Utes Bulletin: Things Happening In Utah Athletics (Week Of 5/15/23)

SALT LAKE CITY – Things are winding down for Utah Athletics and the Utes Bulletin as the spring sports wrap up for the quieter summer months.

This week’s Utes Bulletin still has several key highlights ranging from conference titles, NCAA appearances, broken records, and more from last week as well as things to look forward to this week. If you missed anything from the previous week, you can check that out here.

Without further ado, here is this week’s Utes Bulletin that includes stories from the week before and what is on the radar for the coming week of 5/15/23.

Utah Softball

Utah softball had quite the week beating two teams that gave them troubles in the regular season to clinch their first-ever Pac-12 Title.

They stepped over every line.
They accepted every challenge.

Now they're Pac-12 Champions!#GoUtes /// #SOTL pic.twitter.com/2OFckktAii

— Utah Softball (@Utah_Softball) May 14, 2023

The Utes will now turn their attention to the first round of the NCAA Tournament where they will play host to Southern Illinois as the 15th seed.

The moment we found out.#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/KFD5nSzzsc

— Utah Softball (@Utah_Softball) May 14, 2023

Who, What, When, Where

You can catch all the action Friday, May 19 at 1:30 p.m. MT at the Dumke Family Softball Stadium as the Utes take on the Salukis in round one of the NCAA Tournament. You can purchase tickets for the Tournament here or catch the action on ESPN+.

Utah Track & Field

The women of Utah Track and Field also had a great weekend starting on Friday with Emily Venters’ becoming the Utes’ first-ever individual Pac-12 Champion in the 10K.

ICYMI – Emily Venters was crowned the @pac12 10k Champion last night while Emily Martin and Morgan Jensen each moved up the all-time leaderboard at Utah! #Pac12TF

READ ➡️https://t.co/MaAUdL1MKh #GoUtes | #UtahTFXC pic.twitter.com/7Rsxz7ZIlk

— Utah T&F/XC (@Utah_trackfield) May 13, 2023

The Utes followed it up with a new school record set in the 4X100m relay on Sunday.

ELECTRIC finish by the Utes to set a new school record in the 4x100m relay and secure the section win with a time of 4⃣4⃣.7⃣1⃣ and tack on 5 more points after finishing 4th overall‼️ #Pac12TF#GoUtes | #UtahTFXC pic.twitter.com/2rk1mgcIZA

— Utah T&F/XC (@Utah_trackfield) May 14, 2023

Finally, Simone Plourde secured one more Pac-12 individual title for the Utes in the 1500m.

Ladies and gentleman, 𝗦𝗜𝗠𝗢𝗡𝗘 𝗣𝗟𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗗𝗘 is your #Pac12TF 1500M CHAMPION‼️ pic.twitter.com/9SloXVsJP7

— Utah T&F/XC (@Utah_trackfield) May 14, 2023

Gone, But Never Forgotten

It may have been five years since track and field star Lauren McCluskey was murdered by an ex-boyfriend on the University of Utah campus, but McCluskey’s team made sure her mother Jill knew she was on their minds while competing by sending Mother’s Day flowers.

Thank you @Utah_trackfield for the beautiful Mother's
Day flowers 🥲 pic.twitter.com/DvRnjLyhjD

— Jill McCluskey (@jjmccluskey) May 14, 2023

Utah Lacrosse

Utah lacrosse’s incredible 2023 run came to an end Saturday afternoon competing against Notre Dame in the team’s first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance.

𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓴 𝓤

To the best fans in the country who watched us make history this season from all over the country 🙌❤️#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/oHslaBJZXo

— Utah Lacrosse (@UtahLacrosse) May 14, 2023

While not the result the team wanted, they checked a lot of boxes this past season and should be set to check a few more in 2024 with most of the team returning.

Utah Basketball

Fans have been dying for more Utah basketball recruiting news and they got it last Friday after former Georgia Tech guard Deivon Smith announced he’ll be playing for the Utes in 2023-24. Craig Smith and company still have two scholarship spots left to fill in their efforts to bolster their roster in the upcoming year.

Let’s Go Utes!! 🤍🔴 #UteNation #GoUtes pic.twitter.com/NnuABqVY06

— Deivon Smith (@sneakgod) May 12, 2023

The Runnin’ Utes also announced they will be playing in the ESPN Charleston MTE on November 16, 17, and 19 as part of their 2023-24 preseason schedule.

It's a date! The Runnin' Utes will play in the 2023 @ESPNCharleston MTE Nov. 16, 17 & 19‼️

READ MORE ➡️https://t.co/ByTe7ZLwxE#GoUtes pic.twitter.com/NG8bt59BS4

— Utah Basketball (@UtahMBB) May 11, 2023

Utah Football

Utah football has also had a busy week in the NCAA Transfer Portal as well as getting a 2024 pickup. Things kicked off last Sunday when receiver Mycah Pittman committed to Utah. Tight end transfer Landen King decided to join the fun on Wednesday.

Utah wrapped up the productive week with USC safety transfer Briton Allen on Friday evening and a three-star safety commit for the 2024 class in Jeilani Davis Sunday morning.

I always knew the turtle win the race that’s why i didn’t trip starting off last 🙏🏾 #Committed @Utah_Football pic.twitter.com/kYnA0J6AFI

— Briton “Bam” Allen (@AllenBriton) May 13, 2023

Put Respect On His Name

Last week, former USC quarterback and Fox Sports analyst Matt Leinart gave Utah quarterback Cam Rising his props, noting he should have been higher in a fan’s 2023 quarterback ranking.

We also took a look at where the Utes fell in another outlet’s preseason Top-25 Rankings.

A Quick Look At The Baylor Bears

Utah will be heading to Waco, Texas in week two of the 2023 college football season and we took a look at where things stand with the Baylor Bears.

Pro Utes

ESPN.com had some nice words about former Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid last week, noting his landing spot with the Buffalo Bills was the “best fit” of all the NFL rookies.

XFL star Pita Taumoepenu earned the fledgling league’s top honor for defense and earned a spot on the All-XFL Team.

Former Utah quarterback Troy Williams is off to a hot start in the USFL’s second season, putting up three touchdowns for the Maulers.

POV: playing football with Week 5’s Offensive Player of the Week at recess, @TroyWilliams_3 🏈

Thanks for having us, Highland Elementary 📚 pic.twitter.com/m4GaMH4V73

— Pittsburgh Maulers (@USFLMaulers) May 15, 2023

Girls Is Players, Too

Utah football brought back their Women’s Clinic last week after a 15-year absence and it didn’t disappoint.

 

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Utah Gymnastics

2023 Beam and All-Around Champion Maile O’Keefe received a lot of love last week being featured on Inside Gymnastics’ cover. She was also featured in an interview with the Olympic Games Twitter account.

2023 NCAA All-Around and Balance Beam Champion Maile O'Keefe is your new Inside Gymnastics magazine Cover Star! We celebrate all the stars and storylines in our 2023 NCAA Commemorative Issue! @UtahGymnastics @maile_okeefe
📸 Lloyd Smith for Inside Gymnastics pic.twitter.com/nHhAlrEWrq

— Inside Gymnastics (@InsideGym) May 12, 2023

🤸‍♀️ @maile_okeefe felt there was an opportunity to step up for her team – and she took it all the way to NCAA all-around crown.@UtahGymnastics

— The Olympic Games (@Olympics) May 9, 2023

The Red Rocks also had three future Utes competing in Oklahoma City over the weekend for the DP National Championships. Ella Zirbes won the All-Around title while Camie Winger finished fourth in the All-Around and Elizabeth Gantner took second on bars.

2023 signee Camie Winger also had a stellar day finishing 4th in the AA and is a DP National Team Member for the 2nd year in a row while Elizabeth Gantner finished 2nd on bars with a 9.725 in the All-Star East session!

It’s a Great Day to be a Ute! ✨ pic.twitter.com/vht2TqlCmR

— Utah Gymnastics (@UtahGymnastics) May 14, 2023

Michelle Bodkin is the Utah Utes Insider for KSLsports.com and host of both the Crimson Corner Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and The Saturday Show (Saturday from 10 a.m.–12 p.m.) on The KSL Sports Zone. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram: @BodkinKSLsports

 

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