LIVE BLOG: NCAA Nationals Super Six

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The big day has arrived! Super Six is finally here, and we are primed and ready to go. Oklahoma, LSU, UCLA, Florida, Utah and Nebraska have made it to this final stage of competition. While it may be Oklahoma’s championship to lose, it won’t take a fall or even a true mishap for another team to overtake them. We saw it in semifinal one yesterday with Alabama – if you get lost in 9.85 world instead of pushing for the 9.9s, you get overtaken. UCLA and LSU seem the most likely to be able to overtake, but if Florida can finally figure out floor, it, too, could be in the mix. Utah might need a little luck after the way yesterday went, but crazier things have happened. And Nebraska, though it’s probably just happy to be here, has already shown that it has upset potential. If the Huskers have a clean day while everyone else falls apart, it could be a whole different ball game. It all comes down to this! And we’ll be taking you through every minute.

5:20pm: Some interesting tidbits from warmups if you haven’t been watching our Insta story:

  • Florida has warmed up its whole lineup except for the lead spot, and now Gowey and Foberg seem to be competing at the end of warmups to see who gets to lead. Jury is still out there.
  • Myia Hambrick just warmed up her best Y1.5 of the weekend but looked a little tentative on beam.
  • LSU warmed up Edwards and Harrold on floor in addition to their lineup six.
  • Nebraska is here to have fun, y’all, and basically all of them are in space buns. Also, Megan Schweihofer is serving us Ivana Hong triceratops hair.
  • Oklahoma’s new motto today (their third of the season?) is Good Vibes Only and they’re looking looser than I’ve ever seen them.
  • UCLA had a dance party during their floor warmup, including a dance-through from Honest, which will be the last floor of her career.
  • Utah paid close attention to their details on beam after yesterday’s mishaps and looked like they might have been doing pressure sets on vault? Hard to say.

5:33pm: Warmups are officially over and gymnasts are back in the locker rooms. The place is starting to fill up a little better than yesterday. Biggest cheering section I think is a tie between OU and Utah, but UCLA has a good contingent put together as well.

5:53pm: Walk-in is happening now guys! Get hype!

6:09pm: Rotation 1 guys! Let’s go!

Skaggs, UF VT: FTY, bounce back.

Breen, Neb UB: A clean routine from what little I saw, DLO dismount bounce forward.

Catour, OU BB: Secure on series, very patient. Cat leap to switch side, lovely. Cat leap to front aerial, clean. Gainer tuck full, stuck!

Lewis, Utah FX: double pike to open, great height. Combo pass, a little short and bouncy but covers well. Double tuck, clean.

6:10pm: Hundley, VT: FTY, little itty bitty hop. One of her best this year.

6:12pm: Foberg, VT: FTY, small shuffle.

Roby, UB: Gorgeous Jaeger, great height. Pak is good. Hollow DLO, step back.

Showers, BB: Bobble on series but stays on. Straight jump to swing down, so fun. Leap series is good. Gainer full, stuck! Excellent.

Lee, FX: 2.5 twist to open, good control. Front lay to front full, good. Double full to loso, juuuust stays in bounds. Cleaner than Lewis.

6:14pm: Boren, VT: Y1.5, small hop forward. Better than warmups for sure.

Schweihofer, UB: Gorgeous flared piked Jaeger directly to overshoot. Sounds like a stick from here.

Lehrmann, BB: Most underrated beam on the squad, IMO. Cat leap to switch side, lovely. Oh no! Fell on series. Gets back up, doesn’t repeat. Sticks her gainer full.

6:15pm: Slocum, VT: BIG handspring pike half, little slide back.

Epperson, UB: Missed this entirely but she went 9.775.

Reinstadtler, FX: Opens with double tuck, good control. 1.5 to front lay, no rise in the second skill but covers well. Double pike to close. Her lines are sooo pretty.

6:17pm: McMurtry, VT: DTY, bounce back. Bigger than most of her teammates.

Houchin, UB: Some kind of hiccup right off the top, I missed what it was. Veeeeery patient with the bail, almost went over but saves it without any arching. Step on dismount.

Brown, BB: Front aerial to bhs bhs, good. Split position on her connection was a little wonky but gets it up to 180 and gets it all the way around. Gainer full, shuffle of the feet.

Soloski, FX: DLO! Glad I watched that closer today, I missed it yesterday. Missed her second pass but definitely a hit. 1.5 twist to front lay, solid. I see her being a force on floor for Utah in the future.

6:21pm: Crouse, UB: Missed it but I heard the crowd gasp. Score will reveal what that was about, I’m hoping. Yup, 9.5875. The nerves got to Nebraska and they’re already probably out of it.

Webb, BB: Bhs loso, dead on. Front aerial, little bobble. Side aerial back full, stick!

Merrell-Giles, FX: Opens with piked full-in, very nice! 1.5 twist to front lay front pike, good. Last pass into straddle jump, good control. Another solid one for Utah.

6:24pm: Nichols, BB: Front aerial to split jump, secure. Bhs loso, little check but keeps it small. Switch to split, great positions in the air. Roundoff 1.5 twist, stick! Oklahoma avoids disaster.

Skinner, FX: Double double, great control. 1.5 twist through to double full, good. Full in to close, crazy the power she has. Utah crowd goes bonkers.

Alrighty, after rotation one, Oklahoma is ahead, with Florida close on their heels

OU: 49.4250
Florida: 49.4125
Utah: 49.1875
Neb: 48.8250

6:35pm: Rotation 2 tiiiiime!

Reinstadtler, Utah VT: FTY, little shuffle.

Durante, LSU UB: ooh Hecht mount a little wild but saves it. release is nice. Pak a little close but good. short last handstand. Sticks dismount!

Roby, Neb BB: Leap series a little tight but gets through okay. Sticks dismount! Missed her series

Kocian, UCLA FX: Front double full, nice! 1.5 twist to front lay, good. Last pass to ring stag, solid.

6:37pm: Lee, VT: FTY, stick! wow.

Hambrick, UB: Ray huge as usual. Bail good. Looked a little labored going back up. Full in STUCK cold! These girls are getting sticky feet already.

6:38pm: Lewis, VT: FTY, little shuffle back.

Harrold, UB: Zuchold hit! Less arch than yesterday too. Jaeger nice. Double front, looked like a shuffle to me.

Epperson, BB: Series clean. That’s all I saw, sorry guys. Score says she fell, though.

Kramer, FX: Front double full to punch front, nice. 1.5 twist to front lay, great control. She is so aggressive tonight, I love it. Rudi to that LA 2028 jump you see as our header picture, haha. Another good one!

6:40pm: Tessen, VT: Y1.5, big hop forward but way more centered than yesterday or in warmups.

Edney, UB: Hindorff a little conservative tonight but good. Bail solid. DLO stuck like glue! LSU came to play tonight.

Schweihofer, BB: Leaps series is good. Missed her series but stuck her double full dismount!

Ross, FX: Whip double back to open, great control there. 1.5 twist to front lay also good! Double pike to close, aaaand takes it to her knees. Not what they needed.

6:42pm: Merrell-Giles, VT: Y1.5, deep landing, hop forward.

Priessman, UB: Tkachev to pak a little wild but fine. DLO, looked like a little slide back to me.

6:43pm: Skinner, VT: DTY, slide back. Not as good as yesterday.

Finnegan, UB: Ray is huuuuuuge but overarches her handstand the wrong way! Stays on but yikes. Bail is fine. DLO stuck. That could’ve been really badddddd but they’ve had good scores so far.

Houchin, BB: Side aerial secure. Stuck double full. Missed the beginning because Finnegan.

Tratz, FX: Full in, nice! 1.5 twist to front lay good. She works this routine, man. Double tuck, great control. A good reset for UCLA.

6:48pm: Breen, BB: One-handed bhs loso steady. Leap series secure, missed what it was. Roundoff 1.5, stuck! Well done.

Hano, FX: DLO stuck! Combo pass to running man, a little wilder than yesterday but the choreo helps disguise it. Double pike, great awareness to keep her heel up and stay in bounds.

6:51pm: Williams, BB: Triple series gorgeous! Leap series secure. Stuck dismount! That’s what Nebraska needed to get their momentum back.

Ohashi, FX: DLO, bouncy but stays in bounds. Marathon pass – 1.5 to front half to split jump to punch front to drop split – always amazes me. UCLA crowd contingent doing some of the choreo with her, love that. Front full to front half to drop split, nailed it! That’ll be a big one.

Okay, after two rotations, here’s what it looks like:

Utah: 98.2625
Nebraska: 97.3000
LSU: 49.4750
UCLA: 49.4625
Oklahoma: 49.4250
Florida: 49.4125

Oh, y’all. This is gonna be close.

7:00pm: Rooootation 3! The tension and energy in here is so high!

Dennis, UCLA VT: FTY, college stick but looked a little short.

Boren, UF UB: completely missed the fact that she had started. Bail was fine, college stick out of her DLO.

Macadaeg, LSU BB: Bhs loso, big bobble and break at the hips. Gainer full stuck. Missed her leaps but clearly the nerves got to her.

Showers, OU FX: Double pike, a little bouncy tonight. Front full front lay, good. Whip half to front full, big smile.

7:02pm:A Glenn, VT: FTY, stuck! UCLA needed that.

Skaggs, UB: Tkachev to pak is super dynamic, love. Sticks dismount!

7:04pm: Tratz, VT: FTY, bounce back.

Hundley, UB: Maloney to pak, nice and floaty, good. Van Leeuwen with some leg sep. Sounds lieka s tick from over here.

Hambrick, BB: Hitchkick to side aerial, good. Series secure! Double full stuck! LSU resetting and building back up.

Schoepfer, FX: Missed opening pass but sounded like a hit. Combo pass good. Double pike to finish, great control there. OU crowd going bonkers!

7:05pm: Ross, VT: FTY, little shuffle if that. UCLA is on fiiiiire.

Gowey, UB: Ray good. Pak lovely. DLO, little slide back.

Edney, BB: Front aerial, little arm swing but tries to make it look less like a check. Bhs loso, perfectly solid. Piked front toss, so straight up. Roundoff 1.5, little shuffle forward.

Dowell, FX: Double front, yes! Little hop forward. Middle pass, love that jump out. Front lay to front full, great control!

7:06pm: Hano, VT: Y1.5, cross step over.

Foberg, UB: caught this at the Gienger with bad leg sep, but stuck her dismount!

7:08pm: Hall, VT: Y1.5, little slide forward.

McMurtry, UB: Ray great air. Bail solid, maybe a little shy? Only saw it for a split second. Sticks full in cold! Florida keeping it close, too, wow. Huge score, 9.975!

Desiderio, BB: Bhs loso, lean to the side but keeps it small. Leap series clean. Missed dismount but definitely hit.

Jackson, FX: Big open full in, ugh and she goes out of bounds. Whip half to Rudi, better control there. Whip half front full, solid. Her last floor, ugh my heart.

7:10pm: Campbell, BB: Press handstand mount – heart eyes galore. Front aerial to bhs, nice quick connection today. Back tuck to split jump, good. Switch to switch half, a little short on the half but I’m being picky.

Webb, FX: Front double full, great control. Love her intensity in this choreo. 1.5 to front full, nice. Back leg a little short on second split jump. Rudi, great! Another strong one.

7:12pm: Finnegan, BB: Wolf turn good. Bhs loso, solid. Switch to switch half, gorgeous. Side somi, secure, better than yesterday. Side aerial to back full, stuck!

7:15pm: Nichols, FX: Piked full in to open, better form than yesterday. Front full to front layout stepout. Great split positions. Double pike to finish, great control. Another great one from Maggie, she’s such a star. OU crowd chanting 10 and giving 10 hands.

At the halfway point, Oklahoma leads! But it is SO CLOSE.

Oklahoma: 99.0125
Florida: 98.9500
LSU: 98.8625
UCLA: 98.6875
Utah: 98.2625
Nebraska: 98.1000

Everyone is basically within a point of each other. The top four are separated by less than four tenths. FOUR. Oklahoma will need to drill vault and Florida will HAVE to have it together on beam and floor, and LSU will need to have it together on floor and vault. But honestly it’s anyone’s game.

7:23pm: Rotation 4! I love the drama.

Lehrmann, OU VT: FTY, little slide back with feet apart.

Lewis, Utah UB: Missed first release, but bail was good and DLO stuck!

Hundley, UF BB: Front aerial good, looks much more relaxed than yesterday. Series good. Cat leap to switch side, solid. Roundoff 1.5, college stick.

Epperson, Neb FX: Front double full to open, good. 1.5 twist to front lay, good control. Rudi to finish, excellent.

7:27pm: Showers, VT: FTY, slide back.

7:28pm: Dowell, VT: Y1.5, bend on the landing but basically just stands up. Maybe a scoot forward.

Merrell-Giles, UB: Deltchev was nice. Missed the rest but definitely a hit.

Skaggs, BB: Bhs loso secure. Leaps solid. Side aerial back full, stuck!

Roby, FX: Full in a little short and chest low, but pops right up .1.5 to front lay, good. Double tuck to finish, two foot stick! Good showing for her.

7:30pm: Jackson, VT: Y1.5, little scoot back.

Reinstadtler, UB: huge Jaeger! Bail good. Full in, slide back.

7:31pm: Degouveia, VT: Y1.5, little scoot forward.

Lee, UB: Piked Jaeger directly to overshoot, nice. Double tuck, step back.

Boren, BB: front toss, solid. Series had too much momentum but she was patient with it, just brought her front foot in rather than bobbling. Leap series good. Cat leap to gainer loso, nice. Maybe a little shuffle on dismount? Hard to see from here

Orel, FX: Double pike to open, good. Double tuck, good control. 1.5 to front half to double stag, good! Nebraska is back on track, good for them.

7:32pm: Nichols, VT: Y1.5, WOW basically stuck from where I’m sitting.

Tessen, UB: Bail good. Missed her single bar release. Dismount was stuck it looked like?

Gowey, BB: Leap series good. Bhs loso loso, totally patient and secure. Front aerial good. Gainer layout stuck! Florida building and building here.

Williams, FX: Double pike to open, solid. Front lay to Rudi, nice! Double tuck to finish, good. She’s been so clutch for them this weekend, Brooks is clearly pleased, ha.

7:36pm: Skinner, UB: Maloney to bail, good. Full in stuck! Good for her.

Baumann, BB: Onodi, gorgeous. Bhs loso, totally steady. Switch to split, good. Front aerial, snaps those arms down. So confident. Roundoff 1.5 twist stuck! Well done.

Crouse, FX: Front double full to punch front, super floaty. 1.5 to front half to straight jump to knee. Straddle positions lovely. Rudi loso, again floats it down, one of her best. Nebraska killing it on floor.

7:39pm: McMurtry, BB: Cat leap to front toss, solid. Bhs loso and she falls! THis is not what Florida wanted right now. Gets back on, deep breath. Cat leap to shush to back hip circle, good. Roundoff double full stick. Today, of all days, just… this isn’t how you want it to happen.

Schweihofer, FX: Full in, great control. Front lay to Rudi, nice. Not giving as much fierceness as yesterday but she’s doing well. Double tuck, good. Great comeback for Nebraska, man.

Okay, so after three, we have…

Oklahoma: 148.5000
Florida: 148.2875
Utah: 147.5500
Nebraska: 147.5000
LSU: 98.8625
UCLA: 98.6875

It would take a huge floor rotation for Florida now to overtake Oklahoma on bars, and LSU and UCLA need a 49.6375 to tie Oklahoma. That’s an achievable score at home, but at Nationals? Oklahoma may not be catchable at this point. The catchable story here though is Nebraska coming back to potentially not be last, after counting a 9.5875 in the first rotation. The Huskers are only .05 behind Utah – definitely a doable margin.

7:49pm: Rotation 5! Here we go!

Roby, Neb VT: FTY, a little low and step back.

Dennis, UCLA UB: Missed her releases but definitely a hit. DLO slide back.

Stover, Utah BB: Missed most of this, dismount was good, but seems like a hit.

Kirby, LSU FX: Front lay to Rudi, a little bouncy but keeps it small. Double back, nice. Front lay front full, solid.

7:51pm: Williams, VT: FTY, stick! Nicely done.

Honest, UB: Tkachev, great height. Straddle back, good handstand. Full in, stuck! One of her better ones.

Merrell-Giles, BB: Leap series secure, nice split position. Triple series, and she’s good. Front aerial to beat, solid.

Desiderio, FX: DLO, piked down a little at the end. Front through to double tuck, solid. Double pike to close, nice!

7:53pm: Epperson, VT: FTY, fights for the stick but I don’t think she got it.

A Glenn, UB: Transitions clean. Double tuck, steps back I think.

Soloski, BB: Messy but no fall, didn’t catch most of this. 9.7375.

Priessman, FX: Low on full in, combo pass fine, double tuck was super short but stayed in bounds with it. I had more but WordPress ate it ughhhh

7:55pm: OKAY WordPress just glitched out but Peng got a 10, Edney did one of the best floors I’ve seen from her, and Crouse and Houchin hit their Y1.5s. Crouse would’ve won vault last night if she’d done that last night.

8:01pm: Ross, Maloney to bail, suuuuuper patient not to go over. Toe shoot fine. Last handstand has to do the same thing and is sooo still, wow. Sticks her DLO!

Reinstadtler, BB: Great routine, clean, hop on the dismount though. Didn’t catch anything else, sorry.

Finnegan, FX: 1.5 through to 2.5 is lovely as always. Double tuck, good. Nails double pike! I would’ve blogged this better but I was dealing with the glitch.

8:03pm: Skinner, BB: Bhs loso, super secure. Switch to straddle to back tuck, solid, snaps her arms down. Roundoff double tuck, tiny slide forward.

Hambrick, FX: DLO great! I think the podium helps her not have to pike as much. 2.5 to punch front, step forward. Double pike, great control. Love this routine!

Okay, so going into the final rotation, it’ll be so close to the end here.

Utah: 196.9000
Nebraska: 196.8000
Oklahoma: 148.5000
LSU: 148.3750
UCLA: 148.3250
Florida: 148.2875

Nebraska came up just shy of passing Utah, but hitting a high 196 after such a disaster starting out is something to be proud of. And Utah is the leader in the clubhouse, but they should be passed easily by the rest of these teams. It’s going to come down to the wire on this, you guys.

8:14pm: Last one best one let’s goooo!

Finnegan, LSU VT: FTY, little slide back.

Webb, OU UB: Release was good. Missed bail. Double front, step.

G Glenn, UCLA BB: Clean from what I saw. Stuck dismount!

Gowey, UF FX: Double pike, a little bouncy. Double tuck also bouncy but stayed in. 1.5 to front lay, sigh of relief. I think they switched the order of her passes.

8:16pm: Edwards, VT: Y1.5, STUCK! stuck dead cold.

Showers, UB: that Shushunova (sorry I misspoke yesterday) is so fun! Bail is good. Full in, stuck! OU not going down easy.

8:17pm: Harrold, VT: Y1.5, step forward. one of her good ones.

Catour, UB: Gorgeous Ray. Missed the transition. DLO stuck!

Kocian, BB: Bhs loso, and she falls! Leap series clean. Stuck dismount.

McMurtry, FX: Triple twist, yes! The best one she’s done this year. Front lay front full, super floaty. Double tuck, gets it just right. Jenny says it every week, Alex rises to the occasion when they need her, and this was when it really counted.

8:19pm: Cannamela, VT: FTY, basically stuck from where I sit. LSU pushing for this!

8:20pm: Hambrick, VT: Y1.5, team is reacting like she stuck but I missed it.

Dowell, UB: Ray is huge! Bail strong. DLO stuck.

Nguyen, BB: Front aerial to loso, good. Switch to split, nice extension. Switch side good. Punch front full, good.

Slocum, FX: does the DLO! Aww but it’s a ankle cruncher. Front full front pike, good. Rudi to close, nice! Florida keeping the momentum going.

8:21pm: Edney, VT: Y1.5, too much energy and a big lunge forward.

Lehrmann, UB: Release was gorgeous. Bail good. Maybe short on the last handstand. Full in, has to swim for the stick but I think she gets it.

Ohashi, BB: Leaps lovely. Series hit. Bhs bhs back full, stuck!

Boren, FX: DLO, basically stuck! 1.5 to front lay, good control. Double tuck, nails it. Florida feeling the fire!

8:23pm: Nichols, UB: Church, nice. Pak super floaty straight toe on. Van Leeuwen, good, maybe a little weirdness in the following kip though? DLO stuck.

8:25pm: Ross, BB: Bhs loso, so steady. Switch to split, nice. Side aerial back full, stuck!

Baumann, FX: Double tuck, two foot stick! Good girl. 1.5 to front full, such pretty twisting form. Team is going crazy for her in corner. Double pike to finish, big air. This is so close, oh my gosh.

8:28pm: Lee, BB: Double turn to beat to split, good. Bhs 2 foot layout, dances right out of it, she’s so slick. Side aerila, back full stuck!

Hundley, FX: Whip double tuck, little bit bouncy. I don’t think Florida can catch even with a 10 now though. Double pike, much steadier. 1.5 to front lay, hit.

Scores are finally in – UCLA IS YOUR NATIONAL CHAMPION! PENG GOT A 10!

After it’s all said and done, your final scores:

UCLA: 198.0750
Oklahoma: 198.0375
Florida: 197.8500
LSU: 197.8375
Utah: 196.9000
Nebraska: 196.8000

The tightness between 1-2, 3-4, and 5-6 is absolutely insane, this was such an incredible atmosphere down to the photo finish. Congratulations to all the competitors today, this was an amazing meet to be a part of. We’ll have more from UCLA at the press conference after, so look for our recaps by tomorrow! Thanks for being a part of our nationals coverage, y’all, and don’t forget – we’ll have plenty for you gymfans out there throughout the offseason too!

Live blog by Caroline Medley

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