Auburn Wins the Iron Bowl in Coleman Coliseum for First Time in Week Headlined by 9.975s
Week 8 saw surprising finishes from the Iron Bowl to a Division III tri-meet. Grace McCallum met the standard only Jade Carey has set this year, while Georgia found some of its old glory. It was also a very good week for beamers; look for that national title to be hotly contested in April.
Meet of the Week
Auburn at Alabama
The Tigers have done it. Auburn defeated Alabama in Tuscaloosa for the first time in the history of the Iron Bowl of gymnastics. In a slightly off-kilter season for Alabama, a good but not great home showing wasn’t enough to hold off a steady Auburn after the Crimson Tide had a shaky start on vault.
Other contenders: North Carolina at N.C. State, Denver at Utah
Gymnast of the Week
Grace McCallum, Utah
Grace McCallum scored a massive 39.800, with 9.975 on three events (bars, beam, floor) in the Utes’ defeat of Denver. Utah clinched its first Big 12 regular season title with the win. Despite missing McCallum’s personal best, the total ties the best all-around number in the nation so far this year (Jade Carey). It also ties the fifth-best number in Utah program history.
Other contenders: Emma Brittingham, Faith Torrez
Performance of the Week
Georgia’s Beam Lineup
It’s no secret that Georgia has been on a longtime slide since its glory days in the early aughts. This week, the Gymdogs put up a top-five program history performance on any event for the first time since 2014 with its 49.550 on beam at Missouri, headlined by Anaya Turner’s 9.975. The judges had previously given Helen Hu the same score, to calibrate the quality of that routine.
Other contenders: Chloe Negrete, Lali Dekanoidze, Kentucky
Outrageous Moment of the Week
Kayli Boozer, who has been stellar on beam for Michigan, had a fall this week and scored a 9.475. Judge 1 gave Boozer a 9.300, while Judge 2 scored the routine at an impossible 9.550. Boozer’s score went on to count for the team total when Jacey Vore also fell later in the rotation.
Other contenders: Sara Beck’s impressive senior night bar routine in a cast
Hidden Gem of the Week
UW-Stout picked off four-time consecutive Division III champion UW-Oshkosh. Emma Brittingham headlined the day, putting up a 2025 DIII-best and program record 9.825 on bars to lead the Blue Devils. Stout just made the WIAC conversation more interesting.
Other contenders: Brockport’s 193.100, Morgan Price’s 39.550
Viral Moment of the Week
Kyen Mahew definitely wins best hair of the week. She braided “Cal” into it for the Bears’ season-best 197.775 win over new conference foe Pittsburgh. Mahew led the Bears on vault with a 9.925.
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Article by Emily Minehart
