The Southern Utah Thunderbirds women's gymnastics team is the women's gymnastics team that represents Southern Utah University (SUU) in Cedar City, Utah. Home meets are held in the America First Event Center. The school's team, alternately nicknamed Flippin' Birds, currently competes in the Pac-12 Conference, having joined as a single-sport member in July 2026. SUU previously competed in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) in 2024 and 2025, the Mountain Rim Gymnastics Conference from 2014 to 2023, Western Athletic Conference (WAC) from 2006 to 2013 and from 1991 to 1993, the Western Gymnastics Conference from 2002 to 2005, and was Independent from 1994 to 2001. The Thunderbirds are currently coached by Scott Bauman. In July 2026, the Flippin' Birds will become single-sport members of the Pac-12 Conference.
The Women's Collegiate Gymnastics Association (WCGA) represents the nation's intercollegiate gymnastics coaches within the NCAA. SUU is one of 83 NCAA women's gymnastics teams in the nation. In the NCAA Regional Championships, there are 4 Regions of 8 teams each, which totals 32 teams. You need to be one of the top two teams in your Region to advance to the Semi-finals, which has 8 teams. Top scoring individuals can go to the Semi-finals. The Final has 4 teams.
Nickname The women's gymnastics team is also known as the Flippin' Birds. The nickname "Flippin Birds" had its origins around the turn of the century in 2000. A young gymnast asked SUU coach Scott Bauman if they were the Flippin' Birds? He responded no, but that he liked it. They played around with the name a bit and made a shirt that year, and people loved it. Ever since then, the SUU women's gymnastics team has had the moniker of the Flippin' Birds.
Coaches Scott Bauman: Head Women's Gymnastics Coach from 1992–present (2025) (34 years). Led the Thunderbirds to 2 Conference Championships. Bauman was named the Region II Coach of the Year in 2023, and he was the 1993 Midwest Region Coach of the Year, 2025 MPSF Coach of the Year, 2010 WAC Coach of the Year, and the North Central Region Coach of the Year in 2003 and 2010.
History Over the past 40 years, as 2024 was the 40th anniversary of SUU's women's gymnastics program dating back to the 1985 season, the Southern Utah gymnastics program has risen from a relatively unknown program to a prominent powerhouse in collegiate gymnastics. Southern Utah has qualified for NCAA Regionals on 19 different occasions. SUU competed in the NAIA Women's Gymnastics Championships (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) (NAIA) Nationals in 1985, 1986, and 1988, with their best finish of 7th place in 1988. Southern Utah University's women's gymnastics team has been referred to as "arguably one of the most successful 'small schools' in women's college gymnastics. SUU has won 13 Academic National Championships and taken second 9 times. Stacie Webb scored the first perfect 10 in school history when she did it on balance beam in 2017. Elise Wheeler is the most decorated gymnast in SUU history. Elise was a 3-time All-American on bars (first team), balance beam (first team), and floor (second team) at the 2009 NCAA Women's Gymnastics Championship. She is on the List of former United States women's national gymnastics team rosters in 2000-01 as a Junior National Team member, she was inducted into Southern Utah University's Athletics Hall of Fame as part of the 2021-2022 class, and she was part of the 2010 SUU gymnastics team that was also inducted into Southern Utah University's Athletics Hall of Fame as part of the 2023 class
Four Southern Utah gymnasts have competed at the NCAA women's gymnastics tournament (Championships) in the all-around individual category:
Year Gymnast All-Around Place Vault Uneven Bars Balance Beam Floor 2016 Danielle Ramirez 26th66th71st 66th 58th 2010 Elise Wheeler 22nd40th15th 21st 21st 2009 Elise Wheeler 17th 13th6th 28th 2008 Elise Wheeler 2005 Leah Sakhitab 23rd 1995 Angie Gunnel
Two Southern Utah gymnasts have competed at nationals on individual apparatuses:
Year Gymnast Apparatus 2015 Jamie Armijo Uneven Bars-14th 2015 Ana Jawarski Balance Beam-30th
Each year, Southern Utah University hosts an annual women's gymnastics camp. The camp started in 2010. The summer of 2025 will be the 16th year of the camp.
Championship results Top 25 in the nation (7) SUU has placed in the Top 25 in the nation in 2025, 2023, 2021, 2020, 2017, 2015, and 2010.
Conference Champions (4) SUU has won 4 Women's Conference Championships – MPSF (2) in 2025 and 2024, Mountain Rim (1) in 2023, and WAC (1), in 2010.
Second place finishes (6) Mountain Rim (2) in 2017 and 2015, Western (3) in 2005, 2004, and 2002, and WAC (1) in 2001.
The Road to Nationals is the official statistical site of NCAA Gymnastics (women's gymnastics) in the United States. Below are the final yearly results:
Yearly results 2025 Scott Bauman 21st 6th 1st 2024 Scott Bauman 27th 8th 1st 2023 Scott Bauman 22nd 6th 1st 2022 Scott Bauman 28th 7th 4th 2021 Scott Bauman 23rd 7th 3rd 2020 Scott Bauman 22nd COVID-19 3rd 2019 Scott Bauman 26th 7th 3rd 2018 Scott Bauman 35th 6th 4th 2017 Scott Bauman 22nd 4th 2nd 2016 Scott Bauman 27th 6th 3rd 2015 Scott Bauman 16th 3rd 2nd 2014 Scott Bauman 26th 5th 3rd 2013 Scott Bauman 31st 5th 5th 2012 Scott Bauman 42nd 10th 3rd 2011 Scott Bauman 33rd 6th 2nd 2010 Scott Bauman 18th 3rd 1st 2009 Scott Bauman 35th 6th 3rd 2008 Scott Bauman 28th 5th 3rd 2007 Scott Bauman 38th 2006 Scott Bauman 37th 3rd 2005 Scott Bauman 30th 5th 2nd 2004 Scott Bauman 30th 4th 2nd 2003 Scott Bauman 37th 3rd 2002 Scott Bauman 28th 6th 2nd 2001 Scott Bauman 47th 2000 Scott Bauman 33rd 6th 1999 Scott Bauman 43rd 1998 Scott Bauman 42nd 1997 Scott Bauman 1996 Scott Bauman 1995 Scott Bauman 1994 Scott Bauman 1993 Scott Bauman 4th 1992 Scott Bauman 1991
Team records
Top team total Rank Score Meet Year1 197.275Utah State20212 197.225Central Michigan20203 197.125Brigham Young20243 197.125Utah State20233 197.125Brigham Young20236 197.075Pittsburgh20206 197.075NC State20178 197.000Brigham Young20229 196.975William & Mary20229 196.975Utah State2022
Top individual all-around Rank Score Gymnast Year1 39.600Niya Randolph2024
References
External links