This is what we call a headliner, folks.
Flash back to the Big Ten debut meet: Iowa at Minnesota. The Gophers set an opening meet program record. Iowa debuted in the rankings at No. 9, its highest ranking in program history. These teams are on fire (or, as Rebecca would say, flames emoji).
While Minnesota has higher highs coming in, the Hawkeyes have been more consistent and are less hampered by injuries. Either team could take this one. Both teams could mathematically overtake idle Michigan for No. 1 in the conference. This one has big implications—both in the conference and nationally—as we move closer to NQS and conference meet time. Both teams are nationals hopefuls at this point, and this is a great mid-season pressure test.
The whole meet should be stellar, but pay special attention to the second half. The final rotation— with Minnesota on beam and Iowa on floor—could be one of the best rotations in college gymnastics during the regular season. There is the potential for a Ramler 10.0 on beam followed by a Guerin 10.0 on floor. And we get Kathy Johnson Clarke on the call on an ESPN-produced stream. It’s a Big Ten fan’s (my) wildest dream.
Please watch this video.
We are…
We've had…𝗘𝗡𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛. pic.twitter.com/hJ8W2l9Gpq
— Iowa Gymnastics (@IowaGymnastics) February 6, 2021
The Big Ten has a United as One campaign this academic year. It is my understanding that each team is designating one home meet as being part of that initiative, and it appears that Iowa has chosen today. We can expect to see diversity t-shirts for both teams, but we know Iowa doesn’t do things halfway, so there may be more to it as well.
We’ve got a leo in.
Leo check ✔️👀 for today's meet! pic.twitter.com/0M81L8P74o
— Minnesota Women’s Gym (@GopherWGym) February 6, 2021
Look I don’t know why WordPress has decided it hates embedding media from Twitter today. I don’t know why WordPress does any of the things it does.
Lineups, baby!
Lineups are locked in.#Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/LKyjgB2Cc0
— Iowa Gymnastics (@IowaGymnastics) February 6, 2021
ESPNU has a wild documentary on now about football recruiting and WHOOOOO boy what it must be like to be in a revenue sport. Fancy fancy.
Anyway, what a thrill to have a Big Ten meet that will start at the top of the hour for once. BTN who?
Bart and Kathy talking about the Big Ten, I’m already crying.
ROTATION 1: Iowa VT, Minn. UB
Greenwald (Iowa): FTY, good hips, hop back. 9.65; it was a big hop.
Montgomery (Minn.): Hect mount, Blind to Jaeger, good, immediate bail. Some looseness in her core. Blind to double front step. 9.725
Vance (Iowa): FTY, some hips and loose arms, pike and a hop. 9.75
Hooten (Minn.): Bit of a wait. Bars judges this year, man. Blind pike Jaeger, just a touch out too far, she falls. Bail, little short las handstand. Blind double front and a step. 8.95 SV issue, probably since she didn’t repeat the Jaeger.
Guerin (Iowa): FTY, flairs her arms, stuck. Could be a touch higher, but nice. 9.9, yep.
Willmarth (Minn.): Pressure after Hooten’s fall, but she’s a pro and looks relaxed. Ooop we’ve got a judges conference. Of course. Okay here we go. Ray, close and arm bend. Bail hand great. Blind full touch late double tuck small hop. 9.8
Kenlin (Iowa): FTY, hop back and some hips, best height yet. 9.8
Loper (Minn.): Maloney to pak, little low. Short last handstand. Blind full to double tuck, stuck. 9.85
Killian (Iowa): FTY, small hop, nice in the air. 9.825, these vault scores are pretty on point.
Sales (Minn.): Bail hand loose core. Blind to Markelov is good. Slight arch on last handstand. DLO, stuck. Great routine! 9.9, I agree with that.
Henderson (Iowa): FTY, huge as always, hop back. 9.85, perfect but for the hop, I’d say.
Ramler (Minn.): Maloney to pak, her usual. Van Leeuwen was great. Toe hand to full-in stuck. Well! 9.95
AFTER 1: Minn. 49.225, Iowa 49.125
Great start for both teams. As expected, this is starting out close! Minnesota would’ve liked to have more cushion after one of its best events in bars, but it’ll take that number with a fall in the lineup. The Hawkeyes will absolutely take any 49-plus they can pull out with an all-FTY lineup. Minnesota has a difficulty edge on vault, so the next rotation will be about Iowa perfecting bar details to keep it as close as possible.
Looks like Halle Remlinger did a bar exhibition for Minnesota (9.725) and Kendall Laplante vaulted exhibition for Iowa (9.425).
ROTATION 2: Iowa UB, Minn. VT
Bart and Kathy are expertly vamping while we wait around. Not even ESPN can make a Big Ten meet run quickly. What’re ya gonna do.
Gerdes (Minn.): FTY, pikey and off to the side, step back. 9.75
Henderson (Iowa): Toe hand to Maloney, good. Bail hand leg sep. Good last handstand. FTDB sort of stuck? But she did hop a touch when she saluted. Don’t know what they’ll do with that. 9.8, definitely took a hop
Remlinger (Minn.): FTY, piked down a bit, big hop. 9.65
Greenwald (Iowa): Ray touch close. Toe hand to pak, some shoulder angle. Late blind. DLO, low chest but stuck. 9.8
Hooten (Minn.): Y1.5, twisted early, landed on her heels and took a small step back. 9.75
Hartzler (Iowa): Hect mount. Short handstand. Blind to pike Jaeger great catch. Blind to straddle back, short. Little check on squat on. Blind full to double tuck true stick. 9.8. Judges? There are other numbers. I promise.
Ramler (Minn.): Y1.5, soft knees, stuck. 9.925, feels right.
Rogers (Iowa): She’s in for Steffensmeier, don’t know why. Toe hand great! to Maloney immediate pak, off balance a bit on switch kip. Short handstand. Blind full great, hop on double tuck. 9.8, WHAT ARE YOU DOING, JUDGES. I mean I get all of the 9.8s, I’m just shocked at four in a row.
Loper (Minn.): Y1.5, stuck. Wow! Some leg form on the table but really small and that’s it. 9.925, I thought it was better than Ramler’s.
Kaji (Iowa): Higgins to Jaeger very nice, pak was archy. Great handstands. DLO, small hop. Really wonderful. 9.825 okay look other numbers!
Quarles (Minn.): Y1.5, some leg sep and a hop forward. 9.95, okay honestly I thought Loper should have the 9.95 and this should’ve been another 9.925, but hey it works out in the end!
Kenlin (Iowa): Oh her first handstand wow. Maloney to pak, great lines. Toe full bit late, double tuck small hop. 9.85 looooook we know 5s are numbers.
Grotenhuis did an exhibition vault and we got to watch the team cheering but not the vault.
AFTER 2: Minn. 98.525, Iowa 98.200
Yeah, that was expected; Minnesota is strong on vault and was always going to pull away here with clean hits. The three strong Y1.5s were the exclamation point. This is right on pace for Iowa in mid-196 land, where it has been all year. The Gophers will want to be as clean as possible to maximize floor and keep the lead as big as possible, since floor will be Iowa’s shot to make a comeback in the fourth.
ROTATION 3: Iowa BB, Minn. FX
Kathy is talking about how she doesn’t get to see the Big Ten much and is impressed with the cleanliness you know I’m yelling YES, YES at my TV.
Henderson (Iowa): Bhs loso, front leg up. Cat to switch side, low on one leg there, but it was a 180, maybe a .05 deduction. RO double tuck hop back. 9.725
Kathy “I call this the Q factor.” I love it.
Koch (Minn.): FHS 2/1 to punch front, good. Tour jete 1/2 to wolf full little sloppy in her feet. Back 1/1 side pass. She’s a little more comfortable in performing than the past few times out, but still needs to go a little bigger in my opinion. FHS rudi, good lunge. 9.775
Nick (Iowa): Bhs loso, loose knees and a check. Cat to front aerial, fall. Switch to split to split 3/4, little shy on the last 180. RO 3/2 hop forward. 9.15
LeNeave (Minn.): Double pike jumped into the lunge. Switch half wolf 1/1 was good, just low front leg in the wolf. Combo pass could’ve had more amplitude on the final front layout. Double tuck cowboyed. 9.85
Killian (Iowa): Bhs loso some feet and soft knees. Front tuck solid. Switch switch, great connection, didn’t pause like some do on that combo. RO 2/1 small hop. Great routine to put up after a fall! 9.8
Ramler (Minn.): Ring jump 1/1, good. Double pike, slid her front foot a touch. Switch ring through switch half. RO 3/2 through to 2/1, some foot cross but cleaner than she often does that pass. 3/2 to front lay fairly sized arch in the lay. 9.875 B&K thinks it’s low but I disagree.
Vance (Iowa): Bhs loso, some bend in her front knee on the bhs. Side aerial two feet, good. Lacked a touch of split in her jumps, but otherwise good. Side aerial to tuck 1/1, small hop. 9.85
Remlinger (Minn.): Full-in, she twisted right off the ground it was weird but okay in the air, some feet, small foot adjustment. Switch side to popa, clean. 3/2 to front lay. Double tuck stepped forward. Just some funky landing things in there. 9.875 oh hmm I’d go lower than Ramler by a touch.
Kaji (Iowa): She’s hamming it up while she waits and it is cracking Bart up. Larissa Libby is dancing. Big Iowa moods going on here. There’s a judging conference of course. This is a pretty extended wait. Okay here we go. Bhs loso, great amplitude. Cat to side aerial, step back. Split to split 3/4, good. Bhs gainer 1/1 stuck. 9.9
Hooten (Minn.): Full-in, moves her front foot. Switch side popa, cheated that rotation some by overcooking the first, but good height. FHs front 1/1 to front pike, holds the landing, she did skid a touch. Double tuck, again no lunge but a little foot shuffle. Kathy thinks no deduction but Kathy is usually in the SEC. 9.925, I’d be the 9.9 judge in that score.
Kenlin (Iowa): We love a freshman two even anchor. Bhs loso no deductions there. Switch to split, excellent positions and finish. Front aerial to beat. Her elite pedigree really shows in the details here, releve and finishing movements. Bhs bhs 3/2, hop. 9.875 that dang hop.
Loper (Minn.): Front lay to rudi, adjusted her feet on the landing. Switch ring to tour jete 1/2 was clean. 5/2, great amplitude and landing. RO 3/2 front lay, great. Really strong. 9.95, I’m into that.
AFTER 3: Minn. 148.000, Iowa 147.350
The Gophers are really pulling away here. I have a few questions about the Hooten floor score, I had deductions on every landing. Small ones! But still. Otherwise, I’m on board with the scores. Iowa was a little nervy in the front three, and some hops gave away tenths that will make catching Minnesota a very tall task. The Hawkeyes need to be almost flawless on floor to do it, unless Minnesota gives it away on beam. That is unlikely.
ROTATION 4: Iowa FX, Minn. BB
Montgomery (Minn.): Bhs loso, no movement but low, especially after the Kenlin and Kaji amplitude. Beat to Straddle 1/2 to tuck, good straddle position. Front tuck low chest but no check. RO 3/2, swings arms and chest forward but no step. 9.8
Killian (Iowa): 3/1, slight front foot slide, but good chest. FHs front 1/1 front pike touch low, I missed her jumps! Double tuck good landing. 9.8
The score page is being wonky for Minnesota scores. Of course.
Nylin (Minn.): Aaaaand we have a conference for Montgomery. Stack-Eaton had Nylin step away and they’re chatting to keep her loose. OK here we go. Bhs bhs loso, she just a touch of extra momentum and leaned back, and fell right at the end of the beam. Hitch to switch side, good positions. RO 3/2 soft knees but stuck. 9.075
Castle (Iowa): Double pike, good landing. Wolf 1/1 to switch side to wolf 1/2, I wanted more precise twisting. Rudi a little bit short on rotation. She is STARING at the judge aha. RO 3/2 front lay, little bit low but good landing. 9.8 here we go again with the 9.8sssss.
Loper (Minn.): Pressure is on, but this is Ona Loper. Bhs loso, touch soft in her trailing leg in the bhs but that’s mega-picky. Front toss tiny check to beat, just a shoulder adjustment. Switch again a little check to straddle 1/4. These connections are just a beat off. RO 3/2 small hop. She was just tight, I think. 9.775, yeah, just off from her usual.
Greenwald (Iowa): This routine is so spooky. It WORKS for her. Full-in to a deduction-free landing, really great. Swtich side Popa, cheated rotation a touch again by overdoing the first. RO 5/2 punch front, big, little loose in the knees and a shuffle on the landing. 9.9
Korlin-Downs (Minn.): Back toss mount. Bhs loso, small check and a foot adjustment. Beat to split to double stag ring, split was the highlight, great oversplit. Could use more head release on the last. Side aerial 1/1, good landing. 9.9
Henderson (Iowa): Full-in, again no deduction on that landing. The gentlest lunge. Switch side popa to straddle, huge splits, better on the rotation than Greenwald. Front through double tuck, same great landing. Yeah, I don’t know, that was stellar. Mayyyyyybe .05 on the switch side rotation. 9.925, yep.
Sales (Minn.): Bhs bhs loso, offline from the second bhs and she falls. Leans back on her jumps but pulls it back on. Trying to refocus and not rush. Gainer pike off the end stuck. Wow, counting a fall for Minnesota opens the door here. 8.975
Kaji (Iowa): We’re getting a split screen of Libby watching and dancing with this and when I tell you it’s like electricity watching them move together. 3/2 step out through double tuck, lunges forward. Punch front for that forward requirement. Double pike, lunges forward again. Good splits and rotations on her jumps. 9.875, those two forward steps.
Ramler (Minn.): If you want someone up after two falls, it’s Ramler. Bhs loso, good. Front aerial REALLY deep squat to wolf. I don’t know how much they’ll take there, but at least .1 I’d say. Beat to ring. Side aerial 1/1, stuck. 9.825
Guerin (Iowa): My favorite floor routine in the NCAA. Full-in, carbon copy of the other full-in landings, great. Switch side popa to straddle, overdid the switch side to short the popa, that’s a theme here. Front through huge double tuck, same great landing. 9.95, yeah, just that rotation issue, I’d say.
FINAL: IOWA 196.800, MINNESTOA 196.375
WOW. Iowa capitalizes on Minnesota’s beam struggles and takes this one! That is a CLEAN floor rotation. The landings are just so precise, the Hawkeyes don’t give anything away there. If I’m not mistaken, Iowa will fall juuuuuust shy (0.05 shy) of moving ahead of Michigan for No. 1 in the Big Ten with this number.
EVENT WINNERS:
VT: Quarles, 9.950
UB: Ramler, 9.950
BB: Kaji, Korlin-Downs, 9.900
FX: Loper, Guerin, 9.950
AA: Ramler, 39.575
Live blog by Emily Minehart
Like what you see? Consider donating to support our efforts throughout the year! [wpedon id=”13158″]
