Utah Red Rocks might have won their last NCAA gymnastics showdown. But they seem to have fallen in the eyes of the fandom. Currently, Utah’s record stands at 5-3, with extreme highs and lows just as bad. But one of the highs came with their win against Iowa State. However, the fall from grace for Utah began with Avery Neff and her injury.

At the Iowa State meet, Avery Neff, the top recruit, got on the mat for her floor exercise performance. During her final tumble pass, she landed awkwardly. Almost immediately, she grabbed her ankle, and medical personnel rushed in. Soon the news broke that Neff had sprained both her ankles. Soon after, yet another fall from grace for Utah took place as sophomore Ella Zirbes performed.

Iowa meet, a barrage of unfortunate debacles for Utah gymnasts!

Ella Zirbes was on the mat for her floor routine on the 17th of January. The performance that began in all its glory took a sudden turn when Ella paused. Netizens watched her anxiously as she paused mid-performance for the second week in a row. However, despite the pause, Ella went on to score 9.80 on the vault and 9.725 on the floor. Since this was the second, what happened the first time?

A similar incident took place on the mats during the Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad. She had to pause and seemed quite out of breath. Because this had happened twice. The fandom was almost certain that she would be taking a break before she got on the mat again. However, Utah Red Rocks surprised everyone!

On January 20th, Utah was all set for the SUU-BYU faceoff. And guess what? Ella Zirbes was back on the mat. As the fandom watched with their hearts racing, she nailed her vault performance. Ella went on to score a season-high 9.875. While that remains impressive, the fandom could not help but raise questions about Ella’s well-being.

Netizens are concerned about the NCAA gymnast’s mental health.

The fans are not just concerned about Ella Zirbes’ physical performance. They are worried about her mental health. One fan took to Reddit and wrote, “The program is doing itself no favors by saying she’s been getting ‘out of breath’ and then putting her in lineups. It’s clear there’s something else going on, so the lack of real answers always causes speculation. This feels more mental than physical.” The shortness of breath that seemed to have followed Ella seems to have led the fandom to believe there is more to the issue at hand.

The netizen wasn’t alone in suggesting that the issue might have been “mental” in nature. Prioritizing Ella’s well-being, another fan wrote, “Here’s hoping Utah gets her a good sports psychologist before letting her compete in another routine that could lead to injury.” Ella getting on the mat for the SUU-BYU faceoff has shaken the fandom.

Additionally, a growing number of fans believe Ella might need to step away for now.“It’s best if she takes time away from competing this season. She needs time to heal,” read a comment. While another fan, understanding Ella’s situation went on to write, “I feel this so hard, and I absolutely hate it.” But here’s the other part: Ella is no freshman! Neither is she new to the pressures of NCAA mats.

Ella Zirbes is an All-American in NCAA gymnastics. She has gone on to earn First and Second Team honors during her 2024 season. In fact, in a showdown against Stanford, she went onto score vault (9.925), bars (9.925), and floor (9.950). While her 2024 season was one for the ages, it seems like the pressure of NCAA gymnastics might have just gotten to her this time. As another fan puts it, “This has to be so frustrating for her. I hope she has all the support she needs to get through.”