This year’s Nastia Liukin Cup Series will be comprised of 12 meets, each of which will qualify one or two senior gymnasts (aged 16 or older) and one or two juniors (15 or younger) to the 12th Nastia Liukin Cup in Indianapolis on Feb. 26.
This week’s series included two meets: the Sand Dollar/Whitlow Invitational and the Fiesta Bowl Invitational.
Last week’s qualifiers were Lexi Zeiss (senior) and Avery Neff (junior).
Sand Dollar/Whitlow Invitational
Winner (senior division): Lilly Hudson (39.100)
Winner (junior division): Nina Ballou (38.800)
Alabama signee Lilly Hudson, a former junior elite, won the senior competition, scoring over 39 points and beating Carolina signee Lali Dekanoidze, a 5-star recruit and previous NLC qualifier, and Oklahoma signee Danielle Sievers, a 4-star recruit. The most impressive gymnast, though, was perhaps the junior qualifier, Nina Ballou, in the class of 2025, who posted a huge 38.800, including a 9.975 on vault. Ballou already has a Yurchenko 1.5 in her impressive repertoire.
Scores: VT: 9.900 | UB: 9.750 | BB: 9.700 | FX: 9.750 | AA: 39.100
- Club: Florida Elite
- College: Alabama
- High School Graduation Year: 2021
- CGN Rating: Not rated
- Notable Results: fourth place on floor at the 2014 junior U.S. Classic
- Previous NLC Appearances: N/A
Nina Ballou
Scores: VT: 9.975 | UB: 9.725 | BB: 9.525 | FX: 9.575 | AA: 38.800
- Club: American Twisters
- High School Graduation Year: 2025
- Notable Results: 2020 Tim Rand Invitational and Elevate the Stage champion
- Previous NLC Appearances: N/A
Fiesta Bowl Invitational
Winner (senior division): Alexandra Theodorou (39.300)
Winner (junior division): Olivia Orengo (38.100)
Arizona State commit Alex Theodorou, a 3-star recruit in the class of 2021, won the competition with a stratosferic 39.300, which included a 9.950 for her rare vault: a Yurchenko full-on tucked full off. This is the second time that Theodorou posts an all around score over 39 this season after a 39.025 in her season debut at the Flames Invitational earlier this month. The junior spot was awarded to Olivia Orengo in the class of 2024 who had a solid competition for an all around score of 38.100.
Scores: VT: 9.950 | UB: 9.800 | BB: 9.750 | FX: 9.800 | AA: 39.300
- Club: Desert Lights
- College: Arizona State
- High School Graduation Year:
- CGN Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Notable Results: 2019 Arizona state champion
- Previous NLC Appearances: N/A
Olivia Orengo
VT: 9.575 | UB: 9.425 | BB: 9.550 | FX: 9.550 | AA: 38.100
- Club: Twin City Twisters
- High School Graduation Year: 2024
- Notable Results: 2019 L9 Region 5 champion
- Previous NLC Appearances: N/A
READ THIS NEXT: Nastia Liukin Cup Series: Week 2
Article by Talitha Ilacqua
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