Happy first day of the 2024 season! Amid a busy first day, this quad might go a bit under the radar but should be very competitive and lots of fun. After qualifying for regionals last year but being unranked in the coach’s poll, Ball State is looking to prove that 2023 wasn’t a fluke and start with a bang. With standouts Suki Pfister and Victoria Henry returning, look for the Cardinals to continue excelling on the power events. After eking into regionals last year, host North Carolina finds itself needing to replace some big routines on bars and beam because of Elizabeth Culton’s graduation. While the Tarheels have a large freshman class, it will be starting the season without four star recruit Neve King who’s on crutches. Watch to see how fellow four star Jessica Naranjo figures into tonight’s lineups, as well as how standout Julia Knower looks.
Rutgers enters the season losing superstar Hannah Joyner who graduated. Even with that, vault has the potential be a standout event for the Scarlet Knights, I will be keeping an eye out for Nailah Adams’s and Rachael Riley’s returns to this lineup. Last, but certainly not least, Utah State enters the season in a much different position than last, with four ranked recruits coming in that should contribute immediately. Look to see how the trio of Mya Witte, Sydney Jelen, and Nyla Morabito elevate the Aggies on beam and vault especially. Also watch out for Amari Evans’s return from an achilles injury.
Across the meet, beam looks like it could be the deciding event. It will be the event to watch with teams like Ball State and North Carolina losing consistent competitors while Utah State gains really strong routines on that event. This quad will be an exciting first look at these four teams, and it feels like this meet could truly go any way. I’ll try and catch as much as I can!
Alright, the stream has started and we’re getting started!
Rotation 1:Â North Carolina VT, Utah State UB, Ball State BB, Rutgers FX
Henry BB: Solid bhs loso, dance series fine solid front tuck, bhs back 1.5 with a hop
Bibbey had a solid start on bars for Utah State and North Carolina started with a stick on vault
Zannella FX: Coming in after the first pass. Whip to double full, small hop. Swtich ring, switch ring half, a little short of rotation.
Fink VT:Â Solid Yurchenko full with a hop back
Gatzlaff UB: just saw the dismount, FTDT with a hop
Middleton BB: Bhs loso with a big wobble, but stays on. Cat leap side aerial is solid, dismount with a hop
Aird FX: Big double and OOB. Front lay, front full small hop. Double tuck, step back.
Forbes VT: Nice Yurchenko 1.5 with a hop forward, a little bit of knee bend but super dynamic
The camera work is a little all over the place when it comes to cutting into and out of routines, so apologies for any missed parts.
Evans UB: Came in late on this routine, but saw a Pak and a pirouette. Fall on a giant full. Repeats giant full to stuck double tuck.
Webster FX: Full in, chest slightly forward, step back. Switch ring, switch half, split jump half, a little messy and lacking precision on some of these elements. Front tuck through to double back, land chest down and has to take a step forward. That’s a routine that’ll be really good as the season goes on.
Dekadonize VT: stuck Yurchenko full onto a mat
Prejean VT: Yurchenko full, step forward and outside of the lines
Dildy FX: Double tuck hop forward, switch side, Popa, not the most precise landing positions. Double pike, low chest on the landing, but pull it up at the end
Brooks: Tkatchev to Bail solid, good final handstand, stuck double layout, really nice routine
Ostendorf UB: Toe on loose back. Tkatchev is a little low, falls on the bail. Counting a fall now.
Wood FX: Rudi, loso clean. Leaps were lacking a bit of split, and her tuck full was a touch short. Front lay, front full and a fall, so Rutgers will also be counting a lower score.
Ruthberg BB: Coming in midway, bhs loso bhs with a little bit of knee bend. Full turn no problems. Switch leap, switch leap, split jump is pretty nice! Cartwheel gainer full is stuck, nice overall.
Leese FX: Nice full in, excellent control. Switch half, Popa, Shushanova to the floor, nicely done. Front tuck through to double tuck, step back was on the large side. I think 9.800 is a little tight there
After 1: North Carolina 49.150, Rutgers 48.250, Ball State 47.925, Utah State 47.350
So after one, the Tarheels have a significant lead, thanks to some excellent vaults and on the merits of not having to count a fall. Forbes and Dekadonize both looked excellent, and breaking 49 bodes well for the Tarheels on vault this season. For Ball State, Rutgers, and Utah State, there wore definitely some first meet errors and jitters with each team having to count a big mistake or fall. That said each team had really solid routines on each event. Ruthberg stood out on beam, Brooks looked like she was in midseason form, and Leese’s full in was lovely.
Rotation 2: Rutgers VT, North Carolina UB, Utah State BB, Ball State FX
Ruthberg FX: Front tuck through to double tuck, great control. Double pike secure, leaps are fine. Rudi, straddle jump, form was a little messy in those twists
Ostendorf BB: Solid bhs loso, tuck full, small wobble. Front toss, wobble again. Back 1.5, small hop
Pagliaro VT: Yurchenko full, big in the air. Legs separate as she finishes the twist, two big bounces back.
Shearer UB: Coming in mid routine, bail is a bit short, double layout with a shuffle of the left foot.
Martinez FX: Double tuck, slightly large lunge. Switch side (really nice), Popa, a little short. My stream skipped through a second pass that ended in a switch split jump. Saves a fall on a front full, fornt lay.
Miller: Beautiful Ray, really short handstand. Bail is a little short. Better final hs, FTDT with a small hop. Great debut for her, just needs to refine those handstands a bit.
Fink UB: Jaeger well done, Bail with a tiny leg separation, final handstand was the tiniest bit short. Double layout looked good in the air, hop backwards
Dildy VT: Stuck Yurchenko full, great way to end the rotation
Teter FX: Front lay, Rudi, excellent. Double tuck, a bit short with a step forward. Split 1.5, not bad. Front full, front lay, great hip rise
Over on beam, seeing solid bits and pieces from Utah State but with some bigger checks, no falls.
Dekanoidze: Maloney, Bail, excellent, legs glued together. Last handstand was okay, double layout with a hop. Great on the bars.
Middleton: Open double tuck, great control. Front lay, front full a little bit of leg form. Popa, tour jete half. Excellent double pike to finish. Good!
Brooks: Front aerial, one armed bhs, solid. Switch leap, split quarter. Full turn, no problem. Bhs, gainer full stuck. Good one.
Henry FX: Front tuck through to double tuck, super sharp. Switch side, Popa, good. Front lay, front full, controlled. Really like her choreography and how she uses her hair as part of it. Amazing amplitude on the final double pike, really good routine! 9.900
Vater BB: Sharp full turn, Fron aerial, bhs, bhs wobble but holds on. Switch leap, split quarter, holds onto it. Back 1.5 with a hop. Not a bad debut, the pieces are definitely there
After 2: North Carolina 98.025, Rutgers 97.100, Ball State 96.900, Utah State 95.700
North Carolina maintains its lead half way thru. Bars was okay, but the handstands need a little work, nothing major to be concerned about in the first meet. Rutgers and Ball State put up solid showing on the leg events, and while Utah State hit all six routines, but had its total kept down by big wobbles and a few broken dance connections.
Rotation 3: Ball State VT, Rutgers UB, North Carolina BB, Utah State FX
Eagles FX: Rudi, nicely done, chest position a little low. Double tuck, nice amplitude, chest down a smidge but handles it well. Switch side, popa, solid.
Martinez VT: yfull with a hop forward and chest down.
Fall in the leadoff for UNC on beam from Shearer
Teter: Yurchenko half with a step back, nice body position in the air
DiNovi UB: Good handstand, Maloney, Pak, leg separation on both. Solid final hs double tuck, step back.
Peterson FX: Front lay, Rudi, almost hops out of bound but kept it in. Switch side popa, not the most amplitude. Double tuck, chest down.
Middleton VT: Yurchenko full with a hop back, a lot of distance on that vault
Rhuda BB: Talk about a pressure filled situation for your first college routine. Bhs loso, great extension, small check. Switch leap, split jump. Punch front, hop forward. Double full with a hop, very solid.
Pfister VT: Front pike half, great dynamics and chest position, hop backwards.
Brooks put her hands down on a Rudi at the end of her routine, had a good one before that
Ruthberg VT: Yurchenko full, slight hop backwards, solid
Thompson: Bhs, bhs, doesn’t do the layout and falls. Redoes it, right on. Leaps are solid. Bhs, 1.5 small hop.
Henry VT: Yurchenko 1.5 with just one step. Great amplitude, just a little bit of knee form in the air.
Daniels UB: Jaeger caught with bent arms, Bail with a little bit of hip angle in the air. Short final handstand, stuck double layout.
Evans FX: Front lay, Rudi, crossover step but well done in the air. LOL fully thought she was about to do leaps and then it was just choreography to the ground. Switch ring, tour jete half, lacking split on the second. Double tuck, short and puts her hand down, these Utah State routines are lacking a little bit of endurance
Fink BB: Longgg wait before this routine. Switch leap series is well done. Bhs, loso loso is pristine, fantastic. Small check on the full turn. Front aerial, small adjustment. Bhs 1.5 with a hop, good one.
Ostendorf finishes a routine with an excellent double tuck
Knower BB: Bhs loso, leg up check but holds on to it. Switch leap, split jump, excellent. Front toss, beat jump. Back 1.5 with a stick, that should be a good routine throughout the season.
Schulze BB: Beat jump, split full, well done. Bhs, loso, holds onto it. Switch leap, wolf jump, bent back leg on that leap. Full turn, no problems. Back 1.5 with a hop.
After 3: North Carolina 146.100 Ball State 146.100, Rutgers 145.025 Utah State 143.800
We are tied after three rotations with North Carolina having to count a fall on beam. On the other events Ball State had an excellent vault rotation for a 49.150 thanks to Pfister and Henry. Rutgers had to count a fall on bars, but had some real bright spots with Balser going 9.875. Utah State had a rough go on floor, with what looked like endurance issues on last passes.
This last rotation will be exciting with Ball State headed to bars and North Carolina to floor to see who’s gonna take this meet.
Okay, so there’s a discrepancy between the broadcast and live scores, with the broadcast saying that Ball State has the lead with a 146.225, trying to figure out which is right.
Rotation 4: Utah State VT, Ball State UB, Rutgers BB, North Carolina FX
Okay so my power went out for a minute but we’re back now. Looks like North Carolina is only competing five on floor and had a fall in the first spot from Miller. That doesn’t bode well for the Tarheels
Rueda FX: Full in and OOB. Back 1.5, front lay.
Henry UB: Maloney, Pak some leg separation. Double front with a big step.
VT: Yurchenko full, hop back, nice amplitude.
Forbes: Full in, stuck with chest up excellent. Front lay, front full, excellent control. Double tuck chest f
Eagles VT: Full is piked down with some knee bend.
Teter: Big Tkatchev but clipped her heel (?), worked out of it into the overshoot. Fine handstand, double front half out with a big step.
Fall on beam for Rutgers for Rains
Knower FX: Double pike, good in the air, but takes a step forward. Back 1.5 front lay, excellent extension. Very short of split on the second leap. Double tuck with a step forward and chest down.
Riley BB: Bhs loso, small arm wave but very well done. Side aerial nice. Split jump, split 3/4 and falls. Bhs, back 1.5 with a hop
Zanella BB: Split jump, split ring very well done, great positions. Bhs bhs loso really well done. Back tuck 1.5 with a small hop, a nice end to the night.
FINAL: Ball State 194.925, North Carolina 193.525, Rutgers 193.400, Utah State 192.375
So Ball State comes back and wins this quad after having to count a fall in the first rotation. Really excellent work on the leg events from likes of Henry, Middleton and Pfister. Concerned about North Carolina only having five to compete on floor as well as the general lack of freshman routines we saw from Utah State and North Carolina. That is something to watch in the next few weeks for sure. Rutgers had some really pretty pieces of gymnastics throughout the night, but did will not be pleased by some of the falls on bars and beam. Overall, this first meet won’t be one that any of these teams want to keep around for NQS but was a fun start to the season!
VT: Lali Dekadoize, Suki Pfister 9.925
UB: Isabelle Schaefer, Avery Balser 9.875
BB: Lexi Aragon, Emily Leese 9.850
FX: Victoria Henry 9.900
AA: Victoria Henry 39.275
READ THIS NEXT:Â For Ball State, The Regional First Round is Part of the Journey, Not the Destination
Live blog by Rebecca Williams
