High Scores Reign as Perfection Populates
Now over a month into the season, teams are settling into lineups, getting comfortable, making adjustments, and finally putting up noteworthy totals on a regular basis. Perfect 10s became a lot more popular this weekend, as the sport’s stars shone bright while pushing their programs to key wins.
Meet of the Week
Oklahoma at Florida
The marquee matchup of the weekend lived up to the hype, as the top-ranked Sooners took down No. 5 Florida on its home turf for a critical SEC victory. After the Gators opened the door in the first rotation with a sub-49 total on vault, Oklahoma seized all the momentum at the end of the second as Addison Fatta stuck her Yurchenko one and a half on vault for the first perfect 10 of her career. Aside from vault, it was competitive between the pair of conference frontrunners elsewhere, as Florida ultimately lost by half a point.
Other contenders: Missouri at Kentucky, Washington at Ohio State, NC State at North Carolina
Gymnast of the Week
Kailin Chio, LSU
Helping finish off the Tigers’ win over visiting Auburn, Chio rocked her floor routine for the first perfect score of her career on the event and matched Jordan Chiles’ nation-leading all-around total of 39.875. Chio’s evening also included near-perfect marks on vault and beam, and now sits just a bars 10 away from completing a career gymslam in just her sophomore campaign.
Other contenders: Jordan Chiles (UCLA), Maggie Slife (Air Force)
Performance of the Week
Utah
After a less-than-ideal first month of the season that saw the Red Rocks only break into the 197s once, the Utes are now members of the 198-club following a complete performance against BYU. Highlighted by a perfect score from Avery Neff on bars, Utah put up a nation-leading 49.75 on bars and a sturdy 49.55 on floor—its trouble event thus far—to showcase that potential this team has. The Utes are still dangerous; this is the type of outing we expect from the program that has never failed to reach nationals.
Other contenders: Southern Utah, LIU
Outrageous Moment of the Week
Chio getting a 10 on floor, and then not getting a 10, and then ultimately getting a 10 in LSU’s win over Auburn. Apparently, one judge accidentally flashed a 9.95 despite entering a 10, triggering much confusion over the floor total.
Hidden Gem of the Week
Cortland at Ithaca
The meet of the week at the Division III level brought together two squads destined for highlight performances, as each program set, at least, a new season best. En route to its best total, Ithaca finished its final home meet of the season with a new school record on floor of 48.95, and Grace Murray hit 9.7 on her front pike half on vault—the only one being competed in DIII. Winning the meet with a new program-best was Cortland, who showcased a balanced attack on the road to shatter the previous top mark by over seven-tenths and notch a trio of event winners.
Other contenders: Kate Clairmont (Gustavus)
Viral Moment of the Week
It’s now clear where Missouri gets its knack for sticking from, as head coach Shannon Welker showcased a stuck standing back tuck in blue jeans and tennis shoes ahead of the Tigers’ tight victory at Kentucky. It should come as no surprise, though, as Welker was an All-American himself at the University of Illinois-Chicago.
Other contenders: Iowa chanting “9.95” after Aurélie Tran’s stuck Yurchenko full on vault.
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Article by Brandis Heffner
Florida ultimately lost by half a point (.50), not half a tenth (.05).