Week five had a lot in common with week four, including that the rankings barely changed and people on the internet were mad about all the same stuff. We did get an opening 198 from LSU, which in my opinion changed our understanding of that team and where it ranks in the power dynamics of this season exactly zero. Michigan State at UCLA was exciting and tense, delivering national season-best rotations on both vault and floor that I actually believe were the best ones in the country. But my most treasured memory from that meet will probably be the matching 49.000s on beam instead. Here are some other things I was wondering, pondering, and worrying about.
Look, I can’t actually do a new version of that slogan every week. There aren’t enough gerunds in the language.
Question: Anyone wanna… redshirt?
One of the things we missed out on during the COVID year era is redshirt math. With everyone eligible for a fifth year and relatively few interested in taking a sixth, it just didn’t come up. I actually kind of missed those days of frantically checking the schedule after every injury to see if someone was still eligible.
For the uninitiated, general medical redshirt eligibility for athletes who did see competition time is as follows: The injury must be season-ending, it must have occurred before the halfway point of the season, and the athlete must have competed in less than 30% of the total meets in the season. There’s a little ambiguity here: We tend to imagine that the 30% rule applies to the regular season schedule only, but it’s hard to actually prove that sort of supposition. There’s also a possibility of appeal if your application is initially rejected, and as far as I can tell, the NCAA can do whatever it feels like and does not feel constrained by its own rules when it comes to appeals. Generally, you’re safe if you compete three meets or less. If Avery Neff decided to sit out the rest of this season, she’d be unambiguously eligible. (It doesn’t sound like she’s going to, though.)
I just find it really interesting to think about who is eligible and might choose to use a redshirt year. Reyna Guggino is a great example: With a sprained ankle, it’s theoretically possible for her to return this season. Does she want to squeak back in for the postseason with less routine practice, or would she rather finish her career with a great season where she does tons of gymnastics? On the other hand, as a fifth-year already, is she interested in postponing her entry into the professional world by another year? We don’t know any of this stuff, but it’s fun to try to guess.
Another name on my list: Danielle Sievers. Our best information is that she will be back this season, but with KJ apparently reluctant to take any routines away from her five all-arounders, would Sievers be better served hanging out until next year and helping the transition into the post-Bowers/Davis world? Also, Lilly Tubbs. If I were Washington, with the way this season has begun, my focus would be on building for the future and keeping as much talent on my next few rosters as possible. Additionally, Zoe Johnson. I honestly don’t remember if you can burn a redshirt doing exhibitions because it’s been so many years since I’ve thought about it, but if not, having her alongside Poppy-Grace Stickler as bonus freshmen for Utah next year would be a great boost. Ava Mabanta at Denver? There’s a team that could use extra veteran hands over the next years. There are options.
Bonus Questions:
Is there a better meet theme in the world than corn? Iowa and Nebraska did an amazing job of leaning into their states’ corn rivalry, from social media to leotard choices. This meet was just fun.
Why is North Carolina suddenly doing really well? All of those amazing freshman classes that were projected to be game-changers, all those years of excitement that didn’t pan out, and it’s now? It mostly just seems like everyone got a little more consistent, which I guess is definitely the easiest way to improve at sports. I’m all for it; this is a bananas-talented roster, and it’s always a mistake to forget that. I just don’t understand the timing. What changed? Was Jojo Valahovic the secret sauce or something? (That’s only partially facetious; she is pretty great.)
Comment: Here comes N.C. State.
The Wolfpack was a major storyline in 2024, climbing steadily as the season went on and ultimately earning a seed to regionals. This year’s big goal will be to perform better at regionals. Prior to that, I’ve been wondering if we’ll see a repeat of last year’s inexorable ascent through the regular season rankings, and I think it’s beginning.
N.C. State’s first 196-plus two weeks ago was extra auspicious in that it took place in Chapel Hill, in a fairly routine takedown of the as-previously-discussed-actually-pretty-good Tar Heels. Last week, it was another season high of 196.550 that was slightly overshadowed by opponent Cal and its very excellent lineup choices. This is a team that excels in consistency, but there’s still upside to look forward to in the coming weeks.
It was reasonable to wonder about how difficult it would be for the Wolfpack to replace the Alexis Ortega and Emily Shepard routines. The new sets are coming from all over the roster, not just freshmen, especially with Maddie Hall competing fewer events for unknown reasons (perhaps it’s the gigantic hip/leg wrap she wears to compete beam). Freshmen have been big, though, especially Syniya Thomas, who has done three events every week so far. It’s not looking like a stretch at all to fill these lineups, which is a really promising sign.
I’m not sure yet precisely where the very high scores it’ll take to get into a regional final will come from, but I don’t doubt it’s possible. Working out the details is what the rest of the regular season is for, and it’s looking promising so far.
Bonus Comments:
Teams already have NQSs! Like, multiple of them! Illinois State had the No. 1 NQS ranking for two and a half seconds, which I loved! (It’s Utah now.) It’s too soon to do any actual analysis on winners or losers; I just think it’s funny. Usually, I feel panicky this time of year when the Real Part Of Season starts looming, but this year, I’m up for it.
It’s old news now, but what a special moment it was for Abbey Scanlon on beam this week. Never say never, man. And we really do never know from the outside everything that’s going on with a team. How many more sleepers we loved as recruits are sitting quietly on rosters rehabbing injuries and waiting on their day? How many of them watched that routine and believe a little more that they’re going to make it back as well?
Concern: When’s Alabama planning to get serious?
The more time passes, the sillier it feels for your season high to have come in the first week of the season. Alabama looked imperious in that opener against North Carolina and has been lukewarm since. It’s certainly not a team that has been given a lot of scoring gifts, but that will be poor consolation if the Tide is the team that lands on the outside of SEC champs.
There are some positive signs, and one of them is that I really like the lineup moves we’ve seen in the last couple weeks. Natalia Pawlak coming into bars last week for Jordyn Paradise is a smart swap, and getting Jamison Sears back is really promising. I also love Chloe LaCoursiere’s transition into the all-around. I’m just waiting for these gymnasts, or whoever else happens to be in the lineup next week, to start producing more 9.9-plus numbers. (I’d also like Kylee Kvamme’s vault back. Loved that one.)
This isn’t a consistency issue, for the most part. It’s just little stuff resulting in good routines getting 9.775-ed to death, and that’s not something a team with nationals aspirations can stand for much longer. Tonight in Coleman versus LSU is a key opportunity to show us the upside we know is there.
Bonus Concerns:
I’m hoping to see Towson get in gear soon. It’s not an emergency yet. It wasn’t until the sixth meet last year that Towson cracked 196.000, and this time last year the Tigers were also outside of the top 36 and obviously ended up making regionals just fine. I’d just hate to see this team leave it a little too late and end up on the outside of what’s looking like a competitive regionals cut.
You really don’t need to be competing the day after having a 104-degree fever, even if you’re well enough to do gymnastics. I work in a hospital, and believe me, there’s plenty of flu already going around without going out of our way to help the flu go around.
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