2016 NCAA: Week 10 Recap

This week  marked the last official regular season meet before the conference championships usher in the post-season.

The teams of the Big Ten conference concluded the regular season by competing for the coveted spots in the evening session of next week’s Big Ten Championships. The first session, Minnesota beat out Michigan for the top spot and the Big Ten Regular Season Championship title and securing a spot in the evening session. The Gophers also secured their highest score of the season with 197.425. Lindsay Mable finished with a second place all-around finish, securing a 9.925 on floor for a three-way tie for the floor title with Olivia Karas of Michigan and Alie Glover of Iowa. Minnesota secured their win on beam, scoring a huge 49.675, secured by 10.00 from Hanna Nordquist who showed beautiful variety and difficulty, opening with an aerial cartwheel to layout step out. She showed perfect positions and amplitudes on her splits in her leaps and jumps. Minnesota’s solid performance boosted them to #16 in the rankings, up three spots from their # 19 spot last week.

Penn State took second, also securing a spot in the evening session. Scoring a 197.125, behind Minnesota’s 197.425.  They started off on bars, securing a 49.325, anchored by Kiera Brown. Penn State also scored their highest score of the season, scoring above 49 on every event.

Michigan struggled for the second week in a row on beam, only scoring a 48.900, only 0.10 higher than they scored last week against Utah.  But several uncharacteristic mistakes cost them the meet. They came away with a 196.875. The normally steady Nicole Artz fell on her piked Jaeger, scored only a 9.125 on bars. Luckily, they were able to drop her score, but troubles on beam ensued when she crashed her dismount on her knee, scoring only a 9.450. Michigan was forced to count Artz’s score when Talia Chiarelli fell and received a 9.275. After a bye before floor, Michigan composed themselves enough to finish strong on floor. Olivia Karas received a huge 9.925, landing her opening double Arabian pass with ease.  Talia Chiarelli came back from her beam blunder to earn a 9.9.  Artz scratched on floor since the total of the five previous scores earned Michigan a 49.425, the highest team floor total of the session.

Luckily, the Wolverines squeaked into the evening session with the fourth highest qualifying score. Nebraska, Michigan State and Ohio State earned a spot in the evening session after solid finishes at the second Big Five qualifying session. Nebraska took the first place spot in their session, scoring 197.000. Starting on vault, the team improved their total on each event to top Michigan’s floor score from the earlier session with a 49.475, secured with a 9.925 from Hollie Blanske, opening with a huge double layout. Nebraska also got a boost in rankings to # 12, just behind California at # 11. Michigan State took second, with a season high of 196.350, lead by Lisa Burt in the all-around who took second behind Nebraska’s Danielle Breen, with a 39.375.

In Texas, LSU secured their # 3 ranking with their second highest season road score of 197.825 in a quad meet against Oregon State, New Hampshire and Texas Women’s University. Returning to competition since injuring herself several weeks ago, Lexie Priessman celebrated by matching her highest bar score on of 9.925. Ashleigh Gnat ended her regular season with her fifth perfect ten of the season on floor.  Oregon State finished second with their highest road score of 196.550. Maddie Gardiner took second in the all-around behind LSU’s Myia Hambrick.

Auburn closed out their regular season at home, winning against Arizona with a solid 197.175, placing them at # 6 in the rankings.  Last year, Auburn made the Super Six final for the first time since 1993. This year, the team has made it their mission to prove that they belong in the upper echelon of NCAA gymnastics teams. As a team, they have really risen to the occasion to prove their worth. They fought through injuries that took out two of their star performers, but made use of their incredible depth to fight the odds.

They upset reigning SEC champions Alabama at home and also challenged the legacy that is Georgia on their home turf. Senior Caitlyn Atkinson ended her career at home with an all-around title, earned with a huge 39.725, scoring 9.9 and above on all four events., winning the event title on all events. Arizona State in their second meet since head coach, Renee Lyst was put on indefinite administrative leave.  The Devils scored a 193.275, below their RQS of 194.905. However, Taylor Allex provided solid performances on vault, beam and floor, tying Caitlin Atkinson for the vault title with a 9.9, performing a huge Yurchenko one and a half. On bars, Carissa Crause tied for third with Auburn’s Abby Milliet, earning the highest bars score for ASU, a 9.85. Heather Udowitch had the best beam performance for ASU, scoring a 9.8.

In Gainsville, Florida showed their dominance over North Carolina earning the third 198 plus score of the season (and their second) with 198.050. After a couple of weeks of subpar performances, senior Bridget Sloan got her groove back, matching her season high all-around score with a 39.775, earning her second perfect 10 of the season on the floor exercise. Alex McMurtry earned the fifth perfect ten of the season for Florida on the uneven bars. However, on the beam, it was North Carolina’s Morgan Lane who stole the show and the balance beam title, opening with a beautiful press handstand mount to immediate two layout-step out series and ended with a round off to one and a half twist.

The ten-fest of the weekend continued at Utah’s home finale against Georgia. Senior Breanna Hughes finished her regular season career with a perfect ten on floor. Utah concluded their regular season with a win against Georgia with 197.675. Georgia finished with a solid 197.125. Georgia outscored Utah on vault and beam, with a 49.375 and 49.350. Brittany Rogers of Georgia took home the vault title with a 9.925 for her Yurchenko one and a half and Mary Beth Box won beam with a 9.95. Their performance boosted Georgia up to # 8 in the ranking just behind # 7 Michigan.

Pushed down to # 9, UCLA lost for the second time this week at home against Oklahoma.  UCLA suffered their first home loss last weekend at their tri-meet against Georgia and Stanford.  Oklahoma proved that they are the # 1 team in the NCAA, beating UCLA by 0.550 with a 197.950 -197.200. Oklahoma looked like they are ready for the post season. They were incredibly polished on every event, counting scores of 9.825 and higher.

Hunter Price made her official competition debut on vault for Oklahoma, earning a 9.9 for a handspring front pike half vault, taking the vault title.  UCLA tried to keep up, but they were no match for the Sooners.  Stefani Catour also competed for the first time in an official capacity for Oklahoma, earning a 9.925 on bars and a 9.95 on beam.  On floor, Haley Scaman and AJ Jackson earned a 9.95 in a five way tie for the floor title with UCLA’s Sadiqua Bynum, Danusia Francis and Angi Cipra. Both Scaman and Jackson showed beautiful difficulty, Scaman opened her floor routine with a beautiful double layout, and showed lovely variety and elegance with her middle pass, a Rudi to layout step out. Jackson opened with her chalk dust blowing choreography to double full.

However, UCLA had standout performances from Janay Honest on bars, who tied McKenzie Wofford for the bars title with a 9.95. Katelyn Ohashi had UCLA’s highest beam score of 9.9. She showed huge difficulty with a triple series of back-handspring, back-handspring to two-foot layout.  Katelyn sealed the deal with her dismount series of back-handspring to layout step-out to full, changed from her round off double pike dismount that she injured herself on against Arizona. Mikaela Gerber was solid as always in the lead off spot, scoring a 9.8.

However, Sonya Meraz fell on her back-handspring, back-handspring to layout step-out series, and landed on her knee.  She opted not to finish her routine, earning a zero. She opted to repeat her routine at the end of the rotation, citing distraction from flash photography. However, when she repeated the routine, she was not centered on the layout step out and had a big balance check and ultimately came off the beam, earning only a 9.075. The Bruins were able to drop Meraz’s score and earned a beam total of 49.225.

In Seattle, Washington closed out their regular season meet at home with a win in a tri-meet against Denver and Seattle Pacific. Senior Allison Northey closed out her career at Washington with a win in the all-around over # 3 ranked Nina McGee. Northey earned a solid 39.5 for the second week in a row and she earned her highest vault score of 9.9, with a flawless Yurchenko full. Kaitlyn Duranczyk earned the bars title with a 9.9, performing a giant half to huge straddle Jaeger, and dismounted with a stuck double layout. Washington earned a season high of 196.350, allowing them to drop a 195.350 from their February 27^th meet at Arizona. This allowed Washington to count scores of all 196 and above in their RQS. For Denver, Nina McGee took her final regular season floor title of her collegiate career, earning a 9.925 for her stunning performance. On bars, senior Katie Menhinick matched her season best of 9.85, dismounting with a beautiful double layout. For Seattle Pacific, senior Maria Hundley was beautiful on the beam with a 9.825 and Alexis Harger earned SPU’s highest floor score of 9.825.

This coming week, it is the official close of the regular season with the conference championships. Friday, it is the NCGA Team National Championships, featuring Brockport State, Cortland State, Ithaca, Rhode Island College, Springfield College, University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire, Stout, Oshkosh and Whitewater (USA Gymnastics program, Divisions II & III schools).

Week 11

Friday, March 18

TBA ET/TBA PT – Brockport State, Cortland State, Ithaca College, Rhode Island College, Springfield College, Ursinus College, UW-Eau Claire, UW-Oshkosh, UW-Stout, UW-Whitewater @ (NCGA Team National Championships)

Saturday, March 19

SEC Championships @ Arkansas featuring– Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Missouri , Afternoon Session 11:00 PT/2:00 ET; Evening Session 3:00 PT/6:00 ET

Pac-12 Championships @ Washington featuring– Arizona, Arizona State, California, Oregon State, Stanford, UCLA, Utah & Washington Afternoon Session 1:00 PT/4:00 ET, Evening Session 6:00 PT/9:00 ET

Big Ten Championships @ Nebraska, featuring Illinois-Champaign, Iowa, Maryland-College Park, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Ohio State, Penn State, Rutgers & Nebraska , Morning Session 12:00 ET/9:00 PT, Afternoon Session 2:00 PT/5:00 ET

TBA ET/TBA PT – Southern Conn., West Chester @ Bridgeport (ECAC Championship) Division II

12:00 ET/9:00 PT – Brown, Cornell, Pennsylvania, Temple, Yale @ William & Mary ECAC Championship- Division I

2:00 ET/11:00 PT – Bowling Green, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Kent State, Northern Illinois, Western Michigan @ Ball State (MAC Championships)

2:00 ET/11:00 PT – George Washington, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Towson @ Pittsburgh (EAGL Championships)

5:00 ET/2:00 PT – Centenary College, Illinois State, Lindenwood, Texas Woman’s, UIC @ S.E. Missouri (MIC Championship)

5:00 ET/2:00 PT – Denver, Iowa State, Oklahoma, West Virginia @ (Big 12 Championship) @ Dr. Pepper Arena, Frisco, TX

8:00 ET/5:00 PT – BYU, Southern Utah, Utah State @ Boise State (MRGC Championships)

9:00 ET/6:00 PT – Air Force, Alaska, San Jose State, Seattle Pacific, UC Davis @ Sacramento State (MPSF Championships)

Rankings week 10, via roadtonationals.com

Schedule, via roadtonationals.com

Article by: Maria Layton

Photo cover source

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