Although the USAG national championships look a little different this year, with the likes of SEMO and Yale no longer participating, this competition is bound to be as competitive as ever. Lindenwood enters as the reigning champs, Texas Woman’s is hitting its stride, and Air Force’s relatively young roster is making a name for itself in 2024. Will Lindenwood reclaim the title in its final team competition, or will another team take the crown? A slew of individuals are vying for individual championships as well, including those from the two HBCUs. USAG nationals embraces the role of being the only postseason competition that still hosts event finals, so get ready for this jam-packed three-day weekend of gymnastics fun.
How to Watch
Semifinal one
Friday, April 12 at 2 p.m. ET | Vitrius
Semifinal two
Friday, April 12 at 7 p.m. ET | Vitrius
Team final
Saturday, April 13 at 7 p.m. ET | Vitrius
Event finals
Sunday, April 14 at 1 p.m. ET | Vitrius
Team
The Contenders
Lindenwood
Why it’ll win: The Lions are hot! In the past two seasons, they’ve put up three of the top five program scores, with two of those coming this year, including the newest program record. Lindenwood has spent the season on the prowl, and this program knows how to peak.
Why it won’t win: If Lindenwood accrues steps instead of sticks, Texas Woman’s will be there to creep into first. Leaving the door open even a little bit means Air Force could come knocking.
Why it would be cool if it won: After starting in 2013, the team has won in 2015, 2016, 2019, and last year in 2023. Ludicrously, this is the last year we’ll see Lindenwood gymnastics. So going out in style, on top, is the most fitting way for this winning program to go.
Texas Woman’s
Why it’ll win: They might be the Pioneers, but standing atop that podium isn’t unexplored territory for TWU. This team knows how to hit, freeze out the distractions, and find their landings. Hitting over a 196.000 isn’t an out of reach feat at nationals.
Why it won’t win: Most teams can rely on big scores on vault to cushion leads, but TWU isn’t quite as strong there as on its other events. Those steps and landings can keep the Pioneers from claiming the title as theirs.
Why it would be cool if it won: The Pioneers have over ten titles under their belt, reestablishing themselves as the team to beat would add a little extra heat to this already competitive division.
Dark Horses
Air Force
Why it’ll upset: Air Force has the best team bar score of the season by nearly two-tenths, and in a team final, those two-tenths can give the Falcons that boost to push them into first. And although they end on bars, they also start on their second strongest event: beam. We all know that momentum is very real.
What’s holding it back: Hitting beam is far from a done deal for the Air Force lineup. The Falcons haven’t found a way to hit consistently for more than two meets in a row since early February, and they hit two meets in a row before this weekend.
Why it would be cool if it won: Although it has been a fairly consistent face in the team finals, repeatedly going third and even going as high as second, Air Force hasn’t brought a title home since going back-to-back on wins in 2001 and 2002.
Brown
Why it’ll upset: Brown tied its program record near the end of the regular season, so the Brown Bears are pacing quite well to strike when the moment is just right. The lineups run deep and with a fairly strong history of consistency from top to bottom.
What’s holding it back: Strong history, not perfect history, of consistency. Bars has proven to be a challenge this season. From a 46.975 to a 48.725, those bar scores swing from high to low, with a hot streak quickly ending in a flop.
Why it would be cool if it won: Under Head Coach Brittany Harris, the team has posted its best-ever NQS and continued to set program records. Ushering the team towards a national title in her second season would be something special.
Underdogs
Cornell
Why it’ll upset: Like many of the USAG teams this season, Cornell found its stride and leaned into that energy. Sydney Beers has been absolutely on fire, and the Big Red has become the master of beam this season.
What’s holding it back: Cornell struggles on bars, the weakest of its events. If the lineup averages in the mid to low 9s, that title just won’t be in reach. Sticks, clean skills, and hitting handstands stand in the way.
Why it would be cool if it won: Cornell hasn’t repeated as a national champ since its win in 2009, 15 years ago. Taking the title on the 15th anniversary of its first would be memorable.
West Chester
Why it’ll upset: The Golden Rams are more than capable of topping a 49.000 on three events. They’re a sneaky bunch that can easily fly under the radar when you’re not watching.
What’s holding it back: While West Chester doesn’t lack heart or drive, it does lack the ability to hit big, big scores that can compete with the top teams. The pieces are there to hit over a 195.000, but it hasn’t happened all at the same time just yet this season.
Why it would be cool if it won: There’s something doubly special and magical about the host team taking the title in front of what will be a major home crowd.
All-Around
The Contenders
Jaly Jones
Why she’ll win: Jaly Jones is peeking at just the right time. She’s earned five 39-plus all-around performances in a row, most recently claiming the conference title. Jones is consistently level-headed across all four events, performing her best when it matters most.
Why she won’t win: Jones’ vault scores have been dancing around the 9.7 mark for the majority of the season due to a lack of control on landings. The occasional shakiness on beam can also be of detriment to her all-around total.
Why it would be cool if she won: With this being Lindenwood’s last meet weekend, what gymnastics fan wouldn’t want to see a Lion atop the podium for sentimentality’s sake? While Jones competed some as an all-around in her freshman season, she has really stepped up as a consistent force on all four events as a sophomore.
Morgan Price
Why she’ll win: It’s rare for Price to not go 39.000 or better. Her confidence is unshakable and her poise on each event keeps those valuable tenths in her pocket from start to finish. Oh, and she hasn’t dropped below a 9.325 this entire season.
Why she won’t win: The only event to have given Price trouble this season is beam. Nothing drastic but a low 9.000 on beam won’t help her to stand on top of this group.
Why it would be cool if she won: She’s an incredible all-around performer and one-of-a-kind athlete, a jack of all trades, and a master of all. The title would be rightfully hers.
Maggie Slife
Why she’ll win: This freshman has ice in her veins. She’s the Mountain West Freshman of the Year and won the all-around at the inaugural championships. She’s spent the entire season going 39.225 or better in all but one meet.
Why she won’t win: Her weakest event, although it’s time to call it that, is definitely beam. A low vault and low beam could keep her out of the running.
Why it would be cool if she won: Winning Freshman of the Year plus the Mountain West all-around title, qualifying to NCAA regionals in the all-around, and then winning the USAG National all-around title in her freshman year? Need we say more?
Lola Sepulveda
Why she’ll win: Lola Sepulveda is peaking at the right time to be someone to watch in the all-around race, posting two 39-plus scores in March, and consistently goes 9.800 or better on her events throughout the season.
Why she won’t win: This is one heck of a deep field! But she wouldn’t have qualified to be part of this deep field if she didn’t have a chance, even if she is facing big odds.
Why it would be cool if she won: Bridgeport has come a long, long way since it started rebuilding. She’s been a key player and to see her hard work recognized like this would be a cherry on top.
Sydney Beers
Why she’ll win: Beers is a force to be reckoned with. She hasn’t fallen below a 9.700 on vault or floor at all this season and all of her NQS is a 9.680 or better, with a high of 9.800 or better on three events.
Why she won’t win: It might be the same story over and over but it’s because it’s a major challenge in this sport: bars. Her average, not NQS, is 9.475, and any major missteps on bars this weekend will keep her from that title.
Why it would be cool if she won: Since she was a freshman at Cornell, Beers has been hustling, coming closer to smashing each record and making them hers. Now, in her junior year, she’s done just that and is the best all-arounder in Cornell history.
Vault
The Contenders
Kyrstin Johnson
Why she’ll win: Johnson has shown off a Yurchenko full and a one and a half at a few competitions this season. If she brings that extra difficulty, and one of the only 10.0 start values in the competition, it’ll be difficult for her not to be in the discussion for a podium-topping finish.
Why she won’t win: While Johnson has the difficulty, her landings have not always been consistent, leaving her a relatively dark horse in this race.
Why it would be cool if she won: With 2024 being Talladega’s first competitive season, it would be amazing to end the season with an athlete on the postseason podium.
Kaitlyn Hoiland
Why she’ll win: Her Yurchenko full may not be the splashiest, but it’s one of the cleaner ones that you’ll find here. She knows how to finesse her landings and float right to a stick. And she does so consistently enough to find herself with the second-best NQS.
Why she won’t win: Consistency is key in gymnastics, but so is having some solid dynamics. Anything less than a stick and her vault may not set itself apart from the rest of the field.
Why it would be cool if she won: After starting her college career at Oregon, it would be pretty cool for Hoiland to bring some hardware home for her new team.
Daisy Woodring
Why she’ll win: Daisy Woodring’s vault is the best of all the worlds: it’s technically beautiful, she adds a bit of flair, and she makes it look easy. The only question is whether she’ll stick or take a tiny step.
Why she won’t win: Woodring has the consistency of her vault peers. When she sticks, this vault has all the wow factor, but without it, she may not have a chance for the title. The margin on vault is small, so every tenth will count against the flashier vaults.
Why it would be cool if she won: Woodring is no stranger to the vault title, having taken it previously. It would be great to see her add some more gold.
Sydney Beers
Why she’ll win: Beers is one of if not the most consistent vaulters in the USAG, which means she knows how to hit her vault cold. Although it can be hard to see through all the Yurchenko fulls, her distance and height sets her apart.
Why she won’t win: If she puts her foot to the gas a little hard and takes a big hop or goes into this vault too reserved looking for a stick and sits it down, it’ll be tough to find her way onto the podium.
Why it would be cool if she won: Beers doesn’t have a vault title just yet, so adding to her collection would be a nice bonus this year.
Nova Staruk
Why she’ll win: The full twisting Tsukahara sets her apart by a mile from the other vaulters in the final, she’s the only one doing it, and that makes her vault even more impressive than the Yurchenko fulls that stack the finals. Also, she has a 10.000 start value, and that .05 advantage sure is sweet.
Why she won’t win: This is a tricky, tricky vault. Anything less than a spectacular block won’t give her the height and distance needed for that big vault wow factor.
Why it would be cool if she won: She has an incredible layout full Tsuk. A. Layout. Tsuk. With. A. Full. Twist. Who doesn’t want to see someone take the vault title with something other than the usual?
Bars
The Contenders
Gigi Mastellone
Why she’ll win: Gigi Mastellone is the only gymnast competing at USAGs to have hit a 10.000 on bars this season. She brings a big Tkatchev to Pak combo with chef’s kiss form, complete with a big full in dismount. It’s big, it’s clean, it’s fierce.
Why she won’t win: With that Tkatchev to Pak combo, things can go awry. Missed handstands or coming up short on that full-in could keep her out of the running.
Why it would be cool if she won: She has a big routine packed with difficulty that would be the perfect addition to any lineup across this country, taking all that risk when she doesn’t need to deserves some recognition.
Morgan Price
Why she’ll win: Don’t be fooled by NQS, Morgan Price has the best bar average of the season. Her form is on point and the high-flying full twisting double back is an exclamation point to an already dreamy routine.
Why she won’t win: She’ll need to make sure those feet are truly and completely glued together on her Maloney and leave no room for arching on her bail to handstand. Those tenths will add up and chip away at her score.
Why it would be cool if she won: Fisk continues to make history as a young and historical HBCU gymnastics program. Morgan Price deserves her rightful crown.
Maggie Slife
Why she’ll win: Slife brings an easy rhythm and swing to bars, making it graceful and powerful and look effortless. Like so many of these bar workers, she brings the difficulty, with a Maloney to Pak and a full twisting double back.
Why she won’t win: Anything less than her best, be it a missed handstand, missed foot on her toe to handstand, or the timing is off on her high to low releases and her fate will be sealed.
Why it would be cool if she won: The freshman flies on the bars, she’s had an incredible first season. Ending it with a bar title would certainly be a big start to what is sure to be a storied career.
Hanna Appleget
Why she’ll win: Her routine composition is a touch different from the usual, with a freehip and a Geinger to bail. To top off her routine, Appleget closes with a double layout that’ll make you swoon.
Why she won’t win: She’s had a few uncharacteristic mistakes on bars in her last few routines. She needs to shake off those ghosts to have a chance of a clear head going into this routine. Confidence is a must with a routine like hers.
Why it would be cool if she won: With Lindenwood ending after this season, it’d be a sweet victory for Lindenwood to collect a few more individual titles.
Ayla McKean
Why she’ll win: Don’t underestimate how high McKean can soar in this bar routine. She brings a piked Jaeger to bail combination that absolutely flies. Her handstand work is second to none, especially notable on an event where handstands separate the good from the great.
Why she won’t win: If she falls victim to the handstands, falling over if she goes a little too hard to really emphasize the vertical, then this routine won’t see the podium.
Why it would be cool if she won: She’s a natural bar worker who continues to improve year after year.
Beam
The Contenders
Clara Wallace
Why she’ll win: This freshman is the most consistent beamer in the USAG field, with just one sub-9.700 score and no falls in her first season. Even better, she did that from the lead off spot. How lucky is Air Force?
Why she won’t win: You can bet she’ll hit, but compared to other top beamers she might give away a few more form and extension deductions.
Why it would be cool if she won: Everyone loves to watch daring beamers who truly attack the apparatus, and that’s what Wallace brings to this field and to the Air Force lineup.
Mikayla Burton
Why she’ll win: Burton has the perfect combination of unique skills and a perfect line, setting herself apart from the rest of the competition.
Why she won’t win: With combinations like a front aerial to side aerial acro series comes a whole lot of risk, and her usually great leap positions can suffer in nervier routines.
Why it would be cool if she won: Burton’s work in the anchor position for the Big Red has been instrumental in making beam a reliable strength for Cornell. What’s better than a team player earning individual glory?
Nya Kraus
Why she’ll win: Kraus enters as the reigning champ and still seems to shine on the brightest stages in her sophomore campaign. She sports the NQS lead heading into championship weekend, consistently rising to the occasion with aggressively fun celebrations to match.
Why she won’t win: If Kraus competes tight, she is more prone to little wobbles that add up to a score that won’t quite win a title.
Why it would be cool if she won: Kraus is worth cheering for just for her iconic celebrations alone. Will we see a mat body slam when she hits another amazing set? Time will tell.
Caroline Cascadden
Why she’ll win: Cascadden hasn’t claimed the West Chester program record on this event for nothing. The GEC specialist of the year brings plenty of experience to this meet.
Why she won’t win: Her ample experience doesn’t include any USAG national event finals yet. That should change this year, but capitalizing on her first appearance is a big ask.
Why it would be cool if she won: Because we haven’t seen this senior in an event final yet! What better way to cap a breakout season?
Floor
The Contenders
Maggie Slife
Why she’ll win: The Mountain West Freshman of the Year proved at regionals that she’s not afraid of a big stage.
Why she won’t win: She’s spent a bit less time in the 9.900+ range than some of her rivals, and she doesn’t regularly compete an E pass.
Why it would be cool if she won: A conference yearly honor, all-around qualification to regionals, and then an individual national title? That’s about as good as a freshman season can get.
Julia Bedell
Why she’ll win: Bedell enters as the reigning USAG national champion on the event and has been a 9.9-plus machine in 2024. She’s already the Brown record holder on this event, but she seems to have upped her consistency with only one score this season below 9.850.
Why she won’t win: Bedell’s low score on the year came last weekend at the NCAA regional semi-final, so let’s hope she has a short memory.
Why it would be cool if she won: Bedell has been a powerhouse for Brown on the event, and repeat winners are uncommon given the event finals format in the USAG.
Sydney Beers
Why she’ll win: Beers has a dynamic two-double floor routine that has scored as high as 9.925 in 2024. Beers combines power with fun to create a routine that’s potentially title-worthy.
Why she won’t win: Her power is a blessing and a curse. To take her floor from great to championship material, she’s got to keep her front foot planted and avoid slides back, especially on her monster front through double pike.
Why it would be cool if she won: With her all-around title in 2022, she’s already the only gymnast on Cornell’s roster to be a national champion.
Gayla Griswold
Why she’ll win: Griswold’s high-flying tumbling and knack for controlling the landing always have her in the conversation for a floor title. Her high score of the year was a nearly-perfect 9.975, so we’d be remiss to leave her name off the list.
Why she won’t win: Griswold has been sitting out of lineups since mid-February, making her vault return at the MIC championships. Will she be healthy enough to make a return to floor for her final weekend of gymnastics? If so, would endurance be an issue after not competing on the event for nearly two months?
Why it would be cool if she won: While Griswold has been known for her performance on the power events across her Lindenwood career, she has yet to bring home an individual title. It would be even sweeter given the amount of time spent on the sidelines in 2024.
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Article by Rebecca Scally, Allison Freeman, and Tavia Smith
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