We’re live from Greensboro, North Carolina, for the ACC championship. With the addition of Clemson, the ACC was able to add women’s gymnastics to its list of sponsored programs. This makes tonight the first ACC gymnastics championship since 1984.
In addition to this, there are a few other historical points to make note of tonight. The NC State Wolfpack, the projected favorite to win, won the first and only ACC title 40 years ago. A much-desired win tonight would make them back-to-back champions. While number one in the conference, the Wolfpack have struggled to clinch the conference title as the favorite in the last few years in the EAGL. Hopefully, they can nail their landings and showcase their consistency to take home the title.
As for the rest of the field, they’re coming in hot and hungry. The Clemson Tigers especially. The Tigers’ inaugural season has been nothing less than fun and surprising to watch. Between over 6 10.0 start value vaults and their entertaining themed floor routines, the Tigers will certainly be the team to watch as they fight to take home the title and continue to make history. The North Carolina Tar Heels have struggled with injuries and inconsistency this year but have a ton of high-scoring competitive routines. If they can put it all together like we know they can, the Tar Heels may be able to take home their first title since 2011. The Pittsburgh Panthers are definitely the underdog going into this meet as they lack the scoring potential that the rest of the competition has. However, don’t let that deter you from hoping the Panthers end up on top. With routines such as Emily Todd, Kennedy Duke, and Jah’Liyah Bedminster’s, the Panthers can finish strong barring another team has any sort of error.
Tonight has the potential to be a close meet. While NC State is the favorite to win, Clemson has the data on its side. The Tigers have the highest average, but the Wolfpack’s average is .016 behind. Between the four teams, it’s going to come down to who is the cleanest and most consistent. It’s going to be an exciting meet to watch for sure. Let’s get ready to see some history be made!
DJ Sha is in the house! (for those of y’all that get it, well y’all get it)
I just took a picture with the one and only Kathy Johnson Clarke and had a whole conversation with her…she’s the absolute sweetest! I might melt into a puddle though…what a cool moment.
Rotation 1: NC State VT, Clemson UB, Pittsburgh BB, North Carolina FX
Zultevicz (NCSU): Yurchenko full, stuck.
Webb (CU): Maloney to Pak, solid. Lost a little momentum going into her last set of giants. Double layout, super soft in the knees.
Duke (Pitt): Bhs loso, small balance check. Nice full turn. Switch leap split jump, solid. Ro 1.5, stuck.
Wozniak (UNC): Great double pike. Nice switch leap into dance to close.
Ortega (NCSU): Yurchenko full, small hop.
Jackson (CU): Straddle Jaeger, slight foot form. Nice bail to handstand. Huge full-twisting double back, stuck.
Todd (Pitt): Nice full turn. Great lines throughout. Switch half split jump, pretty. Bhs loso, solid. Front full, small step.
Rueda (UNC): HUGE double pike to open. Switch half switch half, pretty lines. Fhs front full front tuck, solid. Nice ro bhs double back, small foot movement.
Adler (NCSU): Nice Yurchenko full, small hop in place.
Lippeat (CU): Tkatchev to immediate bail, solid. Small form here and there. Blind full to double back, stuck.
Ewing (Pitt): Beat jump side aerial, pretty but small form in aerial. Bhs loso, solid. Nice full turn.
Fink (UNC): Ro bhs double back, solid. Ro bhs 2.5, steps fairly large out of it. Switch half split full wolf full, great extension. Ro bhs full to front layout, missed the punch a little and squats into the landing.
Knight (NCSU): Yurchenko full, small form in the air and lands with feet a little far apart.
DeGuzman (CU): Beautiful straddle Jaeger to immediate bail. Nice double layout, sticks it.
Garvey (Pitt): Nice full turn. Bhs loso, pretty. Punch front, solid. Stag jump, small balance check. Front gainer pike, stuck.
Miller (UNC): Front through to huge double back. Switch ring split full, great height and extension. Ro bhs double pike, clean. Nice switch half into dance to finish.
Shepard (NCSU): Yurchenko full, solid.
Rutherford (CU): Beautiful Ray. Bail to handstand, small wobble in shoulders and an unfortunate fall. Pretty double layout, STUCK COLD.
Ferzoco (Pitt): Bhs loso, nice overall. Pretty full turn. Switch leap split jump, pretty extension. I still love her stomach turn in her routine. Cat leap side aerial, small balance check. Bhs side gainer full, stuck.
Forbes (UNC): Ro bhs full-in, small form in the air. Front layout Rudi, pretty. Tour jete half straddle full, nice height. Huge double back to close.
Negrete (NCSU): STUCK COLD Yurchenko full.
Wells (CU): Huge Tkachev to immediate bail. Love how quick and aggressive she is. Full-in dismount, ANOTHER STICK!
Copperwheat (Pitt): Switch leap split leap, pretty. Beautiful side somi. Bhs loso, solid. Nice full turn. Great leaps. Ro 1.5, stuck!
Knower (UNC): Nice ro bhs double back. Fhs front layout front full, love the height!. Switch full split half, great amplitude. HUGE ro bhs double pike, great way to close for the Tar Heels.
After 1: NC State 49.150 Clemson 49.225 Pitt 49.050 UNC 49.225
Rotation 2: NC State UB, Clemson BB, Pittsburgh FX, North Carolina VT
Fink (UNC): Yurchenko full, solid.
Adomaites (NCSU): Stalder to immediate double back, small foot shuffle.
Lippeat (CU): Front aerial to bhs swing-down, pretty. Nice switch leap split jump, small balance check. Pretty full turn. Split half from the side of the beam, solid. Front gainer full, small step forward.Â
Ward (Pitt): Her music is ELECTRIC and is really drawing this crowd in. Front full front layout, small step on landing. Cartwheel loso, her choreography is so cool. Switch leap switch half wolf full, pretty lines. Fhs Rudi, nice landing.
Shinohara (UNC): Great Yurchenko full!
Childs (NCSU): Nice Jaeger to immediate bail. Great aggressive giants and handstands throughout. Double layout, nice landing.
Clark (CU): Front tuck straddle jump, small balance check on both skills. Bhs loso, comes off the beam. Straddle jump straddle quarter, solid. Front full, stuck.
Larson (Pitt): Ro bhs double back, small form in the air. Switch half Popa, solid. Front layout front full, a little low on the punch and step forward out of it. Switch side Shushunova, clean and so so pretty.
Prejean (UNC): Yurchenko full, stuck solid.
Reid (NCSU): Maloney to Pak, solid. Small leg separation in pirouette. Blind full to double back, small step forward.
Wells (CU): Nice full turn. Switch leap split 3/4, small balance check. Bhs loso, another slight bobble. Beautiful ro double, STUCK.
Todd (Pitt): Time for one of my favorite floor routines this year! Ro bhs double pike, beautiful and high. Fhs front full, little crooked but pretty. Switch leap wolf full, great amplitude. Ro bhs double back, stuck and so so pretty.
Knower (UNC): Yurchenko 1.5, opened a bit late and lands a little soft in the knees.
Harper (NCSU): Nice clear hip handstand. Solid Gienger, caught it a little close to the bar. Nice lines and handstands. Stuck double layout.
McCright (CU): Pretty full turn. Bhs loso, makes it look easy. Beat jump split full, nice lines. Switch leap split jump, pretty. Tuck full, solid Side aerial split jump, so pretty. Nice side gainer full, stuck.
Copperwheat (Pitt):  Ro bhs double pike, STUCK COLD. Man I’ve missed her on floor. Pretty full turn. Switch half split half wolf full, nice posture and extension. Ro bhs double back, ANOTHER stuck landing.
Dekanoidze (UNC): Yurchenko full, small step.
Ortega (NCSU): Nice Hindorff, seemed a little close. Solid bail. Pretty double layout, the Wolfpack are having a lights out bars rotation.
Church (CU): Falls on her series. Pretty full turn. Nice side aerial split jump. Beat jump split 3/4, solid. Ro 1.5, steps forward.
Bedminster (Pitt): Nice double back to open. Switch leap to shushunova, solid. Switch side straddle full, great height. Fhs front full front layout, small side step.
Forbes (UNC): Yurchenko full, hops in place.
Shepard (NCSU): Nice Jaeger. Pretty Pak. Small leg separation in pirouette. Full-twisting double back, stuck (I think)
Kuhl (CU): Beautiful bhs bhs loso. Switch leap beat jump. Pretty full turn. Nice front toss. Ro back 1.5 dismount, landed a little soft but stuck.
Ewing (Pitt): Ro bhs double pike, almost stuck. Switch full wolf full, short on rotation a little. Beautifully high and stuck ro bhs double back. A great routine to close the Panthers out on floor.
After 2: NC State 98.550 Clemson 97.700 Pittsburgh 98.400 North Carolina 98.100
Rotation 3: NC State BB, Clemson FX, Pittsburgh VT, North Carolina UB
Duke (Pitt): Yurchenko full, small step. 9.750
Shearer (UNC): Nice high straddle Jaeger. Pretty bail to handstand. Beautiful double layout, stuck. 9.750
Adler (NCSU): Nice full turn. Switch leap switch side, solid. Side aerial, clean. Switch side, chest a little low. Side gainer full, stuck. 9.850
Lippeat (CU): HUGE double back to open. Switch side to Shushunova, nice lines and extension. Ro back 1.5 punch front full, stuck and dances right out to finish. 9.875
Simons (Pitt): Yurchenko full, landed to the side a bit and steps over the line. 9.700
Knower (UNC): Piked Tkatchev, small form in air. Bail to handstand, small leg separation. Huge full-twisting double back. 9.750
Jennings (NCSU): Nice full turn. Bhs bhs loso, clean. Side aerial split jump, nice posture and form, just the smallest of balance checks. Side gainer full, stuck. 9.900
Arnold (CU): HUGE stuck full-in to open. Switch half wolf full, nice height. Ro bhs 2.5 front tuck, great amplitude and control. The crowd LOVED this routine. 9.950
Garvey (Pitt): Yurchenko full, a little loose in the air and small step on landing. 9.650
Fink (UNC): Pretty straddle Jaeger. Solid bail to handstand. Beautiful double layout, super small step. 9.850
Harper (NCSU): Switch leap split half (I think), pretty. Bhs loso, nice in the air. Cat leap split 1/4, pretty, just some small form. Front toss, small balance check. Tucked front full, stuck. 9.800
Rutherford (CU): Beautiful back 2.5 punch front, takes a little larger step than allowed. Switch half wolf full, great height. Ro bhs double tuck, stuck with a lunge out of it. 9.925
Anand (Pitt): Stuck Yurchenko full! 9.700
Schaefer (UNC): Huge straddle Jaeger. Nice bail to handstand. Blind full to double back, STUCK COLD. 9.925
Ortega (NCSU): Nice full turn. Bhs Onodi, steps out of it, it’s just so cool every time. Switch leap split jump, nice extension. Nice dismount, stuck! 9.850
Wells (CU): Huge full-in, stuck with a lunge. Nice front tuck down the middle. The crowd is clapping along with her. Switch full straddle full straddle full, great height. Ro 1.5 step out to double full to close, nice control but small back foot shuffle. 9.900
Ward (Pitt): Yurchenko full, steps to the side. 9.800
Dekanoidze (UNC): Pretty Maloney to Pak. Great lines thoughout. Double layout, I think she sticks it but not sure. 9.950
Shepard (NCSU): Beautiful L turn, loses her balance a little on the back half. Switch leap switch side, nice posture. Pretty bhs loso. Side aerial, looked a little off but could be where I’m sitting. Beat jump tuck half, nice. Aerial gainer 1.5, almost gets the stick. 9.900
Jackson (CU): Huge full-in to open. Switch full wolf full, pretty but steps to the side a bit. Front through to ro bhs double back, chest was a bit low but saves it into a nice upright lunge. Nice tuck jump full into her closing dance. 9.875
Bedminster (Pitt): Yurchenko full, steps back. 9.700
Wozniak (UNC): Misses her dowel and slips on the release. Double layout, takes it a little far out but gets the stick. 9.225
Negrete (NCSU): Nice full turn. Front aerial to bhs, pretty. Cat leap switch half beat jump, back leg looked a little low but great amplitude. Ro double full, beautiful in the air and gets the stick. 9.950
Clark (CU): HUGE double layout, slides back and steps out of bounds. Switch leap straddle full, nice rise and extension. Great punch front layout front full front tuck, stuck with the lunge. 9.800
After 3: NC State 148.000 Clemson 147.225 Pittsburgh 147.050 North Carolina 147.325
Rotation 4: NC State FX, Clemson VT, Pittsburgh UB, North Carolina BB
Wells (CU): Yurchenko full, stuck. 9.850
Lerro (Pitt): Nice shaposh, followed by solid bail. Pretty double front dismount, steps backward. 9.800
Naranjo (UNC): Nice full turn. Pretty front aerial to bhs, small balance check. Switch half split jump beat jump, nice lines and extension. Nice ro 1.5, stuck. 9.875
Edwards (NCSU): Ro bhs double pike, lunges a little wide. Switch half straddle half, nice height. Fhs Rudi front layout, solid. Huge double back to finish. 9.900
Jackson (CU): Yurchenko full, misses her block and takes a really squatty step forward to save it (not sure if her knee touched). 9.325
Duke (Pitt): Nice Shaposh to Pak. Pretty blind full to double back, steps backward. 9.750
Thompson (UNC): Nice full turn. Bhs loso loso, small balance check. Switch leap straddle quarter, solid. Ro 1.5, small step. 9.775
Hall (NCSU): Opens with a powerful ro bhs double back. Switch leap switch half straddle half, great lines and amplitude. Fhs Rudi, nice. Super cool L turn to wolf full. Ro 1.5 front layout, also a little low but pretty in the air and steps back. 9.825
Arnold (CU): Huge Yurchenko 1.5, small hop backward. 9.850
Simons (Pitt): Huge Ray. Bail to handstand, not quite vertical but close. Pretty blind full to double back, takes a small step. 9.875
Rueda (UNC): Bhs loso, small balance check. Switch leap switch half, solid. Punch front, steps forward. Nice full turn. Ro double full, hops in place. 9.775
Knight (NCSU): Punch double full, just wow but a little bit of form in the air. Switch leap switch full stag jump, . Nice dance into straddle jump that was perfectly timed with her music, which I love. Punch Rudi to loso, great landing. 9.900
Rutherford (CU): Pretty Yurchenko 1.5, steps backward. 9.800
Ewing (Pitt): Piked Jaeger, solid. Nice bail to handstand into toe-on back to high bar. Blind full to double back, almost stuck. 9.825
Fink (UNC): Switch leap switch leap, nice form and lines. Great triple series. Nice full turn. Pretty bhs 1.5, small shuffle. 9.850
Zultevicz (NCSU): Ro bhs 2.5 front layout, beautiful in the air but slight foot shuffle. Pretty leaps and posture. Ro bhs double back, cowboys it a bit and steps on the landing. 9.775
Minner (CU): Tucked Yurchenko 1.5, almost gets the stick. 9.875
Todd (Pitt): Pretty piked Jaeger. Nice bail to handstand. Blind full to double back, fights for the stick. 9.850
Knower (UNC): Piked front toss beat jump, slips a little after front toss and almost breaks the connection. Ro 1.5, almost gets the stick. 9.700
Shepard (NCSU): Gorgeous double pike. Front layout front full, steps to the side to avoid going out of bounds. All of the Wolfpack fans Super pretty double back to close. 9.950
Holman (CU): Fhs front pike half, steps backward. 9.825
Bedminster (Pitt): Pretty Shaposh to start. Toe-on to bail handstand, solid. An outstanding double layout to finish the Panthers out after a great meet for them. 9.900
Shearer (UNC): Pretty switch leap straddle half. Front aerial, balance check. I want to say she just repeated the skill and wobbled again but maybe I’m hallucinating. Nice dismount, small foot shuffle. 9.675
Negrete (NCSU): HUGE ro bhs double pike. Punch front full front tuck, nice height and posture. Ro bhs double back to close, stuck. That was one of the best routines I’ve seen her do this season wow. 9.975
FINAL: NC State 197.550 Clemson 196.425 Pittsburgh 196.300 North Carolina 196.300
VT: Ashley Knight (NCSU) 9.900
UB: Lali Dekanoidze (UNC) 9.950
BB: Chloe Negrete (NCSU) 9.950
FX: Chloe Negrete (NCSU) 9.975
AA: Emily Shepard (NCSU) 39.500
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Live blog by Jessica Brock
