PHOTO ESSAY: NCAA Nationals Semifinals and Individual Event Championship

April 19, 2019 College Gym News Event Coverage, Featured Carousel, Features, NCAA WAG, Recap

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A slightly off night for UCLA’s Kyla Ross still surmounts to a stellar performance for nearly everyone else and resulted in national championships for the junior on vault and floor, as well as a runner-up position in the all around. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes, [email protected])

Per usual, junior MyKayla Skinner was the highlight for a Utah team that stumbled in the semifinals, finishing fourth and, ultimately, ending the season at No. 7. Skinner, who will announce whether she plans to try for the 2020 Olympics in the coming days, had three podium finishes, including a seventh-place finish in the all around. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes, [email protected])

It’s been quite the year for freshman Natalie Wojcik, who has been raking in the accolades all season long. She capped off 2019 season by winning the beam national title with a 9.950 and no others standing atop the podium with her. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes, [email protected])

Despite a lead-off fall on beam in the very first routine of the night, LSU surged to a second-place finish and advanced on to team finals out of semifinal one with a final score of 197.5125. Senior McKenna Kelley, who is still deciding whether to return for a fifth year, was a big part of that, scoring a 9.925 to finish seventh overall. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes, [email protected])

The Bruins began their day with a slow start on vault and even on bars but came roaring back on its two best events to close out a win in the first semifinal and easily advance to the team finals with a 197.6750. Junior Gracie Kramer was the epitome of UCLA floor, nailing her routine and finally getting the recognition many think she deserves, earning a 9.9375 and fifth overall. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes, [email protected])

Despite a hard push toward the end, Michigan ended its 2019 season smiling, posting a 197.200 in semifinal one—the fourth-highest score of the day. The Wolverines will finish an impressive fifth overall. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes, [email protected])

Alexis Vasquez has been a standout competitor on beam for the Pioneers in her first season of college gymnastics. In Fort Worth, she continued to excel, scoring a 9.9125 to finish fourth, sitting only behind pretty good company in Katelyn Ohashi, Sarah Finnegan and Wojcik. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes, [email protected])

Entering the meet with a fighting change to advance to the finals, it just wasn’t Georgia’s night, as the Gymdogs will wrap up the season in eighth. However, senior Sydney Snead finished off her stellar career in red and black with a podium finish on vault. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes, [email protected])

A big reason Denver has excelled so much this season has been sophomore Lynnzee Brown. Earlier in the year she notched a perfect 10 on floor, and on Friday night she added a national title, which makes her just the second individual champion for the Pioneers, joining Nina Magee who won on floor in 2016 in the same arena. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes, [email protected])

Competing as an individual at nationals for the second time in as many years, sophomore Lexy Ramler entered the final rotation of semifinal two needing a 9.9375 to tie Ross for the lead in the all around. She earned just that, ultimately placing second with the 2016 Olympian with a 39.6625. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes, [email protected])

In her first time back on floor since the second meet of the season on January 11, reigning national all around champion Maggie Nichols performed to near perfection, tallying a 39.7125 to claim her second-consecutive title, as well as a share of the crown on vault, second on bars, sixth on beam and seventh on floor. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes, [email protected])

Oklahoma easily cruised to the team finals, finishing with the top overall score of the day with a 197.850. Senior Nicole Lehrmann contributed mightily to the success, finishing fourth on bars, fifth on vault and sixth on beam. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes, [email protected])

Denver’s historic season was extended one more night as it put up a big 197.0375 in semifinal two to advance to the team finals, guaranteeing it a top-four finish and its highest final ranking in program history. (Photo/Emily Howell-Forbes, [email protected])

Photographs by Emily Howell-Forbes, essay by Elizabeth Grimsley

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