In the first edition of this new championship meet, introduced to replace the now-defunct USAG championship, Texas Woman’s dominated as expected, and Morgan Price made even more history. I’ll be doing a special, bonus mini-edition of QCC today, recapping the action as well as my continuing confusion about this competition’s whole deal.
Question: So, who’s actually eligible for this thing?
It’s so bizarre to me that we still didn’t know this before the meet, and barely know it now. They never felt like it was important information to share? The list of USAGs teams was a little clunky, sure, but I could at least explain it to others relatively easily back when I was the USAG editor. Now, we’re working with a slightly inconsistent mix of assumptions. From what we have been able to find out, it’s based on a mixture of scholarships (no more than the equivalent of six full scholarships) and the previous season’s final team rankings (No. 50 and below).
And honestly, given that this meet now isn’t affiliated with either the NCAA or USAG, who’s preventing it from allowing Fisk and Wilberforce to participate fully? Fisk would definitely have a chance to qualify for the final. I hope there’s a real reason that it’s actually impossible to include these two rather than just being arbitrary.
Bonus Question:
Can Alaska make more of an impact? I was really excited to see what Alaska, which didn’t participate in the USAG meet, could contribute. The Seawolves definitely have the talent level to have threatened for the team final, but a rough outing on bars left them with their second-lowest team total of the year. Let’s hope for a revenge campaign in 2026.
Comment: Texas Woman’s really is that good.
We’ve seen a lot of championship greatness from the Pioneers over the years, but this year has still been really special. As much as there wasn’t really a world in which another team won this meet, it was great to see Texas Woman’s totally dominate and set a high standard for this new era of its championship history.
Recruiting has been a strength for the Pioneers for some time (and continues to be), but I’m especially intrigued by the role that transfers have played in the last few years. There have been some great Texas Woman’s transfers in the past, most recently Alix Pierce, who came from Seattle Pacific after that team was cut. But four in the last two years is much more than we’ve previously seen, and they’ve been making an impact. Kaitlyn Hoiland, a senior transfer from Oregon State, led the WCGNIC on bars this year and then closed her career with an individual title no the event. Emma Brkljacic (previously Northern Illinois) and Trinity Caffey (previously Lindenwood) were also weekly contributors in 2025. It’s exciting to see talent from a range of backgrounds shining in this environment, and I’m excited to see if Texas Woman’s continues to profit from the portal with one of the most active offseasons in history likely about to begin.
As much as these veterans have contributed, TWU is in some ways a surprisingly young team; all of its signature floor lineup returns next year, with five of six routines currently coming from underclasswomen. My takeaway from this is that it’s not going to be any easier to beat the Pioneers in 2026.
Bonus Comments:
Shout out to SEMO for that finals performance. Someone had to make it at least a little bit difficult for Texas Woman’s, and a season high on the biggest stage is a big achievement and a fitting farewell to a senior class that has made such a huge impact in Cape Girardeau.
Concern: Who’s going to step up and make this more competitive next year?
The magic of the old USAG meet came from how close it often was and how fired up everyone so obviously was for that championship opportunity. (Remember 2023, when everyone in the final scored within half a point?) It’s hard not to miss Lindenwood and Air Force, not to mention the Ivy League.
I definitely have hope that WCGNICs will recapture some of that old energy over time, and some of that might come from teams continuing to improve. SEMO showed that it’s still able to turn it up and make a big impact in the finals, and I like Bridgeport’s trajectory and West Chester’s signing class a lot.
The wild card could be teams who didn’t compete this year but who are eligible under the “previous season’s final team rankings” part of the eligibility rules. If, as we’re imagining, some lower-ranked DI teams might be eligible, will any of them choose to enter and contend in the coming years?
Bonus Concerns:
Is SCSU going to be okay without that senior class? Fourteen seniors are graduating this year, 11 of which competed this year. Three freshmen are coming in. They’re good freshmen, don’t get me wrong, but what an adjustment it’s going to be.
READ THIS NEXT: TWU Defines Its Legacy With 13th National Title at Reimagined Championship
Article by Rebecca Scally
