Gymnastics freshman Sara Ulias looks to swing into bars rotation
Freshman Sara Ulias has done exhibition routines in both of UCLA gymnastics’ meets this season, adding a bars routine in the Bruins’ most recent meet against Arizona. (Lauren Man/Assistant Photo editor)
By Nico Edgar
Feb. 7, 2021 10:14 a.m.
A fresh face may be cracking the Bruins’ bars lineup.
Freshman Sara Ulias is on the verge of breaking into the bar rotation for No. 9 UCLA gymnastics (2-0) per coach Chris Waller. Working on adjusting her bar mount, Waller said the team is trying to raise the starting value of Ulias’ routine before her official debut.
A multimedal-winning bar specialist in her club years, Ulias performed exhibitions on the uneven bars and floor for the blue and gold in its 196.750-195.075 victory against then-No. 15 Arizona on Jan. 31 after making her exhibition debut with a floor routine against then-No. 15 Arizona State the week prior.
Waller praised the Thousand Oaks, California, product, saying her bar routines reminded him of a former Bruin great.
“She’s amazing on bars and a beautiful dancer on floor,” Waller said. “She moves like Vanessa Zamarripa on bars. … She’s amazing, so I’m looking forward to when everyone gets to see her perform.”
Zamarripa – who competed at UCLA from 2009 to 2013 – was a three-time All-American on bars while being ranked No. 2 nationally on bars in 2010 en route to the team winning the national championship.
While Ulias has never performed at the Elite level like other Bruin freshmen including Frida Esparza, she has quickly found her footing at the college level according to her coach.
Waller said Ulias hit all three of her exhibition routines and the freshman’s poise was impressive in her initial college appearances.
“For her to come out and nail three exhibition routines, that’s a huge achievement,” Waller said. “She’s demonstrating that she’s a gamer and that when the lights are on, she seems to do better.”
In a video posted by UCLA gymnastics on social media, junior Margzetta Frazier – who scored a 9.900 or higher on all of her bar routines last season – also praised Ulias’ performance and was giddy about the freshman’s emergence.
“This beautiful lady exhibitioned her bar routine. We could have used that (in our lineup),” Frazier said. “What was that, at least a 10 – I thought it was an 11. She did really good.”
After the Bruins’ win on the road in Tucson, junior @IAmMargzetta recapped the meet with freshman Sara Ulias, who performed exhibition routines on bars and floor. pic.twitter.com/9jjLA4y1AL
— UCLA Gymnastics (@uclagymnastics) February 1, 2021
Ulias said her coach’s trust and teammates’ love has grown her love for the sport.
“I felt so supported by my teammates,” Ulias said. “My teammates … and all the coaches have made me love competing so much more. … That’s something I really value about this team, they make competing so much fun.”
Last season, sophomore Kalyany Steele and junior Norah Flatley were regular contributors for UCLA on bars, but both have yet to compete this season. Flatley is scheduled to be out for a few more weeks with an ankle injury.
Whereas the Bruins were ranked No. 2 in the nation on bars when their season was postponed in 2020, UCLA currently ranks No. 20 in the country on bars, their lowest among all four events. The bar rotation is also the only event on which the Bruins have not eclipsed the 49.000 mark this season.
Ulias said she wanted to help stabilize the lineup by bringing in her newfound confidence.
“I want to kind of show this calmness about gymnastics and hopefully that kind of translates into what I do on bars,” Ulias said. “I think about trusting what I know I can do, I want to let my body kind of swing freely and not try to hold back, because the bigger you go, that’s going to result in a successful turn.”
After a bye week, UCLA will take on No. 15 BYU on Wednesday, and Ulias may make her official debut.
