By Oscar Benitez (@OscarB006) – Spear Reporter | San Jose State women’s gymnast Samantha Macasu celebrating after Mountain West Championship 03/21 (Photo by SJSU Athletics)
San Jose State gymnastics competed in the Mountain West Championships to conclude its conference season Saturday evening at ExtraMile Arena in Boise, Idaho.
The Spartans scored 195.800 to finish third overall behind Utah State’s 196.400 and Boise State’s 196.200, while Air Force placed fourth at 195.750.
Junior Samantha Macasu highlighted the meet by winning the Mountain West bars title with a career-tying 9.900, becoming the second Spartan to claim a conference title on bars after Sophia Konieczny in 2024.
SJSU opened on bars and posted a 49.000, anchored by Macasu’s 9.900 along with a 9.800 from sophomore Kaviana Jurries and 9.775 from freshman pairs Genesis PeBenito and Victoria Kisch.
“We know we can go 49 on all four events in big championship meets,” SJSU head coach Joanne Bowers said. “Hopefully we bring that into regionals.”
On beam, junior Marissa Ashton and Macasu each scored 9.850, while junior Devyn Valuch and PeBenito added 9.800, but a fall in the lineup resulted in a 48.875 team total.
The Spartans recorded their highest score on floor with a 49.100, led by junior Kaylee Larson’s 9.850 and 9.825 from freshman Sophie Patterson and sophomore Ava Johnson.
SJSU closed on vault with a 48.825, paced by Jurries’ 9.800 and supported by 9.775 from Johnson and senior Mikaela Pitts.
Patterson competed in the all-around and finished fourth overall with a score of 38.350.
The Spartans surpassed the 49.000 mark on both bars and floor but were limited by the beam rotation in a meet decided by less than half a point between second and fourth place.
SJSU now awaits its NCAA Regional placement at 9 a.m. PT Monday, March 23.
