The Mount: Week 4

Recap 

The Big Storyline: Western Michigan continued its 196-plus streak, led by a program-record-tying all-around performance from Sarah Moravansky. UW-Oshkosh posted a season high, the first 190-plus by any NCGA team in 2022. 

Implications: Western Michigan entered this week at No. 18 in the country, and the Broncos will likely remain in a similar position next week. The one-two punch of all-arounders Payton Murphy and Sarah Moravansky is proving to be just what the team needs to make a move up the rankings. If this scoring trend continues, the Broncos’ regional fate will not come down to the final week of the season. Eastern Michigan crossed the 195.000 mark for the first time this season while Ball State’s 10.0 SV vaults only got better. For the time being, UW-Oshkosh will move to the top of the NCGA after its groundbreaking performance. The Titans looked like they were in a league of their own, so we’ll see if that trend persists when they head back to competing against other Division III foes. 

Records: Oshkosh’s 191.650 was the second highest team total in program history. The team was led by a huge 9.750 on vault from Emily Gilot. Ella Chemotti’s 9.950 was enough for a new career high and a beam event victory. 

Recap 

The Big Storyline: Hamline captured its first score over 180 while Gustavus was forced to only put four athletes in its vault lineup. Although Whitewater captured the team victory, its beam performance kept the overall score lower than the Warhawks will want to count when the rankings switch to SAS. 

Implications: UW-Whitewater will want to leave its beam performance this weekend behind it. After a solid season opener, the Warhawks’ team score this weekend will not help it to move up the NCGA rankings. Hamline’s team score improved by four and a half points courtesy of event winning scores from Madeline Sowinski and an improved team floor performance. Bars continues to hold the Pipers down, but adding Julia Cheely will ultimately prove to be a step in the right direction. Gustavus’ lineup choices this week might indicate that something bigger was at play. Originally, Annie Corbett was slated to compete on more events than she tallied. If Corbett is out long term, that could be difficult for the Gusties to overcome. Only four athletes competed on vault, so the fifth score counted was a zero. That drastically impacted the overall team score. It begs the question: Do the Gusties not have a fifth athlete capable of vaulting? Or was COVID to do with the limited lineup? Even if the start value is lower, a low score is definitely better than no score. We’ll have to wait and see how this plays out next weekend. For reference, the Gusties have been putting up five athletes on the event all season, but both Corbett and Esteb were out of the lineup this week despite competing on other events. 

Records: Sophia Redding continued her streak of 9.6-plus bar routines for the Gusties. Her 9.625 this weekend marks three straight.

Recap

The Big Storyline: Despite continuing issues on beam, Georgia broke past 195 (and 196) for the first time this season.  

Implications: Unsurprisingly, LSU looked a bit rusty during its first meet since week one but had no problem outpacing No. 32 Georgia. However, it’ll likely need to score above 197 to fend off other SEC teams. 

Records: Senior Rachel Baumann debuted her Yurchenko one and a half, earning a career high 9.950 for her efforts. 

Controversies: A week after scoring a perfect 10, Baumann’s floor routine start value was downgraded after she underrotated her double wolf turn. Coming on the heels of the controversial Jeffrey transfer, fan opinions were mixed as to whether or not the meet’s diversity theme came off as Georgia intended.

Preview

Current Rankings: No. 6 LSU at No. 36 Georgia

Why You Should Cancel Plans for It: LSU hasn’t competed since week one due to COVID protocols and will be looking to maintain or improve on its current sixth-place ranking. It may seem like a foregone conclusion that the Tigers are going to take the win, but you can never count the Gymdogs out when they’re competing at home. After a disastrous beam rotation in its home meet against Florida last week, Georgia responded with a 49.525 on floor that included a perfect 10 from senior Rachel Baumann.  

What We’re Watching: Is beam too obvious of an answer here? Georgia counted an unthinkable four falls on beam last week against Florida, and all eyes will be waiting to see how it recovers. 

What Else You Should Know Before Tuning In: LSU head coach Jay Clark addressed the controversial midseason transfer of freshman Alexis Jeffrey in a Tuesday afternoon press conference. He confirmed that Jeffrey has been added to LSU’s roster but will not be traveling to Georgia for Friday’s meet. 

Recap

Recap 

The Big Storyline: Kent State put together a 49.475 floor rotation complete with a near-perfect 9.975 from freshman Alyssa Guns. Taking down a Big Ten opponent in Rutgers was just the icing on the cake. 

Implications: Cornell is actively trying to get back into the swing of things after a long hiatus from competition. However, consistency on bars and beam is proving to be the weak point at the moment. Floor and vault are starting to come along nicely though. This relatively inexperienced team will need some more time to find a lineup that will work from week to week. They’ll continue to sit at the middle of the pack in the USAG going into week five. Kent State was lights out on floor en route to defeating Rutgers and a new season high team score. The Flashes will stay in the second spot in the MAC. Kent State will need to surpass the 196 mark to begin to put the pressure on Western Michigan. Rutgers is still looking a little shaky in 2022. Counting scores in the 9.500 range is not what we’ve become accustomed to when watching the Scarlet Knights. Belle Huang is taking care of business, but Hannah Joyner has been showing flashes of inconsistency on various events. Hopefully the 2021 national qualifier can return to her consistent, high scoring all-around performances as the season continues. 

Records: Alyssa Guns tumbled her way to a near-perfect 9.975 in her collegiate debut on floor. 

Controversies: After Emily Leese’s vault made some noise on Twitter last weekend, her Yurchenko one and a half was appropriately awarded a 9.875 this week.

Recap 

The Big Storyline: Both teams put up similar performances to last week. Alex Wood upgraded to a Yurchenko full, increasing La Crosse’s vault scoring potential. 

Implications: La Crosse will move down in the rankings some this week after UW-Oshkosh put up a huge 191.650 at its quad meet at Eastern Michigan. However, staying in the 188-plus range does keep the Eagles in the running for now. UW-La Crosse wasn’t as consistent this week, with no scores eclipsing the 9.600 mark. Also, Rachel Chesley was not seen in any of her normal lineup spots. Considering her scoring potential on the three events she’s competed thus far in 2022, losing her long term could lower the peak scoring level of this team. UW-Eau Claire continued to have struggles on bars this week. Hopefully senior Bailey Thomas did not get injured during her routine because that could spell even more trouble for the Blu Golds.

Records: Tia Ravara’s event winning beam score of 9.650 was a new career high.

Recap

The Big Storyline: A season high score and beam trouble for WVU gave Iowa State its first win of the season. The teams were virtually even through the first three rotations.

Implications: Iowa State will move to 1-0 in the Big 12 conference, and will likely rise in the rankings after posting its first 196 of the year.

Records: Abbie Pierson set a new career high of 9.950 to win the vault title.

Recap

The Big Storyline: Air Force claimed its home opener in dominating fashion while Alaska made its first competitive appearance since March 2020. 

Implications: Air Force finally showed the gymnastics world the potential it has to offer. This team is composed of large freshman and senior classes, both of which have proven to make big contributions to the team’s scoring ability. A couple major lineup returns helped the Falcons to eclipse 193.000. Daija Stevenson’s full made its way back into the vault lineup. Adding another twisting vault will help to increase the Falcon’s vault SV. Briona Carswell also was back in the beam lineup this week for a strong 9.800. Air Force has moved into the second spot in the in-progress USAG rankings. Let’s see if it can hold onto that spot through the end of the weekend. The future’s looking bright for Air Force. Alaska made its 2022 debut after missing all of last season. Struggles on floor prevented the Seawolves from posting a big team score. The team will have a chance to redeem itself on Sunday in a tri meet at Air Force. 

Records: Cameo Stapleton posted a career high 9.875 on floor en route to the event title on the event. The freshman duo of Ayla McKean and Genevieve Sabado each upped their all-around career highs with a 39.100 and 38.900, respectively.

Recap

The Big Storyline: Florida’s numbers through the first three rotations were eye-popping and had some talking about program and NCAA record potential. The Gators didn’t quite get there, but they still managed the season’s highest team total for their efforts with a 198.250. A highlight of the night included former five-star recruit Leanne Wong becoming the first freshman to earn a 10.000 in 2022, doing so on bars. Senior Trinity Thomas also recorded a 10.000 on beam, her eleventh such mark in her career and the first for anyone on beam this year.

Arkansas had a slow start to the meet with some rough bars dismounts and a fall in the anchor position but surged as the night went on to record a program record beam score in the final rotation. Freshman Leah Smith had another solid evening, recording an all-around score of 39.300. Sarah Shaffer competed on vault for the first time this season, which Razorback fans and fantasy players alike should be excited about.

Implications: Florida moved up to second place in the nation in the week four in-progress rankings.

Records: Florida’s beam total of 49.700 tied its program record, as did its bars total of 49.725. The Razorbacks’ new program record beam total eclipsed a mark it hadn’t previously reached since 2012, when they were in the Super Six final.

Controversies: Alyssa Baumann’s floor score of 9.750 caused some head scratching, but it was changed after the meet to a 9.850. Coach Jenny Rowland said after the meet that the judges “missed a bonus connection in her leap series” and initially had the routine starting from a 9.900 before moving it up to a 10.000.

Preview

Current Rankings: No. 13 Arkansas at No. 4 Florida

Why You Should Clear Space on Your DVR: After coming in hot, Florida’s looked a little less polished the last two meets (which is to say, still capable of pulling a 197 if not looking postseason ready). The Razorbacks have been particularly hampered by COVID protocols with the bulk of the freshman class sitting out week one and its week three meet being rescheduled. However, they still managed to post a 197.200 in last time out, higher than the Gators scored in their past two meets. 

You Can Fast Forward, but not Through This: Florida’s freshmen have garnered a lot of attention for obvious reasons, but you won’t want to miss Arkansas freshman Leah Smith, especially on bars and floor. 

Results

Recap

The Big Storyline: It was Boise State’s much-anticipated 2022 debut, as well as the Broncos’ home opener. The meet was far from great for either team, as both ended up scoring in the high 194s. Neither team broke 49 on any event; Southern Utah particularly had issues on floor and Boise State struggled to find its groove on bars.

Implications: Southern Utah’s lackluster performance coupled with strong performances by BYU and Utah State means it drops to No. 3 in the conference and to No. 24 nationally. Boise State debuts at No. 35 nationally and fourth in the conference. Considering its COVID issues, Boise State’s struggles aren’t completely uncalled for. However, the Broncos will want to improve on that number in future weeks. With two not-great road scores, Southern Utah will need to fare better in future away meets if it wants to improve its eventual NQS.

Preview

Current Rankings: No. 19 Southern Utah at Boise State

Why You Should Make Time to Tune in: Boise State still hasn’t competed in a meet this season thanks to a first week bye combined with COVID protocols the past two attempts. A Broncos team at full strength can easily contend with the top teams in the conference and has the potential to top the MRGC. Southern Utah is also a team with lots of talent and currently holds the top ranking in the conference. Bars should be a highlight for both teams while beam should be the equalizer—especially with two teams who have struggled with consistency on the event in recent years. 

Need More Proof? Emily Muhlenhaupt’s bars are gorgeous, as is Southern Utah’s Shylen Murakami’s routine. Karley McClain looked like her old self on floor last week; look for her to eventually add more events and ease back into the all-around. Boise will also look to debut several freshmen; Alyssa Vulaj should be a top contributor in that class, though it will be interesting to see what lineups each freshman ends up making. 

Recap

The Big Storyline: In an Iron Bowl rematch, Auburn earned the second highest score in program history to defeat Alabama in front of yet another sold-out (and very enthusiastic) crowd. 

Implications: After being forced to sit out the past two postseasons, Auburn isn’t holding anything back: The Tigers are currently ranked sixth nationally and second within the SEC while reigning SEC champs Alabama are currently ninth nationally and fourth in the SEC with 11th place Missouri less than a tenth behind.

Records: Olympic champion Lee made her debut in the all-around. In addition to her all-around and bars wins, Lee earned her first beam title. Alabama earned its second-highest beam total in program history with a 49.650, with lead-off Ella Burgess earning a career high 9.900. 

Preview

Current Rankings: No. 9 Alabama at No. 8 Auburn

Why You Should Cancel Plans for It: Last time they met head to head, the Crimson Tide outscored the Tigers by nearly one and a half points. Both of these teams bounced back from sluggish season openers with impressive 197-plus performances. Alabama is coming off of a lights-out home meet against Kentucky, but given that it’s the only time it’s hit 197 so far this season, it remains to be seen how it’ll fare week to week. Auburn, meanwhile, has posted two consecutive scores over 197 and will have the home-arena advantage. This one could go either way!

What Else You Should Know Before Tuning In: Reigning SEC all-around champion Luisa Blanco has been limited to two or three events so far this season due to a nagging shoulder injury. In a meet that may very well come down to tenths, Blanco’s scores (or lack thereof) could make the difference. Also keep an eye out for SEC Freshman of the Week Lilly Hudson; the Alabama freshman earned a stellar 39.525 in her debut last week. 

Recap

The Big Storyline: The quality of competition between these two teams was top notch. Both started out strong and carried that throughout the meet. Neither had perfect meets, and there were uncharacteristic mistakes such as Haley Pitou falling on her beam mount. BYU’s home floor ultimately led to its 196.775 and another somewhat-close conference win. 

Implications: The result of this meet is indicative of the quality and parity of MRGC gymnastics at the moment. Utah State’s 196.450 combined with a lackluster performance from Southern Utah propels it to No. 2 in the conference; this same result also means BYU surpasses Southern Utah for the top spot in the conference. Each team moves up three places in the rankings: BYU to No. 18 and Utah State to No. 20. Once NQS kicks in, Utah State will certainly accept this road score if it’s needed. 

Records: Sadie Miner-Van Tassell’s 9.900 on beam is a career high. Miner-Van Tassell’s 39.425 is also a career high, though it was only her third meet competing all around. Brianna Brooks notched a career high 9.900 on bars.

Recap

The Big Storyline: Lindenwood went near-49 on bars and floor while SEMO struggled to hit its stride. 

Implications: Lindenwood will continue to sit atop the MIC and USAG rankings, distancing itself from the rest of the competition. Vault is still an area that could be suspect at times, but bars is much improved. Gayla Griswold figured out the Yurchenko one and a half again this week, so hopefully nailing the landing will come in the near future. SEMO’s floor performance was lights out, but that could not undo the mistakes counted on the other events. In general, the Redhawks seemed to be lacking confidence throughout the meet. Injuries and lack of depth are interfering with SEMO’s success thus far this season. The situation might be rectifiable if the Redhawks can find a consistent vault lineup. Bright spots right now are the consistency of freshman Lindsay Ockler and Kaziska’s floor work. 

Records: Hannah Appleget’s 9.850 was a new career high. 

Controversies: Some scoring at this meet was loose, but at least it was consistent?

Recap

The Big Storyline: Raena Worley turned in yet another lights-out performance to lead the Wildcats to their first 197-plus score of the season. 

Implications: Kentucky and Missouri have been neck and neck this season, and this meet only tightened that gap. The Tigers dropped from 10th to 11th nationally while Kentucky moved up to 12th. The two teams are separated by just a quarter tenth. 

Records: Worley set a new career high on floor and tied her career high in the all-around.

Preview

Current Rankings: No. 10 Missouri at No. 12 Kentucky

Why You Should Clear Space on Your DVR: The Tigers and the Wildcats have both exceeded expectations so far this season, earning decisive wins on the road and at home. The last time these teams met in a dual meet, Kentucky took the win 195.775 to Missouri’s 195.350; so far this season, neither team has posted a score under 196.275. These are two teams on the rise looking to shake up the SEC pecking order, but they’ll have to get through each other first. 

You Can Fast Forward, but not Through This: Raena Worley has been outstanding in the first two weeks, earning back-to-back SEC Gymnast of the Week honors. The junior has yet to top 9.950 on any event, but having already earned 9.9-plus on all four events this season makes that likely to change. Missouri freshman Jocelyn Moore snagged a 9.950 of her own on vault in Chapel Hill last weekend; her flared Yurchenko one and a half is a showstopper. 

Recap

The Big Storyline: The Utes fell just short of a season-high, but powered by Maile O’Keefe’s perfect performance on beam, Utah had no trouble topping visiting Stanford. Utah swept the event titles as well, with Grace McCallum leading the way taking the floor and all around crowns, and the beam lineup stunned putting up a giant 49.725. The Cardinal also came just shy of a season-best but saw another strong performance from Kyla Bryant, who notched a third-straight score in the 9.9s on floor.

Implications: Utah earned a total that will hold off Florida to maintain its second-place ranking but will not surpass Michigan, who hit 198 early last week. Stanford hit 196 for the second time on the road this season to cap a three-meet roadtrip to start the season. The Cardinal did not even hit 196 in the 2021 season.

Records: Stanford senior Wesley Stephenson posted a career-best 9.850 on beam.

Preview

Current Rankings: No. 19 Stanford at No. 2 Utah

Why You Should Clear Space on Your DVR: The Pac-12 conference-leading Utes finish out their three-week homestand hosting conference foe Stanford. The Utes will be aiming to stay undefeated on the season after a strong freshman class led by Olympian Grace McCallum has fit right in alongside touted returnees like two-time NCAA champion Maile O’Keefe. The Cardinal, after a tumultuous season in which it missed the postseason as a team, has had a major rebound thanks to super senior Kyla Bryant. It currently sits ranked in the top 20.

You Can Fast Forward, but not Through This: While both McCallum and O’Keefe have must-watch routines on every event, it was Cristal Isa and Jillian Hoffman who highlighted Utah’s performance last week with 9.975s on beam and floor, respectively. There have been a lot of fresh faces for Stanford to start the season after the Cardinal had several COVID opt-outs in 2021, with freshman Brenna Neault and redshirt Isabela Onyshko two to know with outstanding beam routines.

Recap

The Big Storyline: West Chester swept past Ursinus with a nearly 13-point margin after the Bears struggled to fill their lineups due to protocols and injuries. 

Implications: A meeting of two teams across conferences, Ursinus will be most hurt in its respective standings in the NCGA after dropping five points this week following its opening score last weekend of 185.825. The Owls found beam to be the biggest challenge, scoring a 44.050, counting just a single score over a 9.000. Floor proved to pose another challenge, as they scored just over 1.500 over the previous week, missing Lindsay Thornton and Taylor Cusick’s strong floor routines this matchup. West Chester continued to improve its season, most likely continuing to secure its second place in the GEC, scoring a season-high, improving on most events, allowing just a tenth difference on beam, but losing five tenths on floor, but still its second-best showing on the event so far this season and counting not a single score under 9.625.

Records: West Chester scored a season-high of 193.125, as Golden Rams Jessica Meakim tied her career high on vault with a 9.800, and Lily McFarland set several career highs with a 9.725 on vault, 9.800 on beam and 9.750 on floor. Hyla Betts swung her way to a personal best of 9.700.

Recap

The Big Storyline: Despite another phenomenal effort from Jade Carey, California cruised to an easy victory over Oregon State with a clean and consistent performance. Emi Watterson’s lone routine of the season earned her an event title share with Carey, who otherwise swept the awards. Andi Li led the Golden Bears’ four-all-arounder contingent with a 39.525.

Implications: California stays undefeated on the season heading into a Pac-12 rematch with rival Stanford next weekend, keeping pace with conference favorite Utah. Both teams should expect a slight rise in the rankings.

Recap (Brockport v Ithaca)

The Big Storyline: Brockport and Ithaca both topped their previous season highs in this NCGA-East matchup. 

Implications: Brockport continues to lead the NCGA-East, and Ithaca looks to shift into second. Brockport could also soon find itself shifting into first within the NCGA. Brockport kept its scores close, staying strong on vault, dominating its previous bar scores this season and as a program by adding another two points on top of its rising bar score the previous week, lead by Gabbi Gare, Taylor Bushey, and Emma Grace Sargent. Brockport added nearly two points to its beam rotation, and found nearly a half point it was missing last week on floor, where Naimah Muhammed boosted the lineup with a dazzling 9.800. The puzzle pieces have begun to shift for Brockport. The Bombers tacked on an extra three points to its team total this season, scoring a new season high of 187.425. Ithaca, too, bolstered its bar score, adding just under two points to the bar score, counting no score under a 9.075, and guided by Cameryn Nichols’ 9.400. On floor, the Bombers found their stride with Jillian Freyman’s 9.750. Since its first meet of the year, Ithaca has found its rhythm on floor, having improved to a 48.075 from a 46.750. 

Records: The Golden Eagles set a new program record on bars, pocketing a 48.425, and Gabbi Gare tied the program record high with a 9.775, which has been in place since 2011.

Recap

Recap 

The Big Storyline: Not to be outdone by Oshkosh and Brockport, UW-Whitewater also surpassed the 190 threshold for the first time this season. Stout and Winona State also posted season highs. 

Implications: Crossing the 190 mark puts Whitewater into the top tier of NCGA teams so far this season. After a somewhat lack-luster performance earlier this weekend, the Warhawks will be happy to have shown what they’re really made of. The Whitewater vault squad really impressed, counting only scores above 9.525. Although this performance was five points superior to its last meet, Whitewater still left some tenths on the table. Stout was led by Krulich’s 9.800 on floor and sixth year Mikala Bugge’s 9.700 on vault. Although the Blue Devils still had some inconsistency, they’ll be happy that more scores are creeping into the 9.6-plus range. Bars and beam were a bit of a struggle for Winona State this weekend. However, Izzy Kropiwiec’s huge 9.750 on floor and Kennedy O’Connor’s 9.700 on vault were stand out performances. The Warriors continue to be on the upswing. Hopefully that continues as we move into February. 

Recap

Recap

The Big Storyline: Michigan State wowed the national TV audience on BTN, putting up impressive, clean gymnastics in a loss to the Wolverines. Michigan’s depth meet saw Natalie Wojcik and Abby Heiskell sit out a few events, meaning we got routines from Jenna Mulligan, Reyna Guggino and Abby Brenner we haven’t seen so far this year.

Implications: The Spartans proved they are a squad to be reckoned with as this group approached both its floor and total program records, numbers that seem likely to fall in 2022. Michigan State is making a strong case for the Big Ten night session. Michigan showed some depth, though still only used nine gymnasts, where it usually uses seven, and didn’t count any of the depth routines toward the team number. Still, the Wolverines were near-198 and remain No. 1 as January closes. Assuming the core five of Wojcik, Heiskell, Sierra Brooks, Gabby Wilson and Naomi Morrison remain healthy, the Wolverines look prime to stay in the top spot as we move to the middle of the season.

Records: Michigan’s 197.913 is the highest week four average in NCAA history.

Preview

Current Rankings: No. 15 Michigan State at No. 1 Michigan

Why You Should Cancel Plans for It: Do you want to miss the reigning national champions and first team to 198 in 2022 live in Crisler? We don’t! Add to it a young and exciting Michigan State team from just down the road in East Lansing, and this one should be a blast.

What We’re Watching: Don’t take your eyes off vault. Michigan sticks its Yurchenko 1.5s like it’s nothing, and Gabi Stephen notched a perfect 9.950 for her full last weekend. The Spartans are also a thrilling floor team on the heels of alumna Alina Cartwright’s choreography.

What Else You Should Know Before Tuning In: Michigan and Michigan State haven’t seen each other since Elevate the Stage Toledo in February 2020 due to COVID. The Wolverines own the all-time series against Michigan State 75-38.

Recap

The Big Storyline: Both teams held steady in the second meet of the year for each. 

Implications: Rhode Island College and Springfield will both hold steady at fourth and fifth in the NCGA-East, respectively. RIC continues to inch forward, improving on all of its events except for bars, where it dropped three-quarters of a point and was forced to count a 7.750 today. However, Kelsey Gates and Olivia Keyes continue to lead the way for the program, each finishing with over 37.000 in the all-around. Springfield had a few struggles, with beam seeing the most improvement, adding over a point and a half to its performance today and pocketing four scores over an 8.900 to help the effort. 

Records: Gates set a new program and personal record on floor for the second week in a row with a 9.850.

Recap 

The Big Storyline: Neither team will be happy with the end result as bars, once again proved to be their nemeses. 

Implications: Vault and floor once again saved the day for the Pioneers, but counting two mistakes on bars and beam was less than ideal. Goyco and Johnson’s bars were unwavering despite the trouble that preceded them. Adding Podges and Makenzie Kunzman back on beam will be helpful in the long run. This week’s team score will not help TWU move up in the MIC or USAG rankings. For a team that is known to be very successful in home competitions, this meet was a bit out of character. Centenary started the meet struggling on bars and never fully recovered. The hit bar routines this week were lower scoring than the team expected, which set the tone for the rest of the competition. Highlights included Emma Lavelle’s 9.700 on floor and 9.775 on beam. She’s turning out to be a real asset to the team this year. Watch out for her come postseason. The Ladies will continue to work toward five-for-six made routines on all the events. 

Records: Junior Kyla Podges put together a 9.825 beam routine, which was good enough for a new career high and the event win. 

Controversies: The judges seemed to be having a hard time, with five-tenth splits between scores being a regular occurrence during this meet. Judging conferences may or may not have occurred when there was a discrepancy.

Recap 

The Big Storyline: Air Force’s huge 49.125 on floor left the host team just shy of UC Davis in a season high team performance. 

Implications: Air Force is steadily getting better every meet. For reference, its team score increased by one and a half points from its competition on Friday. That’s with leaving some tenths up for grabs on beam. The Falcons tend to fly under the radar when it comes to the USAG competition, but this year they are coming in hot. Air Force should be sitting comfortably in the second spot entering week five. Alaska bested its team score from Friday by quite a bit as well. Some tenths on beam were left on the table, so the Seawolves will look to improve on that event to continue to improve in the coming weeks. UC Davis put together a season high of its own, but Air Force definitely put some pressure on the current top ranked team in the MPSF. 

Records: Briona Carswell entered the floor lineup this week with a huge 9.900. Carswell is mostly known for her beam work, but this performance let everyone know that she is a more versatile athlete than she’s been given credit for.

Recap 

The Big Storyline: Penn posted its highest home score in history while Yale made a push for the team victory with a 49.000 on floor. Coming up just short still left the Bulldogs with a season high. 

Implications: Yale is finally coming into its own this season. The rust of two years without competing is finally gone. The Bulldogs have a plethora of gymnasts who can go 9.8-plus on several events. Therefore, Yale does not have to rely on a few gymnasts for the bulk of its score. Raegan Walker is proving to be a consistent beam and bar worker for the team. Yale should push past Texas Woman’s and SEMO in the USAG rankings this week with its strong performance. This might shake out to be a close race at the top of the GEC this year as well. 

Records: Penn posted its highest home score in program history.

Preview

Current Rankings: No. 58 Yale at No. 48 Pennsylvania

Why You Should Make Time to Tune in: It’s Penn’s home opener, and after two top-five all-time scores in the last two meets, the Quakers have every shot to finally bring home the program record. Meanwhile, Yale caught fire last week and beat its season high by over three points to give a real challenge to LIU. 

Need More Proof? Kiersten Belkoff (yes, the younger sister of NCAA gymnastics alums Corinne and Alexis) is the leader of the Penn vault team that set an event program record last weekend. Penn’s endlessly stylish beam star Natalie Yang is a can’t-miss as well. Keep an eye on GEC Performance of the Week honoree Raegan Walker from Yale, particularly on vault and beam.

Recap

The Big Storyline: A marquee matchup in the Big 12 conference was overshadowed by a major injury to DU star Lynnzee Brown. Oklahoma powered through four events to post the second highest score of the 2022 season so far.

Implications: With Brown likely out for the season, Denver will need other athletes to step in a big way to remain competitive. Oklahoma is on an upward trajectory after a somewhat shaky start to its season, with lots of room for improvement.

Records: Lynnzee Brown tied her career high 9.975 on vault, and Audrey Davis set a new career high of 9.975 on bars. Carly Woodard scored her first career 10.000 on beam, only the second perfect score on the event this season.

Preview

Current Rankings: No. 5 Denver at No. 3 Oklahoma

Why You Should Cancel Plans for It: It’s a top-five matchup between the top two teams in the Big 12. The gap between Denver and Oklahoma doesn’t seem quite as big as it once was; Denver upset Oklahoma at last year’s Big 12 championship. 

What We’re Watching: Oklahoma put together a more complete meet last week while also shaking up its lineups. Karrie Thomas was notably absent on her usual events after a couple weeks of sub-par performances; we’ll be watching to see if there is more to be concerned about. Floor will also be an event to watch between standout routines from Lynnzee Brown and each team having shown both strong performances and ones that left much to be desired. Both teams are also stellar on bars; Jordan Bowers is already making quite the name for herself in just a short time in Norman. 

What Else You Should Know Before Tuning In: Denver’s beam lineup is currently ranked No. 1 in the country and is going up against a traditionally strong beam team in Oklahoma. The Sooner beam lineup isn’t what it once was, but it should be exciting regardless. 

Recap

The Big Storyline: Senior Norah Flatley, finally healthy enough to compete in the all-around, stepped up big for the Bruins as they posted a new season high total in a victory in their home opener. Flatley nabbed the all-around title to go along with her floor title, as UCLA gymnasts swept the day. Arizona rebounded from a poor performance last week, improving by over a point with a 9.900 on beam from Emily Mueller, the Wildcats’ top performance.

Implications: The Wildcats remain winless on the season overall and in conference action but will likely start moving back up the rankings with this total. UCLA should also expect a slight increase, as it now sits at 1-1 in the Pac-12.

Records: Flatley’s all-around total is a career-high for the senior.

Preview

Current Rankings: No. 33 Arizona at No. 24 UCLA

Why You Should Clear Space on Your DVR: After two rough performances on the road to start the season, the Bruins will make their 2022 Pauley Pavilion debut to get things back on track against visiting Arizona, who is also in need of a major rebound with a bars disaster spoiling last week’s home quad meet.

You Can Fast Forward, but not Through This: UCLA’s Norah Flatley has been a welcome sight back in the all-around this year after injuries plagued her 2021 season, and should be competitive in what should be an all-around battle between her and teammates Chae Campbell (if healthy) and Emma Malabuyo. Arizona’s Malia Hargrove could also be an all-around contender if she returns to lineups following a scary bars fall last weekend, but freshman Emily Mueller has the potential to step up in her place.

Recap

Recap

Recap 

The Big Storyline: Southern Connecticut proved its depth in a tight battle with Brown and Bridgeport.

Implications: The Bears faced tough situations due to weather and protocols but saw themselves hold steady in eighth in the USAG, improving a point on vault and beam since the start of the season. However, they posted several personal season highs including Mei Li Costa and Julia Bedell nothing highs on vault, a 9.800 and 9.750. Freshman Taylor Schulze anchored Brown on beam, performing like a seasoned veteran and pocketing a 9.875 and leading the Bears to a 48.125, their best event of the night. The Purple Knights found themselves swapping places with the Owls, going from ninth to 10th as the Owls shifted into ninth. Kat Doran continues to lead Bridgeport on bars, posting a 9.875 to win. Freshman Alyssa Wiggins proves she’s worth watching as she took third place with a 37.200, behind teammate Kiana Session who took second with a 37.200. Bridgeport improved on virtually all events from its opening meet of the year, the small team proving its weight and skill. Southern Connecticut’s Hannah Stahlbrodt claimed the all around title, with a fall on beam, and her best score of the season so far. Chelsea Baker made her bars debut, coming in fourth with a 9.650. 

Records: The Brown’s Taylor Schulze scored a career high 9.875 on beam, as well as Julia Bedell and Lauren McKeown with a 9.725. On floor, McKenna Weiner posted a career high 9.575. Southern Connecticut’s Hannah Zebdi scored a personal best of 9.700 on vault, improving on her previous 9.600, as did Sydney Wilson with a 9.525. Noely Macias and Emelia Diaz both posted personal highs on beam with a 9.800 each, Angel Lee followed with a 9.725. Stahlbrodt also scored a personal best of 9.775 on floor.