Past Events

This meet has been postponed. Maryland will now compete with Illinois at Rutgers.

Preview

Current Rankings: Arizona at No. 6 Utah

Why You Should Clear Space on Your DVR: Until a few uncharacteristic falls and wobbles on beam took them out of contention in its final rotation last week against Oklahoma, Utah showed that it has realistic national title hopes this season after staying right with the Sooners for a majority of the meet. The Utes should be able to bounce back well at home against an Arizona team making its season debut, giving us an early look at if the Wildcats will be able to challenge for a spot in the top half of the Pac-12 this year.

You Can Fast Forward, but not Through This: Arizona lost a majority of its high scoring routines from last season, so keep an eye on freshmen Jessica Castles and Elena Deets as the Wildcats look for new lineups options in 2021. Utah’s Maile O’Keefe is off to a hot start this season, ranking second on beam and seventh in the all around in the country for the Utes, who have also been getting great contributions from sophomore Jaedyn Rucker after missing her freshman season with injury.

Preview

Current Rankings: No. 15 Arizona State at UCLA

Why You Should Clear Space on Your DVR: This meet will be UCLA’s season debut, as well as its first competition since the graduation of its exceptional senior class last summer. This year’s preseason coaches poll ranked the Bruins No. 7 in the nation, despite finishing third in the national rankings last year. It will be interesting to see whether the prediction is accurate or if the Bruins will defeat the odds and prove to be national title contenders. Unlike UCLA, this meet will be Arizona State’s third after competing against Oklahoma and BYU in the past two weeks. After struggling, especially on beam, in week one, ASU came back strong last week, outscoring its season opener by a point and a half and posting its first 196-plus of the season. Will the Sun Devils be able to keep up the good scores?

You Can Fast Forward, but not Through This: It will be hard to replace Kyla Ross, but don’t underestimate the potential of the UCLA freshman class. Watch out for the debuts of Chae Campbell, Frida Esparza and Sara Ulias; they will surprise you. UCLA is also known for its floor choreography. We look forward to finding out what BJ Das has in store for 2021. Will a Bruin go viral once again? ASU sophomore Hannah Scharf had a terrific meet last week, which included a 9.925 on beam and a 9.900 on floor. Hopefully she’ll replicate the performance in Pauley this weekend.

Current Rankings: No. 13 Ohio State at No. 9 Iowa

Why You Should Make Time to Tune in: Look at those rankings! Both of these teams had very strong first meets and look poised to well outperform their preseason rankings and 2020 finishes. 

Need More Proof? Meredith Paulicivic and Larissa Libby are two of the best choreographers in the country. Both floor rotations are can’t-miss. Look especially for the Buckeyes’ Claire Gagliardi and Hawkeyes’ Lauren Guerin—Guerin has made it her mission to score a 10.0 this season. Iowa’s JerQuavia Henderson is also a great floor worker and powerful vaulter, and you don’t want to miss Ohio State freshman Hannah Oliveros on beam; she notched a 9.900 at Michigan to kick off her career.

Recap

The Big Storyline: The first half of this one went about as expected, with good vaulting on both sides, and exceptional bars from Michigan. Minnesota started the night on bars with some sloppy landings and missing some positions, giving Michigan the early lead. All hell broke loose in the third rotation. Nicoletta Koulos fell on beam in the two spot for Michigan. Erin Fortman followed that with an awkward fall on her last pass that left her looking sore and confused. Maddie Mariani fell on beam next, and Ali Sonier had a bizarre floor outing with falls on her first two passes. She seemed visibly injured and extremely frustrated. The fourth rotation wasn’t much better, with two more major mistakes for each team. It was a weird one, and both teams would like to forget it and move on.

Implications: There was a lot of panic about this meet on Twitter, but the reality is that this is week two for these teams after an abbreviated preseason. We saw Oklahoma melt down with four falls this weekend, too, and even Florida has shown uncharacteristic weaknesses. This season is going to be weird. There will be meets like this. NQS will only count four numbers this year. Both teams will drop this meet; it’s not the end of the world. More concerning is the possible Gopher injuries. The team does not have great floor depth at the moment, so we should keep our eye on that.

Records: The Wolverines’ back-to-back 49.400 numbers on bars in their first two outings of the year put them in rarified air. Since 1998, only Oklahoma, Florida and Georgia have completed the feat.

Controversies: Crisler floor strikes again! We’ve heard rumblings over the years from gymnasts that the Crisler Center floor is, in a word, a rock. In this one, it seemed to have a dead spot; most gymnasts who fell did so in the same corner, and we could see the floor depress quite a bit in slow motion replays. Here’s hoping that gets addressed before Michigan’s next home contest.

Preview

Current Rankings: No. 4 Minnesota at No. 3 Michigan

Why You Should Cancel Plans for It: Both Michigan and Minnesota came out swinging during the first week of competition, becoming the second and third teams in Big Ten history to open the season with a 197 or higher. Minnesota has become something of a power team: Its best event is shaping up to be floor and tit has the potential for four 10.0 starts on vault (just one shy of Michigan’s five). Both teams had a weaker-than-normal event last week, so we will be watching to see if they can clean those up to build on that performance. All in all it should be a really exciting matchup. 

What We’re Watching: Minnesota’s vault rotation: While they managed to salvage it with strong 1.5s from Ramler, Loper and Quarles, there were some things happening on that event last week. Mya Hooten balked on hers and then they threw in a layout from Emily Koch to finish off and avoid counting a zero. We know they are capable of more there. Similarly, we have our eye on Michigan lineups: Nicoletta Koulos performed an exhibition routine on every event but floor, but was one of the most solid performers of the day. We expect to see her breaking into more lineups. 

What Else You Should Know Before Tuning In: The last time these two teams met in a dual meet was 2012(!), so be prepared for an exciting face-off between two of the top ranked teams in the country and enjoy a preview of what we can expect at Big Tens in March.

No. 12 Kentucky at No. 20 Missouri 

Preview

Current Rankings: No. 1 Florida at No. 8 Arkansas

Why You Should Clear Space on Your DVR: Arkansas has been on fire these past two weeks, and a home matchup against the top team in the country should be an exciting opportunity for the Razorbacks to prove they’re legit. 

You Can Fast Forward, but not Through This: Check out Maggie O’Hara’s bars and beam routines; the Michigan transfer has been quietly slaying these past few weeks, recently earning SEC Specialist of the Week for her efforts. Arkansas always shows out for floor, especially at home, so that should be a fun rotation too. Also, #TrinityThomasRevengeTour2k21. After a rare fall last week, we expect nothing less than the Florida junior standout to come back swinging. 

With Lindenwood, Northern Illinois and SEMO in Nashville.

Recap

The Big Storyline: Auburn continues to test its depth as Cassie Stevens was again missing from the lineups and Aria Brusch is on the sideline with a shoulder injury. According to Gobourne’s mom on Facebook, Brusch should be back next week against LSU. Alabama improved on its weak event from last week, totaling a huge 49.425. Sophomore Luisa Blanco also debuted her Yurchenko 1.5 for the first time. Tiger senior Drew Watson also competed a Y1.5, but she struggled for the third consecutive week. The broadcast did announce that Watson had COVID-19 in the fall, which could explain her slower start. 

Implications:  Alabama was just shy of a 197 tonight, and we expect to see it hit that mark in the coming weeks. As it stands now, Alabama is fourth in the SEC, holding onto the final spot in the night session of the conference championship, just over three tenths ahead of Georgia.

Records: Alabama scored its highest beam total since 2019 with a 49.425. Sania Mitchell put a career best 9.900 on the floor and claimed her first event title. Gabby McLaughlin had a career high 9.875 on beam. Sophomore’s Anna Summer and Piper Smith also put up career high scores on bars with a 9.800 and 9.850, respectively. 

No. 19 Southern Utah at No. 24 Utah State

The Big Storyline: You would never know beam rotations were looking awfully rough after week one for these two teams. Southern Utah put up a 49.250 on beam, while Utah State also capitalized on the event with a 49.275. Autumn DeHarde made her return to the lineup after missing the first meet of the year with a 9.925 on beam. Mayson Bentley notched another 9.900 on bars to tie her week one score after falling against Air Force, in her debut season as a junior, for the Thunderbirds.  

Implications: Don’t count the MRCG teams out from making a big splash in the rankings. While other top 15 teams struggled this week, these two programs were able to put up 196+ team totals. Even more impressive? Both teams did this without star athletes competing in their typical event repertoire due to injury. DeHarde was only on beam for Utah State and Nipp was scratched from her remainder events after a nasty fall from the bars.

Records: Southern Utah set a program high road score with a 196.650. Maia Fishwick scored a career high 9.95 on bars for Utah State. 

Preview

Current Rankings: No. 19 Southern Utah at No. 24 Utah State 

Why You Should Make Time to Tune in: Utah State may be ranked lower than Southern Utah, but the Aggies were able to hold off the Thunderbirds to take third place at Best of Utah to open the season. Utah State is coming off a bye and is expected to get senior Autumn DeHarde back after she suffered a “dinger” in practice and didn’t travel in week one. Meanwhile, Southern Utah was able to improve upon its performance with outstanding beam and floor routines from Hannah Nipp and Karley McClain during its home opener. These two teams will be fighting for a higher standing in the MRGC conference rankings all season long. It should be a rivalry to keep an eye on. 

Need More Proof? DeHarde is expected to make her season debut for Utah State. The senior is a lineup mainstay on vault, beam and floor. Also, she didn’t compete at Best of Utah, but we have our eyes on Anique Grenier eventually making her debut on bars for Utah State. Greiner joined the team as a junior after taking a break from gymnastics. Nipp has a stunning floor routine in the anchor spot for Southern Utah. The Thunderbirds also have a junior addition to their team in Mayson Bentley, who immediately made an impact with a 9.900 routine on bars in week one. She struggled last week, but we expect to see more great routines from her in the future.

Recap

The Big Storyline: The Sooners rallied after a season-ending leg injury to freshman Audrey Lynn during vault warm-ups to beat the Red Rocks in the teams’ first regular season match-up since 1992. Head Coach KJ Kindler said her team was shaken after Lynn went down. “I could sense some enthusiasm missing. We just weren’t quite ourselves today, to be honest, and that’s OK. This is a very difficult time. We are just starting out this season and there’s a lot of learning to be done, so today we are going to learn from that.” 

Implications: Oklahoma retained its No. 2 ranking while Utah dropped to No. 6. Both teams will be competing largely within their respective conferences or local match-ups for the remainder of the regular season. “To go against No. 3 in your second week is awesome,” Kindler said. “It’s a great opportunity, and at the end of the day we came out with a win.” 

Records: Utah sophomore Maile O’Keefe earned a career high on vault (9.875), as well as in the all around. Oklahoma junior Emma LaPinta matched her career high to take a share of the floor title while senior Jordan Draper earned a career high 9.850 on bars for the second week in a row. Draper—a mainstay of the Sooners’ floor lineup—said: “I am really enjoying it. It’s a dream to be able to compete for the Oklahoma bars lineup.”

Preview

Current Rankings: No. 3 Utah at No. 2 Oklahoma

Why You Should Cancel Plans for It: Utah is one of the most storied programs in NCAA gymnastics history. Oklahoma is the breakout team of the past decade, and the only team with a current head coach with a national title. What more could you want from the current Nos. 2 and 3? This could turn out to be a preview of a clash we’ll see repeated in Fort Worth in April, with Florida thrown in the mix.

What We’re Watching: Both Utah and Oklahoma showed a weaker event in their respective season debuts. Utah struggled on bars relative to its other events, and the Sooners put up some lower numbers than they’d prefer on floor. Both teams will want to clean up those events this weekend. The all around battle is also shaping up to be a fascinating one: Anastasia Webb is the favorite, but Utes Cristal Isa and Maile O’Keefe are right on her heels.

What Else You Should Know Before Tuning In: This could be one of your only chances to easily tune into an Oklahoma meet this season, unless you have access to FSOK, as it’ll be broadcast on ESPN2. It’s also your last chance to see Utah in action until…who knows when? We’re still awaiting the rest of the Utes’—and the whole Pac-12’s—schedule. Don’t let this opportunity go to waste!

Recap

The Big Storyline: Both teams had outstanding starts to the 2021 season. Michigan proved the hype is real, and Ohio State put the woes of 2020 definitively in the past. Morgan Lowe fell in the beam leadoff spot for the Buckeyes, which would’ve led to cascading issues last year. This squad rose to the occasion, hit the next five and finished with a 49.100. The meet was a gutsy performance for the Buckeyes, with excellent debuts from Hannah Oliveros and Emma Pritchard.

Implications: Michigan’s total is the fourth-highest in the nation as of Saturday night and puts the Wolverines in lofty air with Oklahoma, LSU and Florida. With room for improvement on landings, wobbles and handstands, Michigan has a case as a national championship dark horse. This was also a stellar start for the Buckeyes, who didn’t hit 196 until mid-February in 2020. Natalie Wojick will debut in the top five in the all around rankings.

Records: Michigan’s total is the second-highest debut by a Big Ten team behind only Nebraska’s 2012 squad. The Wolverines have lofty national finals aspirations, and this outing makes those goals seem realistic.

Controversy: We didn’t see anything from Michigan freshman Carly Bauman; and we’re not even sure if she was dressed out.

Note: Rutgers was initially scheduled to attend this meet, but withdrew on January 12 due to COVID cases within the program.

Recap

The Big Storyline: BYU started strong and held the lead until it went to beam, displaying several shaky routines. Career performances from Arizona State helped hold off the Cougars and take the upset win on home turf. Sophomore Hannah Scharf was lights out with multiple career highs for the Sun Devils, leading to a massive 39.500 in the all around to take the title.

Implications: Arizona State had a solid first home meet, scoring in the 196s. With a young roster, the Sun Devils could climb the standings over the next few years. If you’re keeping track of potential NCAA championship individual competitors, don’t forget about Scharf, as she now holds one of the top all around scores in the country. Despite the loss, BYU put together a nice road performance with standout routines on both bars and floor. The Cougars struggled on beam, like most MRGC teams have so far this season. To claim the conference title, BYU will need to get that event straightened out.

Records: BYU scored its highest January total on bars while Arizona State had its highest beam total since 2019. Scharf’s 9.925 on beam is a career high.

The Big Storyline:  Lindenwood made the opening gambit in the MIC this year, defeating two conference rivals with a great team total. All three teams at this meet posted impressive scores compared to the past few years’ January results, even with Texas Woman’s and Lindenwood leaning heavily on underclassmen to make up lineups.

Implications: It’s going to be hard to speculate about postseason qualification this year since we have literally no idea how many teams will qualify to USAG championships and how the process will work. But in a normal year, all three of these teams would look like very serious team qualification contenders.

Records: Lindenwood’s 193.000 is its highest score in a season opener in program history. Aleah Turon’s meet-winning 9.850 on vault ties for her personal best.

Preview

Why You Should Make Time to Tune in: The MIC is a majorly competitive conference, and it’s super exciting to get to see the three best teams match up this early in the season. Moreover, with a number of teams out for the year, there’s a great chance that this will be our first look at the eventual USAG national champion. 

Need More Proof? If you’re sad about the gymnastics teams we won’t see in 2021, it’s a great year to support Texas Woman’s sophomore Alix Pierce, formerly of Seattle Pacific. She looked great on floor and particularly beam at last week’s intrasquad. We’re also extremely excited about Lindenwood freshman Savannah Newsome, who has the makings of a future 9.900 on bars.

Recap

The Big Storyline: This was Air Force’s season debut. The Falcons began their 2021 campaign in better fashion than in 2020, though they seemed to run out of gas at times, especially on floor. Last year after the initial hiccup, they got accustomed to scoring in the 193s, and they undoubtedly want to aim for the same results this season as well. Luckily for them, Tyler Davis was back on vault and bars after tearing her Achilles last season. Her nearly stuck Yurchenko full was a beauty. For Southern Utah, this was the second meet of the season after debuting at the Best of Utah last week, and it outscored its season opener by over one point. The Thunderbirds avoided last week’s beam disaster but still showed some nerves, as well as some landing problems all around, preventing them from aiming at the big, though inconsistent, 197-plus scores of last season. Michigan alumna Polina Shchennikova debuted as volunteer assistant coach for Air Force.

Implications: SUU’s improved performance this week was enough to overtake Utah State for second place in the MRGC behind BYU. The battle for the conference title between the Thunderbirds and the Cougars may be closer than scores currently show, as BYU is also showing some uncharacteristic inconsistencies.

Recap

The Big Storyline: Lynnzee Brown delivered big for the Pioneers in her first meet since her Achilles injury last March. Nebraska transfer Addy de Jesus impressed in her debut performance with the Cyclones. 

Implications: This meet felt much closer than the final score indicates, with the Cyclones leading through the first two rotations. Denver has easily maintained its position as the second-ranked team in the Big 12 since joining the conference in 2016, but if this meet is any indication, Iowa State is gunning for that spot. 

Records: Denver recorded its second-highest season opening score in program history, all the more impressive with it being an away meet.   

Controversies: Iowa State teased fans with a tweet saying that it would be fielding a lineup of six 10.0 vaults, but only ended up competing four. No doubt, all eyes will be watching to see if or when the promised lineup materializes this season. 

Preview

Current Rankings: No. 8 Denver at No. 18 Iowa State

Why You Should Make Time to Tune in: Both of these Big 12 teams are poised to make waves in the national rankings this season: After struggling with injuries to key players throughout the 2020 season, the Pioneers look refreshed and renewed, bolstered by the return of seniors Lynnzee Brown and Mia Sundstrom (not to mention a stellar freshman class led by level 10 standout Riley Mundell). Meanwhile, the Cyclones are coming off of one of their strongest seasons in years. With added depth in the form of Nebraska transfer Addy De Jesus and freshmen Emilie Hong and Kaia Parker, Iowa State will be looking to make even more noise in 2021.

Need More Proof? Standout all arounder Lynnzee Brown is back after an Achilles injury in March (spoiler alert: she looked fantastic at Denver’s recent intrasquad). Iowa State has shown a ton of difficulty in its preseason videos—at least four triple series on beam, numerous E passes on floor and (potentially) an entire lineup’s worth of 10.0 vaults. We doubt it’ll bring its full difficulty to the first meet, but there should be plenty of big skills. 

Recap

The Big Storyline: Minnesota kicked off its season in a big way, setting a new program record for its highest season-opening score and becoming only the second team in Big Ten history to break the 197-barrier at the first meet. Iowa also started strong, with an exceptionally good floor rotation. A 196-plus number is a blockbuster start for the Hawkeyes.

Implications: If there was any question that Minnesota would be able to pick up right where it left off last season, it was answered this weekend. Both the Gophers and the Hawkeyes had strong showings and find themselves ranked second and third in the Big Ten, respectively. 

Records: Minnesota senior Ona Loper notched career-highs on both bars (9.925) and floor (9.950), and tied her career-high in the all around. 

Controversies: There was some confusion on the broadcast about JerQuavia Henderson’s bar score—announcing she got a 10 when she actually received a 9.775. Minnesota freshman Mya Hooten also had a strange mishap on vault that resulted in a hop over the table and a zero; the best we could tell was that her run was off and she bailed at the last minute for safety reasons.

Preview

Why You Should Clear Space on Your DVR: Nebraska has been a topic of conversation in the offseason, with many wondering if the program is trending down. The Huskers ended the 2020 season with their lowest ranking in 20 years. Three athletes, including all arounder Adnerys De Jesus, transferred to different universities. The team also graduated all arounder Taylor Houchin and three-eventer Sierra Hassel. Floor is a lineup to watch closely: only three 2020 routines return. Will their inexperienced athletes surprise us out of the gate or will other Big Ten teams like Illinois climb above them in the rankings? It’s a tall order for the Illini, who will be relying on a large number of underclassmen sets as well. 

You Can Fast Forward, but not Through This:

Mallory Mizuki’s college career has been plagued by injuries. The Illinois junior underwent two ACL tears, but has been featured on bars and beam in training. Mia Takekawa was an emerging star in her freshman year and scored the first 10.0 in history for Illinois on the balance beam in 2020. And don’t miss Mia Townes on vault; she may be debuting Illinois’ first 10.0 start value since the rule change. Nebraska freshman Kinsey Davis has a Hindorff in her bar routine that can add some difficulty to the team’s rotation. Classmate Chloe Lorange could bring a much needed dynamic floor set to the Nebraska lineup with her dance and tumbling skills. 

Recap

The Big Storyline: N.C. State got off to a solid start, recording a near-195 and scoring over 49 on bars. Pitt overall had a rough meet, counting a fall on both bars and floor, and had two potential injuries during the meet. There were some high points, though, as Katie Chamberlain and Katrina Coca both came back from major injuries to score matching 9.875s on bars to tie for the title with N.C. State’s Meredith Robinson. Coca also made her career beam debut (as a sixth-year) with a 9.825.

Implications: Neither team is going to want to count its score toward NQS, but this meet will serve as a good starting point to build on.

Controversies: Scoring was overall tight, especially on vault. Both Sam and Ryan Snider did not travel to the meet due to “COVID-related protocols.”

Preview

Why You Should Make Time to Tune in: It’s the first EAGL matchup of 2021 with the No. 1 and No. 2 ranked teams in the conference according to the EAGL preseason poll.

Need More Proof? For N.C. State, keep an eye out for a pair of sophomores: Chloe Negrete and Emily Shepard. Both had outstanding freshman seasons and both are poised to continue that success. Also, freshman Carina Jordan, a former junior elite and Nastia Liukin Cup competitor, is set to make her collegiate debut. Pitt lost a huge senior class from 2020, so look for key injury returners, Katrina Coca and Katie Chamberlain, as well as freshman Trinity Macy, to step in and fill the holes.

Results

Recap

The Big Storyline: Florida looked a little more vulnerable than last week, but it still opened its home slate with a 197-plus score. The Gators, however, made a big statement before the meet when several gymnasts kneeled for the national anthem in solidarity with social justice movements. As for Georgia, the Gymdogs had a great meet on the leg events but struggled on beam, thanks in part to some unusual absences.

Implications: After strong debuts last week, Mikayla Magee and Victoria Nguyen were absent and limited, respectively, in Georgia’s lineups. Nguyen was apparently injured during floor warmups. It’s unclear when these gymnasts will return to their typical lineups. 

Records: Nya Reed earned a career high of 9.975 on floor. 

Preview

Current Rankings: No. 7 Georgia at No. 1 Florida

Why You Should Cancel Plans for It: The top team in the country opens its home slate against Georgia, whose debut last week was its most impressive start in some time. Georgia could be a sleeper favorite in the SEC this season, and a hot performance in Gainesville could cement that status. 

What We’re Watching: Trinity Thomas had a nearly perfect vault at Auburn last week, so she will be on 10 watch for that event, if not others. Coming off an impressive first showing on all four events, Georgia freshman Victoria Nguyen could make the all around competition interesting. 

What Else You Should Know Before Tuning In: In injury news, Georgia junior Rachael Lukacs did not compete last week due to a broken finger. She was seen training beam this week on social media, but it is unclear when she will return to lineups. 

The Big Storyline: Auburn relied on 15 freshmen and sophomores to pad its lineups, thanks to inexplicable absences from Aria Brusch and Cassie Stevens. The inexperience ultimately reflected in the Tigers’ final total, which included just one score above 9.800. Kentucky had issues of its own, particularly on beam, for the second week in a row. The Wildcats were able to course correct by the end of the night with an impressive floor rotation. 

Implications: The Tigers’ score was the lowest in the SEC this week. It’s unclear how long Brush and Stevens will be out. Teammate Drew Watson was once again out of the bar lineup. 

Records: Cally Nixon’s Yurchenko full earned a career high score of 9.925; one judge gave her a perfect 9.950. 

Recap

The Big Storyline: Alabama counted a beam fall en route to a razor thin victory over Missouri. The final rotation was the closest of the meet, with Missouri posting four 9.8-plus floor scores. Freshman Amaya Marshall made an impressive all around debut, but it was fellow freshman Shania Adams who took the crown.

Implications: Alabama will drop in the rankings after this week’s 195.775. As for the Tigers, they should hover around the same spot if not rise a bit depending on what other teams did. Junior Alisa Sheremeta returned to her usual three lineups after being out for COVID protocol last week.

Records: McCrary’s anchor floor score of 9.925 was a career high.

Recap

The Big Storyline: Both teams improved upon last week’s score, which was a rare occurrence in the SEC for week two in 2021. Despite early lineup struggles, the athletes were able to handle the pressure and rally back. Arkansas had a huge floor rotation that showcased impressive stamina at this point in the season. LSU bounced back with solid performances on bars and beam after it struggled last week. Maggie O’Hara had career performances that could lead her to claiming SEC Event Specialist of the Week. Similarly, Haleigh Bryant continued her successful freshman season with a 39.600 in her all around debut. 

Implications: Arkansas is a dark horse in the conference. The competition for the night session of the SEC championship appears as if it’ll be tighter than ever in 2021. Auburn has struggled in its first two meets, and Georgia has been bitten by the injury bug yet again, leaving Alabama and Arkansas with clearer yet not completely straight paths to the top four. LSU’s lineups are also worth watching, as the talented freshman class continues to gain experience and get healthy. 

Records: Maggie O’Hara had a career high on bars with her 9.950, as well as on beam with a 9.925. Shaffer had a career high 9.900 on beam and bars, and Gianfagna also notched a career high on bars with a 9.875. Abby Johnston contributed a career high with a 9.875 on floor. For LSU, Bridget Dean tied her career high of 9.900 on beam.

Recap

The Big Storyline: Oklahoma had no problem winning its first meet of the season over Arizona State while posting the second highest score in the country for the opening weekend. Senior Anastasia Webb won two events and the all around in a Sooner sweep, with freshmen Katherine LeVasseur and Audrey Lynn also taking home wins.

Implications: The Sooners looked strong across the board even with the absence of Olivia Trautman, showing they have the depth to challenge for a championship. Arizona State’s performance scored on par with its season openers from the past few years, showing the promise of this team when it is able to hit a beam rotation.

Controversies: Oklahoma junior Emma LaPinta received a 9.900 on floor despite several significant errors. There was a lot to like in LaPinta’s routine; it’s unfortunate that the judges’ failure to do their jobs is overshadowing that.

Preview

Current Rankings: No. 21 Arizona State at No. 2 Oklahoma

Why You Should Clear Space on Your DVR: While it won’t be the most competitive matchup of the weekend, both teams had strong 2020 s and will be looking to carry that momentum into the new season. Oklahoma’s lineups will also be interesting to watch as it will be the Sooners’ debut in the post-Maggie Nichols era.

You Can Fast Forward, but not Through This: In addition to stars Olivia Trautman and Anastasia Webb, keep an eye out for Oklahoma freshman Katherine LeVasseur, who should factor into the vault and floor lineups but could be used on any event. After dealing with injuries in 2020, senior Cairo Leonard-Baker appears to be fully healthy and is one to watch for the Sun Devils, along with Juliette Boyer, who will be looking to capitalize on momentum from an impressive freshman season.

Recap

The Big Storyline: While the quad meet was far from glamorous, Utah ended it strong on its final three events to finish on top and post the third best score of the weekend. Freshman Lucy Stanhope and sophomore Jaedyn Rucker both made strong Utah debuts on vault and floor, while freshman Alani Sabado saw action on bars. Utah State and Southern Utah both suffered from beam disasters to finish third and fourth, respectively, and will want to clean up those performances to be competitive in the MRGC moving forward. Oh, and who is Mayson Bentley? The junior Thunderbird was the surprise of the evening with her 9.900 bar routine that won the event title; it was her first time competing the event. BYU also struggled with some misses on beam, but had a strong performance from Abbey Miner-Alder, as she was able to tie for the event title on floor and pace the Cougars to a second place finish.

Implications: Utah lived up to its preseason ranking and appears to have what it takes to make nationals if not finals this season with a strong 196.900 on the road right out of the gate. The MRGC battle brings up several questions with key athletes opting out of the season for Utah State, but Southern Utah did not look polished here either. It might simply be a back and forth battle all season long. With primarily conference matchups this season, keep your eye out for a continued battle between these two teams.

Preview

Current Rankings: No. 4 Utah vs. No. 17 BYU vs. No. 23 Southern Utah vs. No. 32t Utah State

Why You Should Cancel Plans for It: The annual Best of Utah quad matchup returns with all four teams competing ranked in the WCGA preseason top 32. The first meet of the season should give a preview of what’s to come for the MRGC competitive field. Utah is also expected to see some big scores from its returning sophomore class and make run for the 2021 national title. 

What We’re Watching:  Lucy Stanhope will likely be making her freshman debut for Utah; she showed routines on all four events in the Utes’ December intrasquad. Sophomore Jaedyn Rucker is also expected to make her debut after missing her freshman season with an injury. Utah State has been on the rise for the past few seasons and should put up a battle against its conference rivals Southern Utah and BYU, with the help of seniors Leighton Varnadore Autumn Deharde. Anique Greiner joined Utah State’s roster as a junior and could be a potential contributor for the Aggies on bars. 

What Else You Should Know Before Tuning In: This will mark the first meet for the teams since the cancellation of the end of the 2020 season due to COVID-19. It’ll be interesting to watch how the gymnasts handle COVID-19 precautions and overcome offseason obstacles. This event in particular should pose more challenges with four teams. Also of note, Utah State sophomore’s Sofi Sullivan and Tori Loomis have opted out of competing this season. Gracie Kramer, 2020 UCLA grad, will be making her coaching debut as volunteer assistant coach at Utah State. 

Recap

The Big Storyline: Victoria Nguyen made her AA debut for Georgia, and it was everything we could have asked for. She is the recruit Georgia desperately needed after many of its former elite and level 10 stars have been plagued with injuries. Nguyen scored a 39.400 in the AA and showcased her difficult, unique skills on bars, beam and floor. She’s one to watch for the next few years and could challenge Haleigh Bryant for SEC Freshman of the Week or Year. 

Implications: Georgia came out of the gate strong for the first time in years. It had a higher team total on bars (49.325) than in any competition in 2020. The rest of the SEC should keep its eyes on the Gymdogs as they continue to get healthy. Missouri is a young team and lacked roster depth for the opening meet. It may not have its best year, especially with Helen Hu out for the season, but this team has a bright future with star underclassman. 

Records: Mikayla Magee scored a career high on her stuck Yurchenko 1.5 (9.925), and Sienna Schreiber had a career high 9.900 on balance beam to close out the meet for the Tigers. 

Preview

Current Rankings: No. 16 Missouri at No. 10 Georgia

Why You Should Clear Space on Your DVR: This meet could indicate potential breakout stars for both teams. Missouri lost 2020 SEC Specialist of the Year and AA competitor Helen Hu to a season-ending injury, and fifth year Morgan Porter to graduation. Georgia said goodbye to Sabrina Vega but may see athletes like Megan Roberts, Amanda Cashman and Emily Schild back to full strength. 

You Can Fast Forward, but not Through This: Georgia freshman Victoria Nguyen is expected to make her debut on potentially three events for the Gymdogs. Balance Beam was her speciality in elite, and she appears to have brought a unique series to college: an onodi to a side aerial. Georgia’s Rachel Baumann is also one of the top balance beam workers in the country and is beautiful to watch. Keep an eye out for a strong performance from Roberts this season as well. Roberts has been limited throughout much of her college career due to various injuries, but she has been seen training a Y1.5 on vault. Missouri is looking for a big debut from freshman Jena Swanson with her Y1.5. She is expected to compete in the AA. Junior Alisa Sheremeta will compete her unique Rudi dismount on bars, which is always a treat to watch. Georgia may be favored to win, but the team has a history of first-meet jitters that could lead to an upset by Missouri.

Recap

The Big Storyline: After a slightly wonky bars rotation, Florida roared back to take the meet and earn its highest season opening score in program history. The Gators looked especially polished on vault, scoring the highest event total since 2017. Auburn had a solid performance that culminated in some unfortunate misses on floor. The Tigers welcomed Drew Watson on her key events (an uncertainty given her absence from pre-meet projected lineups). 

Implications: Florida is on track to remain at the top of the rankings after Friday’s breakout performance.

Records: Trinity Thomas set a career high mark of 9.975 on her excellent Yurchenko one and a half. Ellie Lazzari’s 9.950 on beam was the highest ever score for a Florida freshman in her beam debut. As for the Tigers, their 195.725 was the third highest season-opening score in program history. 

Preview

Current Rankings: No. 1 Florida at No. 14 Auburn

Why You Should Cancel Plans for It: This is our first look at the Florida Gators since they finished the 2020 season ranked No. 2 nationally and then grabbed the No. 1 spot in the WCGA preseason poll. The Gators have looked imperious in preseason training footage despite the deferral of three 5-star recruits. However, preseason No. 2 Oklahoma starts the season at home later this weekend and is unlikely to produce merely a modest first week score, so there is some pressure on the Gators to produce a big number and prove their competitiveness at the top level is not merely theoretical. We’ve seen very limited full routines in training for Auburn this preseason, so it’s hard to get a read on how ready the team is for 2021, but the Tigers have an opportunity to jump in the SEC rankings this year, as several teams previously ranked above them wrestle with major injuries and the graduation of critical 2020 seniors.

What We’re Watching: Former elite Olivia Hollingsworth is one to watch from the Auburn freshman class. Her open full out on floor (yes, full OUT) is nothing short of breathtaking, and we’re sure Kathy Johnson Clarke will be gasping about it. Auburn’s fate is closely tied to its slate of three or four mercurial Yurchenko one and a halfs. With almost limitless depth across all four events and lots of difficulty to play with, Florida lineups will be very interesting. Alyssa Baumann has looked strong on bars in preseason and might finally make her debut in the all around, while Payton Richards’ Yurchenko one and a half, ranked No. 25 nationally in 2020, has been missing in favor of a Yurchenko full for no clear reason.

What Else You Should Know Before Tuning In: Florida freshman Ellie Lazzari has been spotted in a walking boot lately. She’s continued to train, so don’t start panicking about an Achilles tear or anything like that, but something’s probably not 100%. And once again, we really haven’t seen a lot of footage from Auburn, so we’ll be watching for absences among major contributors.

Recap

The Big Storyline: LSU left a lot to be desired while Arkansas performed better than many expected. Haleigh Bryant had a spectacular debut performance for the Tigers. She wasn’t to be outperformed by Kiya Johnson, though, who scored a 10.000 on floor to end the meet after Bryant’s 9.975. Beam was not pretty for LSU, and early miscues on vault and bars meant the meet was closer than Tigers fans likely expected it would be. Arkansas started out great on bars and carried the momentum through the meet. Vault was the weak point for the Razorbacks, and balance checks on beam sealed their 196.350, just two tenths below LSU.

Implications: LSU and Arkansas will be No. 3 and No. 4 in the SEC after Friday’s performances. Arkansas proved that it can hang with the best while LSU will need to put in some serious work if it wants to compete up to its typical standards. It’s the first week. There’s time. But this was not it.

Records: Amanda Elswick’s 9.900 on vault is a career high, as is Kennedy Hambrick’s 9.925 on beam. Kiya Johnson’s 10.000 on floor is her first on the event. Bridget Dean’s 9.900 on beam is also a career high. 

Preview

Current Rankings: No. 15 Arkansas at No. 3 LSU

Why You Should Clear Space on Your DVR: All eyes will be on Baton Rouge as we try to make sense of what COVID protocols and LSU’s lineups look like after the infamous preview meet. The past few years have seen LSU play host to a Pac-12 opponent and win handily in week one, so it will be interesting to see if score discrepancies are similar against a conference foe.

You Can Fast Forward, but not Through This: Several editors projected Kiya Johnson to be the first gymnast to score a perfect 10 in 2021, so make sure to tune into her events. The same goes for Haleigh Bryant, whose vault could also vie for that coveted score. Arkansas junior Bailey Lovett’s floor routine will also be a must-see. 

Recap

The Big Storyline: This meet was insanely close throughout, with mere hundredths of a point separating the two teams until last rotation. 

Implications: Kentucky proved it should not be overlooked despite graduating Mollie Korth and having a relatively young roster (five of the six gymnasts on floor were competing the event for the first time). Alabama demonstrated what it is capable of and will continue to build on the momentum created in this first meet for what should be a very competitive presence in the SEC, as well as NCAA as a whole.

Records: There were five total career bests achieved at this meet: Shealyn Luksik (9.875 on bars), Josie Angeny (9.900 on bars), Cally Nixon (9.900 on vault), Makarri Doggette (9.925 on beam) and Alonza Klopfer (9.850 on floor).

Controversies: In a truly disappointing moment, the judges deducted a tenth from Griffin James’ final score for failing to salute at the end of her routine. This was particularly heartbreaking to see after watching James become overwhelmed with emotion at her first routine back following an Achilles tear.

Preview

Current Rankings: No. 12 Kentucky at No. 6 Alabama

Why You Should Clear Space on Your DVR: This SEC matchup may not be getting the same attention as its counterparts, but it should. There has been a lot of mystery around Kentucky this preseason, and we are anxious to see which routines will be making lineups. Both teams are capable of big numbers if they hit, with Alabama especially poised to be the dark horse of the SEC if it reaches its full potential. 

You Can Fast Forward, but not Through This: Alabama is boasting some big routines from star-in-the-making freshman Shania Adams (who was featured on all four events plus the all around in our Most Anticipated Freshmen series). Expect to see her jumping in right away to fill the gaps left behind by seniors like Shea Mahoney and Maddie Desch. Shallon Olsen is another gymnast we have our eye on; the junior had a late arrival on campus after spending the fall training in Canada, and it is unclear how much she will be contributing for the Crimson Tide to start. For Kentucky, we have our eye on freshman Isabella Magnelli, who has the potential to shine on each event—but especially keep your eye on her gorgeous beam routine.