It’s senior night in Minneapolis, and the Golden Gophers are set to host a promising quad meet. Minnesota comes in on paper as the favorite, maintaining a top 20 by NQS ranking across all four events, capping out at sixth for its star-studded beam lineup. Seven have competed on beam this year, and all seven have notched a 9.925 or higher; watch for the trio of Sarah Moraw, Lauren Pearl, and Brooklyn Rowray aiming to best already lofty career highs in their last meet at the Maturi Pavilion. Iowa joins the quad meet as Minnesota’s closest competitor, rounding out the top 20 teams by NQS. Its opportunity to lead hinges on a strong bars rotation, led by all-around phenom Aurélie Tran. If a second push is needed, the Hawkeyes can count on it to come from floor. A 9.900 or higher this afternoon for JerQuavia Henderson would be her fourth in a row on floor, where she’s known for peaking at the right time. Illinois’ Chloe Cho is one of many serious underclassmen all around title contenders today, seemingly unfazed by team inconsistencies. Northern Illinois, joining as the only non-Big Ten team, has plenty of high-risk, high-reward specialists looking to leverage power four scoring potential, notably Alanah Wallace and Makenna Brooks on floor.
For fans watching the qualification bubble: Illinois has the potential to swing as high as No. 35, or as low as No. 45, with its remaining two meets. Going north of 196 today will guarantee a 196+ score to count in its NQS formula.
The meet will be streamed on B1G+, and scores can be found on Virtius. Not a B1G+ subscriber? Sign up today for the monthly pass with the code COLLEGEGYM3 for just $10.99/month (regularly $12.99/month)!
Rotation 1: Minnesota VT, Illinois UB, Iowa BB, NIU FX
Stewart (UMN): big Y1.5, steps forward. 9.825
Brown (ILL): muscles up her first handstand into the clear hip geinger bail series. very efficient routine, takes it to a clean DLO with a step back. 9.575
Ball (IOWA): bhs loso with the tiniest of checks. clean split jump series. bhs gainer full lands like a dart. 9.775
Sallee (NIU): joining after her first pass, clean tour jete half to Popa. pressure is definitely on, as her team is going five up. rudi to back tuck and a straddle jump. 9.675
Moraw (UMN): y full, flares it and finds the stick! way to start off her senior night. 9.900
Denning (ILL): joining in time for her stuck DLO. 9.700
Volpe (IOWA): long wait, stream checks in on her waiting intermittently. fell earlier while the stream wasn’t showing. we joined for a clean roundoff tucked 1.5. 9.050
Harbeck (NIU): starts with a controlled fhs rudi to back tuck, and moves through her dance calmly. switch side to Popa get great lift too. front tuch through to double pike with a low chest, but moves out of it without any hassle. 9.600
Crump (UMN): on the replay, we see a compact y1.5 with a step forward. 9.825
Dixon (ILL): strong tapping giants to a stuck DLO. 9.650
Nickle (NIU): very dramatic If I Were a Rich Man playing in the back of the beam feed. 9.725
Nguyen (UMN): deep squat on the y1.5, and a serious step to the side. 9.500
Cho (ILL): near-stuck DLO on the replay. 9.800
White (NIU): quick glimpse of her double tuck on the replay, low chest but stands it up fast. 9.725
Tyson (IOWA): conference for Volpe delays her routine. bhs bhs loso with some closed shoulders in each spring, but lands the layout beyond easily. split to split half go past 180. small hop forward on her roundoff 1.5. 9.850
Gerdes (UMN): y1.5 with one tiny step forward. 9.900
Saltness (ILL): big release series, nails her blind full to double tuck as if to say “watch me”. 9.900
Tran (IOWA): front aerial bhs, then a check on her switch to switch half. moves on like it’s nothing into her second leap series and low beam choreo. hops back on her gainer pike, on what looked like it was almost a stick. 9.600
Brooks (NIU): front full front layout with plenty of rebound to spare. 9.050
Ostrum (UMN): absolutely nails the landing on her y1.5, her team is cheering for 10s. just as I finish typing it she gets confirmation on the 10.000!
Clancy (ILL): toe hs Maloney with some bent elbows, and bail arrives a tad short. holds her toes down landing the DLO. 9.450
Turner (IOWA): candle, confident moving towards her skills but takes a check on her turn. gainer bhs, bhs, loso checks as well. switch and split go well pas 180 as per her usual, showing how comfortable she is on beam. bhs 1.5 sticks cold. 9.700
Schriever (IOWA): has the opportunity to erase a fall, and looks to be on her way with a hit bhs loso and front toss. switch switch series both float, allowing her to show off the 180’s. sticks her bhs gainer full! 9.875
DePaola(IOWA): exh — holds onto her bhs loso, and then again for her switch leap right after. comfortable again for her switch to straddle 1/4. large step back on her roundoff double full. 9.725
Rojas (IOWA): exh — bhs bhs loso rock solid! slow to connect the routine between skills, but for what it’s worth she’s not budging an inch on landings. sticks the gainer full as well. 9.825
AFTER ONE: Minnesota 49.450, Iowa 48.800, Illinois 48.625, NIU 47.775
Senior night started with a season high for the Golden Gophers, punctuated by a senior stick and freshman perfection. Iowa held their own on beam, though not without a few hops that added up to a 0.650 deficit they’ll have to build back on floor. Sophie Schriever came in clutch as the anchor for the Hawkeyes, nailing a 9.875 to right the course for her team. Illinois had a case of the bent elbows, with Lyden Saltness the only to hit the way the Illini were hoping for. NIU played the high risk game of putting up five routines, notably without Alanah Wallace. Counting a 9.050 set the Huskies back, and they’ll look to vault to rebuild.
Rotation 2: NIU VT, Minnesota UB, Iowa FX
Kauffman (ILL): looking calm as she approaches her series, and nails her front aerial to loso. switch to split also fluid. super elegant going up to releve in her y stand a la Anna Glen, then rocks a 1.5 dismount with only a small hop. 9.775
Gerdes (UMN): casted over her first handstand, then remounts for her toe hs Maloney. takes an empty swing in order to catch her bail. FTDT with a step back. 8.450
Nickle (NIU): does her absolute best to keep it to one step landing her Y full, but makes it two. 9.625
Tran (IOWA): fhs rudi loso floats right into her dance. switch ring half can be a trap sometimes but looks easy today. fhs lay to front full also hangs in the air. switch ring to switch full close out a stunning routine. 9.825
Saltness (ILL): joining the stream in time for her stuck gainer front full off the side. 9.825
Crump (UMN): drills her toe hs, Maloney Pak series, legs glued. BIG double layout, one step back. 9.825
Harbeck: Y full, stands it up quickly and takes one hop back. 9.725
Turner (IOWA): fun double wolf to start, and a textbook double pike with the lunge. switch half to two Popas extend with the same confidence her jumps to on beam. roundoff 1.5 to front lay just as calm as the rest of her routine. 9.825
Ostrum (UMN): blind half to piked Jaeger finds the bar easily, as does her Pak. cranks her giants to a stuck DLO, albeit with a low chest. 9.825
Coppola (ILL): hits her aerial series, and moves thorugh her switch to split and beat jump immaculately. aerial roundoff takes a small check, as its nearly impossible to avoid the low chest. small hop on her roundoff 1.5. 9.725
Tyson (IOWA): big fhs front double twist second pass, almost keeps twisting in her step out of it. 9.800
Slevin (UMN): Maloney Pak and making a clinic out of her handstands before nailing theVan Leeuwen. sticks the DLO too! 9.950
Clancy (ILL): stands up her aerial real fast and causes a check. bhs loso gets her back in the game. almost sticks her roundoff 1.5, takes a small hop forward. 9.725
Schriever (IOWA): roundoff whip rudi stays low but lands without any crunchiness. 9.625
Saltzmann (UMN): huge Jaeger and takes her bail to vertical. almost holds the stick on her DLO, hops forward. 9.775
Cho (ILL): moves quickly through her bhs loso, then takes her sweet time with her scale. takes a step back out of her roundoff 1.5. 9.825
Henderson (IOWA): sky high full in, only has to tuck the second salto and still has power to slide back. switch side to switch half and straddle, all hitting the same peak height. finishes with a front tuck through to double tuck. 9.800
Lyden (UMN): aggressive handstands! toe hs Maloney bail, and back up to the high bar before i can blink. nails the DLO. 9.950
DePaola (IOWA): fhs front double twist to an incredibly squared stag jump. fhs rudi loso not long after. switch full to Popa finish out her routine. 9.850
Nguyen (UMN): exh — jaeger to bail hits, strong giants to a near stuck DLO. 9.750
AFTER TWO: Minnesota 98.775, Iowa 97.900, Illinois and 97.625, NIU 96.275
We’re seeing the team picture separate, but more interestingly we’re getting a tight race for event titles this afternoon. Ostrum will guarantee at least a share of the vault title, while right now Emma Slevin and Jordan Lyden each sit at the top so far with a 9.950.
Rotation 3: Iowa VT, NIU UB, Minnesota BB, Illinois FX
Chambers (IOWA): clean y full to start, scoots her landing back. 9.775
Ostrum (UMN): bhs loso truly looks as if it’s on the floor. switch to straddle 1/4 never takes her eyes off the beam. mixed series with the aerial also lands smooth. bhs to gainer full takes the smallest of steps. 9.875
Riiff (NIU): takes a hard fall following her release. 8.825
Joelson (ILL): front tuck through to double tuck, super high energy. switch side to wolf full right in between more fun dance, and a deep landing on her double pike causing a bigger step backwards than she’d have liked. 9.675
Stewart (UMN): split jump to ring jump, front leg a little low. front aerial to bhs swing down, and transfers it to a wolf full. bhs gainer full with a small shuffle. 9.825
Turner (IOWA): sticks her Y1.5, and pretends to bowl a strike. 9.825
Coppola (ILL): huge 2.5 twist, and then takes her time getting lift for each jump. similar pass second, roundoff 1.5 to front full. 9.650
Harbeck (NIU): sticks her FTDT! 9.500
Moraw (UMN): bhs loso with a check, but fights calmly and wins. back in business for her aerial. flawless beat to straddle 3/4. bhs gainer full, third time’s the charm for sticking that dismount today. 9.850
Banks (ILL): punch front double twist, keeps it in bounds. switch full, wolf half(?) wolf full. if it wasn’t on purpose it was covered really well. clean roundoff 1.5 front lay to finish. 9.775
Tran (IOWA): sticks her y full. 9.825
Rowray (UMN): bhs loso and switch to split half magnet themselves to the beam for each landing. equally clean front toss. switch side with a bit of an eager landing, but solid nonetheless. sticks her front gainer 1/1! 9.925
Gow (ILL): joining partway through. almost sits her front double full, squats but keeps it on her feet. 9.700
Schriever (IOWA): sticks her y full on pike. missing some of the height we see from the Y fulls, as is the nature of twisting on. 9.925
Pearl (UMN): bhs loso clean as every other Minnesota beam-er. switch and straddle half also textbook. front aerial to beat again without any issues. small hesitation before her bhs gainer full, with a small slide. 9.900
King (ILL): clean double tuck opening her routine! second pass is a slightly undertwisted roundoff 1.5 to front full. 9.900
Henderson (IOWA): near stuck y full. 9.900
Lyden (UMN): candle mounts with her legs glued and wastes no time getting into her double wolf. bhs loso is a carbon copy of the others in her lineup. cat to switch side has a hesitant shape, but she redeems it with a stuck roundoff 1.5. 9.950
Cho (ILL): putting her all into her dance getting to her second corner. front tuck through to double tuck, scary landing taking a step back OOB. 9.700
West (NIU): big DLO, underrotated by a hair and makes her take an involuntary-looking step forward. 8.750
Gerdes (UMN): exh — clean front aerial, small hesitation before her bhs loso. small check on her split to double stag jump series. holds the stick on her bhs gainer full! 9.775
We’re seeing tons of hugs after each NIU routine, I wish we saw the actual gymnastics for context!
Slevin (UMN): exh — stunning candle mount, and switch to split series. bhs loso hits, and adds to the arsenal of hit acro series for the Golden Gophers. she jam packs her routine with a double wolf turn before nearly sticking her roundoff 1.5. 9.850
AFTER THREE: Minnesota 148.275, Iowa 147.175, Illinois 146.375, NIU 143.350
Minnesota notched a massive 49.500 on beam, with the cherry on top being that they have two exhibitions that could sub in on a moment’s notice. Lyden has two 9.950s in as many routines so far today, eyeing down a third as she’ll anchor floor. Iowa and Illinois are separating further with each rotation, but not without Eden King and her 9.900 putting up a worthy fight. We’ll also see Rachel Goldstein move into the lineup from her initial exhibition spot, replacing Cho on vault. NIU did nearly as well as they could have, but need to count Riiff’s 8.825 along with the core of 9.500-9.650 routines to scrape past a 47. Vault has been Iowa’s strongest event of the day, with three different vaults sticking in the middle of their lineup. They’re a healthy margin behind Minnesota, but are ranked 11th nationally on bars and ready to claw back for every tenth.
Rotation 4: Illinois VT, Iowa UB, NIU BB, Minnesota FX
Henderson (IOWA): toe hs Maloney with bent elbows, bail hs, clean handstands carry her giants to a stuck FTDT. 9.775
Saltzmann (UMN): roundoff bhs double pike, finds the ground easily before her lunge back. running fast into her front layout front full shortly after. switch half and Popa go past 180. double tuck sticks cold and seems to energize her dive roll to ending choreo. 9.925 in the leadoff!
Kauffmann (ILL): Y full, close to the table and has steps back. 9.725
Masella (IOWA): stuck DLO and a well deserved celebration. 9.925
Gerdes (UMN): getting right into her Phantom floor routine. front tuck through to double tuck, controlled as ever. switch ring to switch ring half both a little shy of the actual ring. double pike with a hop back closes her final routine at home. 9.775
Clancy (ILL): Y1.5, slightly underrotated and takes a step back. 9.800
Turner (IOWA): clean Maloney Pak, makes quick work of her routine. takes a small hop forward on her DLO. 9.800
Brooks (NIU): small hop forward on her roundoff 1.5. 9.550
Steensland (UMN): the crowd is backing her up and she nails her fhs rudi loso and triple jump series. even in her choreo between passes, she keeps Maturi engaged. roundoff 2.5 with a bit of a twisty step after. 9.825
Schriever (IOWA): Maloney Pak, catches the pak and almost kills the swing but keeps it going. Stuck toe front pike half. 9.825
Harbeck (NIU): nails her bhs bhs loso, and then sticks her ronudoff 1.5. She’s having quite the day! 9.725
Gonsiorowski (UMN): massive full in, keeps her knees and ankles locked together while twisting. front tuck through to double tuck also looking comfortable in the air before landing. switch side to Popa and straddle all get solid height at the end of her routine. 9.900
Bartlett (NIU): clean aerial, and split to straddle 1/2. missing some of the float in her roundoff 1.5, but gets the twisting done and takes a hop forward. 9.525
Ostrum (UMN): front tuck through to double tuck, sticks cold and then takes the lunge step almost ceremoneously. huge dance series. fhs rudi loso hangs in the air without compromising any of its rotation. 9.975
Sallee (NIU): clean aerial, gives herself time to find the beam. tiny shuffle on her roundoff 1.5. 9.625
Tran (IOWA): Maloney Pak and attacks her hadnstands. clean Van Leeuwen and then nearly sticks her DLO. 9.850
Lyden (UMN): can she make it three 9.950s in a row? she starts with a clean roundoff 1.5 front full and prances out of it right on cue. switch side and Popa also both hit. roundoff 2.5 closes out one of her best meets as a gopher. 9.875
Pearl (UMN): exh — huge lift in her roundoff 1.5 to front layout. easy through her leap combo, and all smiles. big double pike, touches but doesn’t pass the boundary. 9.775
Rowray (UMN): exh — final routine of the evening. super energetic fhs front lay to rudi. fhs front lay front full and a switch side to straddle half finish her strong exhibition routine. 9.850
FINAL: Minnesota 197.775, Iowa 196.375, Illinois 195.150, NIU 191.400
Minnesota nabs a season high on senior night, and their sixth 197+ score of 2026. They’re hungry for a big ten title, and used today no doubt as a final tune up before facing Iowa and Illinois again this coming Friday. Iowa had a par for the course meet, continuing to rake in their reliably big event scores from their trio of all arounders. Illinois may have to do some shuffling if Cho remains out next week, with Rachel Goldstein looking like the next in line for multiple events. Northern Illinois didn’t have the day it was hoping for, but will no doubt take Harbeck’s ability to stay cool under pressure and try to clone it across their lineups for MAC championships next weekend.
VT: Arianna Ostrum (Minnesota): 10.000
UB: Emma Slevin (Minnesota), Jordan Lyden (Minnesota): 9.950
BB: Jordan Lyden (Minnesota): 9.950
FX: Arianna Ostrum (Minnesota): 9.975
AA: Arianna Ostrum (Minnesota): 39.675
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Live blog by Peri Goodman
