This year’s Nastia Liukin Cup Series will be comprised of 20 meets, each of which will qualify one senior gymnast (aged 16 or older) and one junior (15 or younger) to the 13th Nastia Liukin Cup in Frisco, Texas, on Feb. 27.
This week’s series included three meets: the Houston National Invitational, the Circle of Stars and the UGA Invitational.
Last week’s qualifiers were: Molly Peterson, Morgan Price, Avery Neff, Lucie Kirchner, Jaydah Battle and Abby Martin (seniors); Greta Krob, Kamila Pawlak, Lillian Jennejohn, Bailey Stroud, Elyse Wenner and Jasmine Cawley (juniors).
Houston National Invitational
Winner (senior division): Nailah Adams
Winner (junior division): Halle Shea Wittenberg
Nailah Adams, one of three four-star recruits to have signed with Rutgers last November, won the senior competition with a big overall score despite a fall on beam, her weakest event. She scored a 9.925 on vault for an excellent Yurchenko 1.5. Halle Shea Wittenberg, in her very first meet as a level 10, notched the junior qualification. She struggled on bars but posted a big 9.875 on beam.
LSU signee Bryce Wilson scored a 10.0 on vault, but trouble on bars and beam took her out of contention for qualification.
Nailah Adams
Scores: VT: 9.925 | UB: 9.850 | BB: 9.075 | FX: 9.800 | AA: 38.650
- Club: Pearland Elite
- College: Rutgers
- High School Graduation Year: 2022
- CGN Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Notable Results: 2021 L10 national bronze medalist on vault and bars
- Previous NLC Appearances: N/A
Halle Shea Wittenberg
VT: 9.625 | UB: 9.025 | BB: 9.875 | FX: 9.550 | AA: 38.075
- Club: World Champions Centre
- High School Graduation Year: Unknown
- Notable Results: winner of the 2021 L9 Metroplex Challenge
- Previous NLC Appearances: N/A
Circle of Stars
Winner (senior division): Makayla Tucker
Winner (junior division): Isabel Biro
Kayla Tucker notched the senior qualification thanks to a solid performance with clean execution on all events. Her highest score came on floor where she posted an excellent 9.800. Izzy Biro, in her second meet as a level 10, topped the junior leaderboard with another clean all-around performance.
Ady Wahl, in the class of 2024, missed out on qualifying by only two tenths but was delighted with career highs on floor and vault, including a 9.950 for a stuck Yurchenko 1.5.
Makayla Tucker
Scores: VT: 9.625 | UB: 9.550 | BB: 9.550 | FX: 9.800 | AA: 38.525
- Club: DeVeau’s
- College: Uncommitted
- High School Graduation Year: 2023
- CGN Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Notable Results: 2021 Region 5 bronze medalist on vault and bars
- Previous NLC Appearances: N/A
Isabel Biro
Scores: VT: 9.600 | UB: 9.425 | BB: 9.350 | FX: 9.675 | AA: 38.050
- Club: Queen City Gymnastics
- High School Graduation Year: 2025
- Notable Results: 2021 L9 Eastern bars national champion
- Previous NLC Appearances: N/A
UGA Invitational
Winner (senior division): Nikki Smith
Winner (junior division): Clancy Conley
Michigan State signee Nikki Smith qualified to her third-consecutive Nastia Liukin Cup with a stratospheric 39.450. It’s a score that would place her among the top-10 all-arounders in the NCAA and positions her as one of the favorites to win the Cup. Don’t they say the third time’s the charm? Young Clancy Conley, in the class of 2026, won the junior competition with four clean performances.
Oklahoma signee Faith Torrez failed to qualify to the NLC despite scoring a huge 39.150, which included a 9.950 on beam for a routine that featured her standing full. It feels like it’s time to get excited for next year’s NCAA season already!
Nikki Smith
Scores: VT: 9.850 | UB: 9.800 | BB: 9.925 | FX: 9.875 | AA: 39.450
- Club: Euro Stars Gymnastics
- College: Michigan State
- High School Graduation Year: 2022
- CGN Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Notable Results: 2021 L10 national champion on floor and 2019 L10 national champion on vault and floor
- Previous NLC Appearances: 2020 (senior, 10th), 2021 (senior, 5th)
Clancy Conley
Scores: VT: 9.200 | UB: 9.325 | BB: 9.175 | FX: 9.325 | AA: 37.025
- Club: Legacy Elite
- High School Graduation Year: 2026
- Notable Results: 2021 Region 5 bronze medalist on vault and bars
- Previous NLC Appearances: N/A
READ THIS NEXT: Nastia Liukin Cup Series: Week 2
Article by Talitha Ilacqua
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