The Dismount: Conference Championships

Man, what a weekend! Nearly every single conference championship had an upset in some way or another. Who said basketball got to have all the fun in March? With everything happening all at once on Saturday, you probably missed some big moments. Catch up on the highlights, lowlights and everything in between in the Dismount.

Best Socially Distanced Awards Ceremony

MIC Championship

Rather than trying to fit everyone on the floor to stand behind signs or on podiums, the MIC used number balloons to signify team placements at its championship. Pretty smart if you ask us, even if the Texas Woman’s gymnasts were a little confused about it.

Cutest Sentiment

Sydney Soloski (Utah)

The Utah senior revealed that she lets coaches Garrett Griffeth’s and Courtney McCool Griffeth’s daughter choose her floor starting pose before each meet. We can’t think of anything more adorable.

Best Conference Championship Debut

Temple Gymnastics 

Temple joined the highly competitive EAGL conference last fall and has been a regular fixture in the middle of the rankings during the season, coming into conference championships ranked fourth. The Owls defied expectations by not only winning the title over heavy favorite N.C. State, but also besting their program high by nearly half a point in the process. Temple will make its first team regional appearance since 1992. 

Biggest Upset Win

Denver Gymnastics

Denver defeated the reigning 2019 NCAA champions to claim its first ever Big 12 title. This is the first time someone other than Oklahoma has won the championship since Nebraska in 2011 when it was still a part of the conference. Even more impressive for Denver? The team was without head coach Melissa Kutcher-Rinehart, freshman star Rylie Mundall and beam specialist Alexis Vasquez.

Super Save 

Derrian Gobourne (Auburn)

Derrian Gobourne missed one grip completely on her Pak Salto but managed to keep deductions to a minimum. The junior ended up with the highest score on bars for Auburn, displaying her strength on the apparatus.

Best Twitter Response

Kyana George on Leotards and Bras

https://twitter.com/kageorge98/status/1373655563981225986

The gymternet loves to complain…about a lot of things but in this case…about open-back leos and how gymnasts can’t wear proper bras with them. They often do so without asking the gymnasts wearing the leos if they even think it’s a problem. While this may not be the case with every open-back leo, Kyana George set the record straight on Twitter, saying the new Cal leo from Pac-12s had built-in support.

Best Quip

SEC Championships

The gymternet’s favorite commentators Bart Conner and Kathy Johnson Clarke had a great exchange during SEC championship when Conner noted that if he were an NCAA coach, he’d hire Johnson Clarke as his beam coach. Without missing a beat, she responded, “You couldn’t afford me!” We love a woman who knows her worth.  

Most Bizarre Commentary Moment

MAC Championships

After Tara Kofmehl competed on vault with a lovely Yurchenko half, the commentator felt the best way to acknowledge her performance was by saying, “Those legs were like tree trunks.” It was a…choice.

Worst Good Idea in Theory

Pac-12 One-at-a-Time Format

We say it every year, but the Pac-12’s insistence on doing one routine at a time but not executing it properly and therefore making the meet last 50% longer than it needed to kills us every time. The idea of being able to see every routine is a great one—and we’re sure there’s a happy medium that can be found—but not only does it go too slowly if the next routine doesn’t go immediately after the previous one ends, but it takes away that championship feel you get from the four-ring circus format where four fan bases are screaming their heads off all at the same time.

Most Satisfying Breakout Moment

Sofia Iribarren, Illinois State, bars

https://twitter.com/AlexGant16/status/1373037603633631235?s=20

Spanish international Iribarren is an excellent bar worker and has been a stalwart in the Redbirds’ lineup for years—but she’s been inconsistent. It was wonderful to see the junior hit in a big way when it counted most to secure a career-high 9.900 and the MIC title on the event.

Click and expand the events below to see results, recaps of top meets or particularly exciting matchups and even links to watch archived broadcasts. 

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Article by the editors of College Gym News

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