Welcome to the 2026 Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics National Invitational Championships! More aptly known as the WCGNICs and previously called USAG nationals. A quick rundown of the meet format: Two sessions of semifinals occur on Friday. This year, three teams will compete in each session. The top two from each semifinal move on to the team final on Saturday. Across divisions and conferences, these six schools meet this weekend for an epic finale to the 2026 season.
This first session features SEMO, Bridgeport, and Alaska, in addition to eight individuals who will make up the fourth rotating squad. SEMO already has bragging rights this season as the MIC champion, winning the title in upset fashion last weekend. The Redhawks will look to continue their triumphant streak here at WCGNICs. Also be on watch for the squad of individuals athletes representing schools that did not qualify, all looking to earn a spot in the event finals on Sunday. Greenville’s Amara Nelson is in the mix for the all-around and is well-positioned after recently collecting the 2026 NCGA all-around title.
The table below shows the eight individuals competing in session one and their respective events. For more depth, read up on our preview of the individual contenders as well as for all six teams.
| INDIVIDUAL | SCHOOL | EVENT(S) |
| Amara Nelson | Greenville | All-Around |
| Amy Foret | Centenary | Vault, Beam, Floor |
| Claire Flores | Centenary | Vault, Floor |
| Anna Ichiba | Centenary | Beam |
| Skyla Cruz | Centenary | Beam |
| Ellery Gilmer | Greenville | Floor |
| Olivia Williams | Centenary | Floor |
| Diamond Cook | Wilberforce | Floor |
The meet will be streamed on Virtius, and scores can be found here.
Rotation 1: SEMO VT, Alaska UB, Bridgeport BB, Individuals FX
SEMO – VT
Hamilton: High block on the Tucked yurchenko 1.5, step back. 9.650
Keuhn: Step back on a clean Y layout. 9.700
Reader: Small step on the Y full, 9.775
Hernandez: Hop back on the Y full, 9.750
Kossuth: Patient twist into the Yfull, small hop. 9.675
Ingle: Clean for in the air on the Y full and I couldn’t see the landing but it was a stick or close to it! 9.850
ALASKA – UB
Lessig: Good catch on her release, some arch in the giants, step on the FTDT, 9.675
Gomez: Good hs on the bail, gets the pike jaeger, step back on the dismount. 9.500
Richardson: Super high Gienger to a lower bail, blind full double tuck is slow but she makes it around with a hop forward. 9.325
Niles: Sticks the blind double tuck! 9.675
Duffus: Nice first hs, so high on the pike Jaeger! Right into a bail, wanted the stick but takes a step forward on the double tuck dismount. 9.675
Pratley: Straddle back half is really well done. Comes off on the Maloney. Repeats, double tuck has a squatty landing. 8.925
BRIDGEPORT – BB
Krenzel: Smooth front aerial to bhs, some leg form. 9.675
Hernandez: Comes off on the bhs loso series. Nice switch side. Tiny hop forward on the RO 1.5. 9.050
McAleavey: Check on her bhs loso, good on the side aerial, nails the double stag jump. Foot movement on the gainer full. 9.625
Jennings: Comes off on her bhs bhs loso. That’ll be a counted fall for Bridgeport. Sticks the gainer pike with an arm swing. 8.575
Kenney: Standing front tuck, steps repeats to connect to a back tuck! Lands with a leg up. Low split position on the switch half. 9.550
Thompkins: Nails the bhs loso, keeps her legs straight throughout. 180 on the switch half with striking leap positions. A stuck RO 1.5 to end the rotation! 9.825
INDIVIDUALS – FX
Flores (Centenary): Chest tad down on her double tuck. Slight underrotation out of her front twisting pass. 9.600
Foret (Centenary): A magnetic landing on the double pike, pretty front twisting and a big lunge out of the Rudi. Good straddle positions for the leaps. 9.775
Cook (Wilberforce): Energetic choreo, RO 1.5 to lay is good. Dynamic front lay to a quick front full, nice leap positions to close. 9.800
Williams (Centenary): Controlled double tuck, gets great height, nice RO 1.5 to layout, dances out. Engaging dance throughout. 9.725
Gilmer (Greenville): Lots of distance but a well done double tuck. Small lunge to stay in bounds. Great leap positions. Front through to RO 1.5 front lay, legs are glued the entire way. Controlled front full to layout. Overall clean tumbling! 9.800
Nelson (Greenville): High double tuck with a clean lunge out. Dials in the switch side to Popa combo, front lay to front full is slightly underrotated but she works with it and lunges forward. High back 1.5 to a floaty front lay. 9.700
AFTER ONE: SEMO 48.750, Alaska 47.850, Bridgeport 47.725
Rotation one done and dusted! A counted fall from Bridgeport on beam sets them back early, though Rian Thompkins anchored with an exclamation mark 9.825. Alaska swung smoothly on bars to land in second, though an unfortunate fall in the anchor position held the Seawolves back from a greater event score. SEMO nailed it on vault and in her typical fashion, Taylor Ingle brought it all together with a stuck Yurchenko full to give the Redhawks an early lead.
Rotation 2: Individuals VT, SEMO UB, Alaska BB, Bridgeport FX
INDIVIDUALS – VT
Flores (Centenary): Tucked Y full, tucked a smidge early and a step to the side. 9.600
Foret (Centenary): Good block on the Y full layout and a step back. 9.725
Nelson (Greenville): I’m so sad that I missed this… 9.775
SEMO – UB (47.850)
Crouch: Maloney to bail hs is good, low chest on the landing of the pike half dismount, 9.625
Hamilton: Great first hs, sky-high Geinger to bail, smooth FTDT, a step back. 9.675
Jones: Good piked Jager if a little low, blind full and a nice landing on the double tuck. 9.725
Johnston: Comes off on the Maloney. Nice hs on high, good landing double tuck, 8.900
Ingle: Big swing into a big Tkatchev, great bail hs, stuck double tuck! 9.725
Hernandez: Maloney to bail, a little crunchy catch on the bail, sticks the double tuck with maybe a tiny foot movement. 9.675
ALASKA – BB (48.675)
DeSouza: Hits the front toss bhs series, stuck gainer pike! 9.575
Lessig: Pretty front aerial to LOSO and nails it, exquisite leaps over 180 in the switch to straddle 1/4. HS to gainer full, arm swing but holds the stick. 9.800
Spain: Stuck handstand gainer full with a lean. 9.650
Grindol: Hits the bhs loso, bhs tucked 1.5 is stuck! 9.825
Karkowski: Great hit on the side aerial 2x series, step back on her dismount. 9.775
Niles: Great bhs loso, low on both in the switch to switch half. Gainer pike and a step forward. 9.625
BRIDGEPORT – FX
Krenzel: Absolutely nails her Rudi pass. Flighty leaps in 180. Back whip half to front full low landing and goes OOB, 9.350
Vulchev: Slight underrotation on the 2/1 twist. Back twist into a back tuck, almost doesn’t get it around. 9.525
Singletary: Fast 2/1, some leg crossing. Front full to front lay, and holds the stick on her double tuck! 9.700
Staruk: Absolutely YES to the Bad Bunny music. Solid RO double tuck opener. 1.5 to stag jump stays in bounds but is close. Great leap positions. Punch lay to front full is a touch underrotated. 9.700
Coyle: I have to shoutout the jazzy vocals in her music! Clean punch Rudi to double stag. Punch tucked Rudi to double stag, RO 1.5 to front pike — legs bent in the pike. 9.725
Kenney: 2.5 twist, rapid fire into the front full to pike, switch leap slightly under 180, good on the wolf and straddle. Patient punch Rudi to end.
AFTER TWO: SEMO 97.175, Alaska 96.525, Bridgeport 96.125
SEMO avoids counting a fall on bars and maintains the lead after the second rotation. High-flying releases from Kailyn Hamilton and Taylor Ingle and kept the Redhawks locked in throughout. The Seawolves over on beam posted a new season-high 48.625 using 9.8 or better scores from Claudia Lessig and Jordan Grindol. A hit rotation but a few landing mistakes across the board keep Bridgeport from sneaking up from behind on Alaska, and the gap between second and third grows to four tenths. The Knights will need to go hard on vault and bars if they want to make finals, and the Seawolves will need to keep pace to move forward.
Rotation 3: Bridgeport VT, Individuals UB, SEMO BB, Alaska FX
BRIDGEPORT – VT (48.650)
Singletary: Y full, a little close to the table. 9.700
Hernandez: Underrotated–low chest and a hop forward on the Y full. 9.575
Solis: Yurchenko layout and sticks it. 9.525
Coxon: STUCK y full tucked! 9.800
Kenney: Y 1/2 on front tuck off, hop fwd but super clean. 9.775
Staruk: Step out, 9.800
INDIVIDUALS – UB
Nelson (Greenville): Smooth swinging and a COLD stick on the blind full to double tuck. 9.625
SEMO – BB (48.175)
Reader: Step back on the gainer pike. 9.750
Fisher: Hip break and comes off on the bhs loso. Step fwd on the dismount 9.075
Napolitano: Wobble on the switch 3/4, check on the bhs loso. Step on the gainer tuck full. 9.600
Ingle: Solid bhs bhs loso, slightly short of 180 on the switch, drills the back 2/1 for a stick! 9.850
Parton: Snaps on the bhs loso, switch to double stag has a slight check, clean split 3/4. Gainer full, couldn’t see her feet but lands well. 9.750
Kossuth: Bhs bhs loso, leg up but stays on. Big check and is off on her full turn. Quick leaps, small hop on the standing gainer full. SEMO just opened the door with a counted fall. 9.225
ALASKA – FX (47.475)
Gomez: OOB on the front lay Rudi stag jump. Overrotates the 1.5 for a fast front lay but stays up. 9.350
Spain: Quite low on landing on the first pass. Switch to Popa x2. Finishes well with a RO 1.5 to front lay, 9.425
Grindol: High double tuck, clean leaps, some loose form on the RO 1.5 to front full but overall good. 9.650
Albert: Form on the Rudi back tuck. Clean double pike, somewhat misses her second leap? Two-step out of the double tuck and slots in the missing switch full wolf full. 9.475
DeSouza: FHS 2/1, cross-step but good form. Switch 1/2 to wolf full is right on. Pulls it around on the RO 1.5 to front full, possible OOB? 9.600
Jose Prieto: Double tuck, chest low on the landing, clean switch side to Popa, punch front full to Rudi to finish. 9.625
AFTER THREE: SEMO 145.350, Bridgeport 144.775, Alaska 144.000
A counted fall on beam didn’t bother the Redhawks, who remain firmly in the lead. The rotation was highlighted by a drilled dismount from standout Taylor Ingle. Alaska performed pretty much as-usual on floor. While not counting any true falls, the Seawolves dealt with form breaks and landing mistakes that set it behind Bridgeport going into the last rotation. The Knights put up a clean rotation of vaults for a new season-high event total, with Lena Coxon’s stuck vault to accentuate their performance.
Rotation 4: Alaska VT, Bridgeport UB, Individuals BB, SEMO FX
ALASKA – VT (48.100)
Lessig: Y full tucked, loose on the table and low landing. 9.450
Gomez: Y full tucked, underrotated and I believe put her hands down. 8.900
Wong: Y full tucked, good block but not much rotation. 9.300
Niles: Y full tucked, good block and distance. Step back. 9.700
Albert: Y full layout, keeps open and as step, 9.850
Duffus: 9.800
BRIDGEPORT – UB (48.475)
Hernandez: Maloney to Pak is good, small step on a nice double layout dismount.
Solis: Far on the Gienger and comes off. Overrotates the double tuck and rolls back.
Pujals: Tall Maloney but close ish on the Pak, blind full and a clean double tuck, little shuffle.
Nokes: Fluid straddle jaeger to bail, stuck double tuck–maybe a small movement.
A. Kenney: Both clear hips are super clean, bail hs, pike half dismount underrotates a little and steps fwd.
Reed: Clean Maloney, hit dismount.
INDIVIDUALS – BB
Cruz (Centenary): Hit bhs bhs loso, gainer with low chest.
Ichiba (Centenary): Bhs loso, check. Low on the switch half.
Foret (Centenary): Hits the bhs bhs loso but some knee form through it. Switch leap to gainer full, 180 and a stick!
Nelson (Greenville): Bhs loso is solid, moves thru the side aerial split. Patient dance, split 3/4, stuck RO 1.5! Nelson has had herself a meet! 9.875
SEMO – FX (48.850)
Reader: Front thru to double, good lunge. 9.775
Sams: Opens with a front twisting pass, good height. FHS rudi to loso is clean. 9.825
Phillips: Big double pike and drills it. Switch side to Popa is good. Front lay to front full moves well, dances out. 9.725
Parton: High double tuck is magnetic on the landing. Sticks the front full to front lay, switch to switch ring, hits 180. Absolutely nails the FHS Rudi. Oh…that was good. 9.825
Kossuth: High double tuck and slides back in the lunge. RO 1.5 to barani floats. 9.700
Ingle: RO sky-high 2.5 to front tuck, controlled. Front lay to Rudi is clean. Switch half to Popa gets 180. 9.850
FINAL: SEMO 194.350, Bridgeport 193.250, Alaska 192.375
SEMO and Bridgeport both advance to finals as teams. The final two team qualifiers will be determined at the second session, tonight at 7 p.m. ET. Tune in to my live blog to follow along!
Individuals advancing to finals:
The top five individuals from each event in each session will qualify to finals for a total of 10 per event. No more than three individuals can be from the same team on a single event. All ties in the fifth place spot will compete.
VT: Taylor Ingle (SEMO), Maribelle Albert (Alaska), Jamilia Duffus (Alaska), Nova Staruk (Bridgeport), Lena Coxon (Bridgeport)
UB: Emily Hernandez (Bridgeport), Taylor Ingle (SEMO), Gracie Jones (SEMO), Abigail Kenney (Bridgeport), Waiting for official notice because there is a seven-way tie for fifth!!!
BB: Amara Nelson (Greenville), Taylor Ingle (SEMO), Grindol (Alaska), Thompkins (Bridgeport), Foret (Centenary), Cruz (Centenary)
FX: Taylor Ingle (SEMO), Parton (SEMO), Sams (SEMO), Diamond Cook (Wilberforce), Gilmer (Greenville)
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Live blog by Frances Leadman
