Time for the Big Ten showdown: the third and final session of the Big Ten Championship, where a winner will be crowned after an exciting season. UCLA looks to defend last year’s title and is in a prime position to do so after going undefeated in the conference to claim the regular-season crown. The Bruins have been steady all season, aside from a blip at Big Fours that led to a season low. If they hit their usual marks, the title is theirs, but there is little room for error.
Minnesota ranks fourth in the conference by NQS but boasts the second-best high score behind UCLA with a 197.825. The Gophers could challenge for the title, though most of their big scores have come at home; they’ve only broken 197.000 once on the road. Freshman Arianna Ostrum has emerged as a key contributor after a perfect vault last week, and strong routines from her tonight could be pivotal.
Michigan is more of a wildcard. The Wolverines’ season high of 197.475 doesn’t match the top contenders, but their consistent scores give them an NQS ranked No. 10 nationally and No. 2 in the conference. Their challenge is putting together a complete meet: while they’ve scored over 49.400 on every event, they’ve never done it on more than two events in the same meet. Anchoring the beam lineup and closing out the meet with Kayli Boozer, who regularly posts 9.900-plus, could make the difference.
Michigan State started the season quietly, but recent scores of 197.500 and 197.700 show it is peaking at the right time. With Olivia Zsarmani back in the all-around last week, the Spartans are dangerous, and a strong closing vault rotation could put them in contention for an upset. They’re currently ranked No. 11 nationally, and can secure or improve that position with a 197.550 or higher tonight.
This meet will be streamed on the Big Ten Network, and scores can be found on StatBroadcast.
Here are the current leaders and the scores to beat from sessions one and two:
Team: Iowa – 196.700
All-Around: Aurélie Tran – 39.525
Vault: Summer Clancy – 9.900
Bars: Aurélie Tran – 9.950
Beam: Aurélie Tran, Sydney Turner – 9.900
Floor: Emily Leese, JJ Coleman – 9.950
Rotation 1: Minnesota VT, Michigan State UB, UCLA BB, Michigan FX
Stewart (MINN): Yurchenko 1.5, a little under and hops back. 9.750
Howard (MSU): Church to overshoot, some leg form. Very arched handstand on the high bar but manages to hold on. Sticks the dismount, good recovery! 9.775
Rosen (UCLA): Good to see her back in the lineup. Switch leap to switch jump is solid. Foot form and a step back on the Onodi. Clean through the BHS LOSO. Adjustment on her dismount. Not a perfect start, but solid. 9.850
Parenti (MICH): Big double pike to start, sizeable lunge. Good twisting form through her 1.5 to front full. 9.800
Moraw (MINN): Stuck Yfull with an arm swing, clean body shape. 9.800
Cosman (MSU): Legs glued together on the Maloney to Pak. Sticks the double tuck – it’s contagious! 9.825
Barros (UCLA): Switch leap to straddle 1/4, good. Side aerial to BHS with a bobble. A tiny bit shaky for UCLA so far. 9.850
Davis (MICH): Front layout to Rudi, great height. Nice control on the closing double pike. 9.900
Crump (MINN): Good block and distance on her Y1.5 but takes a small step back. 9.850
Tucker (MSU): Lovely lines through the opening transitions. Toe on front pike half dismount with a shuffle back. 9.850
Webster-Longin (UCLA): Excellent extension through the triple series! Strong split positions in the dance series. She is super solid. 1.5 dismount with a step forward. UCLA still looking for the stick. 9.850
Diaz (MICH): Front double full could use more control, but she dances out of it as usual. Rudi to LOSO with good rise. 9.900
Slevin (MINN): Really nice block and body shape on her Yfull, small hop back. 9.800
Sumanasekera (UCLA): Clean and precise BHS LOSO. Looking like a veteran up there, excellent split positions through all the dance work. Tucked 1.5 dismount and it’s a stick – there we go! 9.925
Abney (MSU): Sky-high Ray to overshoot. Good handstands, and another stick! 9.900
Bauman (MICH): Great secure landing on the front double full. Leaps are precise and high. 1.5 to front layout, very tidy. The judges are already letting the scores fly on floor so this’ll be huge. 9.950
Gerdes (MINN): Yurchenko 1.5 and wow, that was her best one this year – just the tiniest foot movement on landing. 9.900
Smith (MSU): Maloney to Pak is clean, good handstand on the low bar. Arches the high bar handstand but holds on. Double layout dismount, bounces back. 9.875
Chiles (UCLA): Solid BHS LOSO. Cat leap to switch side is clean. Takes her time on the side aerial, she looks calm. Double twist dismount with a stuck – she’s hungry for that gym slam! 9.950
Walters (MICH): Front double full is solid. Sky-high on the leaps and jumps! 1.5 to front full, lovely control and really chooses to take the controlled lunge. 9.925
Ostrum (MINN): Yurchenko 1.5 and it’s a carbon copy of last week’s 10.000 – can she do it again? What a statement to close out that rotation. 9.950
Kellerman (MSU): Blind change to high Jaeger. Solid handstands throughout and nails the double layout dismount with a stick. 9.950
Alipio (UCLA): She looks to defend her Big Ten title here. BHS LOSO and falls?! Wow. Clean through the dance series. Gainer tuck full dismount but what a disappointment for her, I can’t remember the last time I saw her fall. 9.050
Ranger (MICH): DLO to start, pikes down and wobbles backward but stays in bounds. Front layout through to double tuck and sticks it cold – no biggie. 9.875
AFTER ONE: Michigan 49.475, UCLA 49.425, Michigan State 49.400, Minnesota 49.300
Michigan really delivered in the first rotation, led by a 9.950 from Bauman which is now the mark to beat for the event title. UCLA overcame some early-rotation jitters to come away with a very solid number, but what a surprise to see Alipio fall! Hopefully she can put it behind her as she goes to lead off the floor rotation. Michigan State did just what it had to do on bars, tying its season high 49.400, and Minnesota would have liked more sticks but Arianna Ostrum certainly delivered on that front. She and Chiles both posted 9.950s in that rotation, so keep an eye on that all-around race.
Rotation 2: Michigan VT, Minnesota UB, Michigan State BB, UCLA FX
Davis (MICH): A little crunchy on the table but good dynamics on the Yurchenko full, slide back on the landing. 9.800
Gerdes (MINN): Maloney to Bail, some loose form on the handstand. Full in dismount, decisively stuck.
Abney (MSU): Double wolf turn, little arm wave but solid. Good BHS LOSO. Sticks the dismount, what a night she’s having!
Alipio (UCLA): A redemption routine after disappointment in the first rotation. Double pike, steps back and OOB, ouch. Clean leap pass. 1.5 to front layout, very secure landing – much better finish! 9.725
Guggino (MICH): Good distance but lands deep and takes a big lunge forward.
Trostel (MSU): Nice 180 on switch leap. Onodi with a lean, holds on. BHS LOSO, small lean again but she covers it well. Sticks the gainer full to finish the job.
Crump (MINN): Maloney to Pak, great amplitude and form. Short handstand on the low bar. Double layout is stuck but with a very low chest and big arm swing.
Webster-Longin (UCLA): Front double full, she twists so fast but is still so controlled. Another great controlled landing on her second pass. Tiny bounce out of her Rudi, but it’s so clean in the air. She has great, tight twisting form.
Sanger (MICH): Yurchenko full with some pike down and a scooch back.
Duplissis (MSU): Triple series is solid to start. Switch leap to back tuck is a little slow. Sticks the 1.5 twist dismount, that’s three in a row – the Spartans have sticky feet tonight! 9.900
Ostrum (MINN): Big piked Jaeger to start, followed by a Pak with legs glued. Small step back on her dismount. 9.800
Jordan (MICH): Yurchenko full, piked down but stuck. 9.825
Barros (UCLA): 1.5 to front layout, good rise and control. Front tuck through to double back, a touch underrotated but holds on well. Her dance is electric, it’s been so fun to have her on floor this season.
Smith (MSU): BHS LOSO that makes everybody else’s look low. Double tuck dismount, has to use her toes to stick but I’d say it worked!
Slevin (MINN): Great clean transition work, especially on the van Leeuwen. And a stuck dismount! 9.950
Diaz (MICH): Yurchenko 1.5, just doesn’t get the block and lands very under, stumbles back and nearly falls.
Sumanasekera (UCLA): Very nice DLO to open. Switch ring to split leap to wolf full, lovely split positions. 1.5 to front layout is good. 9.925
Tucker (MSU): Medium lean on her jump series but holds on. Solid side aerial. Keeps the sticky streak going with her gainer full off the side.
Saltzmann (MINN): High, clean Jaeger to start. Great handstand on her bail. Toes pointed and legs glued through everything. Step forward on the dismount. 9.925
Ranger (MICH): Yurchenko 1.5 with a stick! So good to see her find that landing after lots of lunges forward this season – she’s so powerful, but when she can control it, the dynamics are amazing. 9.900
Cosman (MSU): Side aerial to BHS is nice and controlled. Round off to 1.5 dismount and yes, you guessed it, another stick. The Spartans are not here to mess around. 9.900
Sullivan (UCLA): Double layout, some pike down but good landing. Front tuck through to double tuck, a little low chest but good control. 9.950
Lyden (MINN): Maloney to Bail, excellent handstand. Her lines are top-notch on this event. Flies through the double layout dismount and sticks like it’s nothing. 9.950
Chiles (UCLA): It’s showtime. The DLO landing is super secure tonight. Leap series looks clean from this angle. Front tuck through to double tuck, a little overcooked! But holds on well with a little foot movement. 10.000! I would not have called the last pass perfect, but the floor judges are feeling enthusiastic tonight.
AFTER TWO: UCLA 99.100, Michigan State, 98.775, Minnesota 98.675, Michigan 98.650
I was thinking that scores are seeming a little high, but we are seeing some genuinely incredible gymnastics tonight. UCLA’s giant 49.675 on floor will be hard to catch up to in the second half. Michigan State picked the perfect moment to set a new season high on beam – I mean it when I say this team is peaking at the right time. Minnesota showed off excellent lines on bars for a 49.375, led by 9.950s from Emma Slevin and Jordyn Lyden. Only Michigan will be somewhat disappointed by this rotation, settling for a 49.100 after an uncharacteristic mistake from Sophia Diaz. The Bruins are pulling ahead, but the race isn’t over yet, and these teams look hungry.
Rotation 3: UCLA VT, Michigan UB, Minnesota BB, Michigan State FX
Sumanasekera (UCLA): High, clean Yfull with the smallest bounce in place.
Jordan (MICH): Blind change to Jaeger, super crooked in the air and catches with very bent arms. Finishes with a great final handstand before a double tuck with a hop. 9.650
Ostrum (MINN): She’ll be looking to make up some ground for her all-around total here after a 9.800 on bars. BHS LOSO is clean to start. Little balance check on the dance series. Sticks the gainer full to finish. 9.875
Lebster (MSU): Nice Rudi LOSO to open. Front double twist, maybe a touch underrotated but lands cleanly. 9.850
Rosen (UCLA): Y1.5, bent knees and hips and look a little under on the landing. Small step. 9.825
Stewart (MINN): Great to see her back in this lineup. Lovely ring jump. Front aerial to Korbut, great form. Sticks the dismount! The Gophers saw the Spartans’ stick-fest on beam and were inspired. 9.900
Clapper (MICH): Blind change to piked Jaeger, bent arms on the catch. Clean bail. Double layout dismount with a slide back.
Marquart (MSU): Huge full in to start with great control on landing. 9.850
Webster-Longin (UCLA): Yurchenko 1/5, clean body line in the air, stuck with an arm swing. Another athlete that I’m very happy to see back in the lineup – and I’m sure the Bruins are happy to have her too! 9.875
Moraw (MINN): BHS LOSO, lean and hip break. Another bobble on her side aerial. Gainer full off the side with a small slide.
Diaz (MICH): Clean handstands before the Maloney to bail, very clean. Sticks the dismount. 9.900
Duplissis (MSU): Big full-in pike, very well-executed! 1.5 to front layout, great rise on the second salto. How can you not love Michigan State floor?
Jenkins (UCLA): Y1.5 with some bent knees but sticks it! That’s two in a row for UCLA. 9.950
Rowray (MINN): BHS LOSO, big wobble but hangs on. Front toss to wolf jump is solid. Front gainer full is stuck, good recovery from the early mistake! 9.750
Bauman (MICH): Super high Jaeger to overshoot with excellent form. Small foot movement on her double front dismount, but great lines throughout.
Ortiz (MSU): Full in, overcooks it and steps OOB. Much better landing on her second pass. Switch side to Popa, great height.
Sullivan (UCLA): Y1.5 with good open hips, small hop. 9.850
Pearl (MINN): Looking for a big number here. Nice solid BHS LOSO. Full turn, leg up and a fall! Very solid on the switch leap to straddle 1/4 once she’s back up. Front aerial to beat jump is clean. Sticks the landing, but that will be a drop score for the Gophers. 9.325
Sanger (MICH): Good handstand before a piked Jaeger, caught with bent arms. Sticks the dismount!
Tucker (MSU): Rudi to LOSO, super floaty. Front double twist, great twisting form and control. 9.900
Chiles (UCLA): Double twisting Yurchenko, some leg separation in the air but the landing is solid with a minimal slide back. 9.925
Lew (MICH): Excellent handstand before her piked Jaeger, the best of the bunch. Another picture-perfect handstand before the double layout, stumble back. Shame about this dismount, it was lovely on the bars! 9.750
Lyden (MINN): BHS LOSO and falls. The Gophers will count a fall tonight, and they are out of the title race.
Smith (MSU): She went 10.000 last week, let’s see what she does here! Big full in to start, small foot movement. I love that she’s the only one competing right now so we can fully enjoy this routine. Nice height through the dance series. Front tuck through to double tuck and drills the landing! Stellar work. 9.950
AFTER THREE: UCLA 148.550, Michigan State 148.225, Michigan 147.775, 147.250
The scores are officially crazy but the gymnastics is as good as ever. If the judges don’t start throwing some 10.000s in the final rotation, the ties for the event titles are going to be insane. UCLA delivered on vault with a 49.450 led by a 9.950 from Jenkins, but you can’t convince me that vault was as good as Ostrum’s. Michigan State was as clean as it was entertaining on floor for a 49.450, and although Michigan gave away some tenths on bars, it was enough to surpass Minnesota and its ill-timed beam issues. UCLA has a clear advantage going into the final rotation, but Michigan State is headed to vault, where it has the power to seriously shake things up.
Event leaders so far are Ostrum and Jenkins on vault; Slevin, Lyden, and Kellerman on bars; and Chiles on beam and floor. Chiles leads the all-around, with Smith trailing her by 0.15.
Rotation 4: Michigan State VT, UCLA UB, Michigan BB, Minnesota FX
Duplissis (MSU): Y1.5, really going for the stick and takes a large step back. Not the leadoff the Spartans would have liked to challenge the Bruins. 9.775
Sumanasekera (UCLA): Chow to Pak, very nice. Full in dismount with a stick, great start! 9.875
Parenti (MICH): The Wolverines will be looking to make a statement on their strongest event. BHS LOSO, small lean. Good split positions on the switch leap to split jump. Round off to 1.5 dismount with a stick, solid leadoff there.
Saltzmann (MINN): Some music issues delaying her start. Double pike, underrotates a bit and steps forward. Opposite issue on her second pass, big step forward out of the front full. Finds a good balance on her final pass with a well-controlled double tuck.
Marquart (MSU): Y1.5 with a small step forward, much better on the block and rotation there.
Walters (MICH): Good rythmn on the front toss to BHS. Nice work through the dance series. Front full dismount, underrotated with a hop back. 9.800
Webster-Longin (UCLA): Very clean through the transitions. Nice handstand before a full in dismount with a stick, fantastic. 9.900
Trostel (MSU): Her competitive debut on this event! I wonder why they’ve chosen to put her in here. Y1.5, a little crunchy on the table, lands under and hops to the side. 9.800
Gerdes (MINN): Front tuck through to double tuck, great control. Overcooks with double pike with a stumble back, looks like she went OOB but might have just kept it in! 9.675
Davis (MICH): BHS LOSO, solid. Switch leap to pike jump, looks a little tentative. Gainer full off the side with a step back. 9.850
Matthews (UCLA): Clean Pak to start, followed by a great handstand. Lands a little low on the double layout but only a small hop. 9.875
Tucker (MSU): The best Y1.5 of the lineup so far – clean, high, and a small hop forward with a great landing position. 9.875
Swartzmiller (MINN): Opens with a Rudi to super high straddle jump, I adore that pass. 9.950
Ranger (MICH): BHS LOSO is rock solid. No triple series today. Front toss with an arm swing, holds on. High double tuck dismount with a hop back.
Smith (MSU): They’re looking for a big vault from Smith here. Huge block and distance, hop forward but still under control.
Barros (UCLA): Good handstand before the DLO dismount which she drills, perfectly stuck. 9.950
Gonsiorowski (MINN): Another strong floor specialist for the Gophers. Huge full in to start with a secure landing. Front tuck through to double tuck is equally solid. Switch side to Popa to straddle jump, great height and precise rotations. 9.925
Boozer (MICH): They’ve kept her waiting for a long time, looks like a conference for Ranger. Switch leap to switch split jump to straddle jump, leg up but holds on. Clean through the acro series. Finishes with a stuck dismount, good performance after such a long wait! 9.775
Sullivan (UCLA): High Tkatchev to Pak with some leg separation. Great final handstand before her double layout with a foot adjustment.
Ostrum (MINN): Front tuck through to double tuck, nails the landing. Switch side to Popa to straddle jump, excellent straddle positions. Rudi to LOSO, excellent rise there. Love her toepoint and extension through every skill. 9.950
Chiles (UCLA): Piked Tkatchev to Pak, great height. Misses her low bar handstand but much better on the high bar before sticking the double layout. 9.950
Lyden (MINN): Super floaty through the first pass. Great back 2.5 twist to finish, clean twisting form and a secure landing.
Kellerman (MSU): Are we going to see a Spartan stick? Front handspring front pike half, super open pike today and legs glued together, minimal hop back. Not a stick but it was lovely. 9.925
Bauman (MICH): Clean, high BHS LOSO. Small adjustment on her jumps but the extension is lovely. Side somi, arm wave and a lean back but holds onto it. Switch half with a bobble. Gainer pike off the end with a stick. 9.800
FINAL: UCLA 198.100, Michigan State 197.475, Minnesota 196.900, Michigan 196.800
(Michigan got a -0.100 team neutral deduction for going out of order on beam. Boozer was originally slated to anchor.)
I thought this meet would be closer than it ended up being, but UCLA pulled ahead early on and didn’t let anybody catch up. There may have been some silly scores thrown tonight, but it can’t be denied that the Bruins put together a very complete and polished meet. That final bar rotation was an excellent way to close things out. Michigan State looked so good through the first three rotations, but gave away precious tenths when it couldn’t quite find its vault landings. I still think this team has more to give, and I hope we get to see some of that at regionals. Minnesota recovered from disappointment on beam with a season-high 49.650 on floor – what a way to bounce back and make a statement, despite the meet not turning out the way they would have liked. Michigan’s consistent inconsistency continues to confuse me, but the bright spots were very bright today, most notably Bauman’s floor and Ranger’s beam.
This meet was a joy to watch. We were treated to some seriously good gymnastics. Congratulations to our new Big Ten Champions!
VT: Arianna Ostrum (Minnesota), Riley Jenkins (UCLA) – 9.950
UB: Jordan Chiles (UCLA), Sydney Barros (UCLA), Jordyn Lyden (Minnesota), Emma Slevin (Minnesota), Sage Kellerman (Michigan State), Aurélie Tran (Iowa) – 9.950
BB: Jordan Chiles (UCLA) – 9.950
FX: Jordan Chiles (UCLA) – 10.000
AA: Jordan Chiles (UCLA) – 39.825
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Live blog by Sophie Poirier
