2019 USAG Nationals Individuals Preview

While the top DI teams in the country are focusing on resting and polishing little details in preparation for the NCAA national championships next weekend, the best programs with fewer than seven and a half full scholarships take center stage in Bridgeport, Connecticut, this weekend for the USAG National Championships.

Semifinals for teams and individuals will take place Friday with two sessions of competition. The top two teams from each session advance to team finals Saturday while the top individuals on each event will compete in event finals Sunday. The top all arounder on Friday will be crowned national champion.

If you’re new to the USAG-watching ranks, you’re in for a thrilling competition. For one: Event finals! USAG is the only women’s championship to retain everyone’s favorite competition, and they’re usually amazing to watch. The all around, decided by Friday’s qualifications, could also come down to the wire.

Make sure to check out CollegeGymNews.com throughout the week and weekend for full coverage of the championships thanks to Katie Norris who will be there reporting and Emily Howell-Forbes who will be there taking pics.

Session One
Vault Bars Beam Floor
Rotation One Lindenwood

Anna Kaziska (SEMO)

Gabrielle Adams (SEMO)

Yale

Tavia Smith (CC)

Xian Baumgartner (CC)

Air Force

Kendall Sanders (CC)

Rose Domonoske (Brown)

West Chester

Julia Green (Brown)

Sophia Petrillo (Brown)

Rotation Two West Chester

Gabrielle Henchman (Brown)

Julia Green (Brown)

Lindenwood

Anna Kaziska (SEMO)

Kate Nelson (Brown)

Yale

Tavia Smith (CC)

Cami Bea Austin (CC)

Air Force

Kendall Sanders (CC)

Mackenzie Slee (SEMO)

Rotation Three Air Force

Kendall Sanders (CC)

Mackenzie Slee (SEMO)

West Chester

Sophia Petrillo (Brown)

Caroline Warren (Brown)

Lindenwood

Anna Kaziska (SEMO)

Navia Jordan (CC)

Yale

Tavia Smith (CC)

Cami Bea Austin (CC)

Rotation Four Yale

Tavia Smith (CC)

Cami Bea Austin (CC)

Air Force

Kendall Sanders (CC)

Alana Fischer (SEMO)

West Chester

Julia Green (Brown)

Cassidy Jung (Brown)

Lindenwood

Anna Kaziska (SEMO)

Navia Jordan (CC)

Session Two
Vault Bars Beam Floor
Rotation One Texas Woman’s

McKenna Zimmermann (SPU)

Lena Wirth (SPU)

Cornell

Mei Li Costa (Brown)

Emma Hansen (Brown)

UIC

Hannah Stahlbrodt (SCSU)

Jordan Peloquin (SCSU)

Bridgeport

Darian Burns (SPU)

Jadacie Durst (SPU)

Rotation Two Bridgeport

Darian Burns (SPU)

Jadacie Durst (SPU)

Texas Woman’s

McKenna Zimmermann (SPU)

Noely Macias (SCSU)

Cornell

Keara Loughlin (SCSU)

Emma Hansen (Brown)

UIC

Hannah Stahlbrodt (SCSU)

Jordan Peloquin (SCSU)

Rotation Three UIC

Hannah Stahlbrodt (SCSU)

Tiffany Coleman (SCSU)

Bridgeport

Darian Burns (SPU)

Itzia San Roman (SPU)

Texas Woman’s

McKenna Zimmermann (SPU)

Morgan Gatewood (SCSU)

Cornell

Kylie Reese (SPU)

Kayla Chan (SPU)

Rotation Four Cornell

Mei Li Costa (Brown)

Alyssa Gardner (SCSU)

UIC

Hannah Stahlbrodt (SCSU)

Jacqueline Kutcher (SCSU)

Bridgeport

Darian Burns (SPU)

Miyuki Matsune (SPU)

Texas Woman’s

McKenna Zimmermann (SPU)

Keylea Brothers (SCSU)

All Around

Rank Gymnast (School) NQS Average High Score
1 Courtney Mitchell (Lindenwood) 39.145 39.044 39.350
2 Kayla Baddeley (UIC) 39.140 38.842 39.275
3 Mikailla Northern (UIC) 39.110 38.850 39.250
4 Ryan Henry (Lindenwood) 39.090 38.758 39.225
5 Julianna Roland (Bridgeport) 39.065 38.773 39.250
6 Bria Northrop (TWU) 39.035 38.841 39.225
7 Tyler Davis (Air Force) 38.855 38.684 39.250
8 Anna Kaziska (SEMO) 38.850 38.571 39.100
9 Jade Buford (Yale) 38.820 38.700 39.025
10 Hannah Stahlbrodt (SCSU) 38.760 38.495 39.050

The Contenders

Courtney Mitchell has been at the front of the pack all season, but she was restricted to bars at NCAA regionals after a presumed injury at conference championships. If she can’t compete in the all around, we’re most likely to see a battle between UIC’s two all around leaders. At their best there’s little to separate the two, but Baddeley is slightly more consistent. Lindenwood’s second all arounder Ryan Henry has been quietly excellent this year, beating Division I stars like Gabrielle Cooke and Jovannah East. She’ll be there if the others stumble.

The Dark Horses

If Mitchell is back it’ll be a game-changer. Otherwise, keep an eye on TWU junior Bria Northrop. She doesn’t seem to have found her groove in 2019, but she’s spectacular to watch and can produce some of the highest scores in the field. If she puts up a good number on vault in the first rotation, look out. Bridgeport freshman Julianna Roland has been overshadowed a little, but the ECAC-II Rookie of the Year hasn’t missed a routine since January. If she doesn’t make the all around podium this year, it’s only a matter of time. SCSU newcomer Hannah Stahlbrodt already seems to own half of her team’s record book, and while a top-three finish might be a stretch, she’s bound to pick up some of the program’s best-ever results at nationals.

Vault

Rank Gymnast (School) NQS Average High Score
1 Julianna Roland (Bridgeport) 9.865 9.790 9.900
2 Kayla Baddeley (UIC) 9.840 9.817 9.875
3 Riley Mahoney (UIC) 9.825 9.773 9.850
4 Donna Webster (Cornell) 9.815 9.625 9.900
5T Courtney Mitchell (Lindenwood) 9.810 9.764 9.875
5T Jordan Boogerd (Lindenwood) 9.810 9.773 9.825
7 Crystal Gwinn (Bridgeport) 9.805 9.735 9.850
8 Gabrielle Kistner (Bridgeport) 9.800 9.750 9.900
9T Heidi Sand (Air Force) 9.795 9.691 9.850
9T Anna Salamone (Air Force) 9.795 9.657 9.875

The Contenders:

Just like in competition at the NCAA level, vault is a bit of a wildcard event because so much depends on landings, which always have an element of randomness. USAG nationals boasts some of the country’s best Yurchenko halfs. Riley Mahoney, Donna Webster, Courtney Mitchell and Gabrielle Kistner all do them beautifully and are capable of sticking. Julianna Roland, Kayla Baddeley and Jordan Boogerd are leaders among the Yurchenko full crew.

The Dark Horses

There are a handful of gymnasts with 10.0 vaults floating around lower in the rankings, including Lena Wirth from Seattle Pacific and McKenna Kissinger from West Chester. It isn’t unimaginable for one of those athletes to have the vault of a lifetime and walk away with a win.

Bars

Rank Gymnast (School) NQS Average High Score
1 Anna Salamone (Air Force) 9.890 9.839 9.950
2 Jessica Wang (Yale) 9.860 9.841 9.925
3T Kathryn Doran (Bridgeport) 9.855 9.792 9.925
3T Serena Baker (UIC) 9.855 9.806 9.875
5 Mei Li Costa (Brown) 9.840 9.702 9.900
6 Courtney Mitchell (Lindenwood) 9.835 9.773 9.900
7 Mikailla Northern (UIC) 9.825 9.715 9.875
8 Kelli Tereshko (Bridgeport) 9.825 9.737 9.875
9 Mariana Murphy (Air Force) 9.820 9.680 9.875
10 Toni Alicke (UIC) 9.815 9.694 9.900

The Contenders

Salamone is the most obvious title pick of the individual field. The MPSF champion has been rock solid all year and has the highest NQS of any USAG routine in 2019. She’ll have to get through reigning champion Jessica Wang, who is having an outstanding senior year, and numerous other gymnasts who have scored 9.900 and above this year.

The Dark Horses

Kathryn Doran does one of our favorite Jaegers and has gone up to 9.925 in 2019. Toni Alicke’s fun routine is our pick from a great set of UIC contenders on this event.

Beam

Rank Gymnast (School) NQS Average High Score
1 Courtney Mitchell (Lindenwood) 9.845 9.795 9.900
2 Erin Alderman (TWU) 9.840 9.725 9.900
3T Yolanda Nodarse (West Chester) 9.835 9.710 9.875
3T Anna Kaziska (SEMO) 9.835 9.721 9.875
3T Maya Reimers (Bridgeport) 9.835 9.755 9.875
6 Kayla Baddeley (UIC) 9.825 9.780 9.850
7 Jacey Baldovino (Yale) 9.810 9.791 9.900
8T Alisa Sheremeta (UIC) 9.805 9.652 9.850
8T Ryan Henry (Lindenwood) 9.805 9.710 9.850
10T Sarah Boyd (West Chester) 9.800 9.754 9.875
10T Andavea Alexander (Lindenwood) 9.800 9.763 9.875

The Contenders

West Chester’s beam rotation has been a big deal this year. Sophomore Yolanda Nodarse has had a breakout season on this event and Sarah Boyd is stylish as ever, and hasn’t had a fall on beam in over two years. Perpetual beam powerhouse Lindenwood has three beamers in the top ten, and TWU senior Erin Alderman has been a rockstar on this event this year.

The Dark Horses

If either Baldovino or Mitchell is healthy enough to compete beam, the landscape of this final could change considerably. Watch out for Yale’s Lindsay Chia and Lindenwood’s Emily Milliet on this event too—they’re a little less consistent than the top group but incredibly pretty.

Floor

Rank Gymnast (School) NQS Average High Score
1 Alisa Sheremeta (UIC) 9.880 9.771 9.900
2 Anna Kaziska (SEMO) 9.870 9.835 9.900
3 Izzy Herczeg (Cornell) 9.870 9.871 9.950
4 Mikailla Northern (UIC) 9.865 9.787 9.900
5 Maya Reimers (Bridgeport) 9.865 9.761 9.900
6 Claire Haklik (Cornell) 9.860 9.817 9.925
7 Erin Alderman (TWU) 9.860 9.850 9.875
8 Tyler Davis (Air Force) 9.855 9.788 9.950
9 Crystal Gwinn (Bridgeport) 9.850 9.808 9.900
10 Darian Burns (SPU) 9.840 9.789 9.875

The Contenders

The depth on floor at this meet is incredible and we’re already sad thinking about the routines that won’t make event finals. Tyler Davis and Maya Reimers are defending national champions. Alisa Sheremeta and Anna Kaziska have gotten 9.900 after 9.900 this year, and Cornell pair Izzy Herczeg and Claire Haklik have been on fire in the second half of the season.

The Dark Horses

There are numerous great floor gymnasts outside the top ten, too, including Centenary fan favorite Navia Jordan and several of the top all arounders. Mikailla Northern and Erin Alderman could close out their collegiate careers in the floor final, making everyone cry in the process.

READ THIS NEXT: 2019 USAG NATIONALS TEAM PREVIEW

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Article by Rebecca Scally

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2 comments

  1. Great article , I’m hoping your preview is way off base . Missed the mark on a couple of MIC and State champions from UIC who didn’t even get mentions ( oh and who were also NCAA regional qualifiers) fortunately these girls love being the underdog, under the radar winning weekly and tournament championships without the hoopla!

    1. Hi there, Thanks for reading! Unfortunately, we can’t mention every deserving gymnast in our articles but rather chose to highlight a handful from each team, primarily focusing on the top, rankings-wise, simply for logistics purposes. Again, thanks for reading the site, and we hope you come back to check out our coverage of the whole championships weekend!

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