The final collegiate meet of the year is upon us, and we have six teams ready to duke it out for an NCAA title. Advancing from yesterday’s first session are Michigan, Stanford, and Nebraska, and out of yesterday’s evening session are Oklahoma, Illinois, and Penn State.
Michigan cruised to the title in the early session yesterday, missing only a few routines but still having room for improvement. Stanford didn’t have it’s ideal day, but still easily advanced and looked to have plenty left in the tank for tonight. Nebraska is competing here tonight thanks to its upset of Minnesota, who had a rough go in qualifying. If Nebraska can perform like it did yesterday, it could be a real threat to a handful of these teams tonight.
Oklahoma had a great performance in yesterday’s evening session, and that was with Yul Moldauer resting on three events. The Sooners were the only team to hit 70 on four events, and were only a few points away from doing so on pommel horse and high bar as well. Illinois started off a bit rough on parallel bars, but immediately bounced back by posting the highest high bar total of the day, and it was smooth sailing from there. Penn State found itself in fifth heading into the fifth rotation last night, but hit all five of its rings routines to rise back into qualifying position after Ohio State nor Iowa could keep leads on the NIttany Lions.
Check out yesterday’s Session One and Session Two live blogs for the full recap of the action.
The Sooners are the favorite to lift the team trophy tonight, as they have been all season. They have been able to not only bring the heavy difficulty all season, but have proven themselves worth of having the execution to match. That combination has been unbeatable for four years, and could see them lift their fifth consecutive title.
The rest of the podium is up for grabs. Based on scores from yesterday, Illinois looks capable of grabbing the second spot, but Michigan and Stanford were also impressive. The Wolverines are in their first team final since 2015, so landing a spot in the top three would be a welcome sight. The Cardinal, like Oklahoma, looked to be resting some athletes on events yesterday in preparation for tonight, so look for Stanford to have an even better day than what we saw in qualifying.
In addition to the team title, all around and event titles are also up for grabs. Oklahoma’s Moldauer is hoping to win his third all around title, and could potentially factor onto the podium on any of the six events as well. The pommel horse title will likely be the most contested final, with Moldauer, Illinois’ Michael Paradise, Penn State’s Stephen Nedoroscik, and Ohio State’s Alec Yoder all legit contenders for the win. Paradise posted the highest score on the event yesterday by three tenths, so it’s currently the Illini’s title to lose.
The teams will rotate in Olympic order, with Oklahoma starting on floor, Michigan starting on pommel horse, Nebraska starting on rings, Stanford starting on vault, Illinois starting on parallel bars, and Penn State starting on high bar. Individual all arounders and event finalists will be rotating along with tonight’s six teams and go first in each rotation.
Follow along with live scores of video courtesy of the Big Ten Network.
Rotation One: Oklahoma – Floor, Michigan – Pommel Horse, Nebraska – Rings, Stanford – Vault, Illinois – Parallel Bars, Penn State – High Bar
We’ve got a pretty decent sized crowd here tonight. The largest contingent is obviously for the home-team Illini, but Michigan, Stanford, and Oklahoma all have a good amount of fan and parent support here as well.
Yoder (OSU): opens with a double double, small slide back, nice front double full, stuck 2.5 to layout half, 1.5 to tucked front full, small hop, side pass double full, stuck, dismounts with a stuck triple full. 14.366
Lewis (Springfield): tsuk 2.5, went for the upgrade from a double but comes in short and falls backwards. 13.233
Wiskus (Minn): nice scissors, working through well, cleanly into his swinging, traveling nicely, good handstand and dismount, starting his AA performance strong. 13.266
Anderson (OU): opens with a front double full to stuck layout, double double second pass, small slide back, 2.5 to layout half, stuck, nice press to handstand, stuck double full side pass, 1.5 to front full, steps with one foot, dismounts full-in, slides back. 13.833
Phillips (Stan): yurchenko double, almost stuck but takes a step. 14.400
A hit for Michigan to start on pommel horse.
Valdez (PSU): nice tkatchev, good stalder work, great handstand in a jam, endo, dismounts with a tucked double double, and sticks it. 13.333
Tyndall (Neb): opens with a planche, moves well into a straddled planche, good front giants, tucked and pike yamawakis, presses to handstand easily, dismounts stuck double tuck. 13.566
Breckenridge (Stan): another nearly stuck yurchenko double, small hop. 14.366
Guimaraes (OU): double double, slides back, whip half to double full, small hop, double arabian half out, stuck, 2.5 to stuck layout half, some good flair work before a split and press to handstand, done easily, side pass is a rudi, almost stuck, small foot slide, dismounts with a triple full, tiny tiny hop. 14.000
Malone (Stan): tsuk 2.5, lands well just a hop forward. 14.500
Carter (Ill): good whippet, nice healy, a bit short on a diamidov, misses hands on a skill and has to re-grasp, good stutz, solid L-sit, dismounts double pike, chest low and steps forward. 12.500
Cole (Mich): good scissor work, great leg extension, good circles, traveling well, hits the dismount, a hit routine. 13.233
Lewis (Stan): tsuk 2.5 nearly identical to Malone’s. 14.433
Moldauer (OU): mounts with a front 2.5, small hop back, front double full to full, stuck, double arabian half-out, small hop, slips and falls in his flairs, repeats them well, 2.5 to layout half, stuck, double full side pass, stuck, dismounts triple full, small hop, not who I would’ve expected to see a fall from so early on. 13.466
Perla (Stan): tsuk 2.5, stuck! 14.933
Stephenson (Neb): good straddle planche, moves well to a straddle sit and back to a planche, good line in his giants, solid front giants, a bit of flexed feet in tucked and piked yamawakis, dismounts double double, stuck! 14.033
Fletcher (Ill): nice peach, way short on a diamidov, good bhavsar and tippelt, nice double pike dismount, small step. 13.766
Burns and Zakutney on high bar after a big mistake in an earlier routine.
After One: Stanford – 72.632, Oklahoma – 69.698, Nebraska – 68.031, Michigan – 63.831, Penn State – 63.698, Illinois – 63.564
Stanford rocked that vault rotation to open and get the early lead as a reward. Moldauer’s fall on floor, not even tumbling, was a huge shock and keeps Oklahoma’s score below a 70 on an event the Sooners went 70+ on yesterday. Nebraska started very well on rings with five clean routines and getting a 14 from Stephenson. Michigan had a miss on pommel horse but that isn’t the end of the road, but makes it all that harder now. Penn State went 3/5 on high bar, while Illinois had a disaster of a start on parallel bars. That’s where the Illini faltered early yesterday and came back strong, but today’s parallel bars performance was worse and today it will be a lot harder to dig out of a hole.
Rotation Two: Penn State – Floor, Oklahoma – Pommel Horse, Michigan – Rings, Nebraska – Vault, Stanford – Parallel Bars, Illinois – High Bar
Yoder (OSU): this could be a title winning routine, opens with some good scissor work and moves quickly into some nice one-armed swings, great body extension, clips one leg and breaks form slightly but stays on, regained composure really well, great press to handstand and dismount, just that small break in the middle. 14.633
Valentin (Air Force): tsuk double, step back. 14.066
Herrador (Iowa): nice yamawaki, super fast German giants and stadlers out, solid tkatchev, nice endo work, hitting every handstand, dismounts full twisting double layout and sticks it, likely Iowa’s best chance at a podium finish. 13.766
Wiskus (Minn): nice maltese, rises up nicely to a straddle planche, tucked to piked yamawakis, solid L-sit, great giants, no swing at all, sticks his 1.5 twisting double tuck dismount. 14.100
Valdez (PSU): opens with a stuck front 2.5, front double full to layout half, bounces right to the corner but stays in, solid full-in, good press handstands, 2.5 to stuck front layout, side pass double full, stuck, dismounts triple full, small hop.
Barrus (Stan): nice release towards the start, good whippet, a second good release, good diamidov and stutz, sticks his double pike dismount with some arm waving.
Giles (Neb): yurchenko 2.5, small steps forward. 14.600
A Diab (Ill): solid yamawaki, nice layout tkatchev, same straddled, good jam to handstand, hits it, dismounts full twisting double layout, sticks it and the crowd gets loud! 13.700
Strech (Mich): solid maltese, no movement, nice staddle planche, good front giant, tucked and piked yamawaki up to straddle hold, presses easily to handstand, dismounts double double, small hop. 14.300
Peters (Neb): tsuk 2.5, just a small hop. 14.566
Tyndall (PSU): mounts with a stuck double arabian, sticks a rudi, 2.5 to stuck layout half, 1.5 to front full, small sideways hop, wide-arm press to handstand, side pass double full, stuck, dismounts triple full, small slide back.
Scripnick (Neb): tsuk double, small hop forward. 13.833
Quiana (Ill): full twisting layout kovacs and peels off, remounts, hits the tucked version, great layout tkatchev, misses his hands on a straddle tkatchev half and falls again, good one-armed giant and weiler kip, dismounts full twisting double layout, hop back. 10.500
Bonnay (Neb): tsuk double, small step back.
Zakutney falls on floor for Penn State and Breckenridge comes off parallel bars for Stanford. Dunning hits a rings set for Michigan.
Moldauer (OU): moving through great, beautiful flair work, nice circles, quickly up to handstand and dismounts clean. 14.100
Stephenson (Neb): yurchenko 2.5, soooo close to a stick but takes one step. 14.866
Bock (Mich): nice crosses to open, nicely through to a maltese, good straddle planche, small arch in a front giant, tucked to piked yamawakis, up to straddle sit, presses to handstand, dismounts double double, big squat and a hop to the side. 13.633
Carter (Ill): nice yamawaki, good giant out of it, clean tkatchev, nice layout version to straddle half, caught really well, good stalder and hop full, dismounts full twisting double layout and sticks it.
Rotation Two: Penn State – 68.032, Oklahoma – 67.265, Michigan – 69.498, Nebraska – 72.065, Stanford – 67.365, Illinois – 64.099
After Two: Nebraska – 140.096, Stanford – 139.997, Oklahoma – 136.963, Michigan – 133.329, Penn State – 131.730, Illinois – 127.663
Nebraska brought it on vault, and if it keeps this up the Huskers could land on the podium. Stanford still managed a good score on parallel bars despite a few mistakes, and Oklahoma sailed through pommel horse. Illinois didn’t get as much out of high bar as it did yesterday, while Michigan is back to cruising and put a good rotation together on rings. Penn State had a solid floor rotation going until Zakutney fell in the anchor spot and missed out on a few points.
Rotation Three: Illinois – Floor, Penn State – Pommel Horse, Oklahoma – Rings, MIchigan – Vault, Nebraska – Parallel Bars, Stanford – High Bar
Gliozzi (W&M): opens with scissors right into a press handstand, comes down cleanly into swinging, some flexed feet throughout his circles, traveling well, moving smoothly, getting a bit piked the more he goes, dismounts for a hit routine. 13.333
Eyles (Minn): tsuk 2.5, sticks it! 14.800
Pochinka (Minn): good tippelt, nice peach, nice peach half, solid diamidov, falls on double pike. 12.766
Wiskus (Minn): tsuk 2.5, nearly stuck just a small step back. 14.700
Light (Ill): front double full to front full, small hop, double front, big hop forward, double arabian, small hop, 2.5 to stuck layout full, nice press to handstand, 1.5 to tucked front full, another small hop, dismounts triple full, tad under-rotated and steps back.
Penev (Mich): yurchenko double full, stuck! 14.466
Jessen (Stan): good endo work, good full twisting kovacs, hop 1.5, nice stalder and stalder tkatchev, beautiful stalder half, dismounts full twisting double layout, small hop. 13.933
Moore (Mich): tsuk double, stuck! 14.566
Justus (OU): nice crosses to start, nice back uprise to maltese, good straddle planche, a bit of swing in a giant, good yamawakis, dismounts full twisting double layout, pikes it down and hops back. 13.500
Guy (Mich): yurchenko 2.5, small hop sideways. 14.466
A Diab (Ill): front 2.5 to start, small hop, front double full to front full, stuck double layout, 2.5 to stuck front layout, nice maltese, wide-arm press to handstand done well, stuck double full side pass, dismounts triple full, takes two steps. 14.433
A fall from Stanford on high bar.
McCallum (Mich): tsuk double pike, STUCK! 15.266!!!!!!!!!!!
Hymanson (Neb): good L-sit, peach, short of handstand, nice bhavsar, has to sit on the bars on a tippelt, short of handstand on a stutz but moves good into a release, dismounts double pike, small hop in place. 12.133
Cole (Mich): yurchenko 2.5, big squat and steps on the landing. 14.500
Malone (Stan): good yamawaki, good full twisting kovacs, nice layout to straddle tkatchevs, nice hop full, double double layout dismount, stuck!
Nedoroscik (PSU): nice swinging to start, great one-armed work, good one pommel work, quickly through his circles and travels, hits the dismount, super clean routine. 14.400
Moldauer (OU): nice uprise to maltese, moves well through to another maltese, super steady, cross, nice yamawakis, picks up zero swing, nice straddle planche, dismounts double double, small hop back. 14.533
Barrus (Stan): yamawaki, tak half, misses handstand, good kovacs, full twisting kovacs, a little close, nice tkatchev to geinger, tad close also, way past handstand on a weiler, sticks his full twisting double layout dismount.
Rotation Three: Illinois – 71.199, Penn State – 66.932, Oklahoma – 70.565, Michigan – 73.264, Nebraska – 65.398, Stanford – 67.632
After Three: Stanford – 207.629, Oklahoma – 207.528, Michigan – 206.593, Nebraska – 205.494, Illinois – 198,862, Penn State – 198.662
Rotation Four: Stanford – Floor, Illinois – Pommel Horse, Penn State – Rings, Oklahoma – Vault, MIchigan – Parallel Bars, Nebraska – High Bar
Mandozzi (Iowa): yurchenko double, chest a bit low, steps back. 14.166
Harris (Minn): yamawaki, full twisting kovacs, a bit of leg form, kovacs, caught well, misses handstand on jam, dismounts full twisting double layout, small step back. 12.766
Huang (Iowa): tsuk double, way low with chest and lunges forward. 13.766
Mah (Cal): high bar, yamawaki, one-armed giant, tak full, hits handstand, tak half a little short, stalder, dismounts full twisting double layout, steps back. 13.000
Wiskus hits a parallel bars routine to keep his strong all around going. 14.200
Guimaraes (OU): yurchenko 2.5, nearly stuck just a small hop forward. 14.800
King (Neb): great one-armed giant, full twisting kovacs done well, nice kovacs, super high, stalder half, endo, endo half, all good handstands, stalder, dismounts full twisting double layout, chest forward and hops. 13.133
Dyer (OU): tsuk 2.5, big hop forward. 14.500
Tamargo (PSU): nice maltese, good uprise to maltese, a bit piked in a layout planche, good front giant, piked to tucked yamawakis to L-hold, dismounts 1.5 twisting double tuck with a step. 13.733
Jackson (Neb): tak half, hits handstand, layout kovacs, gorgeous, great kick out on it tucked, stalder half, endo, endo half, dismounts with a stuck double double layout. 13.833
Fletcher (Ill): nice swinging to start, good circles, traveling well, quick up to handstand and hits a good one.
Breckenridge (Stan): front double full to front full, double arabian, side pass double full, stuck, whip to 1.5 to front layout, stuck, dismounts 2.5, small hop. 14.033
Anderson (OU): tsuk double, cowboys the pike and hops OOB on the landing. 14.666
Roberson (PSU): nice maltese, great swing back into a second maltese, nice straddle planche, great position, good yamawakis into a cross, stuck front double pike dismount.
Moldauer (OU): tsuk 2.5, clean in the air just a sideways hop OOB. 14.533
Perla just stuck nearly every pass on floor for Stanford.
Fall for Nebraska on high bar.
Paradise (Ill): he posted the highest pommel horse score yesterday, scissors to open and cleanly into his swings, great one-armed swing, good extension, pointed toes, traveling well, doesn’t quite get all the way up to handstand before the dismount. 13.900
Bock (Mich): some struggle in the whippet to open, nice healy, peach, slightly bent arms, nice release, bit arched after a stutz, high front release, nice bhavsar, cleanly through a tippelt, double pike dismount and a step back.
Rotation Four: Stanford – 71.898, Illinois – 66.166, Penn State – 69.332, Oklahoma – 72.932, Michigan – 65.498, Nebraska – 65.199
After Four: Oklahoma – 280.460, Stanford – 279.927, Michigan – 272.091, Nebraska – 270.693, Penn State – 267.994, Illinois 265.028
This has come down mostly to Oklahoma and Stanford now. The Sooners have already grabbed the lead before Stanford heads to the low-scoring pommel horse, but still has high bar left. This should be very exciting.
Rotation Five: Nebraska – Floor, Stanford – Pommel Horse, Illinois – Rings, Penn State – Vault, Oklahoma – Parallel Bars, Michigan – High Bar
Yoder (OSU): on parallel bars, whippet, peach, wonky in the diomidov half, high front 1 1/4, great stutz, double front half dismount, chest low and steps forward. 13.866
Bonanno (OSU): on vault, double front, sits it down. 13.366
Mah (Cal): on floor, front double pike, hops then shuffles OOB, front 2.5 nearly stuck, sticks the front double full to layout half, side pass double full, sticks it, dismounts 2.5, comes in short and falls back. 12.233
Brodarzon (Iowa): yurchenko double, sticks it, chest a tad low.
Wiskus (Minn): on high bar, yamawaki, bit of bent arms on the catch, one armed giant, full twisting kovacs, kovacs caught beautifully, nice endo, tak half and hits that handstand, dismounts double double layout, sticks it! 13.733
Fall from the leadoff for Penn State on vault.
Krystek (Mich): yamawaki to geinger, tak half, misses the handstand, tkatchev, stalder, hop, hop full, dismounts full twisting double layout, hop in place. 13.266
Gunther (Stan): up to handstand then down into scissors, does it again cleanly, nice swinging, good circles, working through cleanly, dismounts strong.
Clayton (PSU): tsuk double, near stuck but takes a step back, OOB. 13.833
Wenske (OU): peach half, slightly short on a peach, stutz, good release, double pike dismount, small step back. 13.566
Hudson (Ill): nice maltese, nice uprise back to maltese, good yamawakis to L-sit, a bit of a struggle in press to handstand, dismounts full-in and a step back. 13.466
Jessen (Stan): good circles to start, hand slips and he comes off, finishes clean. 12.333
Stephenson (Neb): opens with a 2.5 to rudi, whip half to double full, steps OOB, lands OOB on a double double, stuck double full side pass, dismounts triple full, small hops back. 13.600
Zakutney (PSU): double front, kicks early and comes in short, sits it down. 13.433
A Diab (Ill): nice uprise to maltese, steady cross and then back to maltese, sturdy second cross, beautiful piked yamawaki to hold, solid final cross, small arch in press to handstand, dismounts full twisting double layout, small hops back. 14.733
Moldauer (OU): L-sit to open, nice press to handstand, great healy, tiny bit short on a peach, misses his hand on a peach half and hits the bar, rebounds well with a diamidov, nice release, tucked and piked, dismounts front double half, great kick out to a stick. 13.133
Rotation Five: Nebraska – 70.095, Stanford – 64.564, Illinois – 69.432, Penn State – 68.032, Oklahoma – 68.031, Michigan – 65.498
After Five: Oklahoma – 348.491, Stanford – 344.091, Nebraska – 340.758, Penn State – 336.026, Michigan – 334.922, Illinois – 334.460
This is getting close! With Moldauer’s two mistakes, the Sooners don’t have as big of a lead over Stanford as they could have, and have to finish on the ever-tricky high bar where the Cardinal are finishing on rings. Nebraska having to finish on pommel horse means its third place standing isn’t solid and really Penn State or Michigan could grab that spot. Also, Malone is currently leading the all around, followed by Wiskus and then its Moldauer, so the all around race will be very exciting in this last rotation too!
Rotation Six: Michigan – Floor, Nebraska – Pommel Horse, Stanford – Rings, Illinois – Vault, Penn State – Parallel Bars, Oklahoma – High Bar
Kan (Minn): mounts with a double front, small hop, front double full to stuck rudi, 2.5 to stuck front full, 1.5 to stuck layout half, side pass is a stuck double full, quick handstand, dismounts triple full, small hop. 14.233
Yoder (OSU): yamawaki, great stalder, endo full a little late, tak half, dismounts double double layout and sticks it! 13.300
Wiskus steps OOB on his final floor pass, will probably affect his all around standing in not a good way unfortunately.
Guy (Mich): mounts with a double front pike, small hop, double double, another small hop, 1.5 to layout half and some small hops, 2.5 to layout, another hop, nice handstand, sticks double full side pass, triple full dismount, small hop forward. 13.700
Kovach (Ill): yurchenko double, almost stuck just a small hop. 14.166
Tyndall (Neb): scissors, good swinging elements to start, traveling well, fell out of the handstand dismount a bit. 13.066
M Diab (Ill): tsuk 2.5, almost stuck but takes a small hop in place. 14.500
Stanford is killing it so far on rings! Oklahoma just getting underway now on high bar.
Dyer (OU): yamawaki, good tak half, one armed giant, layout tkatchev, tkatchev, dismounts with a stuck full twisting double layout.
Malone (Stan): good maltese, nice uprise to planche, nice planche into L-sit, good piked and tucked yamawakis, a bit of labored press into handstand, good front giant, dismounts 1.5 twisting double tuck and sticks it! 14.266
Moldauer (OU): yamawaki, nice endo out, good one-armed giants, tak half a bit short, kovacs and tries to grab under the bar and misses, re-chalks and re-mounts, hop full, hop 1.5, dismounts full twisting double layout and a slide back. 12.066
Cole (Mich): mounts with a stuck double double, front double full to stuck layout, split into wide-arm handstand, side pass double full, stuck, 2.5 to stuck layout half, 1.5 to rudi, small hop, dismounts full-in, chest low and a step forward. 14.400
Another hit routine and stuck dismount for Stanford!! The Cardinal are bringing the heat! Nebraska is killing horse too!
Suzuki (OU): good yamawaki, great tak half, layout tkatchev caught well, same with the straddled version, straddle tkatchev half, jam to handstand is good, endo, dismounts full twisting double layout, sticks it! 13.933
Eng (Stan): great holds to start, beautiful into a maltese and then cross, nice uprise to handstand, straddle hold done well, great maltese up to planche, loses control a bit in the final handstand, double layout dismount, brings chest down and has to hop. 14.133
Anderson (OU): yamawaki to geinger, nice, endo, one armed giant, layout tkatchev half, layout tkatchev, straddle tkatchev half, nice stalder, dismounts double double layout, sticks it! 13.500
So quiet in here waiting for Anderson’s score.
It’s only a 13.500! Stanford will end the Oklahoma reign!
Rotation Six: Michigan – 71.432, Nebraska – 66.731, Stanford – 71.131, Illinois – 70.898, Penn State – 63.699, Oklahoma – 66..065
What a thrilling ending! Stanford used the highest rings total of the day to take advantage of a Sooners miss on high bar and take the title! Oklahoma does not five-peat and its streak ends at three undefeated seasons (four regular seasons through, still amazing!). Nebraska killed it on pommels to finish third after entering ranked ninth!
I’ll post full team results and event winners below, and check out The Dismount: MAG in a few days for my full recap of these NCAA Championships! It was a great year and I’m glad I got to live blog it here on College Gym News!
Team Results
Stanford – 415.222
Oklahoma – 414.556
Nebraska – 407.489
Michigan – 406.354
Illinois – 405.358
Penn State – 399.725
All Around: Brody Malone (Stanford) 85.832
Floor: Brody Malone (Stanford) 14.800
Pommel Horse: Alec Yoder (Ohio State) 14.633
Rings: Alex Diab (Illinois) 14.733
Vault: Anthony McCallum (Michigan) 15.266
Parallel Bars: Shane Wiskus (Minnesota) 14.200
High Bar: Brody Malone (Stanford) 14.633
Live Blog by Brandis Heffner
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