This meet was flagged by many fans the moment schedules were released, and for good reason: Fan favorite Michigan State, which finished No. 9 in the 2022 season, has a real chance to pull off an upset today. The Spartans did graduate some key routines from the historic 2022 squad, but a strong freshman class that includes five-star recruit Nikki Smith and potential vault star Sage Kellerman means that there should be no depth concerns for the Spartans.
On the other hand, things are also looking pretty good for the Crimson Tide. A new coaching staff seems to have brought energy as well as new strategy ideas to Tuscaloosa, and a large and utilitarian freshman class adds depth that Alabama has needed for years. Growing pains are never unexpected with a new coach, but if Ashley Johnston and her team play this just right, this is a roster that could make a serious run at the national final.
It’s too soon to seriously analyze each team’s postseason chances based on today’s result, but you’d better believe we’ll be doing it anyway. Let’s get started!
Rotation 1: Alabama VT, MSU UB
Olsen (Bama): Just FTY today which isn’t a bad idea. Clean with a little hop back. 9.85
Jackard (MSU): Good Jaeger. Over on her bail, half turn and casts out of it. Relatively clean recovery. Blind full double back. 9.7
Doggette (Bama): One and a half, good! Bounce-step forward, apparently she had major problems in warm up so getting this clean and up is great news. 9.9
Stephen (MSU): Maybe a smidge shy on her first handstand, toe on to Maloney, clear hip to bail. Some tiny leg seps sneaking in but her body line is so lovely. Full twisting double back, hop back. 9.725 feels harsh.
Hudson (Bama): One and a half, SUPER clean, hop forward. 9.85
Zsarmani (MSU): Pak, Maloney to Gienger, little bits of leg form but super ambitious. Double layout stuck. WOW. 9.825
Blanco (Bama): One and a half, pretty, hop back on that one. 9.875
Schulte (MSU): Arches her first handstand just a smidge, Maloney with big leg sep on the backswing to bail, big double layout with a little hop. Such a powerful swing. 9.8
Paradise (Bama): Maybe a little bit of knees on her one and a half but it only stands out after how clean the last few were. Smallish hop forward.
Ni. Smith (MSU): Maloney to Pak, soft knees on the backswing and catches the Pak a little high. Double layout stuck. Man. These freshmen are so talented. 9.875
Gladieux (Bama): One and a half looks so easy, Hop forward is a little diagonal but landing was more emphatic than most of the previous. 9.825 surprises me a little.
Harkness (MSU): Toe on to Geinger, lovely, full twisting double back with a tiny hop. 9.85
After 1: Alabama 49.325, Michigan State 49.075
Let me just paste my own tweet here…
Rotation 2: MSU VT, Alabama UB
Ny. Smith (MSU): FTY, super high, piked down and she didn’t need to. Little hop back. 9.8
Paradise (Bama): Not sure about that first handstand, blind to Jaeger with a little feeet. Perfect bail and held the handstand for several seconds, DLO with leg sep and a tiny shuffle back. Great lead-off routine
Schulte (MSU): FTY, high and bounces right off the mat. Beautiful vault, that’s the kind of landing that will get deducted a little more than the actual length of hop required because of the visible lack of control. It’s week one, that’s a good place to be. 9.825
Hudson (Bama): Maloney to bail, tiny leg separations, blind full double back stuck. Wow. 9.85
Garcia (MSU): Another really nice FTY, not quite as flashy but better control on the landing with a pace back. 9.825
Waligora (Bama): Jaeger to overshoot, solid, wish she got her legs together a second sooner but I’m being super picky. FTDLO super straight with a step back. 9.8
Kellerman (MSU): Pike half vault, fantastic, controlled hop back. 9.9!!
Machado (Bama): Maloney to Pak, toe on to van Leeuwen, her leg separations look better to my eye. Short on a cast, toe full double back stuck. Quality. 9.85
Smith (MSU): Great one and a half, a smidge underrotated and some foot form visible but just a little step back.
Doggette (Bama): Tkachev to Pak, lovely, as usual. So patient on the cast handstands, double layout stuck. 9.9
Stephen (MSU): Perfect FTY, tiny scoot back. It’s just immaculate. 9.9
Blanco (Bama): Pak, toe on to van Leeuwen, perfect form. Not sure if she got that high bar cast handstand. FTDB, tiny scoot back. Great. 9.875
After 2: Alabama 98.600, Michigan State 98.375
The energy of this meet is just SO delightful. Great gymnastics, great energy, everybody just looks delighted to be here. Mike Rowe most of all: He got a mid-meet broadcast interview and just couldn’t stop grinning.
Third-best vault rotation in school history for MSU.
Rotation 3: Alabama BB, MSU FX
Hudson (Bama): Front aerial BHS LOSO, dead square and super steady. Full turn. Switch to beat, great side aerial. One and a half, hop forward was really the only obvious deduction there. 9.85
Garcia (MSU): Double tuck, just a little front foot wiggle. She’s a great dancer and I like this choreography for her, it’s contemporary and a little creepy. Front lay front full is great. Double pike comes in short but hops it up. 9.675
Doggette (Bama): BHS LOSO is great. Beat switch half beat… interesting combo, a little tentative.. Split to tucked Korbut is pretty. One and a half dismount with a small hop in place. 9.775
Ny. Smith (MSU): Front through double tuck is great. Switch side Popa, so much airtime. One and a half front lay stuck. This is great. Double pike underrotated again! Lunges forward to hang onto it. 9.75
Olsen (Bama): Switch switch half is steady, BHS LOSO with a little check. Front walkover, double pike with a hop back. 9.775
Harkness (MSU): Full in, I thought she might have overcooked it a little but the lunge is fine. Tour jete half wolf full. Double tuck is underrotated. It’s cardio time, Spartans. Running out of steam at the end of a floor routine is a pretty normal January problem, but I’m sure it’s high on the agenda to fix.
Waligora (Bama): BHS LOSO, check. Side aerial tentative but made, split to tuck full-ish jump… another check. One and a half with a hop forward. 9.675
Stephen (MSU): Front through double pike, overrotated, GORGEOUS leap series. Front double full, a little slide-y on the step out but still lovely.
Gladieux (Bama): BHS back pike… well, they said layout. Whatever. Front aerial to beat is lovely, switch to beat a little off line but no check, double tuck dismount with a small step back. She’s having a great day. 9.825
Ni. Smith (MSU): Full in landing is immaculate. Splits a little iffy on her leaps. One and a half front lay looks a little mistimed but makes it through fine. Great double back to finish WOW.
Blanco (Bama): Front aerial, full turn very precise as usual. BHS LOSO with a front foot slide, probably 0.05, switch ring to beat. One and a half stuck-ish. 9.9
Schulte (MSU): Another great full in with a deductionless landing. Front to double back, TINY front foot wiggle. Awesome. 9.9
After 3: Alabama 147.725, Michigan State 147.550
The talent in MSU’s floor lineup is immense and they caught fire in the second half there after some stamina issues at the top of the lineup. Alabama had to work through some little things on beam but managed it patiently. Beam doesn’t have to be special every day, if you can get a fine rotation out of a day when you’re a little off you’ve won.
Rotation 4: MSU BB, Alabama FX
Kalefe (MSU): Triple series, dead on. Switch to tuck full very precise, gainer full off the side with a bigger hop back. 9.775
Waligora (Bama): Front double full, bigger step forward. Tour jete half wolf full. One and a half front lay, very precise. Nice. 9.85
Schulte (MSU): Full turn, little check. Switch, weird transition, switch half beat. The beat might have been added because she thinks she blew the first connection, which she may have. BHS LOSO, leg up check and a little bit of drama ensues but hangs on. Switch to gainer full. 9.775
Olsen (Bama): What is this, dubstep Squid Game? Pike full in, great landing. Imprecise rotation on her leap series, not sure how many twists were supposed to be in which. Front through double back, underrotated and PULLS to get it around, step forward. 9.775
Zsarmani (MSU): Kickover front pike to BHS is spectacular. Switch switch side, check. Forgot to write down the dismount but it was good. 9.75
Doggette (Bama): Full in, overrotated but didn’t look painful. Switch ring switch half, positions a little sketch. One and a half front lay is steady. Welcome back to the AA Makarri Doggette!!!
Ny. Smith (MSU): Hasn’t competed this event a ton in college. BHS LOSO, major check. Solid leaps, double tuck with a big pace back but it was HIGH. 9.625
Gladieux (Bama): Full in HUGE and so secure, she could have stuck it but goes for the slow lunge. Great leap positions, front lay to rudi to HUGE split jump but controls it the whole way. What a star. 9.9
Stephen (MSU): Front aerial to two feet, insane, BHS LOSO super steady. Double full dismount and holds for a second before stepping to salute… giving that a solid Maybe Stuck. 9.825, that’s what MSU needed.
Blanco (Bama): Nails the double pike.Double tuck also great. Switch ring switch half, pretty and secure, front full front lay to pique arabesque. Has basically guaranteed a meet win and will also win the AA. 9.925
Garcia (MSU): Full turn lovely, BHS LOSO. Front aerial to split lovely and fluid. Gainer full off the side, stuck and beautiful. 9.9
Hudson (Bama): Front double full, awkward hop-stumble out of bounds. Two and a half twist STUCK. Double tuck stuck. Dang, that first pass… 9.65
FINAL: Alabama 196.975, Michigan State 196.550
That meet was just so good. Looked good, felt good, just overall a blast. No notes. Thanks for coming.
VT: Makarri Doggette, Sage Kellerman, Gabi Stephen 9.900
UB: Makarri Doggette 9.900
BB: Luisa Blanco, Baleigh Garcia 9.900
FX: Luisa Blanco 9.925
AA: Luisa Blanco 9.975
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Live blog by Rebecca Scally
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