It’s year three with Gymlytics fantasy college gymnastics in 2024! We all learned lessons last year when GymChem took up the helm and created her revamped game, and we’re ready for a fun 2024.
Our weekly cadence will continue to match Gymlytics: The fantasy “week” begins with Friday meets, ends with any Thursday ones and trading happens every Monday via waiver wire. You’ll find us here every Tuesday talking about “next week,” meaning the fantasy week starting that Friday.
This is your one-stop-shop for all things fantasy each week. We’ll be tracking injuries, byes and double headers, and giving you tips and tricks to put forward your best possible team.
Injury Updates Since Last Week
- Added: Ruthuja Nataraj (Illinois): Injured in warmups
- Added: Claire Qu (Yale): Left knee brace and crutches
- Added: Karsyn Foster (BYU): Right knee brace
- Added: Mya Kirkham (BYU): Left foot boot
- Added: Rebecca Leach (BYU): Left foot boot
- Added: Rosa Juarez Baez (Air Force): Left foot boot
- Added: Elizabeth Shearns (Air Force): Shoulder surgery (side unknown)
- Added: Sydney Nalette (Simpson): Right elbow surgery
- Added: Alex Theodorou (Arizona State): Left foot boot and crutches
- Added: Kate Cooper Mendes de Oliveira (Air Force): Unexpected roster removal
- Added: Isabella Savino (LIU): Torn right Achilles in January 2024
- Removed: Anna Roberts (Stanford)
- Removed: Katie McNamara (UCLA)
Week 10 Byes & Doubles
Byes: Simpson, Utah State
Doubles: Alaska, Arizona, Centenary, Illinois State, Penn State, Texas Woman’s, West Chester, William & Mary
Experts Say
This week we’re talking rest. With two weeks left until conference championships and some lower-pressure matchups on the schedule, we can expect to see some gymnasts, especially those who compete in the all-around weekly, skip events or sit out entirely to protect their bodies as we head into the postsesason.
With 15 editors responding this week, 11 think Leanne Wong will rest at the Nebraska quad. Nine see Selena Harris getting a break at Arizona State. One editor thinks Sloane Blakeley gets a week off while one believes eMjae Frazier will be rested versus Stanford. An editor also pointed out that it might be time for some Tigers to get a little rest as LSU heads to the P&G quad: Perhaps Kiya Johnson skips floor, or Aleah Finnegan or Haleigh Bryant get some time off.
Data Corner
Once again we have data editor Dara joining us for Fantasy Central each week. She’ll be breaking down the numbers for you with notes on routine hit rate, lineup appearance frequency, and breakout performances to keep an eye on.
Hit Rate and Lineup Frequency: Kylie Eaquinto has been solid with her Yurchenko full; the sophomore has vaulted in all 23 meets thus far and never scored below a 9.750. With a career low of 9.775, Luciana Alvarado-Reid has a perfect hit rate on bars, averaging 9.849. Fifth-year Chloe Negrete has earned scores of 9.750 or better in 42 of her 46 collegiate beam routines, with all four of her misses coming in the first two years of her career. Since first making the lineup in late February last year, Kadyn Fitzgibbon has hit 17 for 17 floor routines, with an average of 9.844.
Breakout Performances: Freshman Paige Zancan anchored the Auburn vault lineup for a rotation high 9.900 in her event debut. Aggie Avery Bibbey posted her first 9.900 on bars, improving on her previous career high of 9.850 recorded twice in 2023 and her previous season high of 9.800 in January. Sophomore Emma Strom has been a welcome late season addition for Arizona on beam, making her collegiate debut on the event last week for a 9.875 and getting the nod again in Washington on Sunday, where she posted a 9.925, tied for second on the event. Momoko Iwai earned her first 9.9-plus of the season on floor in Sunday’s home quad; the 9.950 is her second 9.9-plus of her career on the event, besting her previous career high of 9.900.
Starts & Sits for Week 10
This is the spot to find your sleeper picks, your two- or three-eventers and your solutions for those big bye weeks. We’ll also comment on the big names when relevant: Injuries, lineup absences, or inconsistency.
Vault: Anna Roberts is back! She vaulted and did bars, in place of Anapaula Gutierrez, who has been a staple on both for Stanford all season. The choice seems more like rest for Gutierrez, who was injured last season, than anything; she owns the highest vault average on the team. Roberts certainly seems like she’ll stay on both pieces, but we can expect these lineups to shuffle to bring Gutierrez back in. Corinne Bunagan got the call to vault at LSU for Alabama; the Crimson Tide have also tried Karis German in Makarri Doggette’s spot. It seems like a toss-up, so we can expect to see whichever of the two looks better in warmups to have the spot moving forward.
Bars: Savannah Schoenherr was out of LSU’s lineups this week; she was present but not dressed. She has been a vault and bars rock for the Tigers all season, so until we know otherwise, it’s assumed she was just resting. McCaleigh Marr seems to have secured her bar lineup spot over Farah Lipetz with a big 9.900 at Oklahoma. Surely Bev Plocki will still warm them both up, but Marr seems to be the clear higher-ceiling choice at the moment.
Beam: Bella Mabanta has settled back in for Denver. After missing about a month with injury, she came back and had a fall the first time out, but the past two weeks have gone well: She posted a 9.950 at home.
Floor: Is it possible that Oklahoma lineups could get even stronger? Soroya Hawthore debuted an upgraded first pass at Texas Woman’s and seems like a shoo-in to take Bell Johnson’s—or someone’s—lineup spot as KJ Kindler secures her best six before postseason. Morgan Hurd was back in this lineup for Florida. It’s reasonable to assume that her lengthy injury history means Jenny Rowland is being very careful with her appearances. At her best, she’s stellar and needed in the top six. Don’t be shocked if she does not compete this week at the Nebraska quad, but she seems likely at senior night and SECs. Michigan was just resting Carly Bauman;we can expect her back for Michigan’s two-meet home stand. Chae Campbell should be back in floor lineups “soon.”
Waiver Wire Wrap-up
Finally, we have a waiver wire in gymnastics! Who should you prioritize this week? Since Fantasy Central comes out on Wednesdays, keep in mind that these tips are catered toward next week.
Vault: Northern Illinois’ Kiera O’Shea rolled an incredibly solid February on vault right into March, with her second 9.900 of the year last week. Lindenwood’s Trinity Caffey is on a roll, not scoring below 9.825 in her last three outings.
Bars: Kent State’s Sarah Haxton can be a little inconsistent on bars, but when she hits, she scores 9.925s and 9.950s. If you can absorb her 9.7 weeks, she’s a great option and a solid beamer, too. Yale’s Sarah Wilson nabbed a 9.900 at home, fresh off of a solid run of 9.8-plus scores in February.
Beam: Raisa Boris had a breakout beam week, scoring a 9.900 to top a solid stretch of mid- to high-9.8s. Madison Kipp has rediscovered her groove, with back-to-back mid-9.8s here.
Floor: Rhode Island College senior Kelsey Gates is continuing her Division III floor domination. She has a 9.900 high and 9.814 average. Bridgeport all-arounder Lola Sepulveda is incredibly consistent on floor and just posted a season-best 9.875.
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Article by Emily Minehart and Dara Tan
