The 14th edition of the Nastia Liukin Cup is here! This is one of the most prestigious events on the level 10 calendar, second only to L10 nationals, but is perhaps the most coveted title due to its limited roster and national television audience. The winners will soon join an exclusive circle—recent winners include such NCAA household names as Haleigh Bryant, Makarri Doggette, Kiya Johnson, Andi Li and Leah Smith.
We have written an extensive behind the numbers preview article, as well as a feature piece, where we interviewed most senior qualifiers. The roster includes 11 five-star recruits, nine four-star recruits and one three-star recruit. 13 NCAA teams will be represented, with Oklahoma leading the pack with a record number of six qualifiers. Last year’s senior co-champion, Utah signee Avery Neff, and the 2022 junior champion, Oklahoma commit Kamila Pawlak, are back to try and win another title. They are the No. 1 recruits in the classes of 2024 and 2025, respectively, and are the favorites to lift the trophy.
Coverage begins at 12 p.m. EST on the USA Gymnastics YouTube Channel.
Rotation 1
Neff, UB: Good handstands, good Gienger to bail, perhaps lacking some dynamism, stuck double layout dismount.
Gaa, VT: Yurchenko full, overrrotated, big hop back. Second attempt, better. Still hop back, but more controlled.
Gustitus, UB: Maloney to bail to handstand, a bit piked in the air, toe-on tucked half off dismount, beautiful handstands throughout.
Pederson, FX: double tuck, a bit overrotated, 1.5 twist to double twist, again a bit overrotated, nice pirouette, good Rudi, but again all landings were slightly out of control.
Linton, VT: floaty Yurchenko 1.5, small hop back.
Smith, UB: nice handstands, good Jaeger, Pak with leg separation, double layout with big step forward.
Frechette, BB: triple series, beautiful but fall, solid triple turn, good leaps, lacking some amplitude, strong front tuck, the best element so far, nearly stuck double twist dismount.
Reihl, UB: beautiful Maloney, gorgeous Pak, great handstands and toe point, full pirouette – slightly late- to double tuck dismount, hop back.
Cameron, VT: BIG Yurchenko 1.5, big step forward. Second attempt a bit more under control.
Guevara, BB: solid BHS + LOSO, soft knees, good leap combo, solid front aerial, knees again, 1.5 twist dismount, step forward.
Choi, UB: nice Pak, Maloney half with leg separation, messy double layout, hop back.
Ranger, VT: huge Yurchenko 1.5 with big step forward. Second attempt, MUCH better, only a small hop forward.
Vandertoolen, UB: Maloney to Pak, some leg separation, Maloney half, good handstands, double tuck dismount in combination, hop forward. Good routine.
Sarisky, VT: youngest senior qualifier, strong Yurchenko full with step back. Second attempt similar.
Pawlak, FX: full-in pike, good landing, strong leap series, 1.5 twist to front full, beautiful control, huge double tuck, slightly overrotated. Choreography could be spiced up a bit.
Diaz, BB: BHS + LOSO series – fall, she looked off from the beginning, solid leap series, perhaps just shy of amplitude, good dismount.
*No scores available at the moment, the website is down*
Betancourt, FX: stuck double tuck, strong 2.5 twist, beautiful leaps – the toe point!, 1.5 twist to front pike, beautiful landings!
Z Johnson, VT, strong Yurchenko 1.5, step forward both times
Parker, UB: Church, nice, good Pak, slight leg separation, good double layout dismount with step back.
Estep, FX: front layout to front double twist – gorgeous, front layout to Rudi, she’s really mastering this combo, wow, beautiful turns, stunning 2.5 twist, I’m so impressed! Not much choreography in that routine, but amazing tumbling.
Mueller, BB: front tuck, balance check, BHS + LOSO, knees, side aerial, strong, good switch leap half to beat jump, stuck double twist dismount, most beautiful element of that routine
Murphy, UB: Komova II to Pak, Maloney half, double tuck dismount. GORGEOUS routine, toe point, handstands, everything.
Ballou, VT: strong Yurchenko 1.5, hop forward, not much amplitude
Strasser, UB: fall on Tkatchev, nice bail to handstand, double layout with big step forward
Cucci, BB: super strong BHS + LOSO, solid front aerial, good leap series, slightly lacking amplitude, deduction on her pirouette, more lack of concentration than anything, 1.5 twist dismount, hop forward
Leary, VT: nearly stuck Yurchenko full
King, FX: just showed last tumbling pass, 1.5 twist to front layout, solid
Rollins, FX: double pike, solid, 1.5 to front layout, solid landing again, Rudi, a bit of a pike down. Good effort on the choreography, though lacking some dynamism.
Ranger leads after rotation 1 with a 9.875; Cameron leads the juniors with a 9.750.
Rotation 2
Pederson, VT: Yurchenko 1.5, underrotated, fall. Great second attempt, much higher in the air, just a small step forward
Smith, BB: BHS + BHS + LOSO, fall and knees, good leaps, front aerial with knee and feet problems, good side aerial, double tuck dismount, step forward
Cameron, UB: Maloney to Pak, beautiful, slightly arched last handstand, full-in with step back
Ranger, UB: nice Ray, strong bail to handstand, handstand not really held, full-in dismount with hop forward.
Szeibert, VT: Yurchenko full, pike down and hop back
Cain: good double pike to open, front layout to front full, super solid landing, 1.5 twist to half twist to leap jump. Amazing tumbling, so precise!
Pawlak, VT: Yurchenko 1.5, step forward, nice in the air.
Z Johnson, UB: fall on Jaeger, fall again on the Pak, stuck double layout, beautiful toe point, a shame.
Betancourt, VT: Yurchenko full, pike down and step back.
Snyder, FX: full-in, a bit short of rotation, step forward, good straddle leaps, 1.5 twist to front pike, slightly overrotated, double tuck, big hop back.
Estep, VT: nice Yurchenko 1.5, hop forward, beautifully tight position in the air.
Mueller, FX: full-in, perfect lounge, nice double turn, front layout to Rudi, slightly out of control. Pretty good choreography.
Parker, BB: side aerial to LOSO, beautiful, switch ring with balance check, front aerial with knees, switch leap with leap jump, a bit shy, 1.5 twist dismount, great difficulty for the former elite, nice to see!
Murphy, BB: BHS + LOSO + LOSO, nice adjustment at the end, from aerial with knees, beautiful ring jump, wow, switch leap to leap jump, gorgeous toe point, solid full turn, stuck double twist dismount, AMAZING!
Van Frayen, VT: STUCK Yurchenko full!
King, VT: Yurchenko full, pike down, soft knees on landing.
Ballou, UB: piked Jaeger, solid, good bail to handstand, good last handstand, STUCK double layout, lots of cheers. That was a great routine for Nina!
Rollins, VT: Yurchenko full, pike down, hope back, some knees. Second attempt better.
Leary, UB: nice Jaeger to bail, some soft knees, full pirouette to double tuck, nearly stuck. Solid.
Coleman, FX: full-in, nice elevation, slightly overrotated, front layout to front full, good landing, Rudi to some form of jump that shouldn’t get credited. Good choreography!
Shepard, VT: oh wow, gorgeous Yurchenko 1.5!
Neff, BB: fouetté turn, solid, side aerial to BHS, slight adjustment, switch leap to leap jump quarter, solid, side aerial to two feet, nice, and good leap to follow, stuck 1.5 twist. Strong effort for the defending champion!
Mitchell, UB: Maloney to Pak, form issues, good double layout.
Pugh-Banks, FX: loss of balance on the corner before her first tumbling pass, full-in, underrotated and fall, front layout to double tuck, overrotated and fall, 1.5 twist to front pike, solid landing. Unfortunate routine!
Estep leads the seniors (19.525), ahead of Mueller (19.500) and Murphy (19.500). Parker leads the juniors (19.150), ahead of Parker (19.050) and Reihl (19.00).
Rotation 3
Ranger, BB: good front Toss, solid Wolf turn, BHS + LOSO + LOSO, solid, good leap combination, just shy of rotation, double tuck dismount, hop back, very good routine for Jahzara!
Pawlak, UB: Maloney to bail to handstand, some knees, good handstands, full-in, nearly stuck.
Vandertoolen, FX: solid 2.5 twist, crossed feet in the air, double tuck, good landing, 1.5 twist to front layout, same feet issues, but good landing.
Z Johnson, BB: BHS + BHS + LOSO, big balance check, switch leap to switch leap half, lack of amplitude and balance check, near fall on front aerial, side aerial, solid, 1.5 twist dismount with hop forward. She still looks rattled from those falls on bars but she fought through.
Estep, UB: Tkatchev, caught close, gorgeous handstands, full pirouette to full-in, almost stuck dismount. The routine didn’t start great but boy, did she fight through!
Parker, FX: triple twist, overrotated but stays in bounds, 1.5 twist to front layout, double pike, some knees. Some parts of the choreography are lovely.
Mueller, VT: STUCK Yurchenko 1.5!
Van Frayen, UB: Maloney to Pak, had to fight for that half pirouette on the low bars, full-in, high with hop forward.
Murphy, FX: double tuck stuck cold, front tuck to 2.5 twist, solid landings, beautiful leap series, 1.5 twist to front pike that toe point!!! Interesting choreography, but I’m not sure it fits her.
King, UB: Tkatchev to Pak, some leg separations, nice handstands, nearly stuck double layout.
Cucci, VT: she sits down her second vault, I hope she hit her first attempt, we didn’t see it.
Slade, FX: double tuck, slightly overrotated, good straddle leaps, 1.5 twist to half twist, second flight element a bit low, double pike, good landing.
Rollins, UB: Maloney with bent legs to bail to handstands, loses grip to the bar but stays on, double tuck dismount, hop forward.
Coleman, VT: huge Yurchenko full, big step back but also big amplitude. Second attempt, much better, small hop back.
Neff, FX: front full to front double twist, beautiful, 2.5 twist, good control, solid double turn, Rudi to LOSO, nice! Another solid routine for Avery!
Shepard, UB: beautiful Pak, late on the half pirouette on the low bar, full-in dismount, hop back.
Good leaps, a bit short on some of them, BHS + LOSO, balance check and knees, good side aerial, front aerial with knees, balance check on full turn, 1.5 twist dismount
Pederson, UB: Maloney to Pak, nice form, good handstands, nearly stuck double layout, nice job!
Frechette, VT: solid Yurchenko full, step back.
Linton, BB: front pike, fall, BHS to LOSO, slight balance check, nice leaps, front tuck, big balance check, stuck double twist
Guevara, VT: something’s off in the run, she goes again. Yurchenko full, fall. Looks like a mental block.
Cameron, BB: front aerial, knees, BHS + LOSO, knees and fall, good leaps, front tuck with adjustment, 1.5 twist dismount with step forward.
Reihl, BB: huge double tuck to open, nice double turn, 1.5 twist to front layout, amazing form and landings. I don’t think they showed us the first tumbling pass.
Mueller leads after the third rotation, followed by Murphy, with Neff and Estep tied in third. Parker leads the juniors after the third rotation (28.575), followed by Reihl (28.425) and Shepard (28.125).
Rotation 4
Z Johnson, FX: Pink Panther routine, huge double layout, good landing, beautiful leaps, solid double pike, front full twist to front layout. Happy she could end with a good routine!
Mueller, UB: Maloney from straddle to Pak, nice, double layout, stuck. That may clinch the title for her!
Parker, VT: Yurchenko half, big step forward. Second attempt, STUCK!
Estep, BB: solid turn, side aerial, fall, BHS to LOSO, super solid, beautiful leaps, front toss, tiny adjustment, stuck double twist dismount. Such a shame!
Van Frayen, BB: Shawn Johnson’s same mount, solid full turn, fall on leap on the side of the beam, Onodi with balance check, front aerial to BHS to LOSO series, nice leaps, double twist dismount with step back.
Murphy, VT: big Yurchenko full with step back.
King, BB: double wolf turn, solid, switch leap to LOSO, balance check, BHS to LOSO, super solid, front aerial to leap series, amazing elevation on that back leg, front walkover to front full twist dismount. Such a unique routine!
Slade, VT: STUCK Yurchenko full, so beautiful!
Ballou, FX: big double layout, some weird steps on landing, good leaps and jumps, front layout to front double twist, messy in the twists. Nice routine, well interpretation of the music.
White, UB: beautiful Pak, good Maloney half, late full pirouette to double tuck, stuck.
Neff, VT: Yurchenko 1.5, step forward. Second attempt, step back.
Nehmer, BB: front aerial, nice, BHS + LOSO, good, some knees, way to stay on on her switch leap after missing her foot, front walkover to front full twist dismount.
Gaa, FX: nice double wolf turn, front double twist, beautiful form and landing, 1.5 twist to front pike, nice landing though close to the line, 2.5 twist, slightly overrotated. Good choreography!
Shepard, BB: BHS + LOSO, solid, attempts triple wolf turn, she’s too slow, she first falls onto the beam, then off the beam, solid side aerial, very nice leaps, 1.5 twist dismount.
Pugh-Banks, UB: Maloney to Pak, Maloney quite piked, full pirouette to double tuck, stuck.
Gustitus, VT: Yurchenko full, step forward. Second attempt, slightly short of rotation but nearly stuck
Pederson, BB: beat jump to straddle jump 3/4, side aerial, everything’s solid so far, nice full pirouette, side aerial, strong, BHS to LOSO, balance check, stuck 1.5 twist dismount
Smith, VT: Yurchenko full, slight pike down and step back, but good in the air
J Johnson, BB: nice leap series, BHS to LOSO, solid, good leap jump on the side of the beam, solid front toss, double tuck dismount, hop forward, strong routine!
Diaz, UB: Maloney to bail to handstand, some leg separations, stuck full-in dismount
Ranger, FX: front double tuck, huge difficulty but fall, front layout to back double tuck
Choi, VT: stuck tucked Yurchenko full on second attempt
Pawlak, BB: switch leap to leap jump, nice, BHS to LOSO, solid, cat leap to side aerial, slight balance check, 1.5 twist dismount, stuck.
Sarisky, FX: I missed the first twisting pass, but landing was solid, good leaps, double wolf turn, good, double tuck, solid landing
SENIOR PODIUM: 1. Elle Mueller (39.175), 2. Avery Neff (38.900), 3. Ella Murphy (38.750)
JUNIOR PODIUM: 1. Ella Kate Parker (38.075), 2. Ella Fine; 3. Morgan Reihl
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Live blog by Talitha Ilacqua
