Conference championship season kicks off this afternoon with session one of the GEC Championships, hosted by Penn! This first session features four of the eight teams in the conference, with the top-scoring team setting the bar for the evening session and potentially shaking up the final standings.
Cornell enters as the favorite, ranking highest among the session one teams at No. 61. The Big Red has been especially strong on floor all season, but bars and beam have been inconsistent. Beam has shown flashes of potential, highlighted by a season-high 48.650, while bars has struggled to break the mid-48s since midseason. A complete performance across all four events will be crucial if Cornell wants to position itself as a contender heading into the evening session.
While Cornell is the frontrunner, the other three teams shouldn’t be counted out. William & Mary has surpassed the 193 mark twice this season, showing it has the scoring potential to contend. West Chester has been consistently hovering around the 191 range, and SCSU has plenty of lineup depth to put together its best performance of the year.
No matter the outcome, session one sets the stage for an exciting day of competition—let’s see who comes out on top!
Rotation 1: W&M VT, SCSU UB, Cornell BB, WCU FX
Burd (W&M): Yurcehnko full and just a step forward, great! 9.525.
Axell (SCSU): Geinger to shootover, a little loose but makes it around. Short on that last handstand and blind full, out of control to double tuck, lands really squatty. 7.950.
Byun (Cornell): Front toss, nice. BHS LOSO , super solid. Hitch kick to switch side, nice. Dismounts STUCK 1.5! What a lead off for Cornell!
Stoner (WCU): 9.575 lead off on floor!
Blatchford (W&M): Yurchenko tucked full and just a step to the side, great vault! 9.550.
Kokaly (Cornell): Up after a long wait, but no problem on her BHS LOSO. Side aerial, nice. A little ‘crooked’ on the swich side but good. BHS 1.5 tucked and stuck!!!! 9.725.
Keener (WCU): Front double full, really clean. Switch half to wolf full, great. Back 1.5 to front layout, good control on that landing and goes into third pass, a stuck front rudi! Great routine for WCU! 9.775.
Fitzgerald (SCSU): Blind to piked Jaeger right to shoot over and hits the floor. Ends double back to close. 9.500.
Kuper (W&M): Yurchenko half and just a hop back! 9.625
Cascadden (WCU): Short double pike. Falls on her second pass but is back up moving into third pass with a back 1.5 to front tuck, ends really squatty. 9.000.
Gao (W&M): Strong Yurchenko 1.5 just a hop back! 9.775.
Christenser (SCSU): Up with a blind to straddle Jaeger, shoot over, hits her feet a little, double layout, pikes down that ladning but the best routine for this lineup so far! 9.425.
Shambo (Cornell): BHS LOSO, little balance check. Side aerial. Switch switch, nice and a Gainer pike off the end with a small hop on that landing! 9.650.
Burke (W&M): Closes out a great rotation for W&M with a Yurchenko half and a small hop forward! 9.800.
Dinisoe (SCSU): Shootover, right on top of the bar, saves it to a sit up, toe on, pike half to dismount. 9.475.
McFarland (WCU): Front thru to double tuck and it out of bounds. Nice leaps down to middle. Double pike, clean landing to end! 9.750.
Tehrani (Cornell): Solid series to open. Switch half to beat jump, great. Switch leap to split half and a great dismount. 9.750.
Munshi (SCSU): Ray a little close with bent legs, but goes into a nice shoot over, little legs apart but ends solid double layout, just a hop on that landing. 9.475.
Kelly (WCU): Great front layout to front rudi, really nice. Loving this choreo! So fun! Front layout to front full, hop back. 9.600.
Beers (Cornell): Front toss and is off the beam. Really uncharacteristic for her. BHS LOSO, solid. Switch leap to straddle 1/2, big wobble, just looks a little off. Dismounts with a stuck Gainer full off the side. 8.975.
Burton (Cornell): Perfect front aerial to side aerial wow. Switch leap to split jump, nice. Front toss, a little wobble. Dismounts round off 1.5 small hop forward.
Sitty (SCSU): Toe handstand Geinger to shoot over, a little loose on both. Dismounts double layout hop back and doesn’t have to count that early mistake in the lineup! 9.450.
Sullivan (WCU): Front rudi to double stag jump, nice. Switch side to straddle 1/2, nice. Round off LOSO into dance. Another super fun routine!! Love this energy. Solid front layout to front jump, jump series a little under rotated, but a great anchor routine! 9.650.
AFTER ONE: W&M 48.500, SCSU 47.325, Cornell 48.475, WCU 48.350
William and Mary came out extremely strong in this first rotation with its best vaults of the year! Extremely clean landings and big vaults to get them started at this championship to but them in the lead after rotation one! The other three teams had a couple early mistakes, but the rest of the lineup were able to bounce back and give them a strong starting score as they head into their second rotation! SCSU was able to get through bars which has been an event they struggled on this season, but is now able to build off this score. Likewise, Cornell started its day on beam, statistically its lowest of the season, but started with a strong 48+ score to begin its day.
Rotation 2: WCU VT, W&M UB, SCSU BB, Cornell FX
Sullivan (WCU): Yurchenko layout, big leg separation but sticks it! 9.575.
Michelini (Cornell): Double tuck to open but puts her hands down on that. Back 1.5 to front half to end. 9.075.
Keane (WCU): Yurchenko layout, hop to the side.
A hit first routines from Zebdi and Kuper (9.525)!
Damiano (SCSU): Front aerial, breaks the connection to BHS. Good leap conenction. Repeats the series and makes it in the middle, really smart. Almost off on her full turn. Dismounts Gainer pike and lands on the side of the mat and is almost donwn.
Gao (W&M): Clear hip to Geinger, nice. Pak down, good, a little loose. Solid last handstand, blind full to a stuck double tuck!
McFarland (WCU): Solid Yurchenko tuck full! 9.600.
Blatchford (W&M): Pretty Jaeger to shoot over, great. Dismounts blind full to double tuck. STUCK! Wow! 9.850!
Harada (WCU): Big Yurchenko layout full! 9.625.
DeFransico (Cornell): Another long wait but is up with a big double tuck, nice. Front full to layout, nice. 9.650.
Carroll (WCU): Yurchenko layout, a little short 9.200
Stanfa (SCSU): BHS BHS LOSO, really nice. Switch to leap to 1/4 jump, nice. Round off 1.5 with two hops to the side. 9.525.
Bare (W&M): BIG Tkachev to shootover, and a stuck double tuck! WOW! 9.675.
Wozniak (W&M): Blind full to Geinger, slips off but hangs on with one arm wow. Dismounts with a stuck double layout, way to come back! 8.925.
Melanson (SCSU): Really pretty movement to start off. Cat leap to front aerial to BHS and is off on that. Back up with a switch leap to straddle 1/4 and is almost off. Holds onto her side aerial, ends with a cartwheel tucked 1.5, hop forward. 8.900.
Gruber (WCU): Yurchenko layout and stuck landing! 9.450.
Whitaker (Cornell): Huge front layout to rudi to stag jump. Torjete tuck 1.5. Double tuck, really nice to close. 9.825.
Ngo (W&M): A little more pressure from the last, but a solid first four routines for W&M so just one more to go! Geinger and is off. Shoot over from swings and dismounts stuck double tuck. 8.550.
Lee (SCSU): Falls on that full turn to start. Front toss to sissone to switch half, hard combo but gets the connection. Front aerial to BHS nice series. Dismounts to front Gainer full off the side. 9.250.
Rothstein (Cornell): Opens up front through to double tuck, really nice. Second pass a huge double pike, really controlled landing on that. 9.875.
Beers (Cornell): Huge stuck double tuck to open. Switch half to straddle full straddle full, nice. Second pass, front thru to double pike, really great ending. 9.875.
AFTER TWO: WCU 96.300, W&M 96.100, SCSU 94.225, Cornell 97.475
Cornell is running away with the lead after this second rotation after an early fall in the lead off spot on floor. Capped with a pair of 9.875s from Rothstein and Beers, Cornell will move into the lead by more than a point at the half way mark. William and Mary began bars extremely strong, but with two major mistakes in the final two up, they drop back a bit, but aren’t out yet. West Chester had a solid vault rotation, scoring its second 47+ score of a 47.800 to but them in second! SCSU struggled a bit on this rotation, having to count two falls but is moving to floor where they have been strong, so they will be looking to make uo some ground as they go into the final two.
Rotation 3: Cornell VT, WCU UB, W&M BB, SCSU FX
Rothstein (Cornell): huge Yurchenko full hop back. 9.700
Vargo (WCU): Hit first routine for the Golden Rams! 9.400.
Wilson (SCSU): Double tuck ,really nice. Back 1.5 to front half to switch jump. Good end! 9.600.
Whitaker (Cornell): Big Yurchenko tucked full, just a step back.
Harada (WCU): Big Tkachev to start, nice! Shoot over, a little low but keeps it moving to a blind full to double tuck stuck! 9.525.
Faulkner (W&M): Solid BHS LOSO. Switch leap to split jump. Split 3/4, great extension on those. Side aerial, solid. Gainer full of the side stuck! 9.800!
Kelly (SCUS): Ends with a front layout to full to front tuck to close a hit routine. 9.700
Jhaveri (Cornell): Yurchenko full, nice! Small hop back. 9.625.
Ringas (WCU): Nice Geinger, a little close but a solid shoot over right to handstand. Dismounts double layout stuck!! Great routine! 9.700.
Royer (SCSU): Good opening pass really controlled landing. Ends with a front rudi to split jump, really nice. 9.750
Blatchford (W&M): BHS BHS LOSO, solid. Side aerial, really nice. Switch leap to split jump. Gainer full off the Gainer, maybe a hop in place. 9.700.
Beers (Cornell): stuck Yurchenko full! 9.850.
Eskew (WCU): Cast over on the girs handstand but makes her Geinger right to a Pak, beautiful. Blind full to a double tuck, step back but comes back strong! 8.900.
Ngo (W&M): BHS LOS, nice. Switch leap to straddle half, nice. Side aerial, good. Gainer full off the side stuck! 9.700.
Coleman (WCU): Blind to straddle Jaeger right to shoot over. Blind full to double tuck, really nice with a step back. 9.625.
Zebdi (SCSU): Opens double tuck, nice. Good leaps into second pass. Front full front tuck, a little low but keeps it up. Ends front rudi to split jump, nice. 9.750.
Gao (W&M): Solid BHS LOSO, really nice. Standing LOSO, perfect. Switch straddle 1/2 to beat jump, great. Dismounts with a round off 1.5 and just a step forward. Great routine for the Tribe! 9.600.
Beyer (SCSU): Opens with a solid double tuck. Goes into second pass back 1.5 to front layout, nice, almost out but saves it. Third pass a front rudi, another solid routine for the Owls! 9.775.
McGuinn (WCU): Shoot over nice, back up, blind to straddle Jaeger, falls on that. Remounts with a blind to toe on front dismount. 8.675.
Frazier (W&M): BHS LOSO, takes a step back but no wobbles. Switch leap to split jump, a little adjustment on that. Front toss to scale, great on that. Side facing split 1/2, great. Dismounts with a stuck 1.5 !! 9.600
Allen (SCSU): Big double pike, great landing. Right into second pass, front layout to front full, another really nice landing. Switch side to straddle full, good. Last pass, double tuck, wow what a routine for SCSU! 9.825
AFTER THREE:
The most solid rotation for SCSU this competition with a big 48.800 on the floor! WCU had to count a fall on bars in the final few routines, but is still in the mix as they head into the final rotation on beam. An outstanding rotation for both W&M on beam with a 48.400 and for Cornell on vault with antoher 48.400, the highest with a 9.850 for Beers in the anchor spot. Cornell still leads the way by a little less than a point over Willam and Mary and will be looking to end this meet strong on bars to clinch the first session win.
Rotation 4: SCSU VT, Cornell UB, WCU BB, W&M FX
Zebdi (SCSU): Yurchenko tucked full, good landing on that. 9.550.
Byun (Cornell): Maloney to shoot over and hits her feet on that. Dismounts blind full to double tuck 8.450
Keane (WCU): BHS BHS LOSO, great triple series. Switch leap to split jump, nice. Front walkover, nice. Missed the dismount but a hit routine for WCU in the lead odd! 9.850
Vetrano (W&M): Front layout to front full, nice. Good leaps down the middle. Second pass a double tuck a little out of control on that landing but stays in. 9.550
Kelly (SCSU): Tsuk tuck full, nice! 9.675
Tehrani (Cornell): Mounts with a clear hip to Geinger to shoot over, a little loose. Dismounts with a double layout. 9.500
Bracher (SCSU): Yurchenko layout full, a little messy in the air but puts it to her feet with just a step on the landing. 9.500
Wood (W&M): Coming in at the second pass but good so far, second pass, front rudi, nice to end! 9.675
Wilson (SCSU): Yurchenko full, hop forward, but nice. 9.525
Beers (Cornell): In bar Tkachev, nice and a great shoot over. dismounts with a toe on front pike half step back on that but a great way to close out her day! 9.450
Sitty (SCSU): Yurchenko full on tuck off, nice vault for the Owls ! 9.725.
Kelly (WCU): BHS to side aerial really nice. Split jump to double ring stag jump. Really beautiful on this event! Cartwheel Gainer full off the side stuck, really nice! 9.850
Ruedy (W&M): Great front layout to full. Switch half to straddle full, wolf full, good rotation on that. Rudi to close this routine! 9.675
Penzi (W&M): Solid double pike to open. Switch half to straddle full, good rotation on that. Second pass back 1.5 to front layout went down a little on that layout. Fun dive roll in the middle. Ends with STUCK double tuck! 9.700
Rothstein (Cornell): Geinger and is off. Closes with a double layout, good finish. 8.725.
Dorr (SCSU): Yurchenko tuck full to close. 9.725.
Shambo (Cornell): Straddle Jaeger, shoot over nice. Stuck double layout to end! 9.750
McGuinn (WCU):Switch leap to straddle 1/4, nice. Front aerial to back tuck, great connection on that. Dismounts with a round off 1.5, nice!! 9.650
Burke (W&M): big double tuck, out of bounds. Front layout to front full stuck! Strong routine in this fifth spot! 9.475
Jhaveri (Cornell): Dismounts with a blind full double tuck and a hop forward. 9.650
Marshall (WCU): Nice leaps to start off. BHS LOSO solid. Side aerial, just a little adjustment. Switch leap to Gainer pike off the end, really unique close to this! 9.750
Ngo (W&M): Huge front rudi to start. Switch side to straddle full to wolf full, a little under rotated on that. Beautiful round off 1.5 to front layout! 9.725
McFarland (WCU): BHS LOSO big wobble but keeps it on. Side aerial, good. Switch leap to split 1.2, solid landing on that. Dismounts with a round off 1.5 just a hop on that! 9.600
FINAL: William and Mary 192.975, Cornell 192.925, WCU 192. 275, SCSU 191.175
William and Mary comes away with the wind in this final session! Even though statistically, it was expected to be Cornell coming away to hope to keep the title into the night session, William and Mary had an outstanding vault rotation to begin their competition and ended strong on both beam and floor. Cornell had some unfortunate mistakes in the last rotation that caused them this final spot, losing the lead to the Tribe less than a tenth. West Chester and Southern both had some mistakes along the way, but ended strong to finish out their competition! Come back for the night session to see who takes home the GEC Title!
Event winners as of now going into the night session
VT: Sydney Beers Cornell 9.850
UB: Caroline Blatchford W&M 9.850
BB: McCarthy Keane WCU, Emma Grace Kelly WCU 9.850
FX: Sydney Beers, Addy Rothstein Cornell 9.875
AA: Sydney Beers Cornell 38.150
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Live Blog by Julianna Roland
