Sprouts Quad Session II Has Championship Feeling, Gustavus Off to Stellar Start
That’s a wrap on Week 2! We had our first look at a number of teams that were in action for the first time and saw some thrilling quads. With debuts from freshmen and upperclassmen alike and the return of reliable favorites, it was a week to remember.
Meet of the Week
The second session of the Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad felt like it could be a preview of the national championship final. Oklahoma, LSU, California, and Utah battled in an overall clean, exciting meet. The Sooners ultimately came out on top, clearing the reigning champion Tigers by three tenths.
Other contenders: Oregon State had its largest student crowd since it started tracking that information.
Gymnast of the Week
Haley Tyson gets the Linda Zivat award for breaking through as an upperclassman after transferring. Tyson started her career at Minnesota, transferred to Iowa last year, and had never competed. She scored a 9.825 in her first career outing.
Other contenders: Skye Blakely made her debut for the Gators exactly 199 days after an Achilles injury ended her Olympic quest, Joscelyn Roberson made a huge all-around debut for Arkansas, and Kaitlin Chio continued her all-around excellence for LSU.
Performance of the Week
UCLA came back from a rough Week 1 in a big way, putting up one of the highest scores in the past two weeks. What’s really impressive, though, is that the Bruins put up that performance at the Sprouts Farmers Market Quad on Saturday, while their hometown was still on fire. The Palisades fire in Los Angeles is close to UCLA’s campus. The Bruins pushed through, showing great mental strength.
Other contenders: Illinois State senior Sara Wabi hadn’t vaulted since high school until she recently threw a vault in practice; her Yurchenko full is now part of the Redbirds’ lineup.
Outrageous Moment of the Week
Jahzara Ranger made an impossible save on bars, catching her Tkatchev with one hand. The freshman all-arounder helped the Wolverines to a nearly full-point improvement on last week’s number and won the floor title at the Sprouts Farmers Market Quad Friday session.
Other contenders: We STILL have meets without video.
Hidden Gem of the Week
Gustavus Adolphus is on fire. Lilli Guy tied the school record 9.750 on beam this week, a number that was set in 2003. Maddox Lee tied the fifth-best all-around score. The Gusties set a new vault record and tied their second-best floor number. And it’s only Week 2. It seems like Gustavus is poised to have a huge year.
Other contenders: UW-Whitewater honored Kara Welsh, and Mina Margraf-Benson debuted a wildly fun combo pass (Rudi back handspring Onodi).
Viral Moment of the Week
Frankie Price has the newest viral floor routine. The Razorback’s Snoop Dogg floor routine made it to mainstream sports coverage. Her great performance quality sells the set, which includes two huge back-to-back Popas.
Other contenders: Alabama’s new post-meet tradition is using a bubble gun that represents the “Bama bubble”, Stanford gave us the origin of the Stick Stick in the style of Harry Potter, and we loved hot pink hair.
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Article by Emily Minehart
