Avery Neff’s return is official. The Utah star freshman and former No. 1 recruit will participate in the Red Rocks’ uneven bars routine on Friday night against No. 19 Arizona. The meet is at 7 p.m. at the Huntsman Center (ESPN+).

Before her injury, Neff had already earned Big 12 Newcomer of the Week honors twice, showcasing her immense talent. Utah is expected to ease her back into other rotations as the s

According to Utah head coach Carly Dockendorf, Neff’s recovery is going well. Better than many may have thought possible with how severe her injuries appeared. “She is making really good progress,” Dockendorf said. “... I’m not going to put a date on it, but I will tell you she is going to be back pretty soon.”

The nearly capacity crowd in attendance at the Huntsman Center held their collective breath as freshman Avery Neff competed on uneven bars Friday night.