Upsets Aplenty in Title Bouts as Perfect 10s Pour In
Two of the four Power Four conference championships ended in upset fashion, as conference championship weekend brought the drama all day Saturday. Perfect scores factored into the excitement, with double-digit 10.0s awarded to various title-winners.
Meet of the Week
ACC Championship
Stanford has become synonymous with peaking in the postseason this decade and added to the trend at its first ACC Championship, taking home the title in upset fashion, defeating top-seeded and top-10 California. The Golden Bears had topped the Cardinal three times already in 2025, but Stanford won the Bay Area rivalry when it mattered most, with freshman Ui Soma earning her first perfect score on bars and Taralyn Nguyen nearly doing the same on vault to lead Stanford to victory. Fan-favorite Lali Dakanoidze of North Carolina also made history, as she notched a long-awaited 10 on bars to tie Soma for the event title and push the Tar Heels to a huge 197.225—good for third-place and third-best score in school history.
Other contenders: The new two-day and three-session Big Ten Championship was one to remember, as the conference brought excitement all weekend long. That culminated in a final session where Michigan State’s massive 198.150 was bested by UCLA’s 198.450, thanks to a bevy of perfect scores from both programs. Finally earning a 10.0 for her floor set was Brooklyn Moors, joining Jordan Chiles’ perfect score on the same event and Ciena Alipio’s first career 10.0 over on beam. Tying Alipio for the beam title was Spartan Gabrielle Stephen, the first in school history to reach perfection on the event.
Gymnast of the Week
Haleigh Bryant, LSU
The battle for the SEC title was more hotly contested than ever with the addition of six-time NCAA champion Oklahoma, but that was no issue for Haleigh Bryant who helped defend LSU’s league championship by taking home the all-around title with a 39.725. Despite only returning to all four events in recent weeks after dealing with injury, Bryant topped a field that included 10 of the top 14 ranked all-arounders in the country, showcasing exactly why she’s the reigning AAI and Honda Award winner. We should expect nothing less from the reigning NCAA all-around champion as she gears up for the postseason.
Other contenders: Propelling Central Michigan to the MAC title this year was Hannah Appleget, who took home the all-around title and tied her career-best in her final appearance with the Chippewas as a team, making for an emotional podium ceremony. Outside of conference championships, Oregon State’s Jade Carey continues to stay hot in the all-around with a giant 39.850 over the weekend.
Performance of the Week
Florida, Bars
Dealing with injuries much of her collegiate career, former World Champion Riley McCusker finally got her flowers over the weekend, tying teammate and fellow World Champion Leanne Wong for the SEC bars title with the first perfect 10 of her career. Both helped push Florida to a fantastic bars total of 49.850, good for best ever in NCAA history, alongside Alyssa Arana, Selena Harris-Miranda, Skye Blakely, and Anya Pilgrim. The lowest score of the rotation was a 9.9.
Other contenders: It was actually a three-way tie for the SEC bars crown, as Missouri’s Mara Titarsolej earned perfection on the event for the second time in her career, helping the Tigers finish fourth place in the league. Penn’s Skyelar Kerico, no stranger to this honor, won the GEC all-around title with a program and conference record 39.425. Hitting 196 for the second time this season was Illinois State who took home the MIC title.
Outrageous Moment of the Week
Two things can be true at once. Yes, teams are peaking ahead of the postseason, and yes, too many 9.9-plus scores were awarded during conference championship weekend. While some 10.0s were legit, not all 10.0s are created equal, and with expanded judges panels for the postseason, the hope was the judging would get better, not worse, with trophies on the line.
Other contenders: Math is hard. During the broadcast of the Big Ten Championship, a graphic was displayed during the final rotation stating that Michigan State’s Nikki Smith needed a 10.025 on bars to win the all-around title.
Hidden Gem of the Week
Just years after nearly a complete rebuild after much of the coaching staff and key roster pieces left for a new program, Utah State regained its status as a mid-major powerhouse after taking home a hotly contested Mountain West Conference title over favorite Boise State. Furthermore, the Aggies secured a bid to regionals after beginning the weekend on the bubble.
Other contenders: The EAGL Championship was one of the unpredictable meets of the weekend, and helping George Washington to victory was perennial darkhorse Kendall Whitman, who took home the event title on her signature event—floor. Performing one of the nation’s most difficult routines with a pair of E-passes, Whitman is hitting her stride just in time to make a run for nationals.
Viral Moment of the Week
Temple’s Krystin Johnson has gone viral all year long with her Kenrick Lamar floor routine. This week, her mom went viral, dancing along to Johnson’s choreography in entertaining fashion.
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Article by Brandis Heffner
