The USAG Dismount: Week 10

Recap 

The Big Storyline: Maryland posted the second-highest score in program history on the road with Towson. Towson threw up its own high score, good enough to tie for the third-highest in program history, nothing over a 49 on each event for the third time this season. George Washington notched its third straight score over a 195 and its second-best score of the season. Southern Connecticut nearly topped its season high on beam but struggled on bars, continuing to be plagued by bars demons. 

Implications: Maryland could put some pressure on Illinois and Iowa this weekend, possibly sliding into sixth to overtake fellow Big Ten Iowa. Towson should hold off North Carolina for another week with a lead of just over three tenths. However, N.C. State continues to sit in first, a slim 0.085 ahead. George Washington could slide fairly high up in the rankings to overtake several teams, leaping from seventh into a possible fourth-place position. However, Pittsburgh would remain close behind if this is how the conference shuffles. Within a competitive GEC conference, the Owls will continue to stay put in sixth place, although William & Mary sits less than a point behind.    

Records: Maryland set a program record on bars. Audrey Barber scored a career high 9.950 on floor and in the all-around with a 39.625, also tying a program record. For George Washington, Anneliese Silverman scored a new best of 9.900 on bars. Molly Froman, of Southern Connecticut, scored a career-best 9.750 on beam.

Recap 

The Big Storyline: Cornell finally competed like it’s capable of and posted a new season high by more than two points. The Big Red came up just one tenth short of the Golden Rams who had a season high day of their own. 

Implications: Neither team will be making any moves in the rankings this week. However, Cornell did inch itself further ahead of Southern Connecticut, likely securing the final qualifying spot to USAG nationals. This competition should increase both West Chester and Cornell’s confidence going into the postseason. For one, we can’t completely count Cornell out of GECs. Secondly, Jessica Meakim is turning into a major all-around contender in her final season. She’s not just a floor specialist. 

Records: Jessica Meakim ended the night with a 9.925 on floor to tie her career high on the event. In an interesting turn of events, Meakim first achieved the 9.925 mark in a competition against Cornell in 2019. She also totaled an all-around performance over 39 for the first time in her career. West Chester’s 49.150 on floor was a program record as well.

Recap 

The Big Storyline: Bridgeport turned in its second-highest score of the year, led by freshman Kiana Session, all while setting a new season high on bars as a team. Brown posted its second-highest score of the season during its senior meet, sweeping the podium on vault, beam and floor with a first and third-place finish on bars.

Implications: Brown will inch itself within a tenth of West Chester heading into the GEC championship. The Bears are currently still counting a 192.250 away score, so the conference championships might be able to push the team over the hump. Bridgeport finally has enough scores to forget about some of its lower away scores. The Knights have pulled past Centenary for the time being as they continue to prove that the team has no quit in it. The team’s bars score was a season high, a major feat for a team who just a few weeks ago only had four athletes to fill the lineup. 

Records: For Brown, Ella Poley scored a new high of 9.725 on vault as did Lauren Kramer with a 9.650. Carolanne Van Zandt notched a personal best of 9.875 on floor.

Recap

The Big Storyline: Alaska’s home finale featured some struggles on bars that held down the overall team score. The team celebrated its lone senior, Kylie Reese, who transferred from SPU after the program was cut. Although Air Force started off somewhat shaky on bars, the Falcons were able to pull together for a strong finish to the meet. 

Implications: After two 195s last weekend, the Falcons slipped back into the 194s this week. Daija Stevenson was completely absent from all lineups this week. Several team members stepped up to fill her absence, including Leilani Zander on beam. Her availability in the postseason will be necessary to optimize the likelihood of Air Force’s success. The Falcon’s trio of all-around performers are likely to contend at USAG nationals. The score posted today included several mistakes and awkward landings on bars. Cleaning up that event will set the Falcons up for better success in the coming weeks. Air Force’s USAG ranking will go unchanged for now. Alaska only counted two scores above a 9.0 on bars this meet. Overall, this season has been very up and down for the Seawolves, but the team will look to finish the season strong at the conference championships next week.

Recap

The Big Storyline: Illinois State officially went three-for-three in wins against SEMO on the season. Season highs on bars and floor led the Redbirds to their second highest team total of the season. Beam proved to still be an area of difficulty this week, counting a fall for a sub 48 event total. SEMO was back to having six athletes on all four events this week. The Redhawks were able to avoid counting a scary fall on vault, but were not able to replicate the feat on bars. On the bright side, Lindsay Ockler and Anna Kaziska went for career highs on bars and floor, respectively. 

Implications: Illinois State is the front runner in the MIC conference race. However, the Redbird’s difficulty hitting five-for-six beam routines could become problematic if other top teams are competing well. Angelica Labat has been getting her landing consistency back on vault the second half of the season. She is likely to gain an individual regional berth. SEMO has solidified its fifth spot in the USAG rankings, but the team’s consistency has been waning in recent weeks. SEMO’s finish at conference and USAG championships will be largely dependent on the Redhawk’s ability to hit five routines on vault and bars. 

Records: Anna Kaziska tied her floor career high of 9.950 while Lindsay Ockler increased her career high on bars to 9.875.

Recap 

The Big Storyline: Centenary posted a season high by more than three points on its senior night thanks to season highs on vault and floor. Seniors Kendall Sanders and Xian Baumgartner had strong outings in their final performances in the Gold Dome. Sanders had a career high in the all-around while Baumgartner wowed the crowd with her entertaining floor choreography and was rewarded with a career high of her own. Kendall Huff assisted the vault total with her stuck Yurchenko tuck full and boosted the floor total with a season high 9.725. Despite a somewhat slow start to the meet on bars, TWU continued to improve on every event throughout the competition. Madeline Gose brought the heat yet again with another pair of 9.8-plus scores. Steelie King also showed strong performances, leading the team on bars and beam. 

Implications: Centenary will be proud to have finally put a meet together that more closely resembles its potential. The Ladies had season highs on three of four events. The veterans in the bar lineup led the way, avoiding counting multiple falls this week. Although the Ladies are out of the team nationals picture, some individuals are making their final push for a national bid. Taylor Ann Wilson’s 9.8-plus scores in two consecutive weeks have helped her cause, but the reigning USAG national champion will need to keep the momentum on the road next week to 100% lock in her place in the field. The duo of Kendalls, Huff and Sanders, are looking likely to qualify on vault and in the all-around, respectively. Emma Lavelle is a dark horse for qualifying to nationals on beam and floor, but inconsistency has reared its head in the last couple weeks. Her floor performance this week helped her case, but she was put in the exhibition spot on beam this week. For the team to optimize its beam scoring potential at conference championships, Lavelle will need to be on the positive side of lineup decision making. TWU had a near-195 score even with some mistakes and missing key contributor Kyla Podges this week. There’s a reason the Pioneers remain the No. 1 team in USAG. Although this week’s team score was not super helpful in the NQS department, the team didn’t really need an extraordinary boost in season average. The Pioneers have pulled nearly three-tenths away from the next best team in the USAG field. With the conference championships looming, TWU will need to be firing on all cylinders to challenge Illinois State and its two 10.0 start value vaults. Luckily for the Pioneers, they hold the home floor advantage this year. 

Records: Senior Kendall Sanders posted a career high 38.875 in the all-around. Xian Baumgartner upped her floor career high to 9.750 while teammate Kendall Huff tied her floor high of 9.725. 

Recap 

The Big Storyline: Overall, it was a successful performance for all teams involved. Maryland tumbled its way to its fourth win in a row, notching its third score over a 197 in its last three meets. George Washington earned matching 49.325s on vault and beam. Penn casually broke its program record by nearly a point. Bridgeport matched and earned several career highs while competing in its fifth competition in 12 days. 

Implications: Maryland will slide into sixth in the Big Ten conference, just a tenth away from fifth place Illinois. Penn becomes the only team in the GEC to go over 196 on the season. The Quakers have asserted that they did not come to play this year. This is a team on the rise. Despite a loss at the Ivy Classic, Penn will be the front runner going into conference championships. Bridgeport continued to fight for every tenth throughout the competition. Kathryn Doran hit her piked Jaeger and finished her blind full right in handstand. She was rewarded with a career high-matching total on the event. Although Bridgeport will not qualify to USAG nationals as a team, expect to see Doran and several others on the start list as individual qualifiers. George Washington fought to earn its second highest team total on the season. 

Records: Alexsis Rubio of Maryland scored a new career high 9.900 on vault. Penn blew past its program record set earlier this season by nearly a point with a 196.225. Doran tied her career high 9.925 on bars. Nicole Javinett and Alexis Richardson both matched their career highs on beam as well with a 9.825 and 9.725, respectively.

Recap 

The Big Storyline: Penn State closed out its season with a season-best score, besting its previous score by just over a tenth. Penn State also notched a season high on beam as well, where Cassidy Rushlow notched the first 9.900 this season for the team. New Hampshire set a program record on bars, scoring a 49.325 and notching its fourth-best score for the season overall. Hailey Lui’s 9.950 keeps her in first on beam for the regular-season beam ranking. Brown scored a season high as a team, on bars, and set a new program vault record, marking the second time in its last three meets that the team has flirted with the new program record, reestablishing its second-best score. Southern Connecticut closed its regular season out tying its season high on vault and nearly tied its best on floor, however, bars continues to throw the Owls off their rhythm. 

Implications: Penn State’s big score should nudge it just past Nebraska into eighth place behind Iowa and sliding itself into a position to be in a regional bubble to possibly move on into the postseason. The Wildcats’ phenomenal outing won’t change their standing, remaining firmly in sixth in the EAGL but now within a few tenths of Pittsburgh. Brown’s outstanding weekend means the team will find itself in third place heading into the GEC championship. The Owls will stay seated in sixth, holding off William & Mary as they head to the GECs as well. Brown surpasses West Chester in the USAG division, too, where Southern Connecticut also remains firmly in ninth. 

Records: Penn State’s Isabella Salcedo scored a new high of 9.950 on floor. New Hampshire’s Kylie Gorgenyi scored a new best of 9.900 on bars. Kenadi Brown scored a new high of 9.875 on bars as well as Summer Simpkins with a 9.825. Brown’s Abby Contello set a new career-high of 9.850 on bars. Southern Connecticut’s Hanna Zebdi scored a career high 9.800 on vault, as did Sidney Wilson with a 9.700, and Lexi Bracher with a 9.600. Ciana Rios scored a best of 9.725 on bars, Delaney Fields with a 9.675, and Cassidy Girolamo with a 9.650. Sarah Moussa notched a best of 9.675 on beam. Girolamo scored a best of 9.750 on floor as did Alexa Melanson with a 9.225.