The Mount: Week Nine WAG

It’s a packed weekend for not only college gymnastics but elite and J.O. gymnastics as well with the Nastia Liukin Cup, American Cup, Jesolo and top NCAA meets taking center stage. With all the excitement, don’t let these other exciting college matchups fall by the wayside.

As always, you’ll find everything you need to follow along with all the meets happening this weekend, including previews of the top matchups, Fantasy Gymnastics resources and every scoring and video link you could ever need.

Can’t-Miss Matchups

No. 12 Auburn at No. 8 Alabama

When You Need to Tell Your Friends You’re Busy: Friday, March 1 at 7:30 p.m. ET

Why You Should Cancel Plans For It: The feeling we’ve gotten with Alabama, in spite of the improvement it’s seen over the past few weeks, is that it hasn’t quite peaked. Friday seems like the perfect night to do that with it being the last home meet for the Crimson Tide. However, don’t count out Auburn after the success its had this season, even though it stalled slightly last week at TWU.

Routines to Avoid Going to the Bathroom During: Samantha Cerio (Auburn, UB), Emily Gaskins (Alabama, FX), Jada Glenn (Auburn, VT), Derrian Gobourne (Auburn, FX), Ari Guerra (Alabama, FX), Shallon Olsen (Alabama, VT)

What Else You Should Know Before Tuning In: Auburn has only beaten Alabama in 10 meets over the course of the history of both teams.

No. 9 Michigan at No. 5 Utah

When You Need to Tell Your Friends You’re Busy: Saturday, March 2 at 4 p.m. ET

Why You Should Cancel Plans For It: This is a big one. Michigan is coming off a huge weekend at Big Fives, with a high 197 and vault perfect 10.0 in its pocket. Both teams are coming off a season high, and those totals are only 0.150 apart. At this dual last year in Ann Arbor, the Wolverines took the title; doing so again in the Huntsman Center is a big ask. This meet will be telling of how nationally competitive Michigan really is, and how high Utah’s ceiling can go. This is also a rematch of the “but she pointed right at the opposing team after her floor” non-drama, and comes one week after the “The newspapers! She’s not allowed to be mad!” also non-drama. So we’re sure the things happening outside of the gymnastics will be quality television as well.

Routines to Avoid Going to the Bathroom During: Natalie Wojcik (VT, BB, FX); Olivia Karas (VT, FX); Lexi Funk (BB); Anne Maxim (VT); MyKayla Skinner (VT, FX); Adrienne Randall (BB); Makenna Merrell-Giles (VT, FX); Macey Roberts (VT, FX)

What Else You Should Know Before Tuning In: Keep an eye out for a new E pass from Michigan’s Natalie Wojcik; she warmed it up last week, but it didn’t make it into her competition set. Also watch the all around battle in this one; Wojcik and Olivia Karas against MyKayla Skinner and Makenna Merrell-Giles is sure to be riveting. Emma McLean made her return to vault last week; watch to see whether she’ll only be vaulting on podium or if she’s back in the lineup for good.

No. 2 UCLA at No. 1 Oklahoma

When You Need to Tell Your Friends You’re Busy: Sunday, March 3 at 1 p.m. ET

Why You Should Cancel Plans For It: Buckle up! This is bound to be an exciting meet. Don’t act like you don’t want to see a rematch of the top two teams from 2018’s Super Six because you do, and it’ll be amazing. Plus, the Oklahoma and UCLA remain at No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, and this matchup could give us a preview of what the postseason has in store. We have the Sooners who have retained the top spot all season. However, not even they have been perfect. Oklahoma will be looking to improve on its beam rotation at West Virginia and get solidly back into the upper-197 range. The Bruins upset Oklahoma at nationals last year and have performed just as strong this season despite losing heavy hitters like Peng-Peng Lee. Kyla Ross is really coming into her own as an all arounder, even upgrading her vault to a Yurchenko one and a half and scoring a 10 on it twice. Margzetta Frazier and Norah Flatley are taking the NCAA gym world by storm as well, and you won’t want to miss the dynamic gymnastics that UCLA brings to the table as a whole.

Routines to Avoid Going to the Bathroom During: Nicole Lehrmann (OU, UB, BB), Olivia Trautman (OU, FX), Anastasia Webb (OU, UB), Kyla Ross (UCLA, UB, BB), Katelyn Ohashi (UCLA, FX), Norah Flatley (UCLA, BB), Madison Kocian (UCLA, UB)

What Else You Should Know Before Tuning In: Notably, Maggie Nichols did not compete last weekend at West Virginia, so keep your eyes peeled to see if she returns for the big meet against UCLA.

Meets You Didn’t Know You Should Be Interested In

No. 25 N.C. State, No. 46 Rutgers and No. 61 Brown at No. 29 New Hampshire

When the Meet’s Happening: Saturday, March 2 at 7 p.m. ET

Why You Should See the Error of Your Ways: N.C. State and New Hampshire are currently the top two teams in the EAGL, so this could be a preview of what is to come at the conference championship. Both teams have broken the 196 barrier once this year, as has Rutgers, so expect these three teams to battle it out for the victory. Not to be overlooked is Brown, which has been steadily improving as the season has gone on.

Routines to Look Up on YouTube Before the Meet That Prove Our Point: Mei Li Costa (Brown, UB), Drew Grantham (NC State, FX), Lauren Kent (NC State, UB), Nicole Webb (NC State, BB), Belle Huang (Rutgers, BB, FX), Danielle Mulligan (UNH, UB), Lauren Diggan (UNH, UB), Hailey Lui (UNH, BB)

No. 31 UIC and No. 60 Penn at No. 40 Lindenwood

When the Meet’s Happening: Sunday, March 3 at 2 p.m. ET

Why You Should See the Error of Your Ways: UIC and Lindenwood currently sit first and second in both the USAG and the MIC standings, so this is going to be an exciting competition! Also, with the season nearing the end, this may be one of your last chances to see UIC if 2019 does end up being its last. Penn might not be ranked as high, but it has an exciting freshman class that you don’t want to miss.

Routines to Look Up on YouTube Before the Meet That Prove Our Point: Alisa Sheremeta (UIC, FX), Mikailla Northern (UIC, FX), Caroline Moore (Penn, BB), Natalie Yang (Penn, BB), Sydney Kraez (Penn, FX), Andy Alexander (LU, FX), Courtney Mitchell (LU, BB), Jordan Boogerd (LU, UB)

Meets You Should at Least Record and Watch Later

No. 3 Florida at No. 20 Arkansas

When to Find It on the TV Guide: Friday, March 1 at 8 p.m. ET

Why You Should Clear Space on Your DVR: Florida needs a win to make itself feel better following last week’s near miss against Georgia, and it will almost certainly get one here in Fayetteville. Earning a W will also clinch the regular season SEC title for the Gators. Regardless, Arkansas is likely to bring its A-game tonight after its most solid performance of the season last week.

Routines to Check Out If You Can’t Rewatch Everything: Alyssa Baumann (Florida, BB), Alicia Boren (Florida, FX), Michaela Burton (Arkansas, BB), Sophia Carter (Arkansas, FX), Sarah Shaffer (Arkansas, VT), Trinity Thomas (Florida, UB)

No. 7 Georgia at No. 4 LSU

When to Find It on the TV Guide: Friday, March 1 at 9 p.m. ET

Why You Should Clear Space on Your DVR: In the right circumstances, either team has a chance to pull out the win here. The ball might even be a little more in Georgia’s court because of the Bulldogs’ upset of Florida in Gainesville last week. We expect a close ending with Vega’s beam versus Kelley’s floor in the final sets.

Routines to Check Out If You Can’t Rewatch Everything: Alexa Al-Hameed (Georgia, UB), Kennedi Edney (LSU, VT), Sarah Finnegan (LSU, BB, FX), Ruby Harrold (LSU, UB), Sydney Snead (Georgia, FX), Sabrina Vega (Georgia, BB)

Links and Things

These aren’t the only meets happening this weekend. To see all the matchups all in one place, take a look at our master schedule. You can also find live scoring and video links for all this weekend’s competitions below.

Date Time (ET) Teams Scoring Link Video Link
Fri, March 1 6 p.m. UK at Miz Scores SECN
Fri, March 1 6 p.m. MSU at EMU Scores ESPN3
Fri, March 1 7 p.m. USAFA at Centenary Scores Free Stream
Fri, March 1 7 p.m. BYU & UMD at GW Scores Free Stream
Fri, March 1 7 p.m. Ill St at NIU Scores ESPN3
Fri, March 1 7 p.m. Bridgeport & SCSU at Towson Scores Free Stream
Fri, March 1 7 p.m. WMU at KSU Scores Free Stream
Fri, March 1 7:30 p.m. Aub at Ala Scores SECN
Fri, March 1 7:30 p.m. Iowa St at Iowa Scores BTN+/FloPro
Fri, March 1 7:30 p.m. Penn at SEMO Scores Free Stream
Fri, March 1 7:30 p.m. UW-LC at Gustavus Scores Free Stream
Fri, March 1 7:30 p.m. UW-S at UW-EC Scores
Fri, March 1 7:30 p.m. Winona St at Hamline Scores
Fri, March 1 8 p.m. DU at Ill Scores FloPro/BTN+
Fri, March 1 8 p.m. UF at Ark Scores
Fri, March 1 9 p.m. UGA at LSU Scores ESPN2
Fri, March 1 9 p.m. USU & UW at Boise St Scores Free Stream
Fri, March 1 10 p.m. Alaska & BGSU at OSU Scores Free Stream
Fri, March 1 10 p.m. Cal & UCD at Sac St Scores PlutoTV
Fri, March 1 10 p.m. SJSU at SPU Scores Free Stream
Sat, March 2 1 p.m. WCU at Ursinus Scores Free Stream
Sat, March 2 3 p.m. UNC at W&M Scores Free Stream
Sat, March 2 4 p.m. ASU, Cornell & Yale at PSU Scores Free Stream
Sat, March 2 4 p.m. UM at Utah Scores P12N
Sat, March 2 4 p.m. Temple & WVU at tOSU Scores FloPro/BTN+
Sat, March 2 5 p.m. Pitt at Minn Scores FloPro/BTN+
Sat, March 2 5 p.m. UW-O at UW-W Scores Free Stream
Sat, March 2 7 p.m. Brown, NCSU & RU at UNH Scores Free Stream
Sat, March 2 8 p.m. SUU at Neb Scores Free Stream
Sun, March 3 1 p.m. CMU at Ball St Scores ESPN3
Sun, March 3 1 p.m. Cortland at Ithaca Scores Free Stream
Sun, March 3 1 p.m. RIC at Springfield Scores
Sun, March 3 1 p.m. UCLA at OU Scores ESPN
Sun, March 3 2 p.m. Penn & UIC at LU Scores Free Stream
Sun, March 3 2 p.m. Winona St at Hamline Scores
Sun, March 3 3 p.m. USAFA, Ariz & Centenary at TWU Scores Free Stream
Mon, March 4 7 p.m. GW at UMD Scores (PW: “terps”) BTN2Go
Tues, March 5 6 p.m. UIC at WMU Scores ESPN3

Fantasy Gymnastics Resources

Don’t worry! We haven’t forgotten about Fantasy Gymnastics players. We have a number of resources to aid in your weekly success. Check out our updated injury report to see if any of your gymnasts have been out of action. We also have a list of teams on byes—as well as those with multiple competitions—this week.

READ THIS NEXT: The Mount: Week Nine MAG

Want to receive the latest collegiate gymnastics news in your inbox? Sign up for the College Gym NewsLetter here.


Article by the editors of College Gym News

Like what you see? Consider donating to support our efforts throughout the year!

One comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.