Ohio gets its first taste of college gymnastics tonight as Kent State hosts Fisk and in-state rival Wilberforce at the MACC. With three teams in action, there’s no shortage of storylines to follow, whether you’re interested in team dynamics or standout individual performances.
Wilberforce comes into the meet fresh off their program debut at the American Gold Quad in California, where they earned their first scores. Kent State, the mid-major Cinderella story of 2024, will aim to deliver the most consistent set of routines tonight. However, the individual titles are up for grabs, with fan-favorite Morgan Price, a serious contender on any event she competes. She’ll face strong competition from Kent State veterans Alyssa Guns (FX), Nastia Rudnitskaya (VT, UB, FX), and Nene Alvine (BB).
Wilberforce will rely on Jaidyn Bryant, the trailblazing gymnast who became the first to ever compete for the program. Alongside her is fellow all-arounder Kiora Peart-Williams, who excels on bars and made history as the first Canadian to compete for an HBCU gymnastics team. With so many compelling athletes and storylines in play, this meet promises to be an exciting showcase of talent.
Before the first rotation begins, the in-house announcer is letting everyone know that a t-shirt will be given away for every Golden Flash routine scoring over 9.700.
Rotation 1: Kent State VT, Fisk UB, Wilberforce BB
Compson (VT): y full, leg separation onto the table and a small hop back. 9.700
Smith (Fisk): feed cut as she was tapping for her dismount in favor of a vault replay. 9.275
Jean-Marie (WU): holds onto her bhs loso series, and goes for an L turn. small pause between the switch and switch half, then nails an aerial to split jump! nearly sticks her gainer full off the side. one for one hit so far! 8.475
Riley (KSU): y full, her legs are GLUED in preflight and nearly sticks. 9.650
Pratt (Fisk): delay before she gets the go ahead. blind half to Jaeger a tad too far and takes it to her stomach. clean double tuck dismount. 7.875
Rudnitskaya (KSU): most dynamic of the lineup so far, overpowers and can’t stick. the largest deduction will be the hops back on an otherwise very clean y full. 9.575
Peart-Williams (WU): slips on her bhs layout. great extension on her split full shortly after getting back up. She’s very comfortable with the second half, drilling a transverse split jump and sticking her gainer pike off the end. 9.050
Alvine (KSU): sticks her first career vault for Kent State! Her y full is good for 9.825.
Behner (KSU): gets almost as high as Rudnitskaya in her post-flight, and holds her y full within one hop on the landing. 9.675
Morgan (KSU): absorbs the table and stays on a bit longer than she’d like, but still gets plenty of airtime on her y full. small hop back, and room to improve both phases of her vault in the coming weeks. 9.075
Rosby (Fisk): toe hs, Maloney catches a little low but holds on. quick work in her Pak then gets back up to the high bar for a nearly stuck double layout! 9.450
Smith (WU): Having an off day on beam, working slowly into her skills and counting checks after most skills. 8.375
Cook (WU): showing off extreme control through her opening dance series, from the second she salutes all the way through her switch split series. nearly holds her front tuck, but falls after a bend at the hips. sticks her front full dismount COLD. 8.325
Price (Fisk): huge Maloney bail combination, with only a small leg separation. she wastes no time getting back to the high bar, and floats en route to her stuck full in. 9.700
Bryant (WU): holds her cat leap to front aerial series, then repeats it again to get credit for cat leap, front aerial, side aerial! calm switch to split jump, and then wins another fight on her isolated jump. nearly sticks front tuck full dismount. 9.200
Berkley (Fisk): massive Tkatchev, too far from the bar and stomachs it. blind full finishes right ontop of the bar, into a slow but landed double tuck. 7.100
After 1: Kent State: 48.450, Fisk: 45.625, Wilberforce: XX.XXX
Three shirts for three lucky fans after rotation one — highlighted by Alvine’s 9.825 for her collegiate debut on vault. Price worked through her bars set as if she’s banked a month of competition hit routines already this season, and was the only gymnast in the way of the Golden Flashes taking the top five scores of the rotation. Wilberforce showed potential on beam, with poise from Peart-Williams and Bryant.
Team score update have been far and few between, with live updates including exhibitions.
Rotation 2: Kent State UB, Fisk BB, Wilberforce FX
Behner (KSU): floats her Maloney to bail, and works easy through her stalder (albeit with bent elbows) to double tuck. 9.600
McDonald (Fisk): gets plenty of height on all of her split positions, and nearly sticks her gainer pike. 9.650
Jean-Marie (WU): open with a roundoff 1.5 to layout, and sits it after a low blocking angle. I wish I could hear the music! Double pike gets great height, and almost keeps it in bounds.
Migliore (KSU): short first handstand, and stomachs her blind half to Jaeger. 8.675
Mayhorn (WU): unfortunately low on all three of her passes tonight, but is safe and walks off. 6.950
Marques (KSU): funky Pak out of her Maloney but holds on and avoids brushing the floor. Huge double layout to close out her routine, that will remind Golden Flashes fans of recent grad Sarah Haxton. 9.550
Fuertez (KSU): nearly sticks her blind full to double tuck. 9.800
Peart-Williams (WU): opens with a massive 2.5, some knee form through her twisting but has a very sound landing. switch full to Popa, and another easy looking front layout front full to close out her routine. 9.450
Fisk is quietly working away through a confident beam rotation, unfortunately only being shown in the breaks between floor and bars footage.
Tsipis (KSU): almost over on her first handstand, and then rocks her blind half to Jaeger and Pak. great control on her second handstand, and takes her double tuck so high that both saltos are done ABOVE the bar. 9.600
Mora (Fisk): saves her front aerial, and will go back to repeat and get a series. front aerial to standing tuck. easily through her switch to sheep jump, and gets great height on both. sticks her cat leap to gainer full, adding to Fisk’s momentum. 9.575
Smith (WU): the split screen is showing Smith on one half, and Fuertez dancing along on the other. overcooks one line and takes it out of bounds, then readjusts to get a solid landing for her double tuck at the end. 8.850
Price (Fisk): works through her bhs loso like the beam is three feet wide, and just as calm through her front aerial. switch to split go well past 180, and then she keeps her double twist dismount to only one step on the landing. great routine! 9.775
Rudnitskaya (KSU): has to wait for a LONG time for the go ahead. falls on her Jaeger right off the top of the routine, then remounts for her signature floaty Pak and stuck double layout. 9.000
Bryant (WU): front tuck through to double pike flirts with the white line, but got a big reaction from the crowd. she’s favoring ring shapes in her jumps and is doing a great job with them, and then goes into a unique front pike front handspring almost-rudi for her second pass. 9.575
Alvine (KSU): exh on bars — her new year’s resolution was to have a bar routine, and she’s making good on that early in the year. toe handstand Maloney Pak series, and very precise handstands. giant full to a low but landed double tuck. 9.500.
Cook (WU): opens with a big 1.5 punch layout, and then gets the crowd into her music with some Black Eyed Peas. strong positions in her switch ring and switch full — definitely feeding off her teammates’ encouragement. front layout front full into her closing choreography with Kendrick Lamar’s Not Like Us. 9.625
After 2: Kent State: 96.125, Fisk: 93.575, Wilberforce: 89.600
The first half of floor had me worried for the team, but after seeing the back half of Wilberforce’s lineup the whole rotation paints a picture of nerves rather than a serious floor situation. Diamond Cook is owning her anchor spot, scoring just as high as hits on the three other events thus far.
Rotation 3: Wilberforce VT, Kent State BB, Fisk FX
Fuertez (KSU): fun mount alert, shoulder cartwheel! cat leap to switch side. bhs bhs loso without any checks. big lift in her switch to split, and holds the stick on her front full dismount! 9.775, tying current leader Price on the event.
McDonald (Fisk): BIG double tuck, at the same time as vault and beam. 9.375
Peart-Williams (WU): y layout, great speed in her rotation after absorbing the table on her pre-flight. 9.325
Bryant (WU): Y full, leg separation and some stalling off the table, but wraps it around and has enough speed to still take a step back. 9.500
Mayhorn (WU): Y layout, glad to see her vault after an uncharacteristic floor set. 9.425
Migliore (KSU): clean through her bhs loso! a tad low on her front toss, but muscles it into the rest of her routine without squatting below knee height. a hair shy of sticking her front tuck full, ultimately having to step back. 9.600
Alvine (BB): layout layout, and wastes no time getting to her switch split series. while she makes the push for all around this season, beam will always be her most confident event — going so far as to dismount with a bhs bhs layout 1.5 that she could keep tumbling out of if she wanted to. 9.800
Wilberforce is finished rotation three early, electing to not compete a full lineup on vault today.
Riley (KSU): fluid bhs loso to open, with impeccable toe point. split full and tuck full both rotated precisely, then takes a small check on her side aerial. stuck gainer full to close her routine. 9.700
Guns (KSU): clean through her beat jump to split 3/4 off the top of her routine. a tad short rotating her front aerial, but saves it with a quick mid-air correction. very calm in her switch to split jump, and maintains it through her cartwheel gainer full. 9.850
Schultz (KSU): starts with the same series as Guns, beat jump to spit 3/4. she makes quick work of her front toss to back handspring, but comes off on this new acro series. front toss pike without any problems. hops forward on her bhs 1.5 dismount. 9.125
Price (Fisk): Long wait before she walks onto the floor, but you wouldn’t be able to tell by her first pass — double pike dare I say perfectly cooked. switch full to wolf full before the camera moves to beam for Zoe Rankin’s exhibition. 9.700
Morgan (KSU): exh. she’ll be playing with new composition today, opening with a smooth front toss to back handspring. very floaty in her switch split series, and the beat jump to front aerial shortly after! she fights but loses the stick on her bhs 1.5 dismount, settling for a step backwards. 9.725
After 3: Kent State: 144.950, Fisk: 140.875, Wilberforce: 117.950
Kent State doubled down on beam, putting up five hits in the five first spots. While the whole lineup showed a sense of calm not usually seen this early on beam, veteran Guns ran with it and notched a 9.850 to start her year. At the end of three rotations, we’ve seen eleven shirts make their way into the stands.
With one rotation left, Morgan Price leads the all around race and has one vault between her and her first four-event score of the season.
Rotation 4: Fisk VT, Wilberforce UB, Kent State FX
Rudnitskaya (KSU): opens with a high double pike, and then hits past split on her leap series. She’s adding in all of Kent State’s staple facial expressions, and glides through the back half of her routine. 9.700
Bryant (WU): short first handstand, catches her Maloney short and comes off before being able to Pak. Big conference is likely before the next gymnast, after she does a sole circle on the high bar then jumps off without counting a dismount. 6.200
Benson (Fisk): Omelianchik alert! We have our first 10.0 start value vault!! Nearly sits it, but power squats her way out of taking the fall. 9.450
Riley (KSU): front tuck through to an overcooked double tuck, keeps it on her feet within the line. switch half to wolf full gets plenty of height as well, but not as precise with the twisting as she may have wanted. fhs rudi loso has the same floaty qualities as her beam set earlier today, with only a small shuffle from her front foot. 9.675
Berkley (Fisk): clean and HIGH y full. leg separation and a small hop, but otherwise great form on her block and landing. 9.725
Jean-Marie (WU): toe hs, then off while stooping for her Maloney. catches the second attempt, then has the fight of the day on her toe handstand to bail. dismounts with a layout. 7.825
Alvine (KSU): opening with a double pike that could power the city. she’s having fun with her dance, and rocks her switch ring to switch full. equally big double tuck to close her college floor debut. 9.675
Price (Fisk): Y1.5 with what looked like a bit of a locked knee and step forwards out. Massive block, again looking like mid-season form we saw from her on bars. 9.800
Behner (KSU): another floor debut! she’s taking her sweet time working through opening choreography, and then drills her front tuck through to double tuck with the controlled lunge. switch half to Popa as if it’s on a trampoline, then a punch double twist to finish. 9.725
Peart-Williams (WU): big Ray to open her set, then toe hs to Pak and cleanly through repositioning herself low bar. finishes with a nearly stuck giant full to double tuck. 9.400
Guns (KSU): wrong music for attempt one. attempt two is a go, and she’s in character quickly. opens with a front layout to Rudi and a split jump. switch ring to switch half right before the tempo changes and she gets her team to clap with her. double pike without a hitch to finish her day. 9.825
Fuertez (KSU): The crowd is eating up her routine, fueling her double pike and array of facial expressions even while rotating her jump series. front layout front full with a small step forward for her second pass. double tuck with a tiny shuffle and a non-choreographed but just as big smile after. 9.850
Morgan (KSU): exh – starts with a front double full, and makes quick work going into her switch ring to switch full series. her skills don’t have quite the same amplitude as her teammates, but when that comes she’ll be a name to watch for as a conference leader on floor. easy through her double pike, and closes with a front layout front full. 9.650
Masse (KSU): exh – BIG height into her double pike, holding her set before pulling it around. big height and angles in all of her jumps as well! front tuck through to a low but saved double tuck. she’s worked hard to break into Kent State’s depth, and should score big when she makes the team’s top six.
FINAL: Kent State: 193.775, Fisk: 189.075, Wilberforce: 141.375
A little rust never hurt anyone, especially this early in the season. We were treated to standout routines from all arounders and specialists alike, but will have to wait a few days to see improvements on the team depth front. While host Kent State managed to take each event title tonight, they had serious competition from Price, who finished in the top four on each event. Her teammates Allie Berkley and Aliyah Reed-Hammon both also came close to their share of event titles, with a 9.725 for third on vault and a 9.750 for fifth on beam respectively. Former elite Peart-Williams had the cleanest day for Wilberforce going above nine on each event, even counting a 9.700 start on vault and her fall on beam. All signs point to her making a name for herself as her team’s first season progresses.
Fisk has a short turnaround before competing again on Monday, Jan. 13th hosting Wilberforce alongside Rutgers and William & Mary. Kent State has slightly longer until its next meet, on the road at West Virginia on Thursday, Jan. 16th.
VT: Nene Alvine, Kent State (9.825)
UB: Dani Fuertez, Kent State (9.800)
BB: Alyssa Guns, Kent State (9.850)
FX: Dani Fuertez, Kent State (9.850)
AA: Morgan Price, Fisk (38.975)
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Live blog by Peri Goodman
