For full scores and results for every meet, check out Week 6 Results.
While most of Sunday’s Super Bowl lacked action, the college gymnastics weekend did not, as comebacks, upsets, and a historic Friday evening brought all the drama and excitement that makes this sport great. And while the judging still wasn’t perfect this weekend, the insanity of it took a backseat in Week 6, letting the gymnastics finally dominate the conversation. But, with the switch to NQS looming just a week away, don’t expect that to last too long.
Gym Slam Alert
As if Haleigh Bryant wasn’t already going to be remembered as one of the all-time greats, the senior made sure of it by becoming just the 14th gymnast to earn the famous Gym Slam—earning a perfect 10 on every event—as she led the Tigers to a crucial SEC road win at Georgia. While it may not have been Bryant’s best beam routine that ultimately sealed the deal, it bestowed her the honor that most foresaw her accomplishing before the season began.
HBCU History
Also etching their names in the history books on Friday were the Tornadoes, who topped a tri-meet with Alaska and Centenary to earn the first-ever win for the HBCU program. Alondra Maldonado’s pair of 9.8s on beam and floor fueled Talladega’s 192.200—good for the fourth-best score from an HBCU program. Not shabby for a program that made its debut last month. In a quad meet on Sunday, Fisk’s Morgan Price also notched the highest-ever beam score for an HBCU gymnast with a massive 9.950.
Iron Bowl Upset
The Crimson Tide had all the momentum heading into its rivalry bout with the Tigers, but it was Auburn who put together its most complete performance of the season to notch a huge win over Alabama. Leading the way was Cassie Stevens and her eye-catching 39.700 in the all-around, but Auburn impressed most by looking quite balanced on all four events and not having a single miss. Even without Sunisa Lee, the Tigers showed that they cannot be forgotten in the SEC conversation.
Best of the Rest
The races for the top of the Big Ten and Pac-12 continued to heat up over the weekend, as neither conference has had a team emerge as a runaway favorite.
On the West Coast, California rested breakout star Mya Lauzon and nearly got upset by a hot Arizona team, needing a massive final floor rotation to offset a shaky beam lineup and mount a winning comeback. The Utes traveled for the first time this season to easily overcome Washington, while Selena Harris spoiled Jade Carey’s 2024 all-around debut by putting the Bruins ahead of the Beavers. Harris stuck her vault for a perfect 10, which was crucial in mitigating the absence of Nya Reed and Chae Campbell.
The Spartans narrowly posted the Big Ten’s best total of the weekend, as their home win over Illinois was as equally impressive as Ohio State’s defeat of Penn State and Michigan’s road dub over Minnesota and Mya Hooten’s floor 10. None of the trio has been able to seize major momentum yet, as they’re all heating up at the right time, but Michigan State is currently in the driver’s seat for conference titles as the leader in the rankings and dual meet record. At least for now.
READ THIS NEXT: Questions, Comments, Concerns Week 5
Article by Brandis Heffner
One comment