Iowa State is headlining this meet as the top-ranked favorites, led by Ashley Miles Greig in her inaugural season as head coach of the program. The Cyclones have exceeded expectations, notching a 196.900 in week 2, its highest team score since their performance at Big 12’s in 2021. Just four positions behind Iowa State in the rankings is Boise State, who is coming off a season-high team score, getting some revenge from Southern Utah after being upset by the Thunderbirds in week 6. Led by Courtney Blackson and Emily Lopez, the Broncos have a high-scoring potential but have shown some inconsistency on bars this season.
Utah State is coming off a strong performance against San Jose State, where they upset the Spartans by just 0.200. Freshman Nyla Morabito has made an immediate impact on vault and floor, where she holds season-highs of 9.850 and 9.925 on those events, respectively. Like Boise State, the Aggies have shown inconsistencies on bars, but hold a top-15 ranking on beam. In week 3, the Aggies notched a huge 49.500 on the event, an event that sets them apart from the other teams at this meet. That event could be the difference maker and could lead the Aggies to victory in their first home quad meet of the season.
Texas Woman’s have plenty of experience in competing in quad meets as this meet marks their third of the season. The Pioneers have shown immense potential on floor and vault, the two events in which they have scored at least a 49.000. The Pioneers are led by senior all-arounder Steelie King, who has competed in all four events this season. The Pioneers are capable of upsetting some of the higher-ranked teams in this meet as long as they can put together all four events.
Link to watch: https://utahstateaggies.com/watch/
Link to the live stats: https://sidearmstats.com/utahstate/gymnastics/20240223.html
Rotation 1: Utah State VT, Boise State UB, Iowa State BB, Texas Woman’s FX
Gatzlatt (USU): Yurchenko full, big hop.
Werline (BSU): Nice Maloney to Pak. Hits handstand on half piroutte. Double back dismount.
Brkljacic (TWU): Nice BHS + LOSO. Hits the full turn. Nice front toss to straight jump.
Stuart (USU): Another yurchenko full, big hop back.
Buell (BSU): Nice Maloney to Bail! A little short on the high bar handstand, but a stuck double layout dismount!
Woodring (TWU): Nice full turn. Really crooked on the BHS and falls off on the LOSO. BHS + back 1.5 dismount.
Boyer (USU): Yurchenko full, smaller hop back.
McGovern (BSU): Short on the first hand stand. Finger tips catch on the ginger! Solid shootover. Nice dismount.
Brooks (USU): Big STUCK Yurchenko full! Best vault of the day so far.
Adams (ISU): Solid BHS + LOSO. Nice leap series. Front toss to beat jump, a little off but shows control. BHS + gainer full off the side, nice!
Hamby (BSU): Nice church to shootover to start! Double layout dismount and finds the stick.
Ostednford (USU): Yurhcenko full, hop forward.
Loyim (ISU): Huge double layout to start!
Hernandez (TWU): Solid full turn. BHS + LOSO, slight wobble. Front tuck, lands a bit low.
Blackson (BSU): Hit the bail to handstand. Nice Markelov! Sticks the double layout dismount.
Lopez (BSU): Nice piked jaegar to start. Hits the bail to handstand. Double layout dismount, another stuck landing!
Adams (ISU): Front layout to Rudi, nicely landed. Tour jete half to Popa, a little lack of flexibility. Double back dismount, solid landing.
After 1: Boise State 49.400, Iowa State 49.275, Utah State 48.825, Texas Woman’s 48.575
A bit of the mix up on the names, my apologies.
Really strong rotation for Boise State! They have struggled on bars this season, and they just crushed their season high by three tenths. Iowa State had a very solid rotation on floor, and they capable of scoring even higher. Texas Woman’s struggled a bit on beam, and are looking to put it behind them as they move onto floor.
Rotation 2: Iowa State VT, Utah State UB, Boise State BB, Texas Woman’s FX
Willis (ISU): Solid yurchenko full!
Bibbey (USU): Nice Tkatchev! Over on the clear hip and comes off. Hits a beautiful position on the bail. Double layout dismount, stuck. Very solid routine besides the fall!
Vulaj (BSU): Solid across series. Switch leap to gainer LOSO, nicely done! Solid front toss. Back 1.5 dismount and takes a hop forward.
Loyim (ISU): Yurhcneko full, takes a step forward. Big height though.
Six (TWU): Nice switch straddle to straddle jump. Fun choreography in this routine! Dismounts with a double back, a bit of bigger step back but shows control. Solid routine!
Kirstine (USU): Nice Maloney to bail, slight short on the handstand. Giant full to double back dismount, hop back.
Gose (TWU): Double pike to start, chest down on the landing but otherwise landed nicely. Nice height on the front layout in the second pass! Rudi dismount, bounces out of the landing.
Kho (BSU): A bit of a wait before Kho is able to start the routine. Starts with a nice BHS + back layout, slightly piked. Nice split position on the switch half. Almost gets the stick on the back 1.5 dismount.
Aragon (USU): Really nice Tkatchev! Hits the handstand on the bail. Full twisting double back dismount, hop back.
Adams (ISU): Big Yurchenko full from the freshman, just a hop back.
King(TWU) : Double pike to start, solid landing. Nice back 1.5 to front layout. Double back dismount, chest down on the landing but controls the step back.
Loyim (BSU): Solid full turn. Switch leap + switch leap + gainer full off the side, super difficult and nicely done.
Bergstrom (ISU): Huge Yurchenko full, almost sticks it!
Lopez (BSU): Super well done BHS + LOSO. Slight wobble on the front toss but recovers well. Gainer full off the side, hop back.
Brkljacic (TWU): Front through to double back, a bit of bounce out of the landing. Doube pike second pass, nicely done.
Parker (ISU): Big Yurchenko full, could tell she wanted that stick but opened up a bit too early, causing a short landing.
Boyer (USU): Really nice Maloney to Pak, and hits the half pirouette well. Giant full to double tuck, that was great.
Popp (BSU): Nice BHS + BHS + Layout! Super difficult. Covers the hesitation on the switch half nicely. Gainer full off the side, and sticks the dismount. Nice routine!
Woodring (TWU): Huge height on the double pike but takes a big hop out of it. Front full to front layout, nicely done! Double back dismount, opens up a bit too early and takes a step forward. Great routine!
Hong (ISU): Yurchenko half, short on rotation and sits it down.
Leitch (BSU): Solid full turn. BHS + layout, takes a step back but nice difficulty. Switch leap to split 3/4. Dismounts with a switch leap directly to a gainer pike off the end, stuck!
Hernandez (TWU): Front tuck through to double pike, feet are far in front of her and she falls backward. Back 1.5 to front layout, some leg form on the second salto and is short on the landing.
After 2: Boise State 98.725, Iowa State 98.225, Utah State 97.825, Texas Woman’s 97.625
Boise State is heading into the third rotation with a half-a-point lead. With two strong events left for the Broncos, they are in the driver’s seat right now. Iowa State showed some really big Yurhcneko fulls on vault and a lot of those vaults look upgradeable. Utah State had a great bar rotation as well, scoring a 49.000. Texas Woman’s had some difficult tumbling but struggled to dial in on the landings. Despite some landing deductions, floor is looking to be their highest scoring event today.
Rotation 3: Texas Womans’ VT, Iowa State UB, Utah State BB, Boise State FX
Six (TWU): Big form issues on a Yurchenko full. Lands really short, almost on her knees.
Loyim (ISU): Nice piked Jaeger. Double layout dismount, just a small hop.
Eagles (USU): SLight hesitation on the BHS + LOSO. Back 1.5 dismount and sticks the landing!
Leitch (Vulaj): Back 1.5 to front full, nicely done! L hop full before the last pass. Dismounts with a double pike, solid landing.
Ostendorf (USU): Solid full turn to start. BHS + LOSO, nicely done. Slight wobble on the front toss. RO + back 1.5, just a small hop forward.
Willis (ISU): Maloney to Pak, leg separation on the pak. Double layout dismount, step forward.
Isbell (TWU): Really nice Yurchenko full! Just a hop back!
Jelen (USU): Aerial to BHS, nicely done. Beat jump to double stag. Solid switch leap. BHS + gainer full off the side, stuck landing!
Schell (ISU): Piked Jaegar, catches slightly close. Arches the handstand on the high bar. Double back dismount, step back.
Pascal (BSU): Double back, super nice control on that landing! Back 1.5 to front layout, big height on the second salto. Rudi to split jump, travel back a bit but still shows control. Nicely done!
Kirstine (USU): BHS + LOSO, nicely done. Solid full turn. Side aerial, nice. Side somi, chest forward. Front gainer full to dismount, hop forward.
Wooring (TWU): Really nice STUCK Yurchenko full. Great dynamics too.
Basuel (ISU): Nice straddled Jaegar. Hit the handstand on the over shoot. Giant full to double back dismount, chest forward on the landing, tries to get the stick but fails to hold the position.
Brooks (USU): Beautiful front aerial to one arm BHS. Switch leap to straddle quarter. Gainer full off the side, takes a hop back.
Loyim (BSU): Double back, steps forward but shouldn’t be a deduction. Switch staddle to Popa to straddle jump, nicely done. Nice double pike dismount.
Hoiland (TWU): Another big Yurchenko full, just the slightest hop back.
Cooke (ISU): Shaposhnikova to start, barely catches the bar and does a front tuck in the air to land on her back. A major error, but falls in a safe way. Repeats the Shaposhnikova and directly connects to a Pak. Double layout dismount, just a hop forward.
McGovern (BSU): Rudi to LOSO to start, slightly short on the rotation on the Rudi but the LOSO covers it. Double back dismount and finds the landing well. Solid routine!
Thomas (ISU): Nice straddled Jaegar to start. Catches the Pak a bit close but recovers well. Double layout dismount, step forward.
Blackson (BSU): Really nice front double full to front tuck but lands completely out of bounds. Short of split position on the tour jete half to split full. Back 2.5 dismount and takes a controlled step forward.
After 3: Boise State 148.050, Iowa State 147.025, Utah State 146.925, Texas Woman’s 146.625
Another solid rotation for the Broncos, and they are now in the lead by over a point. With only vault to go, Boise State is set the win the meet without any problem. Iowa State had some trouble on bars, counting 4 scores below 9.800. Daisy Woodring from Texas Woman’s scored a perfect 9.950 on a beautiful Yurchenko full, a career-high for Woodring. Utah State had a solid beam rotation, but they are capable of more.
Rotation 4: Boise State VT, Texas Woman’s UB, Iowa State BB, Utah State FX
Hunt (TWU): A little close on the Jaegar but covers it nicely. Super well done Pak salto. Giant full to double tuck dismount.
Kho (BSU): Yurchenko, clean in the air but doesn’t get much distance.
Eagles (USU): Lands the first pass nicely. Double tuck second pass, fights to stay in bounds and manages well. Full turn on floor, we don’t see that often!
Loyim (ISU): Switch leap to switch straddle, nice! BHS + LOSO, wobble on the landing. Solid full turn. Gainer full off the side, just a small hop back.
King (TWU): Really nice Jaegar. Completely misses a handstand, casts to 45 degrees. Lands the double back dismount super far out and fights to stay on her feet.
O’Brochta (ISU): Awesome BHS + LOSO + LOSO. Straddle half to the side, nicely done. Gainer pike off the side, and gets the stick.
Stuart (USU): Second pass is a whip half to front full, solid landing. Short of ring position on the switch ring half, but will likely get credit. Big double back dismount, big step back but finds control.
Popp (BSU): Front pike half, big hop back.
Wilke (ISU): Solid full turn to start off the routine. Attempts a front toss + back tuck and fights for it! Not sure if that will get credit. RO + back 1.5 dismount, sticks the landing!
Zarlengo (TWU): Piked Jaeger, follows with an overshoot. Double layout dismount, stuck. Good routine after a long wait before starting.
Vulaj (BSU): Yurhcneko full on, pike off. Big hop back.
Brooks (USU): Solid front double full to start but lands with a big step forward. Switch leap to switch ring half. Rudi as a dismount, solid landing.
Adams (ISU): Nice BHS + LOSO. Switch leap to switch leap, a bit of wobble. Looks off on the takeoff on the front aerial and comes off. Gainer full off the side, fights for the stick.
Lopez (BSU): Big Yurchneko full, just a hop back.
Ferrari (TWU): Nicely straddled Jaeger. Unique straddle back! Double layout dismount, nearly stuck but some flexed feet in the air.
Morabito (USU): Big double layout to start! Tour jete half to split jump full, nicely done. Dismounts with a front full to front full, big step forward.
Bergstrom (ISU): Really solid front toss to BHS. Switch leap to switch leap, solid. Front tuck full to dismount, fights for the stick.
Blackson (BSU): Nowhere near enough height on the Yurchenko 1.5 and sits it down. Shouldn’t be a problem for the Broncos, they are gonna win this meet regardless.
Evans (USU): Big front layout to Rudi, nicely landed. Switch ring to split leap full, well done. Double back dismount, lands short and takes a big step forward, fighting to stay on her feet.
Thomas (ISU): Another front toss to BHS, nicely done. Confident with that full turn. Dismounts with a RO + back 1.5, step forward.
Hoiland (TWU): Big piked jaegar to start. Follows with an overshoot. Beautiful handstand on the high bar before setting up for her dismount. Giant full to double back, just the smallest hop back.
Ostendorf (USU): Front layout to Rudi, nicely landed. Nice split position on the straddle jumps. Dismounts with a double tuck dismount, nice chest position and controls the landing.
FINAL: Boise State 197.025
Boise State just smashed their season-high, scoring their first 197.000+ team score of the season. Even with a fall from Courtney Blackson on vault, the Broncos had strong performances on all four events, especially on bars, where they have struggled so far this season. Utah State hung on to second place and scored just about what they have been all season. Iowa State is capable of scoring higher, but three sub-49.000 scores on vault, bars, and beam prevented them from hitting their potential. Texas Woman’s had a solid meet, scoring their third 195.000+ score of the season. Highlighted by Daisy Woodring’s perfect 9.950 on vault, the Pioneers matched their season-high on vault.
VT: Daisy Woodring 9.950
UB: Courtney Blackson and Emily Lopez 9.925
BB: Adriana Popp 9.925
FX: Noelle Adams 9.950
AA: Brianna Brooks 39.225
READ THIS NEXT: Judge’s Inquiry: Observations About Judging From the 2024 Season So Far
Live blog by Aaron Doyle
