****This week in NCAA, several teams got season highs, judges in Florida gave out 10’s like candy and another came away with two unfortunate injuries.
Despite setting season event highs at their meet at Arkansas, Auburn was usurped by the Razorbacks after two injuries from Emma Engler on her beam dismount and A’Mirical Phillips on vault. Phillips put her hands down while vaulting her Yurchenko full and it was immediately apparent she’d injured herself. Engler went down after under rotating her one and a half dismount and tweaked her knee.
Despite their issues, Auburn finished with a season high on floor, with a 49.275. MJ Rott put up a strong 9.9 for the Tigers on vault. Arkansas managed to overtake Auburn after a strong floor performance with a 9.925 from Samantha Nelson and a 9.9 from Amanda Wellick, who won the all-around with a 39.50.
At Bowling Green, Denver scored a season high of 196.125, bumping them up to 13th in the rankings behind Stanford. Nina McGee scored a season high in the all-around with a 39.525, scoring a 9.9 on bars and 9.925 on floor exercise. Bowling Green showed strong performances through out as well. Laura Mitchell tied with McGee for the beam title with a 9.85, showing unique skills like her jump to chest stand mount.
At the Metroplex Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas, Oklahoma showed yet another solid performance and beat LSU and won the meet with a season high of 197.550 to LSU’s 196.75, redemption for their loss at LSU at the beginning of the season. Oklahoma showed their might, scoring above 49 on all four events. Chayse Capps took second in the all-around, scoring a 39.575. She was her usual solid self, providing a 9.925 on bars and a 9.9 on beam. All the Sooners were solid, not counting a single score below 9.8. Their lowest score all night came from Natalie Brown on beam with 9.75. The Sooners were strongest on bars and floor, with 9.9’s from Nicole Lehrmann and Haley Scaman and a high of 9.95 from McKenzie Wofford. The Sooners have steadily improved their scores every week and will keep improving and building on their scores to take them into the post season.
On vault, for the second week in a row, LSU junior, Ashleigh Gnat scored a 10.00 on her double twisting Yurchenko, giving LSU the highest vault total with a 49.450. Sarah Finnegan made her debut in the all-around with top performances on bars and floor. LSU had another week of falls on beam, having to count a 9.350 after falls from both Finnegan, who fell on her normally super consistent triple wolf spin and Sydney Ewing. Stealing the show on bars, was junior Shae Zamardi with her unique routine with high difficulty, starting with a Maloney to high bar connected to a Pak salto, a giant ½ into a Khorkina and dismounting with a beautiful double Arabian.
Washington placed third at Metroplex with a season high of 196.175, moving them up to 29th place in the rankings this week. Senior Allison Northey had a season high all-around score of 39.425, placing her fourth all-around. Northey contributed a solid 9.925 with a stellar bars performance.
Stanford’s Elizabeth “Ebee” Price took another all-around title this season with a 39.6, scoring a huge 9.95 on bars, tying for the bars title with Oklahoma’s McKenzie Wofford, and a solid 9.9 on beam, contributing to Stanford’s beam win of 49.30. Ivana Hong tied for the beam title with LSU’s Ashleigh Gnat with a 9.925, showing her usual beautiful form and toe point, showing excellent fluidity with her Onodi to back-handspring step out connection. Stanford placed fourth overall with a 196.075 and had to do some line-up shuffling as Taylor Rice was supposed to compete all-around but only competed bars and vault. Price provided some much needed consistency on all four events and teammate Nicolette McNair provided solid scores on vault, bars and beam.
Missouri placed 5th with a season high 195.825. While they weren’t the leaders on any event, Missouri showed excellent potential with vault, bars and floor scores all above 49. Morgan Porter provided the highest score for Missouri of the night with a 9.9 on bars. Aside from beam, Missouri did not have to count a score below 9.75 most of the night.
In Lincoln, Nebraska, the University of Nebraska Huskers broke Michigan’s five-week winning streak, outscoring the Wolverines by only .225 after Michigan’s disastrous beam rotation. Michigan wound up having to count Lauren Marinez’s 9.325, after she missed her acro series after a fall from Nicole Artz. While Michigan had the top scores on vault, bars and floor, Nebraska slowly and steadily built up their scores from one event to the next. Grace Williams proved herself to be a stalwart for Nebraska, placing second in the all-around to Michigan’s Olivia Karas by only .025.
In Gainsville, Florida held onto their number one ranking and continued their winning streak, beating out Alabama at home with another season high of 198.175 to Alabama’s 197.525. It was still a good meet for both teams. Alabama made up for their beam disaster at home last week with the top beam score of 49.550, even though Florida had a score of 10.00 in their line-up from Bridget Sloan. Sloan’s beam routine was well deserving of 10.00, with all connections moving fluidly into the other, and not a hint of a wobble or balance check, the whole thing smooth as the most delicious chocolate bar in the world. Also receiving 10.00’s from Florida, Alex McMurtry on uneven bars and Kennedy Baker with her piked double Arabian on floor. Alabama’s Lauren Beers put up a solid beam routine after last week’s fall with a solid three series of back-handspring step out to two layout step outs and dismounting with a solid round-off to double full. Aja Sims tied Beers’ score of 9.975 with a difficult double back dismount. Nickie Guerrero put the exclamation point on Alabama’s beam rotation with a 9.9 and another triple series, back handspring to two layout step outs.
After two weeks and two beam meltdowns, Georgia finally caught a break at Kentucky with their win of 196.275 over Kentucky’s 195.050 and the Gym Dogs are now sitting pretty at number 11 in the rankings. Brandie Jay took the vault title with a 9.9 and Brittany Rogers stole the show on bars with her stalder to Ricna connection and took the beam title with her Omelianchik and a 9.875. Stealing the show on floor was Mary Beth Box of Georgia with her bouncy curls and high-energy floor routine, taking the floor title with a 9.9. Brandie Jay put up a 9.875 with a hugely difficult routine with her full out opening pass.
For Kentucky, with their freshman heavy line-ups had consistency in the form of rosy cheeked, ginger-haired freshman all-arounder, Sidney Dukes, who earned a 39.3 in the all-around sandwiched in second between Brandie Jay and Brittany Rogers. On bars, Dukes showed difficulty with her Tkatchev to Pak salto combination, scoring a 9.825. On beam, she showed a light ease to her routine, providing much needed consistency.
Since Arizona competed at Utah and UCLA competed at California, recaps of these meets will be included with _next week’s NCAA recap. _
Brittany Rogers will be competing in Elite Canada in Halifax, Nova Scotia, but she will also compete for Georgia when they host number one ranked Florida… Oklahoma has a busy weekend ahead of them. On Friday, they head back to Texas for a quad meet at Texas Women’s with Auburn and Illinois State. Then it’s back home to Oklahoma on Sunday where they will host Big 12 competitors, West Virginia. West Virginia will also be competing at Iowa State Friday night before their match with the Sooners. BYU will venture to the Great state of Alaska in Anchorage to compete against the University of Alaska, Anchorage. This will only be Alaska’s second meet of the season, their first held on January 23 against Bowling Green.
Two more SEC match ups are set for Friday, in Tuscaloosa where Alabama will host Kentucky and in Baton Rouge, LSU will host Arkansas. Arkansas has beaten three of the top ranked teams in the SEC, by taking advantage of mistakes made by the opposing teams. LSU has had several uncharacteristic mistakes already this season, so it will be interesting to see if Arkansas will usurp LSU on their home turf or if LSU will keep their home winning streak alive.
Schedule Monday, February 1 8:00 ET/5:00 PT – Arizona @ Utah | Live Scores | Video (Pac-12) 10:00 ET/7:00 PT – UCLA @ California | Video (Pac-12) Friday, February 5 6:30 ET/3:30 PT – Central Michigan @ Eastern Michigan 7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Florida @ Georgia 7:30 ET/4:30 PT – UW-Stout @ Hamline 7:30 ET/4:30 PT – West Virginia @ Iowa State 7:30 ET/4:30 PT – UW-Eau Claire, Winona State @ UW-La Crosse (Gershon, Mclellan Invitational) 8:00 ET/5:00 PT – Auburn, Illinois State, Oklahoma @ Texas Woman’s 8:00 ET/5:00 PT – Lindenwood, S.E. Missouri @ Missouri (State of Missouri Meet) 8:30 ET/5:30 PT – Kentucky @ Alabama 8:30 ET/5:30 PT – Arkansas @ LSU 9:00 ET/6:00 PT – Boise State @ Southern Utah 10:00 ET/7:00 PT – Seattle Pacific @ Sacramento State 10:00 ET/7:00 PT – San Jose State @ UC Davis Saturday, February 6 11:00 ET/8:00 PT – Springfield College @ Ithaca College 1:00 ET/10:00 PT – Bowling Green, North Carolina State, Pittsburgh @ North Carolina 1:00 ET/10:00 PT – Rhode Island College @ Brockport State 1:00 ET/10:00 PT – Ohio State, Yale @ Rutgers 1:00 ET/10:00 PT – Southern Conn., Ursinus College, West Chester, William & Mary @ Temple (Ken Anderson Memorial Invitational) 2:00 ET/11:00 PT – Penn State @ Michigan State 3:00 ET/12:00 PT – Cortland State, Pennsylvania @ Cornell 4:00 ET/1:00 PT – Centenary College @ Air Force 4:00 ET/1:00 PT – Ball State @ Western Michigan 4:00 ET/1:00 PT – Illinois-Champaign @ Minnesota 4:00 ET/1:00 PT – Utah @ UCLA 5:00 ET/2:00 PT – Gustavus Adolphus @ UW-Whitewater 5:00 ET/2:00 PT – Nebraska @ Iowa 7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Utah State @ Denver 12:00 ET/9:00 PT – BYU @ Alaska Sunday, February 7 1:00 ET/10:00 PT – Bridgeport, Brown, Towson @ New Hampshire 2:00 ET/11:00 PT – Northern Illinois @ Kent State 2:45 ET/11:45 PT – West Virginia @ Oklahoma
<td width="149">
<strong>Team Name</strong>
</td>
<td width="131">
<strong>Conference</strong>
</td>
<td width="87">
<strong>Division</strong>
</td>
<td width="87">
<strong>Ave.</strong>
</td>
<td width="87">
<strong>High</strong>
</td>
<td width="149">
<a href="http://roadtonationals.com/results/team.php?yr=2016#pages/meets.php?t=22&yr=2016">Florida</a>
</td>
<td width="131">
SEC
</td>
<td width="87">
Div I
</td>
<td width="87">
197.438
</td>
<td width="87">
198.175
</td>
<td width="149">
<a href="http://roadtonationals.com/results/team.php?yr=2016#pages/meets.php?t=47&yr=2016">Oklahoma</a>
</td>
<td width="131">
Big 12
</td>
<td width="87">
Div I
</td>
<td width="87">
197.185
</td>
<td width="87">
197.55
</td>
<td width="149">
<a href="http://roadtonationals.com/results/team.php?yr=2016#pages/meets.php?t=37&yr=2016">Michigan</a>
</td>
<td width="131">
Big Ten
</td>
<td width="87">
Div I
</td>
<td width="87">
196.86
</td>
<td width="87">
196.975
</td>
<td width="149">
<a href="http://roadtonationals.com/results/team.php?yr=2016#pages/meets.php?t=2&yr=2016">Alabama</a>
</td>
<td width="131">
SEC
</td>
<td width="87">
Div I
</td>
<td width="87">
196.855
</td>
<td width="87">
197.525
</td>
<td width="149">
<a href="http://roadtonationals.com/results/team.php?yr=2016#pages/meets.php?t=66&yr=2016">UCLA</a>
</td>
<td width="131">
PAC-12
</td>
<td width="87">
Div I
</td>
<td width="87">
196.758
</td>
<td width="87">
196.925
</td>
<td width="149">
<a href="http://roadtonationals.com/results/team.php?yr=2016#pages/meets.php?t=34&yr=2016">LSU</a>
</td>
<td width="131">
SEC
</td>
<td width="87">
Div I
</td>
<td width="87">
196.525
</td>
<td width="87">
196.95
</td>
<td width="149">
<a href="http://roadtonationals.com/results/team.php?yr=2016#pages/meets.php?t=69&yr=2016">Utah</a>
</td>
<td width="131">
PAC-12
</td>
<td width="87">
Div I
</td>
<td width="87">
196.342
</td>
<td width="87">
196.725
</td>
<td width="149">
<a href="http://roadtonationals.com/results/team.php?yr=2016#pages/meets.php?t=6&yr=2016">Arkansas</a>
</td>
<td width="131">
SEC
</td>
<td width="87">
Div I
</td>
<td width="87">
196.21
</td>
<td width="87">
196.7
</td>
<td width="149">
<a href="http://roadtonationals.com/results/team.php?yr=2016#pages/meets.php?t=10&yr=2016">Boise State</a>
</td>
<td width="131">
MRGC
</td>
<td width="87">
Div I
</td>
<td width="87">
196.175
</td>
<td width="87">
196.425
</td>
<td width="149">
<a href="http://roadtonationals.com/results/team.php?yr=2016#pages/meets.php?t=7&yr=2016">Auburn</a>
</td>
<td width="131">
SEC
</td>
<td width="87">
Div I
</td>
<td width="87">
196.08
</td>
<td width="87">
196.275
</td>
<td width="149">
<a href="http://roadtonationals.com/results/team.php?yr=2016#pages/meets.php?t=24&yr=2016">Georgia</a>
</td>
<td width="131">
SEC
</td>
<td width="87">
Div I
</td>
<td width="87">
195.87
</td>
<td width="87">
196.775
</td>
<td width="149">
<a href="http://roadtonationals.com/results/team.php?yr=2016#pages/meets.php?t=61&yr=2016">Stanford</a>
</td>
<td width="131">
PAC-12
</td>
<td width="87">
Div I
</td>
<td width="87">
195.856
</td>
<td width="87">
196.675
</td>
<td width="149">
<a href="http://roadtonationals.com/results/team.php?yr=2016#pages/meets.php?t=20&yr=2016">Denver</a>
</td>
<td width="131">
Big 12
</td>
<td width="87">
Div I
</td>
<td width="87">
195.763
</td>
<td width="87">
196.125
</td>
<td width="149">
<a href="http://roadtonationals.com/results/team.php?yr=2016#pages/meets.php?t=41&yr=2016">Nebraska</a>
</td>
<td width="131">
Big Ten
</td>
<td width="87">
Div I
</td>
<td width="87">
195.7
</td>
<td width="87">
196.775
</td>
<td width="149">
<a href="http://roadtonationals.com/results/team.php?yr=2016#pages/meets.php?t=48&yr=2016">Oregon State</a>
</td>
<td width="131">
PAC-12
</td>
<td width="87">
Div I
</td>
<td width="87">
195.694
</td>
<td width="87">
196.35
</td>
<td width="149">
<a href="http://roadtonationals.com/results/team.php?yr=2016#pages/meets.php?t=40&yr=2016">Missouri</a>
</td>
<td width="131">
SEC
</td>
<td width="87">
Div I
</td>
<td width="87">
195.645
</td>
<td width="87">
196.05
</td>
<td width="149">
<a href="http://roadtonationals.com/results/team.php?yr=2016#pages/meets.php?t=23&yr=2016">George Washington</a>
</td>
<td width="131">
EAGL
</td>
<td width="87">
Div I
</td>
<td width="87">
195.517
</td>
<td width="87">
196.175
</td>
<td width="149">
<a href="http://roadtonationals.com/results/team.php?yr=2016#pages/meets.php?t=39&yr=2016">Minnesota</a>
</td>
<td width="131">
Big Ten
</td>
<td width="87">
Div I
</td>
<td width="87">
195.469
</td>
<td width="87">
196.075
</td>
<td width="149">
<a href="http://roadtonationals.com/results/team.php?yr=2016#pages/meets.php?t=28&yr=2016">Illinois-Champaign</a>
</td>
<td width="131">
Big Ten
</td>
<td width="87">
Div I
</td>
<td width="87">
195.363
</td>
<td width="87">
195.725
</td>
<td width="149">
<a href="http://roadtonationals.com/results/team.php?yr=2016#pages/meets.php?t=4&yr=2016">Arizona</a>
</td>
<td width="131">
PAC-12
</td>
<td width="87">
Div I
</td>
<td width="87">
195.217
</td>
<td width="87">
196.475
</td>
<td width="149">
<a href="http://roadtonationals.com/results/team.php?yr=2016#pages/meets.php?t=15&yr=2016">California</a>
</td>
<td width="131">
PAC-12
</td>
<td width="87">
Div I
</td>
<td width="87">
195.15
</td>
<td width="87">
195.65
</td>
<td width="149">
<a href="http://roadtonationals.com/results/team.php?yr=2016#pages/meets.php?t=42&yr=2016">New Hampshire</a>
</td>
<td width="131">
EAGL
</td>
<td width="87">
Div I
</td>
<td width="87">
195.095
</td>
<td width="87">
196.075
</td>
<td width="149">
<a href="http://roadtonationals.com/results/team.php?yr=2016#pages/meets.php?t=73&yr=2016">West Virginia</a>
</td>
<td width="131">
Big 12
</td>
<td width="87">
Div I
</td>
<td width="87">
195.083
</td>
<td width="87">
195.8
</td>
<td width="149">
<a href="http://roadtonationals.com/results/team.php?yr=2016#pages/meets.php?t=59&yr=2016">Southern Utah</a>
</td>
<td width="131">
MRGC
</td>
<td width="87">
Div I
</td>
<td width="87">
195.056
</td>
<td width="87">
195.6
</td>
<td width="149">
<a href="http://roadtonationals.com/results/team.php?yr=2016#pages/meets.php?t=33&yr=2016">Kentucky</a>
</td>
<td width="131">
SEC
</td>
<td width="87">
Div I
</td>
<td width="87">
195.031
</td>
<td width="87">
195.175
</td>
<td width="149">
<a href="http://roadtonationals.com/results/team.php?yr=2016#pages/meets.php?t=21&yr=2016">Eastern Michigan</a>
</td>
<td width="131">
MAC
</td>
<td width="87">
Div I
</td>
<td width="87">
194.938
</td>
<td width="87">
195.05
</td>
<td width="149">
<a href="http://roadtonationals.com/results/team.php?yr=2016#pages/meets.php?t=29&yr=2016">Iowa</a>
</td>
<td width="131">
Big Ten
</td>
<td width="87">
Div I
</td>
<td width="87">
194.875
</td>
<td width="87">
196.375
</td>
<td width="149">
<a href="http://roadtonationals.com/results/team.php?yr=2016#pages/meets.php?t=46&yr=2016">Ohio State</a>
</td>
<td width="131">
Big Ten
</td>
<td width="87">
Div I
</td>
<td width="87">
194.869
</td>
<td width="87">
195.275
</td>
<td width="149">
<a href="http://roadtonationals.com/results/team.php?yr=2016#pages/meets.php?t=71&yr=2016">Washington</a>
</td>
<td width="131">
PAC-12
</td>
<td width="87">
Div I
</td>
<td width="87">
194.713
</td>
<td width="87">
196.175
</td>
<td width="149">
<a href="http://roadtonationals.com/results/team.php?yr=2016#pages/meets.php?t=70&yr=2016">Utah State</a>
</td>
<td width="131">
MRGC
</td>
<td width="87">
Div I
</td>
<td width="87">
194.7
</td>
<td width="87">
195.425
</td>
<td width="149">
<a href="http://roadtonationals.com/results/team.php?yr=2016#pages/meets.php?t=49&yr=2016">Penn State</a>
</td>
<td width="131">
Big Ten
</td>
<td width="87">
Div I
</td>
<td width="87">
194.575
</td>
<td width="87">
195.025
</td>
<td width="149">
<a href="http://roadtonationals.com/results/team.php?yr=2016#pages/meets.php?t=8&yr=2016">BYU</a>
</td>
<td width="131">
MRGC
</td>
<td width="87">
Div I
</td>
<td width="87">
194.5
</td>
<td width="87">
195.475
</td>
<td width="149">
<a href="http://roadtonationals.com/results/team.php?yr=2016#pages/meets.php?t=55&yr=2016">Sacramento State</a>
</td>
<td width="131">
MPSF
</td>
<td width="87">
Div I
</td>
<td width="87">
194.475
</td>
<td width="87">
194.9
</td>
<td width="149">
<a href="http://roadtonationals.com/results/team.php?yr=2016#pages/meets.php?t=17&yr=2016">Central Michigan</a>
</td>
<td width="131">
MAC
</td>
<td width="87">
Div I
</td>
<td width="87">
194.45
</td>
<td width="87">
195.275
</td>
<td width="149">
<a href="http://roadtonationals.com/results/team.php?yr=2016#pages/meets.php?t=30&yr=2016">Iowa State</a>
</td>
<td width="131">
Big 12
</td>
<td width="87">
Div I
</td>
<td width="87">
194.431
</td>
<td width="87">
195.65
</td>
<td width="149">
<a href="http://roadtonationals.com/results/team.php?yr=2016#pages/meets.php?t=36&yr=2016">Maryland-College Park</a>
</td>
<td width="131">
Big Ten
</td>
<td width="87">
Div I
</td>
<td width="87">
194.35
</td>
<td width="87">
195.5
</td>
<td width="149">
<a href="http://roadtonationals.com/results/team.php?yr=2016#pages/meets.php?t=74&yr=2016">Western Michigan</a>
</td>
<td width="131">
MAC
</td>
<td width="87">
Div I
</td>
<td width="87">
194.292
</td>
<td width="87">
195.275
</td>
<td width="149">
<a href="http://roadtonationals.com/results/team.php?yr=2016#pages/meets.php?t=44&yr=2016">North Carolina State</a>
</td>
<td width="131">
EAGL
</td>
<td width="87">
Div I
</td>
<td width="87">
194.267
</td>
<td width="87">
194.7
</td>
<td width="149">
<a href="http://roadtonationals.com/results/team.php?yr=2016#pages/meets.php?t=32&yr=2016">Kent State</a>
</td>
<td width="131">
MAC
</td>
<td width="87">
Div I
</td>
<td width="87">
194.125
</td>
<td width="87">
195.15
</td>
<td width="149">
<a href="http://roadtonationals.com/results/team.php?yr=2016#pages/meets.php?t=38&yr=2016">Michigan State</a>
</td>
<td width="131">
Big Ten
</td>
<td width="87">
Div I
</td>
<td width="87">
193.888
</td>
<td width="87">
195.275
</td>
<td width="149">
<a href="http://roadtonationals.com/results/team.php?yr=2016#pages/meets.php?t=65&yr=2016">UC Davis</a>
</td>
<td width="131">
MPSF
</td>
<td width="87">
Div I
</td>
<td width="87">
193.719
</td>
<td width="87">
194.75
</td>
<td width="149">
<a href="http://roadtonationals.com/results/team.php?yr=2016#pages/meets.php?t=45&yr=2016">Northern Illinois</a>
</td>
<td width="131">
MAC
</td>
<td width="87">
Div I
</td>
<td width="87">
193.606
</td>
<td width="87">
194.675
</td>
<td width="149">
<a href="http://roadtonationals.com/results/team.php?yr=2016#pages/meets.php?t=11&yr=2016">Bowling Green</a>
</td>
<td width="131">
MAC
</td>
<td width="87">
Div I
</td>
<td width="87">
193.519
</td>
<td width="87">
194.525
</td>
<td width="149">
<a href="http://roadtonationals.com/results/team.php?yr=2016#pages/meets.php?t=35&yr=2016">Lindenwood</a>
</td>
<td width="131">
MIC
</td>
<td width="87">
Div II
</td>
<td width="87">
193.28
</td>
<td width="87">
195.325
</td>
<td width="149">
<a href="http://roadtonationals.com/results/team.php?yr=2016#pages/meets.php?t=56&yr=2016">San Jose State</a>
</td>
<td width="131">
MPSF
</td>
<td width="87">
Div I
</td>
<td width="87">
193.225
</td>
<td width="87">
194.875
</td>
<td width="149">
<a href="http://roadtonationals.com/results/team.php?yr=2016#pages/meets.php?t=12&yr=2016">Bridgeport</a>
</td>
<td width="131">
ECAC-2
</td>
<td width="87">
Div II
</td>
<td width="87">
193.206
</td>
<td width="87">
194.175
</td>
<td width="149">
</td>
<td width="131">
</td>
<td width="87">
</td>
<td width="87">
</td>
<td width="87">
</td>
Article by: Maria Layton
Photo cover: Ashleigh Gnat via LSU Gymnastics