It’s finally time for conference championships, kicking off tonight with the Big Ten! This is the first of three sessions, with the remaining teams set to compete tomorrow. In this session, we’ll get one last look at No. 20 Nebraska, No. 22 Ohio State, No. 39 Washington, and No. 40 Rutgers before they head into the postseason.
Ohio State enters with the highest ceiling, having posted a season-high 196.875 at home last week—the best score of any team in this session. The Buckeyes will need to maintain that level of consistency to secure the session win and potentially shake up the overall standings heading into tomorrow. Nebraska, ranked fifth in the Big Ten with a 196.535 NQS, isn’t far behind. With a season-high of 196.750, expect a tight race between the Huskers and Buckeyes for the top spot in this session.
For Washington and Rutgers, the focus is on securing a regionals berth rather than conference standings. The two teams sit neck and neck at No. 39 and No. 40 nationally, making every tenth crucial. Rutgers seems to be peaking at the right time, coming off a season-high 196.550 at New Hampshire last week. A 196.150 in this competition would guarantee its place at regionals. Meanwhile, Washington has been more consistent, but would need mistakes from higher-ranked teams to solidify its postseason chances.
This meet will be on the BTN, with live scoring available here.
Rotation 1: Nebraska VT, Washington UB, Ohio State BB, Rutgers FX
Kuenemann (Nebraska): Yurchenko full, clean body line with a pike down and a hop back. 9.725
McWilliams (UW): Some leg form through the jaeger + bail. Stuck double layout with an arm wave. 9.750
Guevara (OSU): BHS LOSO, solid. Cat leap to switch half. RO + double twist with a small hop, solid start. 9.850
Chevaire (Rutgers): Big double pike to start. Front layout to front full, good landing. 9.800
McClelland (Nebraska): Yurchenko full, some body form and pike down. 9.725
Mouyenga (UW): Pak with a big leg separation. Stuck double tuck dismount! 9.725
Smith (OSU): Super solid acros series. Gainer full dismount with a big hop. 9.825
Jones (Rutgers): Big double pike to start! Big stumble back on her rudi, goes OOB. 9.775
Jencks (Nebraska): Underrotated on her yurchenko full. 9.525
Walker (OSU): Super solid on front aerial to beat jump. Switch side with a little balance check. Gainer pike off the end with a step. 9.800
Lin (Washington): Clear hip to gienger to overshoot, very dynamic but a little messy. Big full in with a hop to finish. 9.775
Aird (Rutgers): Starts with a clean double pike. Front layout to front full, well controlled. 9.800
Hall (Nebraska): Big yurchenko full, nice in the air but a large hop back. 9.750
Oppegard (Washington): Big jaeger to start. Clean bail. Good handstands throughout. Double layout with a step back. 9.800
Vetter (OSU): BHS LOSO with a lean. Side aerial, solid. Switch leap to straddle 1/4, looks a touch shaky. Sticks the gainer full dismount. 9.825
Adrian (Rutgers): 1.5 to front full with some crossed legs, good landing. Good height through her leap series. 9.825
Sikon (Nebraska): Good height on her yurchenko full, very solid landing. Some leg form in the air. 9.700
McDonough (Washington): Beautiful form on her jaeger to overshoot. Sticks the double tuck dismount, great set for her. 9.900 ties her career high!
Rader (OSU): BHS LOSO a little low with a wobble but regains control. Cat leap to side aerial with a hip break. Switch split jump to straddle 1/4, much more solid. Sticks the gainer full dismount. 9.700
Goldsmith (Rutgers): Front double twist, excellent. Front layout to front full, stuck cold! Rudi to straddle jump, great height. Awesome routine from her! 9.825
Spence (Nebraska): Yurchenko 1.5, pretty bent knees throughout. Small hop forward. 9.825
Warga (OSU): Front aerial to BHS, slow connection. Cat leap to switch half, solid. Front pike toss is great. Gainer pike off the end lacks distance but is stuck! 9.875
Russon (Washington): Clean and high jaeger to overshoot. Lets go a little early on the double layout and takes a step back. 9.875
Dildy (Rutgers): Front tuck through to double tuck with a bounce. Nice double pike to finish. 9.850
AFTER ONE: Ohio State 49.175, Rutgers 49.100, Washington 49.100, Nebraska 48.725
Ohio State picked a great time to set a new season high on beam. Nebraska on the other hand would have liked to stick a few more vaults and will have to make up some ground on bars. Washington delivered some great bars work, and Rutgers was so fun to watch on floor – that routine from Goldsmith is a personal favorite. These teams are on fire tonight, it looks like it’s going to be a close race!
Rotation 2: Rutgers VT, Nebraska UB, Washington BB, Ohio State FX
Chevaire (Rutgers): Good yurchenko full, pike down and a hop back. 9.750
McClelland (Nebraska): Blind change to jaeger, clean and high. Bail to solid handstand. Double layout is super short, big lunge forward and her knee almost touches the mat. 9.525
Innes (Washington): Front aerial to BHS, clean. Cat leap to side aerial, very nice with good amplitude. Solid through her leap series. RO 1.5 dismount with a stick, awesome start to that rotation for the Huskies! 9.875
Washington (OSU): Controlled double pike to start. Front layout to front full is good. Double tuck, a touch underrotated with a lunge forward. 9.800
Adrian (Rutgers): Yurchenko half, lands with pretty straight legs and takes a lunge forward. 9.700
Burns (Nebraska): Good piked jaeger. Finishes with a double layout, tries for the stick but can’t hold on and takes a step back. 9.750
Lin (Washington): Solid through her BHS LOSO. Switch leap to switch half, big wobble, leg comes up twice but she holds on. Stuck 1.5 to finish, good recovery. 9.750
Grimes (OSU): Double pike, a little movement of her front foot. Clean double tuck to finish. 9.850
Aird (Rutgers): Good distance on her yurchenko full, step back. 9.700
Frost (Nebraska): Tkatchev to overshoot, very low and looks like her feet brush the ground. Double layout with a step back. 9.450
Oppegard (Washington): Solid BHS LOSO. Switch leap, switch half, beat jump – good. Gainer full off the side, lands with a low chest and takes a step forward. 9.750
Guevara (OSU): Front double twist to front tuck, clean and dynamic. Good height through her dance series. Rudi LOSO, lovely. 9.900
Pagliaro (Rutgers): Yurchenko full with some leg form, good height and a hop back. 9.775
McDonough (Washington): Solid BHS LOSO. Lovely toe point through her leap series. 9.825
Simpton (Nebraska): Maloney to bail, a little short on the handstand. Double layout with a hop back, maybe let go a bit early. RO double twist dismount, clean in the air with a shuffle back. Love her form on this event. 9.800
Riley (Rutgers): Yurchenko 1.5, good height with some leg separation on the table and a hop forward. 9.750
Vetter (OSU): Clean, high double tuck. Front layout to Rudi, good height and a controlled landing. 9.900
Hallinan (Washington): Front toss with a small balance check – misses her acro series, repeats the front toss and successfully connects to a back tuck. RO 1.5, goes a little crooked and lands with staggered legs, but solid. 9.750
Jencks (Nebraska): Just saw the dismount, double layout with a step – lots of landing errors for Nebraska on these dismounts, looks like they’re maybe trying too hard to stick? 9.800
Gregory (OSU): Rudi with a bounce back. Front layout to front full, some leg form. 9.800
Dildy (Rutgers): Yurchenko form with leg form on the table, hop back. 9.800
Russon (Washington): Front aerial, BHS, LOSO – solid. Switch leap to ring jump, splits look good from this angle. 9.925
Spence (Nebraska): They need a big number from her here. Maloney to pak, toe on to van Leeuwen, clean throughout. Sticks her double tuck dismount – she delivered! 9.975, that’ll be a huge help to the Huskers.
Rader (OSU): Double pike, front foot slides back. Front full to front tuck, solid. Split full to straddle full to straddle full, nice amplitude. Double tuck is a little under, step forward. 9.800
AFTER TWO: Ohio State 98.425, Washington 98.225, Rutgers 97.875, Nebraska 97.575
The Huskers aren’t quite dialed in on their landings today – save for Spence – and will be looking to change things up in the back half of this meet. Washington was great on beam with some really clean routines and good recovery from minor errors. It was a consistent vault rotation for Rutgers, with no disasters but only one score of 9.800. Ohio State is having a great day, and is definitely able to kick things up a notch on vault.
Rotation 3: Ohio State VT, Rutgers UB, Nebraska BB, Washington FX
Washington (OSU): Clean yurchenko full with a bounce in place. Not much distance but a great landing. 9.800
Uhlenberg (Rutgers): Blind change to jaeger, catches a little close. Pak with a big leg separation. Some pike in the double layout but sticks it! 9.825
Jencks (Nebraska): Solid front toss. Switch leap to straddle half, good split positions. RO 1.5 dismount, hop forward. 9.850
McWilliams (Washington): Big Rudi LOSO, awesome height. Double pike, overrotates and front foot comes up. 9.775
Guevara (OSU): Better dynamics on this yurchenko full, pike down and a hop back. 9.775
Richards (Rutgers): Clean piked jaeger. Love her rudi dismount, very clean twisting form! 9.775
Hall (Nebraska): Lovely BHS LOSO. Front aerial, nice toepoint. Split jump to ring jump, good splits. RO 1.5 dismount, hop back. 9.875
Oppegard (Washington): Rudi to sky-high straddle jump. 1.5 to front layout, shuffle on the landing. 9.750
Reutzel (OSU): Front handspring front pike, sticks it! Great form, legs were glued throughout. 9.800
Simpton (Nebraska): BHS LOSO, a little off but hides it well. Split jump to sheep jump – well done. Gainer full dismount with a stick. 9.875
Smith (Rutgers): Maloney to pak, good leg form. Late handstand on the low bar. Blind full to double tuck, stuck. 9.850
Russon (Washington): Big double pike. Front layout front full, not very high but clean. 9.750
Grimes (OSU): High yurchenko full with a stick! Great stuff from the Buckeyes on vault so far. 9.850
Sikon (Nebraska): Solid BHS LOSO. Cat leap to switch half, good. Wobble on her full turn. BHS tucked 1.5 dismount, step forward. 9.825
Schenkel (Rutgers): Piked jaeger to overshoot is clean. Blind full is a little late, double tuck with a step. 9.850
Lin (Washington): Front double twist, a little underrotated and steps across. Good rudi. 9.775
Smith (OSU): Yurchenko 1.5, not enough height and lands low with a big step back. 9.725
Spence (Nebraska): Small bobble on her wolf turn. Switch leap to beat jump, clean. RO 1.5, stuck landing. Missed her acro series! 9.900, she’s having an awesome night.
Adrian (Rutgers): Good height through her transitions. Sticks the double tuck, lots of stuck landings for Rutgers here! 9.875
McDonough (Washington): Rudi LOSO, adjustment on the landing. Front double twist is a touch under. 9.825
Vetter (OSU): Great height on the yurchenko full, tries for the stick but leans too far forward and takes a step. 9.725
McClelland (Nebraska): Very clean double wolf turn. BHS LOSO, solid with good toepoint. Split jump to stag ring jump, my favorite. BHS tucked 1.5 dismount with a stick! 9.950
Balser (Rutgers): Jaeger with some flexed feet. Pak, late handstand on the low bar. Sticks her double layout, lovely. 9.875
Innes (Washington): I’m glad she’s closing out this rotation so I can focus on this awesome routine. Huge front double twist with a great landing. 1.5 to front layout, super secure landing. She is such a strong tumbler. Rudi to super high jump, great finish to that rotation! 9.900
AFTER THREE: Ohio State 147.375, Washington 147.250, Rutgers 147.150, Nebraska 147.025
Nebraska made up some ground with a stellar 49.450 on beam – a season high punctuated by McClelland’s gorgeous routine. The Huskers need to be outstanding on floor to have a chance of catching the Buckeyes, who started off strong on vault but lost some precious tenths towards the end of the lineup. Washington has had three solid rotations but is heading to their weakest event. Rutgers is having an awesome meet, and that series of stuck bars dismounts was so fun to watch. The Scarlet Knights need just a 49.000 on beam to secure their place at regionals – it’s time to hit.
Rotation 4: Washington VT, Ohio State UB, Rutgers BB, Nebraska FX
McWilliams (Washington): Yurchenko full with a pike down, drills the landing. 9.725
Washington (OSU): Maloney to pak, good. Blind full to double tuck, not much distance and steps back off the mat. 9.750
Rutgers and Nebraska are wearing basically identical leotards and it is driving me crazy.
Manifold (Rutgers): BHS LOSO, some soft knees. Cat leap to side aerial, good. Good splits on her jumps. Side aerial to 1.5 dismount, messy in the air but secure on the landing. 9.775
Jencks (Nebraska): Front layout to Rudi, great landing. High double tuck, super solid. 9.800
Lin (Washington): Yurchenko full, not much height off the table, hop back. 9.675
Walker (OSU): Blind change to piked jaeger, close catch. Pak with some leg form. Blind full to double tuck, sticks it. 9.750
Adrian (Rutgers): BHS LOSO, small adjustment. Front pike toss, solid. RO double twist dismount, super high and clean! Arm swing but holds the stick, fantastic. 9.875
Baechle (Nebraksa): 1.5 to front full, good form. Clean Rudi. 9.800
Innes (Washington): Yurchenko full with better height but a big pike down, hop back. 9.825
Pagliaro (Rutgers): Switch leap to switch half, tentative on the splits. BHS LOSO and she’s off – first fall of the night. Front gainer full dismount with a step. 9.200
Reutzel (OSU): Blind change to jaeger to overshoot, good height. Double layout with a step back. 9.675
Gard (Nebraska): Double tuck, underrotates with a step forward. Solid double pike to finish. 9.750
Bolden (Washington): Yurchenko full, leg separation and a hop. 9.775
Rains (Rutgers): Clean BHS LOSO, small adjustment. Front aerial, good. Great lines throughout. Gainer full with a hop – just what they needed after the fall from Pagliaro! 9.800
Vetter (OSU): Huge Tkatchev. Clear hip to bail, good handstand. Drills the full in, high and stuck. 9.900
Homecillo (Nebraska): Double pike with a small stumble back. 1.5 to front layout, very good. Double tuck with a bounce back. 9.775
Mouyenga (Washington): Yurchenko full, leg form on the table but a stick! The Huskies will be happy with that. 9.775
Rader (OSU): Maloney to Pak, some leg form. Double layout, lands short with a deep step forward. 9.800
Riley (Rutgers): BHS LOSO, hip break and really fights to stay on – saves it! Clean side aerial. Solid landing on her dismount, great to see that fight when it really counts for her team. 9.775
Spence (Nebraska): Double pike with a hop. Good splits in her dance series. Front tuck through to double tuck, a little out of control on the landing but covers it well. 9.875
McDonough (Washington): Highest, cleanest yurchenko full in the lineup – some pike down and a small hop. 9.775
Dildy (Rutgers): Front pike toss to BHS, slow connection but clean. Cat leap to switch side, great split. Small bobble on her full turn. Sticks her dismount – needed a hit and she delivered! They will drop Pagliaro’s fall. 9.850
Parks (OSU): Toe on, Maloney, Pak – some leg form. Double layout, short with a lunge forward. 9.600
McClelland (Nebraska): Front double twist, high with some leg form. Rudi to LOSO, great height, lean back on the landing. Good finish, a fun high-energy routine to close out the competition! 9.900
FINAL: Ohio State 196.250, Rutgers 196.225, Nebraska 196.175, Washington 196.125
What a close meet! Ohio State didn’t end on the best note with a 48.875 on bars, but those beam and floor rotations were excellent. I’m not sure this score will hold up through the next two sessions, but it was a strong performance nonetheless. Nebraska was expected to be the team to beat in this session, but it didn’t look quite as sharp tonight. Spence was brilliant as always, but the Huskers will want to work on landings before regionals.
Washington has been getting better and better this season, and posted a season high total tonight. Regionals is still a tall order – they would need mistakes from other teams – but tonight was a performance to be proud of.
Rutgers should be thrilled with today’s showing – it was clean, consistent, and showed great recovery after a beam fall in a critical moment. The Scarlet Knights will make their first regionals appearance since 2014 – congratulations to them!
Let’s hope the next two sessions will be as exciting as this one! We’ll be live blogging again tomorrow, and both sessions will be shown on BTN.
VT: Kaitlyn Grimes (Ohio State) – 9.850
UB: Emma Spence (Nebraska) – 9.975
BB: Sophia McClelland (Nebraska) – 9.950
FX: Rylee Guevara, Tory Vetter (Ohio State), Emily Innes (Washington), Sophia McClelland (Nebraska) – 9.900
AA: Emma Spence (Nebraska) – 39.575
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Live blog by Sophie Poirier
