It’s year three with Gymlytics fantasy college gymnastics in 2024! We all learned lessons 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.
Postseason is so, so close.
If you’re a DIII fantasy player, keep in mind that this week is a bye for all NCGA teams (every other DIII outside of Centenary is on bye as well), as NCGA nationals are next weekend and everyone gets a rest after regionals. The NAIA teams are in action.
We are officially in the wild west of out-of-conference play across the board. The two-session, nine-team Kidney Care Women’s Gymnastics Championships is Saturday in Nashville. This one will have video (YouTube live streams) and has some higher-profile teams, so don’t expect it to be as bonkers as the early season Tennessee invite. Still, though, it’s reasonable to have some feelings about scoring in Tennessee. We’ll see.
Senior nights this week include LSU, UCLA, Oklahoma, California, Utah, and Florida. Expect those scores to be generous. North Carolina gets to head to the friendly score-scape in Baton Rouge while Clemson will get the UCLA senior night treatment (what a banger of a meet to end your first regular season!).
Injury Updates Since Last Week
- Added: Ayumi Oshiro (UC Davis): Left foot boot
- Added: Caitlyn Schreiber (Springfield): Left team
- Added: Makenzie Sedlacek (Arkansas): Medical retirement
- Removed: Alex Theodorou (Arizona State)
- Added: Courtney Blackson (Boise State): Left foot boot and crutches
Week 11 Byes & Doubles
Byes: Alaska, Brockport, Cortland, Greenville, Gustavus Adolphus, Hamline, Ithaca, Rhode Island, Simpson, Springfield, UW-Eau Claire, UW-La Crosse, UW-Oshkosh, UW-Stout, UW-Whitewater, Ursinus, Utica, Winona State
Doubles: California, George Washington, Rutgers, Sacramento State, Stanford, Towson, Utah State
Experts Say
Each week, CGN editors will weigh in on big fantasy topics. We’ll feature them here, so you know how we’re addressing tough issues on our own teams.
This week we’re considering Oklahoma’s vault lineup for senior night. Fifteen editors ranked who they think is most to least likely to get the last Sooner spot for the meet.
- Audrey Davis was voted most likely to vault at senior night.
- Ragan Smith, who has exhibitioned a strong Yurchenko one and a half, came in second.
- Ava Siegfeldt was voted third-most likely vaulter, after her 9.900 debut last week.
- Soraya Hawthorne, who has shown vaults in exhibition, finished fourth.
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: The following gymnasts have perfect hit rate and lineup frequency records through the first 10 weeks of the season. Additionally, they posted solid scores (none below 9.850) and did so consistently, with one-tenth or less separating their season highs and lows.
- Vault: Haleigh Bryant (9.943 AVG), Leanne Wong (9.900), Amari Celestine (9.873)
- Bars: Ragan Smith (9.911), Cam Machado (9.905)
- Beam: Abby Paulson (9.930), Jordan Bowers (9.909), Raena Worley (9.900)
- Floor: Jocelyn Moore (9.938), Lauren Williams (9.930), Ella Hodges (9.925), Faith Torrez (9.923), Julia Bedell (9.911), Maddie Jones (9.908), Tory Vetter (9.908), Kendall Whitman (9.905), Alexa Rothenbuescher (9.905), Audrey Davis (9.900), Payton Harris (9.898), Jaylene Gilstrap (9.895), Sienna Schreiber (9.890), Cassie Stevens (9.885)
Breakout Performances: Lana Navarro has recently settled into her Yurchenko 1.5, a mid-season upgrade that has taken her scores from mid-9.7s and low-9.8s early in the season, to two 9.875s and a career high-tying 9.900 in the last three meets. On bars, Alex Irvine posted a 9.900 in her first scoring routine after spending a month out of the lineup, tying for her first event title. Ava Siegfeldt made a splash in her return to Oklahoma’s beam lineup, notching her first 10.0 in her first scoring routine since her miss last January. Brown’s Angela Xing set a new career high of 9.875 on floor, improving on her previous record (set in 2022 and tied last week) by 0.050.
Starts & Sits for Week 11
Vault: The Florida vault lineup continues to be chaotic. Victoria Nguyen seems to be in the ideal top six. Ellie Lazzari put up a 9.900 while Sloane Blakely rested on all four. We can assume Blakely will be back this week, and Nguyen seems most likely to remain in the lineup.
Bars: Emily Lopez was in an arm sling at Boise State’s meet. She still managed beam, but that explains why she didn’t compete vault or bars. It’s unclear whether this is a short or long-term issue. Put her in your bar lineup at your own peril. Jori Jackard was back on bars for her senior night. Nikki Smith skipped the event for her. Smith has a higher ceiling, so it’s likely we’ll see her back in her usual spot this week.
Beam: Konnor McClain didn’t compete for LSU; that seems like a rest situation, given her history. Illinois is in a bit of a pickle on beam with Ruthuja Nataraj‘s Achilles injury. Nadalie Walsh has tried out Arielle Ward here the past two weeks. Alea Byrne and Olivia Coppola also competed once each. It’s hard to guess who will get the spot this week, but Ward seems most likely. Courtney McCann seems to have found a groove for the Buckeyes.
Floor: UCLA’s Selena Harris took the week off to get some rest. It seems likely that Kiya Johnson will compete floor at her senior night. Whether Chae Campbell will do the same seems more up in the air; the Bruins need her more desperately in the postseason. We’ll have to wait and see what Janelle McDonald says during press this week. Keep your eyes on the Daily Bruin’s crew on social media.
Waiver Wire Wrap-up
Finally, we have a waiver wire in gymnastics! Who should you prioritize this week? Since Fantasy Central comes out on Tuesdays, keep in mind that these tips are catered toward next week.
Vault: San Jose State’s Madison Kirsch has been quietly cruising on vault all year. Her scores range between 9.800 and 9.875; talk about consistency.
Bars: Brynne Tsipis missed a month and a half in the middle of the season, but she’s been back for three meets over two weeks now and scored 9.825, 9.875, and 9.800. She’d be a solid pickup if you need to shore up your bar lineup.
Beam: Rutgers’ Stephanie Zannella is a solid beamer; she has gone as high as 9.900 this year and hasn’t had a miss.
Floor: Temple’s Brooke Donabedian has been stellar on floor this year, nabbing a 9.925 on Sunday.
READ THIS NEXT: Upgraded Vaults Increase Top Programs’ Championship Hopes
Article by Emily Minehart and Dara Tan; additional reporting from Tara Graeve
