This year’s Nastia Liukin Cup Series will be comprised of 12 meets, each of which will qualify one senior gymnast (aged 16 or older) and one junior (15 or younger) to the 12th Nastia Liukin Cup in Indianapolis on Feb. 26.
This week’s final meet of the NLC series was the Jaycie Phelps Midwest Showdown
Jaycie Phelps Midwest Showdown
Winner (senior division): Nikki Smith (38.775)
Winner (junior division): Gabriella Van Frayen (38.450)
Michigan State commit Nikki Smith clinched the final senior qualification spot to this year’s NLC. She had a solid competition, which included a 9.850 on vault and a 9.750 on floor. She edged Ball State signee Ariana Gilley (38.550), who posted a 9.925 on bars, and Oklahoma signee Danielle Sievers (38.475), who struggled on bars but posted a 9.950 on floor and a perfect 10.0 on vault. The fourth highest qualifier was the final junior NLC qualifier, Gabriella Van Frayen, in the class of 2025, who dominated the junior field and posted a 9.775 on bars.
Scores: VT: 9.850 | UB: 9.650 | BB: 9.525 | FX: 9.750 | AA: 38.775
- Club: Euro Stars
- College: Michigan State
- High School Graduation Year: 2022
- CGN Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Notable Results: 2019 Region 5 vault and floor champion and 2020 NLC beam champion
- Previous NLC Appearances: 2020 (senior, 10th place)
Gabriella Van Frayen
Scores: VT: 9.575 | UB: 9.775 | BB: 9.500 | FX: 9.600 | AA: 38.450
- Club: Gym X-Treme
- High School Graduation Year: 2025
- Notable Results: 2019 Ohio state all around champion
- Previous NLC Appearances: N/A
READ THIS NEXT: Nastia Liukin Cup Series: Week 5
Article by Talitha Ilacqua
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