Welcome to one of the most exciting gymnastics events—the Beauty and the Beast competition, where gymnastics and wrestling take place side by side! We’re just moments away from the matchup between two Iowa-based programs: Iowa State and Simpson College.
Iowa State is coming off a fourth-place finish at the Wasatch Classic, where it competed against Arizona State, Boise State, and San Jose State. The Cyclones have had a slow start this season, especially on bars, but will be aiming to hit all 24 routines today to build confidence ahead of key conference matchups. Freshman standout Haylee Hardin has been a bright spot, posting a 9.900 on vault and floor last meet, while Noelle Adams continues her strong form from last season.
Simpson, on the other hand, is riding high after setting a program-best team total of 189.425 last weekend, shattering the previous record by over three points. Be on the lookout for Kaelyn Tally’s unique vault—it could earn big scores if she sticks the landing.
Rotation 1: Iowa State VT, Simpson UB
For those trying to follow along on ESPN+, this competition is listed as the Iowa State v Oklahoma wrestling meet. I’ll get y’all as much gymnastics action as my TV stream allows.
Wills (ISU): Yurchenko full with a hop back, some pike down in the air. Strong start for the cyclones. 9.750
Cole (SC): Swing half to overshoot some leg form, short of the handstand position. Toe up to high bar. Front pike half on the dismount. Way to start with a hit. 8.850
Wilke (ISU): Yurchenko full is off center, some shoulder angle on the table. Step over the OOB line, although not technically a deduction. Could be an indicator that the athlete turned too early on coming off the table. 9.550
Hedary (SC): Clear hip, overshoot hand to toe up to high bar. good last HS. Hands down on the blind full to double tuck. Didn’t quite get the tap she needed. 8.925
Sgarbossa (ISU): HUGE Yurchenko full. So dynamic off the table. AND STUCK. Yes ma’am. Show the replay. The crowd goes wild. 9.825
Poolaw (SC): Swing half, Overshoot, some arching in the back. Toe up to high. Clear hip to double tuck with a step back. Getting things back on track for the Storm. 8.725
Loyim (ISU): Yurchenko full had some bent arms on the table, but managed well with just a small shuffle. 9.775
Brown (SC): Missed the Jaeger catch there. Didn’t quite wait on the release point to turn over the skill completely. Overshoot, some foot separation. Clear hip, fought for the HS, double tuck with a step back. Way to go for the difficulty in that routine. 8.075
Berstrom-Te Slaa (ISU): Great pop off the table on that Yurchenko full, just a pace back. Great shaping in the air. 9.850
Sisler (SC): Blind, Jaeger. Dynamic. Overshoot to low. Blind full to double tuck, with a step forward. 9.475
Hardin (ISU): Yurchenko front on, front pike off with a sizable hop forward. Lacked some control this week, but great entry and flight. 9.800
Resnick (SC): Blind full, swing half, overshoot to hand, straight to the toe up to high bar. Peeled off on the bottom there. Very uncharacteristic fall. Double layout with great flare at the end, with a step back. Great lines from this athlete. She happens to be the bar record holder for Simpson! 9.000
After 1: Iowa State 49.000, Simpson 44.975
Simpson took a downswing with that bar performance after scoring a season high last week. It was clear the Storm worked on handstands in the preseason to help reduce the little deductions. The team will look to pick up some steam on vault in the next rotation. Iowa State posted its second-highest vault total on the year, so the Cyclones should be satisfied heading to bars. Some tenths were left on the table with landings but nothing uncharacteristic for January in college gymnastics.
Rotation 2: Simpson VT, Iowa State UB
Welch (SC): Yurchenko layout, slight piking in the hips, but nice height off the table with a step back. 9.350
Sgarbossa (ISU): Maloney to uprise clear hip hand, pak salto to low bar. Over on the pirouette. Double layout with some leg separation and a tiny hop forward. I’m certain the leg separation is less visible form the judges’ views. Loved that unique routine composition. 9.725
Poolaw (SC): Tsuk layout. Had to take a good five steps out of it to control the landing. So powerful, just piked the hips down. 9.075
Loyim (ISU): Blind, piked Jaeger so pretty. Pak salto. Right on top on the last HS. Double layout with a hop back. Strong set from her. Just had a missed HS there in the middle of the routine. 9.750
Barton (SC): Strong Yurchenko layout shaping. Could’ve had a bit more dynamic pop off the table. 9.475
Wills (ISU): Toe hand, Maloney, pak. Strong connections. Get that bonus! A touch far on the transition to low. Fought for the pirouette right in HS. A hop forward on the double layout dismount. This ISU squad is on a roll. 9.725
Hedary (SC): Now THAT was a block. Another layout for the Storm with a medium step back. 9.450
Bochow (ISU): Blind, Jaeger. Get distance. Short on HS on high, overshoot. Good last HS. Double layout with lovely lines, legs glued together. Another hit. This is what Iowa State needed. 9.700
Tolbert (SC): Yurchenko layout with a sizable hop back. Strong layout shaping. 9.450
Thomas (ISU): Blind, Jaeger, a touch close. Pak, some leg separation. Double layout. Textbook. Drilled it. Yes ma’am. 9.700
Tally (SC): Had to take the hop and a subsequent step on the FHS front tuck with a half. Highest SV of the lineup thus far. Didn’t quite make the twist around, which lead to some of those landing deductions. 9.500
Bergstrom-Te Slaa (ISU): No pressure here. The lineup has already hit five-for-five, so let’s see how freely this athlete swings this bar routine. Vault over mount. Blind to straddle Jaeger. Overshoot handstand. Yes. Strong last HS. Blind full to double tuck. Deep in the landing with a step back. Looks like she pulled in some. 9.725
Tsuk full from Dix. Just a step to the side. PUT HER IN COACH. Strong upgraded routine for her. 9.375
After 2: Iowa State 97.625, Simpson 92.200
Iowa State has hit its first full bar rotation on the season, so the Cyclones will look to keep the ball rolling with a season-best team score in sight. Consistency was the name of the game on bars, and Iowa State will look to copy paste that sentiment on beam. Simpson was right on pace with its season average on vault tonight. It was fun to see some upgrades at the end of that lineup.
Rotation 3: Iowa State BB, Simpson FX
Loyim (ISU): Switch leap, switch leap. Some lack of split. Front aerial to beat. Right on. A bobble on the full turn. BHS LOSO is managed with a mild lean. Switch side. Gainer layout is stuck. Way to lead it off! 9.750
Cole (SC): Fierce music to start. Double tuck, strong amplitude with control on the landing. Some out of this world floor work. So fun. Switch leap full. Some sliding around on the landing to finesse it. Back 1.5, front layout. Strong connection pass. Switch side, popa, wolf full. Stare down the judges. 9.500
O’Brochta (ISU): A tick tock. throw back. BHS LOSO LOSO. Leg up, and she’s off. Split half, split half on the side is so hard. Full turn. Back in it. Gainer pike off the end. Perhaps a small foot adjustment. She just looked rushed on that series, otherwise a strong set. 9.025
Hedary (SC): Back 2.5 with a bit of loss of control on the landing. Keeps it in bounds though. Tour jete full, snapped right around. Back 1.5 to front layout. This dance is giving me so much joy. Tour jete half, split full, split full. A lightning bolt hand signal. As she should. 9.575
Adams (ISU): BHS LOSO. Good. Switch leap, switch leap. Shows off the position there. Side aerial, tight arm placement. She looks sure of herself up there. Cat leap, front aerial. Not great leg positioning on the cat leap. Gainer full, stuck. Should be a great score for the Cyclones. 9.775
Dix (SC): Rock on. Front double full. Okay E pass. Some loss of control on the landing Switch side half, straddle half. Front lay, front full. A little bouncy. Rudi to finish. Back tuck to her stomach for flare. Loved that choreo. 9.350
Sgarbossa (ISU): Wolf turn with some wild arms, but managed. BHS, side aerial. Leannn. Switch leap, straddle jump. Cat leap, side somi. Yes’m. RO back 1.5 with an arm circle and small hop forward. I love the uniqueness of this athlete’s gymnastics! 9.700
Morgan (SC): Double tuck. Chest up on the landing. Getting foot loose during this floor party. Back 1.5 to front layout, just in bounds. 9.700
Thomas (ISU): Beat jump. Front toss, BHS. Good fight, the front toss was a touch crooked, but she kept that series moving like a veteran. Switch side, straddle quarter. A crown for the beam queen. Just a step back on the 1.5 dismount. 9.775
Tally (SC): Simpson floor gets HYPE. Dive roll to announce our arrival. Front lay to Rudi. A touch of chest down. Switch side half, straddle jump. Back tuck to fulfill the backward flipping requirement. Front lay, front full, softness in the knees on both. Loved the ending to this routine. 9.475
Bergstrom-Te Slaa (ISU): Cat leap, front toss, BHS. Great flow of connection in that series. Switch leap, switch leap, off to the side some but dances right out to play it off. Switch split toe feet. Quick legs on that. Front tuck full. Stuck. And with that, ISU has handled the pressure and avoids counting a fall. 9.850
Tolbert (SC): HUGE double pike to open. Whip half, front full. Manages the landing with ease. A bit bouncy on the leap landing. Front lay, front full. Strong finish. Another crown for the floor queen. 9.375
Goldstein (ISU ex): Deep plie on the turn. BHS LOSO. Lifted the front leg. Switch leap, chest back, leg up and had to take the fall. Split 3/4. Front aerial. Pulled the arms right around. Back 1.5 with a crossed step back. 8.975
Bristow (SC ex): Rudi to straddle jump. Too much power and is OOB. Switch side half connection. Front lay, front full, some leg form.
After 3: Iowa State 146.475, Simpson 139.825
Iowa State showed some grit in rotation three, with the back half of the lineup hitting four-for-four to avoid counting an early fall from O’Brochta. The Cyclones are on pace for a strong team total if they can finish strong on floor. Simpson’s floor squad brought the thunder, scoring a season high on the event.
Rotation 4: Simpson BB, Iowa State FX
Resnick (SC): BHS LOSO. A little off to the side, and has to take a fall. Switch leap, switch leap, slightly rushed. standing LOSO connected to a jump. OKAY cool. Cartwheel because side skills are required. Gainer full with a step back. 8.925
Loyim (ISU): Open double tuck. So much height. Dynamic jump connection . Switch side half to straddle jump. Good shaping. Back 1.5, front layout. Strong set to get things going on floor. 9.775
Hedary (SC): Pressure is on the rest of the lineup here. Side aerial BHS swing down. Wow. A bit slow on connection, but I don’t think I care. Leg up on the 3/4 twisting jump out of the switch leap. Side aerial two feet. This difficulty is crazy. A stuck dismount with an arm circle. Way to FIGHT for every tenth in that routine. 9.450
Schell (ISU): Ms. Spears? Is that you? Rudi to a stag jump. Some extra backward momentum on the jump but in bounds. Switch side half, straddle jump. Great extension. You better work, work. Back 1.5, front layout, dance right out. 9.800
Brown (SC): Backward shoulder roll. Side aerial, side aerial. VERY slow and arm wavy on the connection. witch leap, lean. Switch half, beat jump. She’s going to have some SV problems due to slow connections, likely. Split to beat jump. Front gainer full off the side is stuck. 9.300, my sincerest apologies. Apparently I am just mean.
Bergstrom-Te Slaa (ISU): Let’s go girls! Front lay, Rudi. Some deeper knee bend on the landing. Back 1.5, front layout.
Bristow (SC): Switch leap, split jump. Solid. Front gainer full off the side. Almost had the stick, just a step back to correct. 8.650
It’s looking like an inquiry is incoming on floor? 9.725 for Berstrom-Te Slaa
Wilke (ISU): The Thunder dance. Is this DCC? Yes. Back 1.5, front full. Strong connection pass. Switch side half, straddle jump. Not quite around on the half to me. Double pike, great take off and landing. 9.875
Tolbert (SC): BHS LOSO. Not quite enough umph to get that series around and has to take a fall. Switch leap, switch leap, switch split jump. Jeez. So hard. Just a lean. Cat leap, side aerial. A bend at the waist. Gainer full, tiny hop back. 9.050
Adams (ISU): Front double full, finessed the landing right out. Tour jete to popa. Sky high. She owns the floor. Back tuck to fulfill the backward flipping requirement. Front lay to Rudi. the patience she displays is crazy. Great set. Crown her. 9.850
Morgan (SC): Switch leap, switch leap, split jump. Cat leap, side aerial. Fought for that one. Soft smiles. BHS LOSO. Put it where you want it. Gainer full stuck. Now that is a BEAMER. 9.700
Hardin (ISU): Double layout is in the rafters. So controlled, perfect form. Tour jete half, popa. Back 1.5, front lay. Slightly off on the timing of the punch. Double pike, slid the front foot. Mic drop. As one does. 9.850
Barton (SC ex): BHS LOSO. A lean to save it, but ultimately off. Front toss, another heavy lean. Switch leap, switch leap, split jump. Great extension. Split half on the side of the beam. Just looks a bit nervous. Gainer full, stuck. 8.700
FINAL: Iowa State 195.675, Simpson 186.250
Iowa State earned a huge season high team total, avoiding counting any mistakes on the meet. The beam and bars team competed tough tonight, proving that they can rise to the challenge. Simpson had some struggles at the end on beam, but the team should be proud of the way it handled this large crowd tonight.
VT: Josie Bergstrom-Te Slaa (ISU), 9.850
UB: Hannah Loyim (ISU), 9.750
BB: Josie Bergstrom-Te Slaa (ISU), 9.850
FX: Rachel Wilke (ISU), 9.875
AA: Josie Bergstrom-Te Slaa (ISU), 39.250
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Live blog by Tavia Smith
