The NCGA Dismount: Week 7

The Big Storyline: While this wasn’t one of Ithaca’s best performances of the season for a team score, Cortland did score a season high. The Bombers had several outstanding routines, taking the bar and beam titles, events they’ve drastically improved this season. Standout freshman Skye Cohen also claimed the all around title for a second week in a row. Host Cortland scored its season high, including a dynamic high on bars, improving nearly a point and a half over last week and a new season-high on floor as well. 

Implications: It’s still early in the weekend, but Ithaca shouldn’t move around too much given this low score, but with NQS rolling in, things should shake up a little bit. Cortland should see itself moving up in the rankings with this high, a score the team very much needed and wanted.

Records: Cortland’s Abby Bang recorded a career high 9.800 on floor, as did Gabrielle Nadler with a 9.650.

Recap 

The Big Storyline: UW-Stout took all four event titles and the all around. Bugge competed yet another stunning vault while adding vault back to her resume for the first time since an achilles tear sidelined her last season. She returned back to the event with style, taking that title as well. Gustavus continued its streak of scores 180-plus scores, coming in just a half tenth short of its season high. 

Implications: With sixth year Mikala Bugge adding back events, is a return to the all around in the cards? She is competing the best vaults of her career and has now been featured in both bars and floor lineups for the Blue Devils. That just leaves beam as the final addition. She’s scored as high as 9.500 on beam in her career. It couldn’t hurt to test the waters. Sophia Redding’s streak of bar victories finally came to an end. However, it should be noted that she fell to second place by only a quarter tenth. This meet should have little impact on Stout’s placement. Gustavus is off to its best season since 2019, excluding the fluke 172 when the team did not compete with full lineups. The Gusties grit and determination to continue to fight through every meet is admirable. Gustavus will look to peak at the end of the season and reach the 183-184 range come conference championship time in a couple weeks.

Recap 

The Big Storyline: The gymnastics community got a demonstration of the best the WIAC has to offer with both UW-La Crosse and UW-Oshkosh going above 190. Oshkosh broke a program record in the process. The Titans collected six scores of 9.700 or higher. UW-La Crosse avoided counting as many mistakes this week, leading to a season high of its own. 

Implications: With a huge near-192 performance, the Titans proved that they can put legitimate pressure on Brockport, the only team to reach the mark this season. Brockport needs to keep its foot on the gas because La Crosse is nipping at its heels. The Eagles crossed the 190 threshold for the first time this season thanks to a season high beam performance led by senior Emma Grant.

Records: UW-Oshkosh posted a program best 191.900 thanks to the second best bars and floor totals in program history.

Recap 

The Big Storyline: UW-Whitewater came away with the victory while both Winona State and UW-Eau Claire improved season highs by more than three points each. UW-Eau Claire was helped along by season highs on all four events. Winona State had itself a day as well with drastic improvements on bars and beam. 

Implications: With scores in the 185 to 186 range, Eau Claire and Winona State are going to start applying some pressure on the middle tier NCGA teams to step up their game. Hamline continues to make small improvements week to week but not quite quickly enough to make a difference in the rankings.

Update 2/9: West Virginia joined this meet after having to cancel its meet at Arkansas week five.

Recap

The Big Storyline: Ursinus looked more like the Ursinus we saw at its opening meet of the season as West Virginia scored a new season high and Towson edged closer to a 197. Towson showed up strong, scoring 49-plus on each event for the second time this season. Not to be outdone, this was the first time this season West Virginia also scored a 49 or higher on each event in 2022. Ursinus improved on its previous season high on bars. 

Implications: Ursinus should see itself move up in the rankings, depending on how it performs in its last-minute meet against Penn on Sunday, but will very likely overtake Cortland in the rankings in the NCGA-East as well as in the NCGA as a whole, likely surpassing Winona State as well. Towson should slide into second behind North Carolina in the EAGL conference with its NQS tally. West Virginia’s stellar performance won’t change its standings, however.

Records: For Ursinus, Alyssa DeLorme scored a career high 9.625 on bars and 9.750 on beam, and Madison Zimmerman scored a personal best 9.800 on beam. Kasey Ricci scored a career high 9.250 on floor and Ashley Cromer notched a 9.375 for a new best on vault. On beam, West Virginia sophomore Chloe Asper scored a career-high 9.900 as did Agatha Handono with a 9.875. Kendra Combs had a career high 9.925 on floor as well as Kianna Yancey with a 9.875. Kianna Yancey also scored a new high on vault with a 9.850. Towson’s Clara Hong scored a new best of 9.900 on bars, as well as Lauren Keener with a 9.850 as well as on beam with a 9.875.

Recap

The Big Storyline: Springfield nearly topped its previous season high despite a few struggles on bars but posted a season high on beam, improving by nearly a full point with notable scores from Devon Rosier and MacKenzie MacLeod who went 9.600 and 9.700. After going four weeks without dropping below a 191.400, Cornell had a few hiccups on bars and floor holding it back from its full scoring potential, but by no means a bad meet.   

Implications: Cornell’s consistency means it’ll stay in fourth place in the GEC and sit tight in seventh in its division, with powerhouse West Chester holding the Big Red off for another week. Overall, Springfield should stay within the top ten in the NCGA division.  

The Big Storyline: The Sharks swam their way to victory, claiming not only the team title but taking first in every event. Hannah Zebdi helped to guide Southern Connecticut, scoring over a 9.600 for the seventh time this season, along with Cassidy Girolamo who has scored over a 9.700 in the past two meets on floor. Brown was forced to count a fall on bars but didn’t count a single score below a 9.700 on floor, turning things around and scoring a new season high by just over half a point. Rhode Island nearly tied its season high on bars and floor, with Olivia Keyes and Kelsey Gates delivering big scores. 

Implications: Brown will eventually see itself moving up in the rankings once it has an NQS, landing in the top half of the conference. Southern Connecticut won’t move much, hovering in seventh place but without a full conference of NQS accounted for. It’ll slide into the middle of the pack for now. Despite a strong showing, LIU will continue to sit in eighth in the EAGL conference, but with a few more high scores, it could surpass New Hampshire at some point during the rest of the season. Rhode Island will be just barely edged out by Springfield, most likely dropping into fourth place in the East once the weekend comes to an end. The Anchorwomen should find themselves staying in the top ten in the NCGA. 

Records: Southern Connecticut’s Chelsea Baker scored a career high 9.750 on bars, as did Audrey Arnold with a 9.700. On beam Madison Tansowny scored a new best of 9.650. Angela Xing set a career-high on vault with a 9.725. Taylor Schulze scored a 9.800 on bars for a new personal best as did Lauren McKeown with a 9.550. McKenna Weiner scored a new high of 9.650 on beam and 9.775 on floor. Abby Walsh pocketed a new high on floor as well, with a 9.750, as did Angela Xing with a 9.725. Lauren Lazaro followed with a new high of 9.700. Ilka Juk set a personal and program record for LIU on beam with a 9.925. Olivia Keyes set a new all around program record for Rhode Island with a 37.950.

Update 2/19 AM: This meet was canceled due to COVID protocols within the Bridgeport program. Penn is searching for a new opponent for Sunday or Monday night.

Update 2/19 PM: Ursinus replaced Bridgeport.

Recap (Ursinus v Penn)

The Big Storyline: Originally scheduled to face Bridgeport, Ursinus stepped in after Bridgeport could no longer attend due to COVID protocols. After competing once already this weekend, Ursinus went ahead and rested a few gymnasts, put a few new faces in the lineup and added nearly three points to its team score. The result? A new season high in addition to several event highs. What a weekend! Host Penn notched a new season high and best home score in program history, all while counting a fall. After all that, the all-around title was a difference of just 0.075 between Alyssa DeLorme and Sydney Kraez.  

Implications: Penn easily continues to lead the GEC, with Yale nearly a full point behind. All that’s left for Penn is to continue its streak of big scores to close out its season and possibly eye the title of the first GEC championship. With this big score, Ursinus should find itself moving up a few spots in the East, and with NQS in account, it should be within the top half. In the NCGA as a whole, it should improve as well.

Records: Penn set a program record on vault with a 49.175. For Ursinus, Alyssa DeLorme set a new career-high with a 9.650 on bars, as did Carly Troilo and Adison Tanguay both with a 9.275. Alyssa DeLorme set a new high in the all-around with a 38.275.

Recap

The Big Storyline: Brockport took the crown by a margin of just over SIX points. The Golden Eagles won every event title as well. Brockport is really finding its groove as it proves its high scores are a theme of consistency, not luck. Ithaca struggled on bars, scoring a season low and dropping nearly four points from just a few days earlier but the Bombers bounced back on floor with a season high. Cortland faced similar issues, leaving two and a half points on the mat from its meet earlier in the week.  

Implications: It’s no question, Brockport will continue to sit in first in the NCGA division, with Oshkosh trailing approximately a point behind in second. Ithaca slides into fifth place for now with SAS taking effect. Ithaca needs to pick things back up and find its groove again to continue to be a threat to La Crosse and Whitewater for the remainder of the season.

Records: Samantha Nothnagel from Cortland scored a new best of 9.750 on beam. Delaney Brown followed suit with a 9.475 on vault. Rianna Adams and Bryanna DeAngelis both scored new highs with a 9.300 on bars and 9.550 on beam. Sydney Schumaker of Brockport tied a program record and scored a new personal best on beam with a 9.800 and Laken Sooy scored a new high of 9.500 on floor.