Last Week in College Gym: July 24

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There’s a lot that happens on the gymternet each week. So much so that it can be hard to keep track of it all. From training updates and COVID year announcements to recruiting rumors and coaching news, we don’t blame you for missing some important points here and there.

That’s where we come in. Last Week in College Gym is your one-stop shop for all the important headlines from the previous week in college gymnastics. No matter if you’re taking a social media break, went on vacation, or just don’t have the capacity to follow every single gymnast, team, and fan, we have you covered.

Top Storylines

Blanco on Top at Colombian Nationals

Luisa Blanco, the fifth-year senior at Alabama, competed for the first time under her Colombian nationality at the national championships. Blanco placed first in the all-around with a 49.133 and qualified to bars, beam, and floor finals. She only competed in the bars final, also placing first. It doesn’t appear that injury was the reason for withdrawing from the other two.

Future LSU Tigers Announce Plans for Olympic Season

LSU commits Konnor McClain and Zoe Miller both announced their plans for the future regarding the Olympics. McClain, originally intending to defer, announced she will join the Tigers for the 2024 season while training for the Olympics. Miller confirmed she is deferring this season and will join the Tigers for 2025 as she pursues a spot on the Olympic team.

Other Newsworthy Items

Training Updates

Georgia’s JaFree Scott was seen training a Ray to Pak to Maloney connection on bars.
Rising LSU freshman Kylie Coen is working on a whip to two-and-a-half connection on floor.
West Virginia fifth-year Abbie Pierson is training a front tuck through to double tuck pass on floor while rising sophomore Miranda Smith was seen working a Yurchenko full and a Yurchenko one and a half after only competing bars for the Mountaineers last season.
Rising Utah State junior Jenna Eagles is training a back one and a half to front full on floor.
Incoming Iowa State freshman Ella Schell is working a double layout dismount on the bars.
Rising N.C. State sophomore Madeline Reid has been working on a lot of upgrades this offseason. Last week she posted a side aerial to back handspring series on beam, and this week she switched it up and posted a back handspring to side aerial.
Several BYU gymnasts are working new skills on the beam. Rising junior Mina Margraf is working a split jump to standing front tuck combination while rising sophomore Kauri Hunsaker is working a cat leap to side aerial combination after not competing in 2023. Rising sophomore Madison Raesly-Patton is also training a front aerial to side aerial to switch leap to split jump series on beam.
Rising Utah State junior Amari Evans is back training on bars six months post-surgery.
Incoming Utah State freshman Mya Witte is training a Yurchenko one and a half into the pit.
Incoming Utah State freshman Sydney Jelen is training a full-twisting double layout dismount off bars into the pit.
Incoming Southern Utah freshman Niya Randolph is training a split-leg double layout on floor.
Rising Boise State junior Emma Loyim is training a Maloney on bars.
Utica’s Ainsley Pinckard is working a side aerial to back handspring series on beam and a full turn to double tuck on bars. Teammate Lexi Castellaneta is posting training videos for vault, beam, and floor.
Down the road on the other end of the Finger Lakes, Ithaca’s Lauren Babineaux is working straddle Jaegers on bars.
Southern Connecticut’s Kylie Sitty Is working on a toe-on Shaposh, piked Geinger, and Yurchenko full-on.
Incoming Oklahoma freshman Hannah Scheible is upgrading her triple series on beam to a back handspring to layout to layout step out.