A few short years ago neutral-site podium quad meets were rarely streamed, but thankfully that trend is on its way to being reversed and we have the opportunity to watch the 2024 national runner-up California take on top 25 opponents Michigan State, Alabama, and North Carolina.
After claiming the ACC regular season title, Cal is now in postseason prep mode, competing in the second of four straight quad meets. The Golden Bears can’t improve on their No. 6 national ranking today, but they can prevent Michigan State from passing them by scoring at least a 197.150. While the obvious gymnasts to watch are Mya Lauzon, Maddie Williams, and eMjae Frazier, who are all ranked in the top 15 in the all around, also keep an eye out Mya Wiley who just received her first ACC Newcomer of the Week award.
Michigan State was on track for a mid-to-high-197 in last week’s Big Four meet before some beam miscues in the final rotation, with the Spartans ultimately settling for a 197.150. Their goal today should be to put together a complete meet which would help them stay in the top 8 long-term. They can prevent a surging Alabama team from passing them in the rankings with a 196.925, but ultimately the goal score should be much higher than that. Keep an eye on Nikki Smith, who has fallen in each of the last two meets (albeit on different events) and will be looking to lead the team with a mistake-free all around performance.
Alabama comes into this meet on the heels of its third-straight mid-197 performance on Friday. SEC championship qualification is still not certain, but the Crimson Tide can secure its place in Birmingham by scoring at least a 197.250 today. Lilly Hudson and Gabby Gladieux are obvious stars to keep an eye on, but also watch out for freshman Paityn Walker who’s coming off a season-high 9.925 on bars on Friday.
North Carolina’s turnaround has been one of the best underrated storylines of the season, so it feels right that the Tar Heels get to show off their talented roster against three top-15 teams ahead of postseason competition. Regional qualification seems all but assured at this point, and there is a good chance of avoiding a first round dual if they can maintain their current level of consistency. Freshman JoJo Valahovic has been a steady force, with four ACC Newcomer of the Week awards and season highs of 9.9+ on all three of her events.
The meet can be streamed on ACCN, with live stats available on Statbroadcast.
Rotation 1:
After 1:
Rotation 2:
After 2:
Rotation 3:
After 3:
Rotation 4:
FINAL:
VT:
UB:
BB:
FX:
AA:
READ THIS NEXT: Judge’s Inquiry: Breaking Down February’s Perfect 10s
Live blog by Jenna King
