Live Blog: Collegiate Quad Session Three with No. 12 UCLA, Arkansas, Kentucky, and Ohio State

A group of national dark horse contenders wraps up the ESPN Collegiate Quad meets, potentially offering an early glimpse into who could be on the bubble for a postseason trip to Fort Worth. Unlike the rest of the Oklahoma City sessions, most teams in this meet didn’t compete in week one, making this their first chance to showcase what they’ve got.

The exception is UCLA, the only team that already competed, albeit with a slightly disappointing start. The Bruins placed third against two former Pac-12 foes after some mistakes cost them a higher finish and a top-10 team score. Olympic gold medalist Jordan Chiles returned to NCAA gymnastics with impressive 9.9s on vault and bars, though she skipped beam. Freshman Macy McGowan had a solid debut, earning 9.8s across three events, showing her potential to help UCLA stay in the nationals conversation.

Arkansas and Kentucky are both starting their seasons with high hopes for a trip to Fort Worth, driven by key new additions. The Razorbacks are particularly excited about Olympic alternate Joscelyn Roberson—reuniting with her former club teammate, Chiles—who is one of the most highly anticipated freshmen this year. Arkansas also brings in two transfers, Kaitlyn Ewald from Illinois and Mati Waligora from Alabama, who are expected to strengthen the team’s postseason potential. Kentucky has its own notable newcomers, including former Washington standout Skylar Killough-Wilhelm, who finishes her collegiate career in the SEC, and five-star recruit Anna Flynn Cashion, who is expected to make her debut tonight. Both will be critical in keeping the Wildcats competitive this season.

Rounding out the field are the Ohio State Buckeyes, the first Big Ten opponent UCLA will face in its inaugural Big Ten season. Ohio State is considered a dark horse in both the conference and nationals races. With veterans Tory Vetter and Payton Harris providing leadership, the Buckeyes will look to integrate a talented, but young group of freshmen into their lineups. Keep an eye on JJ Coleman and Rylee Guevara, two first-years expected to make an immediate impact.

This meet is packed with talent and could be pivotal in setting the tone for each team’s postseason aspirations. Keep watching to see which contenders rise to the occasion!

Follow along with video (ESPN2) and scores!

Rotation 1: Arkansas Vault, Kentucky Bars, UCLA Beam, Ohio State Floor

Weaver (Ark): FTY. Clean in the air, hop. 9.750

Rivelli (UK): Nice opening handstand, blind to Jaeger to overshoot, solid, short on last handstand, dismounts double layout, step back. 9.750

Washington (tOSU): Mounts with a double pike, huge air, small slide of the front foot in the lunge, front layout front full, steps into the corner but stays in easily, tour jete half wolf full, fakes the audience out with an audio pause in her routine, double tuck final pass, easy. 9.850

L. Smith (Ark): FTY. Lots of height and nice leg form, small hop back. 9.825

Rosen (UCLA): Gets underway with switch leap to split jump, good split positions, following a 9.9 from Lee, BHS LOSO LOSO, no problem, full turn, quick, dismounts RO 1.5 and sticks it. 9.900

Price (Ark): FTY. Good distance, chest low and lunge forward. 9.600

Davis (UK): Good handstand, blind to Jaeger, short handstand, bail, dismounts double layout, knees give a bit and step forward. 9.775

Roberson (Ark): Big freshman debut here. Lopez. Good straight body throughout, small hop back. 9.875

Guevara (tOSU): Another rookie deubt. Nice front double full front tuck and switch side Popa, FHS Rudi LOSO, no issues. 9.900

Procasky (UK): Toe on to Maloney to Pak, smooth, good pirouette, nice last handstand, dismounts double layout, stuck. 9.900

Essenpries (Ark): Y1.5. Nice height, soft knees right at the end, tiny hop in place. 9.850

Alipio (UCLA): Gets going with low beam work, full turn, BHS BHS LOSO, loose legs but secure, side aerial, split leap switch leap beat jump, stuck tucked gainer full. 9.875

Park (Ark): Y1.5. Nice distance, a bit flat, shuffle to the side. 9.675

Malabuyo (UCLA): Wolf turn, BHS LOSO, great, front aerial to beat jump, flexed front foot, split jump ring jump, hit that shape well, BHS gainer full, stuck. 9.925

Killough-Wilhelm (UK): First routine for the Wildcats for the Washington transfer, great opening handstand, blind to Jaeger to overshoot, sharp form, dismounts double layout, brings the chest down and steps fighting for the stick. 9.750

Rader (tOSU): Mounts with a double pike, slides back in the lunge, front full front tuck, small hop, tour jete half to Popa x2, a tad off balance, double tuck to close, steps forward, short. 9.675

Totals: Arkansas 48.975, Kentucky 49.025, UCLA 49.475, Ohio State 49.175

Beam was kind to the Bruins a week ago, and they have similar success here tonight to surge to an early lead. The Buckeyes are withing striking distance after debuting a few new faces as well, boding well for the rest of their freshman routines tonight. The SEC foes lurk in the distance after nervy opening rotations, but can make up ground with their traditionally best events yet to come.

Rotation 2: Ohio State Vault, Arkansas Bars, Kentucky Beam, UCLA Floor

Washington (tOSU): FTY. Clean form, small hop back. 9.825

Roberson (Ark): Mounts on the low bar, clear hip to Maloney to Pak, close catch but works through it, half pirouette is good, double layout dismount, tiny adjustment. 9.825

Rosen (UCLA): Starts with a double tuck, nice power, second pass double pike, switch ring to switch half wolf full, RO 1.5 front layout front tuck, overdoes the last salto and steps forward less gracefully than a lunge. 9.825

Guevara (tOSU): FTY. Pikes it down but gets the stick. 9.875

Ewald (Ark): The Illinois transfer, blind to Jaeger, close, good Pak, dismounts double layout, stuck. 9.825

Brose (UK): Opens with a great front tuck, front toss to BHS, lovely lines, switch leap to beat jump, short of 180, gets low to the beam before getting up for a full turn, dismounts, RO 1.5 with a step forward. 9.800

Smith (tOSU): Y1.5. Great form and amplitude, near stick, step forward. 9.850

Swaney (Ark): Toe on to Maloney to Pak, great toe point, hits her handstands, dismounts double layout, hop and chest forward. 9.725

McGowan (UCLA): Begins with a full-in, huge power, big slide back, stays in bounds, high-energy, switch side Popa, over on the first leap and under on the second in terms of rotation, RO 1.5 front full, easy. 9.850

Bennett (UK): Smooth full turn, BHS LOSO LOSO, runs out of room and hops off, hitch kick front aerial, soft knees, switch leap wolf jump, stuck gainer pike dismount. 8.975

Vetter (tOSU): FTY. Booms off the table, flares it out, near stick. 9.900

Moors (UCLA): Front double full front tuck, stuck cold, RO LOSO, switch leap to switch half to wolf full, FHS Rudi, excellent landing. 9.950

Killough-Wilhelm (UK): Lovely press mount, front aerial BHS LOSO, slow between the front to back combo, full turn, switch leap split jump, could commit more to the extension, side aerial 1.5 dismount, short and steps back. 9.800

Campbell (UCLA): Giant full-in, stuck, no lunge needed, tour jete half Popa, that’s how it’s supposed to be done, double tuck, easy landing, closes with a FHS front layout front full, no issues there either.  9.900

Jones (Ark): Great handstand, blind to piked Jaeger, beautiful, Pak, equally as lovely, awkward half pirouette, dismounts double layout, hop forward. 9.825

Chiles (UCLA): Everyone working the event has left their stations and it taking a peek through the tunnels, giant double layout, tour jete half wolf full, tad short, front tuck to double tuck, great. 9.975

Rotation Totals: Ohio State 49.300, Arkansas 49.025, Kentucky 48.825, UCLA 49.575

Totals: UCLA 99.075, Ohio State 98.475, Arkansas 98.000, Kentucky 97.850

The Bruins’ current score is currently higher than the Sooners’ score at the halfway point of the afternoon session. Granted, UCLA just finished it’s best two events from Week 1, but it helps show the ceiling of this team when it can hit. The Buckeyes have put themselves solidly in second by simply dialing in on landings, while Kentucky and Arkansas keep tacking on little errors that are showing up in the team total.

Rotation 3: UCLA Vault, Ohio State Bars, Arkansas Beam, Kentucky Floor

Lee (UCLA): FTY. Great form, small slide back. 9.850

Washington (tOSU): The constant leadoff. Toe on to Maloney to Pak, solid half pirouette, sharp handstands throughout, giant full to double tuck and a stick. 9.825

Rodriguez (UK): Mounts with a Rudi to back layout, easy landing, clean leap series, double tuck, slightly short, lunge forward, RO 1.5 layout half straddle jump. 9.850

Moors (UCLA): FHS front pike, solid block and distance, near stick but brings a leg up, fought. 9.800

Jones (Ark): Front aerial BHS BHS, some foot form, full turn, balance check, split jump stag jump, didn’t hit her ring, small wobble, dismounts front full, stuck. 9.825

Campbell (UCLA): FTY. Massive block, great form, slide back. 9.775

Buchanan (tOSU): Smooth blind to Jaeger, easy Pak, weird switch kip on low bar and loses momentum, stays on and fights through, double layout dismount. 8.900

Chiles (UCLA): Yhalf-on half-off tuck. Small slide back. 9.925

Procasky (UK): Ring jump full, front layout front full, switch ring, tour jete half, split full, nice leg extension, double tuck, no issues. 9.825

McCann (tOSU): Ray, bent arm catch, Pak, also close, nice pirouette, dismounts giant full double tuck, hop in place. 9.725

McGowan (UCLA): Y1.5. Big air, opens early, hop forward. 9.750

Swaney (Ark): Full turn, BHS BHS LOSO, second-guesses herself and falls onto the beam before off, second fall in a row for the Razorbacks, split jump to ring jump, great commitment to the shapes, dismounts cartwheel gainer full, step back. 9.025

Webster-Longin (UCLA): Y1.5. Excellent lines, short on rotation, step back. 9.750

Killough-Wilhelm (UK): Gets going with a front double full, easily controls the lunge, switch leap switch ring half, just shy of fully hitting the ring, front full front tuck, second salto should’ve been layout, great save to stay on her feet but a squat and shuffle. 9.175

Vetter (tOSU): Good Tkatchev, bail, slightly rushed, great handstands, FTDT step back. 9.850

Brose (UK): Giant double pike, also big slide in the lunge, tour jete half wolf full, bouncy, FHS front full front layout, clean, FHS front double full, no issues on the landing. 9.825

Rotation Totals: UCLA 49.100, Ohio State 48.875, Arkansas 49.400, Kentucky 49.225

Totals: UCLA 148.175, Ohio State 147.350, Kentucky 147.075, Arkansas 146.400

While the other three teams showed some vulnerability in rotation three, the Bruins keep chugging along and running away with this one. Also, still just behind pace of the Sooners from this afternoon and ahead of the rest of the “top” session.

Rotation 4: Kentucky Vault, UCLA Bars, Ohio State Beam, Arkansas Floor

Rodriguez (UK): FTY. Twisted onto the table, very short on the landing, lunge forward. 9.625

Gamiao (Ark): Music error to start, on second attempt gets underway with a double pike, lots of amplitude, punch front, RO 1.5 to RO double full second pass, clean stick, switch half Popa, just shy of fully rotated, ends with a double tuck, chest slightly down but no issues into the lunge. 9.875

Rizo (UK): FTY. Great block and form, brings chest down fighting for the stick and steps. 9.800

Rosen (UCLA): Toe on to Maloney to Pak, fluid, nice half pirouette, no handstand issues, soft knes on the double layout dismount but gets the stick. 9.900

Buchanan (tOSU): Opens with side aerial to beat jump, not sure about the connection, BHS LOSO, foot form but secure, switch leap to split side, RO 1.5 hop forward. 9.725

Noonan (UK): Yhalf-on half-off tuck. Good height, flexed feet, step to the side. 9.775

Webster-Longin (UCLA): Great Maloney to Pak, half pirouette is hit, clear hip to FTDT and a stick. 9.825

Smith (tOSU): Wolf turn to start, small arm waves, front toss BHS, beat jump, straddle jump to split side, needed to commit more to the first jump, gainer full, pikes but sticks. 9.800

Magnelli (UK): FHS pike half. Good amplitude, small hop in place, chest a tad forward. 9.925

McGowan (UCLA): Clear hip to Tkatchev to overshoot that could’ve been a bail, double layout dismount with a step forward. 9.875

Williams (Ark): Mounts with a full-in, superb landing, switch side to Popa, RO 1.5 front layout, solid landing. 9.875

Wilson (UK): FHS pike half. Nearly identical to Magnelli, less distance but stuck cold. 9.950

Esparza (UCLA): Hit handstands before Maloney to Bhardwaj, fluid Maloney half, dismounts double layout and gets the stick. 9.925

Roberson (Ark): Huge opening double layout, switch half Popa, great positions, front layout to double tuck, easy. 9.950

Cashion (UK): FHS pike half. Another stick, more air, less chest up than her teammates. 9.950

Chiles (UCLA): Piked Tkatchev to Pak, excellent, slight arch getting the half pirouette, FTDT hop back. 9.850

Price (Ark): Big double layout, just the lunge, switch side Popa x2, a bit off balance, front full front layout, smooth. 9.900

Rotation Totals: Kentucky 49.400, UCLA 49.375, Ohio State 49.075, Arkansas 49.475

Final: UCLA 197.550, Kentucky 196.475, Ohio State 196.425, Arkansas 195.875

Event Winners:

All Around: Roberson (Ark), Vetter (tOSU), 39.475

Vault: Cashion (UK), Wilson (UK), 9.950

Bars: Esparza (UCLA), 9.925

Beam: Magnelli (UK), Malabuyo (UCLA), 9.925

Floor: Chiles (UCLA), 9.975

Live blog by Brandis Heffner

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