Michigan has won the last seven Big Ten championships. The Wolverines are ranked No. 3 in the country and are coming off of a program record score, but don’t count out Minnesota from taking home the title. The Gophers have climbed the rankings and are led by two upperclassman, Ona loper and Lexy Ramler, who have been in championship situations before. Minnesota also has the advantage of being in its home arena. The two teams faced off early-on in the season. While Michigan came out on-top, the meet ending was disastrous due to hard landings on Crisler floor and struggles on beam. The competition for the Big Ten title is the most competitive it has been in years.
Iowa quietly claimed the regular-season conference title with its consistency and clutch floor rotations. Meanwhile, Illinois has excelled on beam and floor with Mia Takekawa and Shaylah Scott leading the way.
The Big Ten Session One winner was Rutgers with a 195.675. All four teams in this second session are expected to top that as they battle for a conference title. It is important to note that the scores for session one and session two will determine individual results as well. The session high on vault, bars and beam was a 9.900. The floor session high was a 9.875 and the all-around score to beat is Hannah Joyner’s 39.375.
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The event rotation draw has the Floor team in the B1G (us) starting on FLOOR!
T-1 hour! | #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/DcebIGIUDY
— Iowa Gymnastics (@IowaGymnastics) March 20, 2021
Our fabulous photographer, Emily Howell-Forbes, is in the arena reporting from warmups that Abby Brenner is walking around the floor with no tape. It is possible we could see her compete on bars today.
Another tidbit from warmups… Minnesota was stellar on vault with stuck y1.5’s from Loper and Hooten.
Rotation 1: Minnesota VT, Michigan UB, Illinois BB, Iowa FX
Heiskell (UM): Blind to Jaeger, gorgeous, pak salto, stunning, Blind full to double tuck, small hop. 9.900
Townes (Illinois): Switch to straddle 1/4, short of full split, Front toss, solid, Bhs loso, good, nice full turn. Cat leap to side aerial to tucked full dismount, hop back. 9.775
Bauman (UM): Jaeger to immediate bail, well-done, gorgeous handstand, Toe half to double front, step on landing. Her first competition Bar routine. 9.850
Borden (Illinois): Front aerial to fhs to straddle 1/4, slightly timid in connection, but good landing. beat to Sheep jump, solid, Dismounts with a stuck Front full. 9.775
Wilson (UM): Blind to pike Jaeger, good, Bail handstand, nicely done, gorgeous final handstand, dismounts with a DLO, hop back. 9.850
Gerdes (MIN): FTY, nice amplitude but a large hop back. 9.750
Kenlin (Iowa): Fhs double twist to front tuck, nicely done, 1.5 to front lay, gorgeous, nice leap pass to finish. 9.875
Hooten (MIN): Y1.5, small step forward. 9.900
Koulos (UM): Short handstand to blind Jaeger, good, fantastic handstand, bail handstand, DLO, first stuck dismount for Michigan. 9.875
Ramler (MIN): Y1.5, hop forward. 9.900
Kaji (Iowa): 1.5 through to double back, fantastic, great choreography execution. Punch Front as apart of her dance, Double pike, uncontrolled step back. 9.900
Brooks (UM): Blind to pike Jaeger, nicely done, Toe handstand to bail handstand, good, up to high bar with a nice handstand, FTDL, small hop back. 9.900
Takekawa (Illinois): Side aerial to back loso, good, Gorgeous Switch side, but comes off on the loso, nice full turn, bhs gainer full, stuck. 9.150
Henderson (Iowa): Huge Full-in, Switch side to Popa to straddle, fantastic, front tuck through to double back, great landing. 9.995 Career High
Wojcik (UM): Toe handstand to huge Deltchev, stunning toe point on her handstands, Bail handstand, DLO, small hop back. 9.925
Loper (MIN): Y1.5, small step back. 9.850
Guerin (Iowa): full-in, nice height, gorgeous leaps, front tuck through to double back, nicely done. 9.950
Quarles (MIN): Y1.5, large step forward. She gets great amplitude off the table. 9.9
Scott (llinois): Front toss, wobbles, to bhs. That could be a SV deduction. Full turn. switch to split jump, nice flexibility, cat leap to front aerial, Cartwheel to gainer full dismount, stuck. 9.825
Rotation one was very successful for the No. 1 team on floor in the Big Ten. Iowa was stellar with amplitude on tumbling, flexibility in leaps, and control on landings. The Hawkeyes will head into rotation two with the lead. Minnesota and Michigan had a solid start to its meet as well. Both programs will be looking for more stuck landings for the rest of the competition. Illinois had some struggles on beam, but now they are done with arguably the most challenging apparatus to stay-on.
AFTER ONE: Iowa 49.500, Michigan 49.450, Minnesota 49.350, Illinois 48.925
Rotation 2: Iowa VT, Minnesota – UB, Michigan BB, Illinois FX
Tolan (Iowa): FTY, pike down and a small hop in-place. 9.825
Montgomery (MIN): Short first handstand, blind change straddle jaeger, huge leg separation and way too close to the bar, misses the shootover,feet touch the ground, dismounts with a blind to double front. 9.175
Greenwald (Iowa): FTY, really nice vault with small movement on landing. Looked like she had bent elbows on the table. 9.850
Wilson (UM): Bhs loso, soft knees but solid landing, Cat leap to switch side, small adjustment, good full turn, ro double tuck, step back. 9.850
Hooten (MIN): short on her first handstand, blind to piked jaeger, good , to overshoot, Blind change to double front, step back. 9.850
Guerin (Iowa): FTY, way too much power and has a large hop back. 9.850 is very high for that routine.
Farley (UM): bhs loso loso, lacks some amplitude but has a solid landing, Straddle to straddle half, lacks flexibility, gorgeous 1.5 turn. side aerial, soft knees but good landing, Gainer pike, stuck. 9.875
Kenlin (Iowa): FTY, gorgeous vault with a small hop back. 9.875
Loper (MIN): Maloney to pak, short on final Handstand, blind full to double back, stuck. 9.925
Brooks (UM): triple series, fabulous, good leap sequence, front toss, wobbles with a leg lift. Shows incredible strength and patience with that save. ro double tuck, hop back and then a step forward. 9.800
Killian (Iowa): FTY, improved form in the air, hop in-place. 9.850
Townes (Illinois): Stream joined mid-routine, RO 1.5 to front full, good, Tour jete 1/2 Popa, nicely done. 9.875
This commentator has not stopped talking about a Wojcik beam ten so she needs all the good vibes.
Wojcik (UM): front aerial, balance checks, Switch to split, stunning, bhs loso loso, fabulous, ro 1.5, small hop forward. 9.850
Henderson (Iowa): FTY, great amplitude and distance. Sticks the landing, but does land with a low chest. 9.925
Sales (MIN): She is putting on a CLINIC on how to hit handstands, Markelov, nicely done Finishes with a DLO and a questionable college stick. 9.900
Ramler (MIN): Maloney to pak, stunning form, Van leeuwen, exquisite, Full out, stuck. 9.950
Heiskell (UM): Cat to side aerial, good, Switch to straddle 1/4, Bhs loso, good, RO 1.5, step forward. 9.900
Scott (Illinois): FHS to double full, flexed feet on the leaps, RO 1.5 to front lay, nicely done, FHS to rudi. 9.925
Iowa had one of their better vault rotations score-wise, but were just a tad too hoppy on the landings. However, they maintain the lead after two rotations. Minnesota and Michigan will remain tied at this point. The Gophers were able to recover from a lead-off error with stunning handstands from Ramler, Sales and Loper. Michigan survived beam with solid routines, but only captured one 9.900 score from Abby Heiskell. Illinois was lead by a 9.925 from Shaylah Scott, but the team is not likely to take the meet.
AFTER TWO: Iowa 98.825, Minnesota 98.800, Michigan 98.800, Illinois 98.275
Can I just say how stunning Michigan’s new Leo is tonight.
Rotation 3: Illinois VT, Iowa UB, Minnesota BB, Michigan FX
Henderson (Iowa): Maloney, huge leg separation, short-on bail handstand, understates and takes a large hop on her full-in dismount. 9.750
Mueller (Illinois): FTY, hop back. 9.800 Career High
Koch (MIN): Bhs loso, nicely done, best jump to straddle 3/4, under-rotates, Front toss to scale, love that skill, RO 1.5, hop forward. 9.800
Biondi (Illinois): Yurchenko half, nice form, step forward on the landing.
Koulos (UM): Stunning flexibility to start-off, 2.5 twist, large uncontrolled step forward, Double pike, two steps back oob, Front lay front full, well-done. 9.600
Takekawa (Illinois): FTY, beautiful form and gets the stuck landing. 9.900 Career High
Loper (MIN): bhs loso, good, Front toss to beat jump, solid. Switch to straddle 1/4, lacks flexibility. Finishes with a RO 1.5, small hop forward. 9.850
Steffensmeier (Iowa): short on first handstand, piked Jaeger, nicely done, gorgeous bail, blind full to double tuck, stuck. 9.900
Townes (Illinois): Y1.5, nicely done, small hop back. 9.900
Wojcik (UM): I absolutely love this routine. Double pike, nicely done. Tour jete half to wolf full, FHS double to front pike, sits down. FHS rudi to split, nice final pass. 9.075
Floor is not going well for Michigan and doors have opened heavily for Minnesota and Iowa.
Kaji (Iowa): Somehow avoids overarching the first handstand, eagle grip jaeger, solid, Pak Salto, massive leg separation, DLO, stuck landing. 9.925
Powe (Illinois): FTY, gorgeous amplitude and distance. Sticks the landing. 9.900
Kenlin (Iowa): Maloney, leg sep. Pak Salto, loses her form a tad, short on final handstand, blind full to double back, hop back.9.850
Ramler (MIN): Gorgeous toe-point on her full turn, bhs loso, solid, Front aerial to a beat jump, nicely done, Beat jump to ring jump, gorgeous, Side aerial to a full dismount, stunning. 9.975
“If that isn’t a ten, I’m walking out and throwing the headset.” – Olivia Karas. On a personal note, not sure that will be a ten.
Waight (Illinois): Yurchenko half, Soft knees and a step forward. 9.750
Wilson (UM): Starts with a Fabulous Open full-in, FHS front lay front full, fantastic, Switch side popa, Double Pike, well-done. Definitely one of her collegiate bests. 9.950
The door has been opened for Minnesota and Iowa to take home the title from the reigning six time champions Michigan. The Wolverines struggled on floor and will be counting a 9.600 and 9.750 towards its team total. Meanwhile, Minnesota had a fantastic beam rotation led by Lexy Ramler’s 9.950 and Iowa plugged away on bars. Illinois had sticky feet on vault and ended with the fifth best vault score in program history with a 49.300. Michigan is heading to its best event vault, where scores have been on the higher side today, to try and overcome its deficit.
AFTER THREE: Minnesota 148.325, Iowa 148.200, Michigan 147.775, Illinois 147.575
Rotation 4: Michigan VT, Illinois UB, Iowa BB, Minnesota FX
Henderson (Iowa): nice full turn, bhs loso, large wobble – puts her hand on-beam and falls completely off, ends with a stuck double back dismount. 9.300
Koch (MIN): Fhs front double full to front tuck, nicely done, lacks flexibility and has flexed feet on her leaps, completes a stuck back full side pass, fhs to rudi, nicely done. 9.850
Guggino (UM): Y1.5, stuck vault. 9.950
Castle (Iowa): bhs loso, good, Front tuck to beat jump, good, lacks rotation and flexibility on straddle 1/4. Dismounts with a 1.5 twist, small hop forward. 9.825,
Wojcik (UM): Y1.5, stuck vault. 10.000
Michigan is 3/3 on stuck landings and Wojcik just received a ten on vault. She’s crying too.
Killian (Iowa): bhs loso, gorgeous, front tuck, nicely done, switch leap switch leap, double twist, hop back. 9.825
Heiskell (UM): Y1.5, slight side shuffle on one foot. 9.975 (She went before Wojcik in rotation)
LeNeave (MIN): double pike, uncontrolled step back, switch half to wolf full, good, solid second pass, Ends with a double tuck. 9.825
Mizuki (Illinois): Stunning piked Jaeger, bail, gorgeous final handstand to a blind full double back, step back. 9.800
Wilson (UM): Looks like she balked because she just did a layout vault. That’ll be the score they want to drop. Karas says hands were high on table. 9.600
Ramler (MIN): Flawless Ring full, Double pike, short-on rotation and takes a step forward, Switch ring switch half, stunning, RO 1.5 through to double full, gorgeous, 1.5 to front layout. Nice final pass. 9.900, actually kind of high for that first pass.
Kaji (Iowa): good full turn, bhs loso, solid, cat leap to side aerial, hands-down and she’s off the beam, split to split 3/4, nicely done, BHS gainer full, small hop back. 9.925
Iowa is counting a fall on beam and that likely will take them out of consideration for the championship title.
Morrison (UM): Y1.5, small hop back. 9.925
Hooten (MIN): full in, uncontrolled landing, I thought she went oob, but did not see the flag, Switch side popa, fhs to front full to front pike, stuck cold, great double back to end. 9.900, so she def did not go oob.
Kenlin (Iowa): bhs loso, fabulous, switch leap to switch split , nicely done, Front aerial to beat jump, gorgeous, beautiful full turn, back 1.5, low squat and off to the side hop.
Loper (MIN): Front lay to rudi, fantastic, Switch ring to tour jete half, beautiful 2.5 twist, hop on landing, RO 1.5 to front lay, fabulous. 9.950
Loper may have just clinched the win for Minnesota. The first time someone other than Michigan has won the national title in six years.
This is the first time Minnesota has won the Big Ten Championships since 2006. The title will be the 6th all-time for Minnesota. The Gophers were consistent on all four events and were able to avoid any disasters throughout the meet to take home the title. Michigan struggled on floor in the third rotation and Iowa was forced to count a fall on beam. The Wolverines had a fantastic vault rotation, but it was not enough to overcome the deficit they dug themselves into on floor. In addition to the team title, Lexy Ramler will win her second BIG Ten Conference all-around championships. Illinois and Iowa end-up tied at No. 3.
Final: Minnesota 197.750, Michigan 197.425, Illinois 196.625, Iowa 196.625
AA Winner: Lexy Ramler – 39.725
VT Winner: Natalie Wojcik – 10.000
UB Winner: Lexy Ramler – 9.950
BB Winner: Lexy Ramler – 9.975
FX Winner: Lauren Guerin, Jerquavia Henderson, Ona Loper, Gabby Wilson – 9.950
Live blog by Katie Walsh
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