship opportunities available. Help us support educational opportunities in Utah.

To register, email dreww@kengarff.com

The Crimson Collective is proud to partner with Ken Garff for the 11th annual Hole

in One Challenge on May 14 at Thanksgiving Point. This unique tournament features three 8-inch

CRIMSON CLUB MAGAZINE APRIL 2024

Athletics Department News

Crimson Collective Launches New Website and Membership Program for NIL Support Memberships start at $15 per month and directly support Utah student-athletes across all sports

members.”

Crimson Collective supporters, alumni, and fans have three simple ways to contribute to the collective: • Memberships: Become a member of Crimson Collective and receive exclusive member benefits like meet-and- greets with student-athletes, autographed merchandise, events, and more. • Corporate Sponsorships: NIL allows local and national sponsors to partner with University of Utah student- athletes for endorsement deals, marketing campaigns, appearances, and other projects. • Charitable Donations: The collective will continue to offer tax-deductible donations through its 501c3 organization. Supporters, fans, and alumni who support Crimson Collective are pledging to maximize opportunities for student-athletes to build their brands and engage with the community. There are various ways to get involved, including corporate partnerships, memberships, and charitable contributions. Crimson Collective is powered by parent company Blueprint Sports.

Crimson Collective, the premier Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) collective for University of Utah student- athletes, has announced the launch of its new website and membership platform. With the upgraded membership program, members will gain exclusive access to content, events, merchandise, and more, directly benefiting Utah student-athletes through NIL. “We are so grateful for the Crimson Collective and the opportunities they provide to our student-athletes to engage in meaningful NIL opportunities that also benefit our community,” said Mark Harlan, University of Utah Director of Athletics. “We’re encouraging all of our great fans to help further elevate our student-athletes’ NIL opportunities by signing up for the Crimson Collective through

the new website and enjoying all the benefits of membership. I cannot emphasize enough the critical nature of having our community behind us so we can continue our competitive excellence. We are continuing to build something special at the University of Utah, and the Crimson Collective is a tremendously innovative partner working to provide opportunities for our student-athletes.” “I feel a great sense of pride every game day, knowing that I am representing not only the university but also the community and the passionate fan base that supports us,” said Isaac Wilson, quarterback and student-athlete at the University of Utah. “I am thrilled about the new logo and membership program, and I look forward to engaging with the fans more directly as they become

WEBSITE

CRIMSON CLUB MAGAZINE APRIL 2024

Swimming & Diving

Waxman, Nilsson Garip and Horner Earn All-America Honors at NCAA Championships Elias Petersen and Kathryn Grant also compete for Utes at Nationals

giving her three awards in 2024. Nilsson Garip’s score of 314.90 placed her first in the consolation round and ninth overall in 1m. That goes down as the best showing ever by a Ute in the women’s 1m, besting Waxman’s 15th place finish from 2023. Waxman also topped her placement from a year ago, concluding the event with 290.75 points to place 12th. This the first time the Utes have ever had two female divers named All- Americans in the same season. Kathryn Grant’s total of 254.85 garnered her a 30th place finish. The Ute men were represented at the 2024 NCAA Swim & Dive Championships by swimmer Jaek Horner and diver Elias Petersen. Petersen placed 19th in the men’s 1m, the fifth top 20 performance registered by a Ute. He posted the highest finish by a Utah men’s diver in the 1m since Josiah Purss took 11th in 2016. Two days later, Petersen posted a top 25 finish in the 3m to close out his 2024 NCAA portfolio. Jaek Horner achieved All- American status at the NCAA Championships finishing 11th in the country in the 100 breaststroke. In that B final, Horner narrowly missed breaking his own program record, finishing in 51.35, a time

that boosted him all the way up to third in the race and 11th overall in the 100-breast at the NCAA Championships. This represents the first individual All-American honor for Horner, who also took home that title as part of Utah’s 200-medley relay team in 2022. Horner is also the first Utah swimmer to ever collect All-American honors in the 100-breast.

Diver Holly Waxman was an All-American in three events.

Holly Waxman became the first member of the Utah swimming & diving team in more than 30 years and the first diver to be named an All-American in three events at the NCAA Championships. She logged a 14th place finish in the women’s platform and 12th-place in the 3m. Emilia Nilsson Garip achieved the highest finish ever by a Utah diver on the women’s 1m and Waxman attained All- American status for the second straight season there as well,

Jaek Horner finished 11th in the 100 breaststroke.

CRIMSON CLUB MAGAZINE APRIL 2024

Women’s Basketball

Top 25 Women’s Hoops Advances to Third Straight NCAA Tournament Second Round Senior Allisa Pili named All-America for second-consecutive year

• Broke the record for most made three pointers in a single season with 348 this season. • Four Utes hit 1,000 points in career scoring in Dasia Young, Gianna Kneepkens, Jenna Johnson and Kennady McQueen • Alissa Pili became the fastest Ute to score 1,000 points in just 48 games as well as hit 2,000 career points this season • Utah ended the season No. 4 in the nation in made three pointers per game and led the Pac-12 with 10.2 made threes a game. Senior Alissa Pili led Utah this season by averaging 21.4 points per game. She’s posted a career-high 37 points twice, both against Top 10 teams. She was named to The Athletic’s All-America Second Team as well as the All-America Third Team by AP, Sporting News and USBWA. Pili was placed No. 4 on the ESPN Top 25 Women’s Basketball Players list. Pili posted five games this season scoring 30 or more points and 20 games recording 20 or more points. She ended the season shooting 55.0 percent from the field, 40.4 percent from the three and 82.0 percent from the free throw line. Pili’s Power

The No. 5 seeded Utah Utes battled with the No. 12 seeded South Dakota State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament and picked up a 68-54 win to advance to the second round. Utah then fell to No. 4 seed Gonzaga 77-66 in Spokane, Washington. The Utes finished the season 23-11 overall and posted an 11-7 Pac-12 record. This was the third consecutive 20-win season and 32nd in the program’s history, The Utes made their 20th NCAA Tournament appearance Season Recap overall and third consecutive appearance. Utah picked up its third straight first-round win for the first time in school history.

Notables • Ranked in the Top 25 in the entire season. • Utah had four wins over Top 10 teams, the most in a single season in school history. • Utah’s 74-68 win over No. 7 USC (Feb. 25) marks the highest ranked road win in program history. • Utah’s 91-84 overtime win over No. 2 UCLA (Jan. 22) marks the highest ranked win in program history. • Broke the record for most assists in a single season with 660 on the year. • Utah averaged 19.5 assists per game (No. 6 NCAA, No. 1 Pac- 12). • Tied the record for most 100 point games in a single season with five.

CRIMSON CLUB MAGAZINE APRIL 2024

Men’s Basketball

Runnin’ Utes Win Three Games in the Huntsman Center to Reach NIT Final Four Big man Branden Carlson leaves legacy as a 1,000-point scorer and career blocked shots leader

Jordan native also became Utah’s all-time blocked shots leader this past season. In his first season with the Runnin’ Utes, Deivon Smith turned heads with his three triple-doubles in Pac-12 play —which was the most since Andre Iguodala (3) did it in 2003-04—to earn All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention accolades. It’s also just the third time in the history of the Pac-12 that a player has had three triple- doubles in a season with Smith and Iguodala trailing Jason Kidd—who had four back in 1993-94. The Decatur, Georgia, product finished the season with nine double-doubles— which is tied for third-most in league play. Going “Mad” From Three Utah flamethrower Gabe Madsen broke the school’s single- season three-point record against VCU. The 6-6 guard drained a straight-away trey and drew the foul with 4:00 on the clock to break Nick Jacobson’s record of 99 set back in 2003-04. He finished the season with 105 made three-pointers and ranked in the top 25 in the country.

The Runnin’ Utes finished their season 22-15 overall. The 22 wins is the most in a season since 2017-18, when Utah advanced to the title game of the NIT. Utah closed out the final Pac-12 regular season 9-11 and advanced to the quarterfinals of the conference tournament. Utah finished the home slate 17-2 on the year - which is the most wins at home since going 17-0 in 1999-2000. The 17 wins is the second-most ever behind the 2013-14 team (18-2). Utah opened NIT play with an 84-75 win over UC Irvine, took down Iowa 91-82, and clinched a berth in the semifinals with a 74-54 win over VCU. The Runnin’ Utes fell to Indiana State at historic Hinkle Fieldhouse in the NIT Final Four.

Postseason Awards

Branden Carlson earned his third All-Pac-12 selection, claiming a second-team honor and back-to-back first-team honors. BC (2022, ‘23, ‘24) becomes the only player in Utah history to earn three All-Pac-12 honors and joins Delon Wright (2014, ‘15) as the only other Runnin’ Ute to earn back-to-back first-team selections. Carlson was also named to the Associated Press All-Pac-12 team for the second-straight season, earning second-team selections after garnering first-team honors last season. In addition, the stalwart also picked up his second NABC All-District selection. Carlson ended his career as the 41st player in school history to reach 1,000 points. The South

CRIMSON CLUB MAGAZINE APRIL 2024

NCAA Runner-Up Utah Skiing

CRIMSON CLUB MAGAZINE APRIL 2024

Sydney Palmer-Leger won the women’s freestyle Nordic race to claim her third career NCAA title.

CRIMSON CLUB MAGAZINE APRIL 2024

Mikkel Solbakken recorded the seventh men’s giant slalom national title in Utah skiing history.

CRIMSON CLUB MAGAZINE APRIL 2024

NCAA Runner-Up

Utah Skiers Place Second in Tight Finish at NCAA Championships Nordic’s Sydney Palmer-Leger and Mikkel Solbakken in the GS claim individual national titles

On day one, Mikkel Solbakken captured the NCAA men’s giant slalom title and Madison Hoffman skied to a share of second place in the women’s competition. With a time of 1:44.78, Solbakken recorded Utah’s seventh men’s giant slalom title and first since Endre Bjertness was atop the podium in 2016. Not to mention it was familiar territory for Solbakken, who was the 2021 men’s GS individual NCAA champion while he skied at Westminster. Sindre Myklebust (1:44.85) was the men’s runner-up in his first NCAA Championships start. “Our whole idea was to come out on offense,” said head alpine coach JJ Johnson. “Mikkel did the same thing he’s always done. It’s unbelievable. Sindre wasn’t in the conversation (for NCAAs) a month ago and he’s been trending upward. His personality, how he’s been as a teammate and how he looks at courses—for him to do that today was incredible.” The next day, Sydney Palmer-Leger put on a dominant performance in the women’s 7.5K freestyle to win her third career individual national title.

Madison Hoffman, who won both 2023 NCAA women’s titles in alpine, was the runner-up in this year’s slalom and giant slalom.

The Utah ski team came up just short in its goal of a fifth straight NCAA Championship as the Utes finished second, wrapping up the four-day meet just two points behind Colorado with 567.5 points. The competition took place March 6-9 in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. “It happens this way in sport sometimes,” said director of skiing Fredrik Landstedt. “We did our best and everyone skied

great. We started the week off really well and kept it going on the Nordic freestyle day. I thought the slalom also went very well. The final day in the classic, Colorado was just crushing it. They had probably their best day ever. But we still had an amazing day and came up just a little short. That happens sometimes.” Utah finished the NCAA Championships with a total of 13 All-American awards and a pair of national champions.

CRIMSON CLUB MAGAZINE APRIL 2024

NCAA Runner-Up

Palmer-Leger, who won both the NCAA classic and freestyle races as a freshman in 2021, put down a time of 22:08.2 to win the interval start race by more than 21 seconds. Her performance brought Utah to 86 individual national championships in recorded program history. Dating back to 2021, the Utes have won seven straight women’s Nordic races at NCAAs. “A phenomenal race from Sydney,” added head Nordic coach Miles Havlick. “She’s had a good year, but we hadn’t quite found her top gear yet. Today she definitely had that spark. With her positive splits, she kept charging and charging, and finished strong. An amazing day.” “It was a pretty surreal day,” said Palmer-Leger. “I wanted to go out there, give it everything I could and finish that race. It was pretty cool to win both NCAA races as a freshman and now this first one as a senior. I think Fredrik (Landstedt) was crying a little bit when I won. And I can honestly say the same. I kept my pace and actually went harder the second and third laps … just staying relaxed and catching as many people as I could.” Utah had two additional podiums in the men’s 2-3 duo of Joe Davies (19:20.2) and Tom Mancini (19:35.9). Before a Howelsen Hill crowd estimated at about 2,000 fans

om day three, Hoffman turned in a second-place women’s slalom result—her second at the championships—while Solbakken once again led the charge for the Utah men by placing third. Utah edged Denver for the most alpine points in the field, with the Utes tallying 286.5 points across the giant slalom and slalom days. Utah’s 152 men’s alpine points were also a meet-best. The 20K classic races at Howelsen Hill took place on the final day. The Utes advantage was cut to just 17 points after CU placed all three of its athletes in the top- nine of the women’s 20K classic, the first event of the day. Then in

the men’s race, the host squad had the Nos. 1 and 3 spots to pull in front. Palmer-Leger waged a tight battle for the No. 2 spot with Haley Brewster of Vermont, but Brewster’s final stride gave her the upper hand by just three-tenths of a second. The Utah men’s trio of Mancini (56:21:1), Davies (56:21.5) and Brian Bushey (56:22.9) took the Nos. 6-8 spots, respectively. “As a team, we were really strong this week,” said Palmer- Leger. “The whole RMISA is really strong. You never know who’s going to win. We do everything we can until the last second.”

Joe Davies placed second in the men’s Nordic freestyle and placed seventh in the classic.

CRIMSON CLUB MAGAZINE APRIL 2024

Pac-12 Champions Utah Gymnastics

CRIMSON CLUB MAGAZINE APRIL 2024

Maile O’Keefe won the Pac-12 Conference beam title with her 15th career 10.0 score on the event.

CRIMSON CLUB MAGAZINE APRIL 2024

Pac-12 Champions

Four-Peat Complete as Red Rocks Win the Final Pac-12 Conference Championship Super senior Maile O’Keefe makes a statement win with a 10.0 on balance beam

each event during her all-around competition. All six gymnasts would score a 9.90 or above as Utah moved to floor. O’Keefe, Abby Paulson, and Jaylene Gilstrap each scored a 9.950 to top the Red Rocks’ scoring effort. McCallum and Makenna Smith each tallied scores of 9.925. Jaedyn Rucker got her night started by scoring a 9.900. After the third rotation, Utah tallied a 49.700 to take their first lead of the evening with a 148.500. UCLA remained in second place with a 148.475. The Red Rocks had a 49.500 on vault. Rucker would tally the high-score for the Utah lineup on vault, scoring a 9.950. Camie Winger leading off with a 9.925. Ashley Glynn had a 9.90 and McCallum would once again come up clutch in the anchor spot of the lineup, securing her fourth 9.90 of the day. Maile O’Keefe claimed first-team recognition on beam and floor, and Grace McCallum earned first-team honors on Postseason Honors bars and floor in the All-Pac-12 awards. The Red Rocks added first-team honors from Jaedyn Rucker on vault and Abby Paulson on beam. Makenna Smith collected her first all- conference nod with a first-team

Super senior Jaedyn Rucker scored a 9.90 on floor and a 9.95 on vault at the Pac-12 Championships.

For the fourth year in a row, Utah claimed the Pac- 12 Women’s Gymnastics Championship on March 23 in West Valley City. Earning a score of 198.000, the fifth-ranked Utes bested second-place No. 11 UCLA by .125, which finished with a 197.875. Rounding out the top four, second-ranked California scored a 197.325 for a third-place finish and No. 20 Stanford scored a 197.175. The Utes have now won seven of the last 10 Pac-12 Women’s Gymnastics Championships dating back to 2014.

The night was highlighted by Maile O’Keefe hitting her 15th career 10.0 score and turning around the Utah beam lineup in the second rotation. It was O’Keefe’s fourth 10.0 on beam this season, as she now owns the top spot all alone in the Utah record books for career 10.0 scores. Grace McCallum was firing on all cylinders, hitting a 9.90 or above in every event on her way to scoring a 39.675 and a tie for second place in the all-around. This was the second consecutive meet McCallum has hit 9.90+ in

CRIMSON CLUB MAGAZINE APRIL 2024

Pac-12 Champions

designation in the all-around. Jaylene Gilstrap earned her first All-Pac-12 honor, as an honorable mention selection, with some dazzling performances on floor. Three Red Rocks earned WCGA Regular Season All- American honors after an outstanding regular season from the Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association. McCallum earned a pair of honors, coming on bars and floor, while O’Keefe and Paulson each earned the distinction on the beam.

ticket to an historic 48th consecutive NCAA National Championships. The Red Rocks scored a 197.575 to lock up the second spot, coming in behind No. 4 Florida’s 198.325. Utah overtook No. 13 Missouri in the final rotation, where the Red Rocks scored a 49.500 on vault while Missouri scored a 49.250 on beam. After a shaky start on bars with a 48.975, Maile O’Keefe captured the event high for the Utes on beam, scoring a 9.950. The Red Rocks moved up one spot with a 49.650 on beam, overtaking Michigan State

NCAA Regionals

Utah mounted a dramatic comeback in the Gainesville Regional Final to punch its

for third place with a score of 98.450. Missouri was in second place with a 98.800. On floor, Jaylene Gilstrap and Abby Paulson

Abby Paulson captured the NCAA Regional beam crown with a 9.975.

In the NCAA Regional second round and individual competition, Paulson won beam with a 9.975 and Gilstrap captured the floor title with a 9.95. Utah registered a 197.825 to win the session over Michigan State, which had a 197.475. The quest for an NCAA title begins Thursday, April 18 in Fort Worth, Texas. Utah will compete in the second semifinal against No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 4 Florida and No. 8 Alabama. at 7 p.m. Nationals Preview MDT. The Final Four takes place Saturday, April 15 at 2 p.m. MDT.

delivered 9.950 scores. The Red Rocks scored a 49.625 and were deadlocked with Missouri in second place as the Utes and Tigers both had team scores of 148.075. Makenna Smith and Jaedyn Rucker delivered back-to-back 9.950 vaults in the fourth and fifth spots of the lineup to lock up second place and send the Utes on to Nationals.

Jaylene Gilstrap scored a 9.95 to win the NCAA Regional floor title.

CRIMSON CLUB MAGAZINE APRIL 2024

CARPENTER’S CHANGEUP Once a dominant left-handed pitcher, Kaden Carpenter walked off the mound two years ago and hasn’t looked back.

CRIMSON CLUB MAGAZINE APRIL 2024

CRIMSON CLUB MAGAZINE APRIL 2024 PHOTO BY HUNTER DYKE

Student-Athlete Profile Kaden Carpenter - Baseball

been truly the best mentors that I could have asked for. Mark: That’s so great. You and I always get a chance to run into each other, sometimes in the cage when I’m down there with my son or just on campus. And, of course, you so graciously spoke to our department staff a couple of weeks ago about your experience to date and all of that, and we were all so grateful for that. What’s really interesting about your journey is that you obviously were a big-time pitcher. You were obviously a hitter, too, but you were a big-time pitcher. And I think the story of how that changed for you is really fascinating. Can you walk everybody through that? Kaden: So, in high school, I did both. Growing up, I did both. And, really, at the end of my high school career, everything was kind of leaning towards defining me as: Kaden’s going to be a pitcher. The left arm is going to kind of take him where he wants to go. So I graduate high school and I’m playing with the Marshalls, a local Utah summer team [for college-bound players] and I’m doing both. We’re about halfway through the season and we’re in Oregon. I was scheduled to pitch. My arm felt great, my body felt great, and I had one of the worst outings I’ve had in

Ranked as the No. 31 left-handed pitcher in the nation by Perfect Game in 2022, American Fork native Kaden Carpenter had his future in focus at the University of Utah. Then, the summer before his freshman year, something changed. Suddenly, the ball wasn’t performing out of his hand like it used to, and the two-way player’s production at the plate was dropping off as well. Carpenter was at a loss, and at a crossroads. A conversation at that time with Ute head coach Gary Henderson helped Carpenter change his focus, and he has remained locked in every since. Now in his second year as a full- time outfielder at Utah, Carpenter has become a regular starter for a team that is making some noise with a 21-10 record. Carpenter joined Utah athletics director Mark Harlan on his Hear it from Harlan podcast in March to talk about everything that’s behind him, and everything that’s still ahead.

and Coach (Mike) Brown came in with him, I didn’t feel that until they got here. I came on an official visit with them. We broke down everything that I was interested in and kind of the long-term things that we wanted to talk about. After just sitting with them for one day, I was like, I don’t need to talk to anyone else or go anywhere else for visits. This is my home. These are the people that are going to take me to where I want to be and where I want to end up. From there, it’s been nothing but a blessing, and I’ve shared that with them. They have

Mark: You were a really, highly recruited baseball player coming out of America Fork. You obviously had options. I’m interested in what it was about Utah that made you say, “I’ve got to go there.” Kaden: From the beginning, I never had a dream school. And I was always waiting for a coaching staff that I knew was going to put just as much energy and time into my development as I was going to. I spoke with so many amazing people, amazing staffs. Up until August of 2021 when Coach Anderson took over, and then in 2022 when Coach Will (Heward)

CRIMSON CLUB MAGAZINE APRIL 2024

probably two years. And it was the most frustrating thing I had to deal with because for one, I felt amazing. So when you don’t perform to the level that you’re used to when you feel good, you start asking yourself questions. I knew that I could lean on Coach Henderson for some advice. I called him up and I said, “Coach, these are the things I’m going through. Here’s the pros and cons. What would your advice be?” He goes, “Well, first off, you need to understand this is not a Kaden Carpenter problem. This is a problem that any two-way baseball player has to deal with. The game will let you know when you have to choose one or the other at some time.” Obviously, you have your rare freaks like Shohei Ohtani and guys like that. But at the time, I was like, I need to focus on one, because I wasn’t performing at the level I was used to on either side of the diamond. And so at that time, he asked me, “Do you want to pitch or do you want to hit?” I chose to hit and I’ve never looked back. Mark: It’s an amazing story because I’m sure there’s a lot of mental things you had to go through there; it’s not that you didn’t love pitching but maybe you were just ready to be done. I think the story of Coach Henderson accepting that is important. It’s possible he hung up the phone and said, “Oh boy, I have to find myself another pitcher.” But I appreciate the fact

that he listened. I’m sure that meant a lot to you.

Kaden: What was important to us was building a good bond and a good chemistry within the guys in the fall. And we did a great job at that. So it wasn’t this hard task to get along with one another. We’re a family and we have games that we play on the road, whether it’s on the bus or card games in the hotel. And when you’re on the road and traveling that much and that frequently, you find an appreciation for each other and you get to know each other on a deeper level. You’re literally with your guys 24-7. You are with each other every moment of every day. And so it was a blast. We were with our brothers the whole time.

Kaden: Oh, absolutely. And just knowing he put it out there that if I had a desire or want to get back up on the mound in the fall when I got on campus, then we could explore that option. But he was always supportive of what I wanted to do and where I was at. If I wanted to hit, then go hit. If I wanted to pitch, then go pitch. It didn’t matter to him, which was it was amazing. Mark: Your team has gotten off to a great start, and it all began with a heavy amount of road games, which is just what we have to do here. But did that help this team in some ways?

CRIMSON CLUB MAGAZINE APRIL 2024

Sports Updates

GOLF In the last month, the Utah golf team has posted high marks including two Pac-12 Men’s Golfer of the Week awards. Javier Barcos posted his highest finish of the 2023-24 season and matched the second-best performance of his Utah career by taking second at the Duck Invite in Eugene, Oregon. He led the team to a fourth place finish, shooting 6-over on Tuesday and +11 for the two-day tournament. The Utes hit the 863 mark, their third-best team score of the season. At The Goodwin, Braxton Watts carded the best 54-hole score of his Utah career and that mark was good enough to earn him first place in a field of 168 golfers. He helped the Utes to a second-place team finish at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco. The Utes close out the regular season at the Gaucho Invitational and the ASU Thunderbird Collegiate before heading to the Pac-12 Championships. MEN’S TENNIS The Utah men’s tennis team’s month was highlighted by head coach Roeland Brateanu being named the Intermountain Coach of the Year by the United States Professional Tennis Association. Brateanu was named the Pac-12 Coach of the Year in 2023 after leading the Utes to its first Pac-12 regular season title. The Utes 24-6 performance gave them their second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. Utah ended the 2023 season ranked No. 17 in the ITA Rankings. Brateanu was also named the Mountain Region Coach of the Year for 2023. This award recognizes a USPTA certified professional who coaches college tennis for their achievements that include, among other things, their coaching impact on student-athletes, community involvement, season records, and team and individual player accomplishments.

CRIMSON CLUB MAGAZINE APRIL 2024

Sports Updates

WOMEN’S TENNIS The Utah women’s tennis team opened Pac-12 play with back-to-back wins against Oregon and Washington State. The Utes closed out the month with a 5-2 loss to No. 9 USC as Marcela Lopez partnered up with Ana Luiza Cruz against No. 14 ranked Eryn Cayetano and Emma Charney and claimed a 6-2 victory. Kat Lyman picked up a big 6-2, 6-2 win over No. 68 Cayetano in the No. 4 spot in singles play. Cayetano was previously undefeated with a 16-0 record before Lyman came out victorious and handed Cayetano her first loss of the season. The Utes close out their regular season with home competitions against Arizona State, Arizona and Colorado before the Pac-12 Championships in Ojai, California. BASEBALL Since its hottest start since at least 1980, the Utah baseball team has continued to dominate during Pac-12 play. The Utes have won three out of four conference series as well as beating No. 3 Oregon State in a home match-up. The team is currently 21-9 overall with a 7-5 conference mark. Against CSUN on March 5 two Utes set program records. Center fielder Kai Roberts tallied two stolen bases to register 53 in his career, passing Kody Davis (2012-16) and Corey Shimada (2006-09) for the most by a Ute. Then in the ninth, southpaw Micah Ashman came on for what became Ashman’s program-record- setting 18th collegiate save. He surpassed Tyler Wagner, who closed out 17 games from 2010-12. The Utes will travel to Arizona State for a three- game series from April 12-14 before returning home for a midweek matchup against UVU and welcoming Washington to Smith’s Ballpark on the weekend.

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CRIMSON CLUB MAGAZINE APRIL 2024

Sports Updates

SOFTBALL The Utah softball team currently sits at an overall record of 21-17 with wins against No. 24 Oregon, No. 18 California and No. 22 Arizona and a 4-0 mark in mid-week competitions. Aliya Belarde earned Pac-12 Player of the Week following the Utes match-ups against Utah State and No. 22 Arizona. Belarde collected multiple hits in all four of Utah’s games during the previous week, starting with a 4-for-4 performance against Utah State that included a triple, an RBI and two runs scored. In a doubleheader on Friday, Utah’s second baseman went 4-for-7, blasted her third home run of the season and added two more RBIs to go with three runs scored. She closed out the weekend with a three-hit day on Sunday, two of which were doubles. The Utes travel to take on Arizona State from April 12-14 before returning to the Dumke Family Softball Stadium for four home games. LACROSSE The Utah lacrosse team has been unstoppable in the past month tallying only one loss among five wins. The wins started in a last-second victory against Bellarmine on March 16. After trailing by as many as seven in the game, Utah rallied from behind to win 14-13 in the final seconds at Bellarmine, starting ASUN play 1-0. After dropping a heartbreaking 12-11 loss to Air Force, the Utes have bounced back with a four-game win streak. Utah dominated the Detroit Mercy Titans by winning 21-9 before holding off Jacksonville 16-14 and closing the month with a 14-6 win against Robert Morris at home. Utah claimed its fourth road win of the season on Wednesday, beating the Lindenwood Lions 17-5. Utah is 7-4 overall and 5-1 in ASUN play. The Utes will play two more away games before returning home for senior night against Queens College of Charlotte before heading to the ASUN Men’s Lacrosse Championship.

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CRIMSON CLUB MAGAZINE APRIL 2024

Sports Updates

TRACK & FIELD After closing the indoor season, the Utes opened outdoor season with multiple personal bests at the Aztec Invitational. Harley Daniel kicked things off with a PR run of 13.75 in the 100m hurdles to better her second-place mark in the Utah record books. In the 400m hurdles, Daniel went out and won the event with a new personal best time of 58.21—moving up two spots in the all-time record book at Utah from sixth to fourth in the pouring rain. At the Texas Relays, Utah’s crew of Ally Gomm, Daniel, Bailey Kealamakia and Josefine Eriksen teamed up to run the third-fastest time in program history with a run of 3:36.44 on Saturday at the Texas Relays. The Women of Utah will compete at the Bryan Clay Invitational from April 11-13 before heading to the prestigious Mt. SAC Relays in Walnut, California. BEACH VOLLEYBALL The Utah women’s beach volleyball team went on a six-game winning streak through the month of March, picking up dominant wins. The Utes showed out in Texas picking up two wins on their first day of action in the Lonestar State, defeating Stephen F. Austin in their first match of the day 3-2, before sweeping McNeese State University 5-0. This was the first time the Utes took both their matches in a single day since 2022 when they defeated Irvine Valley College and CSU Bakersfield. This three- match win streak for Utah also matches their longest since 2022, when the Utes defeated San Jose State, Ottawa-Arizona, and SLCC The Utes closed out the Pac-12 season and will now turn their attention to Pepperdine before the Pac- 12 Championships in Tempe, Arizona on April 24.

CRIMSON CLUB MAGAZINE APRIL 2024

Crimson Club Staff

Sean Farrell Associate A.D. Sales & Development 801-581-8849 sfarrell@huntsman.utah.edu

Gavin Van Wagoner Assistant A.D. NIL and Major Gifts 801-243-3325 gvanwagoner@huntsman.utah.edu

Jared Heldt Director of Major Gifts 801-585-8837 jared.heldt@utah.edu

Brooke Abel Assistant Director

Rob Clark, Ph.D. Associate A.D. Development 801-213-4097 rob.clark@utah.edu

of Major Gifts 801-581-8519 brooke.abel@utah.edu

Darrell Peters Senior Development Officer 801-587-9896 dpeters@huntsman.utah.edu (Levels 7-11 - A-G)

Mike Lageschulte Director of

Ari Davis Assistant Director of Annual Giving 801-581-6183 adavis@huntsman.utah.edu (Levels 7-11 - P-Z)

Anacelic Fernandez Financial Coordinator 801-209-4827 afernandez@huntsman.utah.edu

Lauren Mayeda Assistant Director Events & Hospitality 801-585-3515 lmayeda@huntsman.utah.edu

Annual Giving 801-557-2322 mlages@huntsman.utah.edu (Levels 7-11 - H-O)

Corey Bond Development Officer 801-213-1070 cbond@athletics.utah.edu (Levels 1-11 - A-G)

Hayley Smith Development Officer 801-581-2983 hsmith@athletics.utah.edu (Levels 1-11 - H-O)

Garrett Dziedzic Director of Sales and Service 801-581-3181 gdziedzic@athletics.utah.edu (Levels 1-11 - P-Z)

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