It was on Friday that the Utah Red Rocks went up against the Iowa State gymnastics team. And it was one for the ages! Not simply because Utah gave their season’s best performance, scoring 197.300, but also because of the unfortunate fall that one of their freshmen had. One that left even winning feels bittersweet. So what exactly made the Huntsman Center gasp and go silent?

The top recruit from last year, Avery Neff, got on the mats for her debut NCAA season. She started strong on vault, beam, and bars, and she got on the mats for floor exercise. The moment began with a promise of glory! However, the final tumbling pass turned out to be disastrous. Neff’s ankle buckled mid-landing, which ended up with her crashing on the mat. She quickly grabbed her ankle in pain. And before it could get worse, she was surrounded by coaches and medical staff. Meanwhile, her teammates looked on in tears. And now we have an update on her injury!

So what’s the update on freshman Avery Neff?

The Utah gymnastics team has taken it to X to share an update. And how could they not when Avery Neff had been so promising before her injury? In the meet against Iowa State, she had a score of 9.900 on vault, 9.850 on bars, and 9.925 on beam. It was the unfortunate injury that hindered her streak, or else she held the chance of winning the AA title. However, the words from Avery are now giving hope to her fans.

In the post, Neff went on to write, “Thank you to, everyone for the incredible support and love over these last few days. After sustaining a severe sprain in both ankles this weekend, I’m grateful to share that it’s nothing worse. Injuries are a part of this sport and, unfortunately, a part of my journey this year.” The update, for sure, would have provided some relief to worried fans.

Utah Red Rocks’ will be going up against BYU and Southern Utah on January 20th. And while Avery Neff seems to be optimistic as she said, “It’s a challenge I’ll overcome….I’m confident the team will continue to perform strong in my absence.” It might not be as easy as it sounds with names like Alilah Alvarado and Jadyn Harsh coming in. Utah may be still worried, but the fandom is surely breathing in some air of relief.

The gymnastics community is relieved, as fans are calling it, “by far the best scenario”

It was not just the Huntsman Center that was exploding in grief after the injury. It was also the fandom online that just could not process what had happened to Avery Neff. However, since the update from Neff, things are better. As one fan rightly sums up the emotion, “Oh sweet Lord! We’re so very relieved that ankle sprains are all that wonderful Avery had to endure.” The relief is one that is understandable!

The video after all showed Neff’s ankle hitting the mat hard, her left leg twisting awkwardly. And then you see her grab her ankle almost instantly. The update has gotten netizens looking at the silver lining, as one of them wrote, “Nothing broken, only sprained—that’s great news. That means you’ve got a good chance of being back post-regular season.” Well, they are not wrong in assuming the same.

The world has seen gymnastics injuries take out athletes for months or even years. And it is almost hard to forget the injuries of the queen, Simone Biles! So the diagnosis is definitely bringing Neff and the fandom some hope. One fan, understanding the same, celebrated her strength and went on to write, “Rest and heal. Gymnasts are so strong and so tough. It’s been a privilege to watch you so far, and we look forward to watching you again.” The netizen seems to be someone who has followed Avery Neff’s journey. Neff was not just the top recruit, as she has also won seven national titles at the Nastia Liukin Cup. But the barrage of emotions didn’t stop there!

“Good news on a Monday! It was brutal and heartbreaking to watch!” wrote another fan, echoing what the emotions of those who were in the arena felt. The incident shook the Huntsman Center, but it seems to have not shaken Avery Neff. As a gymnast, she knows what another fan rightly pointed out. “This is by far the best scenario for the freshman star.”

While the pain and uncertainty of recovery time might be a hard pill to swallow, Avery Neff’s injury is thankfully not one that threatens her gymnastics career. As Utah’s gymnastics team will go up against BYU and SUU today, Neff will be missed on the mats!