It’s time for the chaos to begin. The Baton Rouge Regional opens with a round-one showdown between Air Force and Nebraska, with the winner advancing to face LSU, Clemson, and Auburn in tomorrow night’s second round. With projections this close, this matchup feels like a true toss-up.
Air Force enters off a historic season, breaking its program record four times. The Falcons raised that mark from 195.775 to a stunning 197.150 on senior night against Fisk—a Mountain West record as well. Alyssa Bigler and Maggie Slife have led the charge, each posting top-five scores in program history, with Slife holding the all-around record at 39.675. However, Air Force is coming off a less-than-clean performance at the Mountain West Championship, making execution the key to advancing.
Nebraska, meanwhile, continues its upward trajectory with a fourth straight regional appearance under head coach Heather Brink. The Cornhuskers will likely be without Whitney Jencks after a hand injury at Big Ten Championships, a significant loss—especially on bars, where Nebraska opens. Isabel Sikon is expected to take on a larger role in the all-around, while Lauren Homecillo and Molly Peterson will be key contributors in filling lineup gaps.
With both teams capable of hitting big numbers—and both coming in with something to prove—this one could come down to the final routine.
Rotation 1: Air Force VT, Nebraska UB
Willis (USAFA): Y full, bent arms on the block, step back on the landing. 9.650
Burns (NEB): Blind to straddle Jaeger, misses it on her fingertips and takes a fall. Not exactly how you want to start if you’re the Huskers. Retries the skill and catches. Some flexed feet throughout, DLO dismount with a step back. 9.025
Walker (USAFA): Tsuk full, bent elbows on the block with a pike down in the air, small step back on the landing. 9.725
Judges’ conference on bars for Nebraska. Still waiting on scores, they haven’t populated the scores here in the arena either.
Griffin (NEB): Ready to mount after a long wait, short on her first handstand, Maloney to Pak, little whippy on the Pak. Toe on front tuck half dismount with a hop to the side. 9.575, will count because of the fall.
Greene (USAFA): Y full, nice height and distance off the table, leans to try to keep the stick but has to step back. 9.625
Sikon (NEB): blind to Jaeger to immediate overshoot, short on her final handstand, blind full to double tuck dismount with a nice stick! 9.800
Raife (USAFA): Y full, slight pike down on the landing, takes a step back on the landing. Air Force is landing clean right now, a good sign to start the day. 9.750
Shaver (NEB): Maloney to Pak, pretty body position on the Pak, nails her handstands throughout the routine, DLO dismount with a tiny hop back on the landing. 9.800
Slife (USAFA): Y 1.5, bent elbows on the block, some loose knees in the air, but absolutely stuck the heck out of it. 9.900
Kraus (NEB): Tkatchev to immediate overshoot, loose body position on that transition, pretty handstands, FTDT dismount, tiny leg separation in the tucked position. 9.800
Bigler (USAFA): Y full, piked down on the landing, lands to the side, directionality will be her biggest deduction. 9.750
Peterson (NEB): Maloney to Bail to handstand, almost overcooks it, but stays on, FTDT dismount, lots of distance, low chest on the landing with a step forward. 9.700
AFTER ONE: Air Force 48.775, Nebraska 48.675
Nebraska avoids disaster in the first rotation by dropping a fall in the lead-off spot and sits only a tenth behind the Falcons. Slife’s 9.900 on her stuck one-and-a-half was the top score for Air Force, but it couldn’t climb above a 9.800 otherwise.
Rotation 2: Nebraska VT, Air Force UB
Griffin (NEB): Y full, beautiful height off the table, just some bent elbows with a slight lean to keep the stick. 9.700
Boyer (USAFA): Pretty handstands throughout, nice flow on her Maloney to Pak combination, stalder to double tuck dismount, arm swing and a hop forward on the landing.
Peterson (NEB): Y full, small elbow bend, piked down on the landing, but got Nebraska’s second stick of the rotation. 9.800
Hartley (USAFA): Blind to piked Jaeger, tried to catch it on her fingertips and falls. Tough break here, but Nebraska was just in this spot, let’s see if Air Force can avoid counting the fall. Nice tight handstand on the low bar, short final handstand, blind full to double tuck with a hop forward. 8.850
Baechle (NEB): Tucked Y 1.5, nice height and distance from the table, another stuck landing. Huskers have the momentum right now. 9.875
Kristianson (USAFA): Blind to piked Jaeger, was nowhere close to the bar and falls. Falcons will count a fall in this rotation. Remounts and continues on, short on the final handstand, double layout with a hop back.
Pech (NEB): Y 1.5, ton of distance from the table, wow! Some loose knees in the air with a side step on the landing. 9.725
Bigler (USAFA): full pirouette to Geinger to immediate overshoot, nice flow on this routine with a stuck dismount. Falcons trying to get momentum back on their side, but it’s going to be a tall task with counting a score in the 8s.
Sikon (NEB): Y full, slight pike down on the landing but another stick!! Husker fans loving this!
Greene (USAFA): blind to straddle Jaeger, good catch. Handstand really pretty on the low bar, blind full to double tuck dismount, low chest position with a step forward on the landing.
Shaver (NEB): Y 1.5, good block off the table, just a tiny bit of bent elbows, hop forward on the landing.
Slife (USAFA): Maloney to Pak, solid routine going, pretty handstands throughout, toe on to FTDT dismount with a stick. Tough start for Air Force but ended the rotation nicely, here’s hoping the deficit won’t be impassable.
AFTER TWO: Nebraska 97.700, Air Force 96.775
Four stuck vaults for the Huskers and a counted fall from the Falcons finds us with our first lead change of the meet at the halfway point! Reese Baechle’s stuck tucked one-and-a-half was the highlight of that rotation, while Slife scores her second 9.900 of the day in her all-around day.
Rotation 3: Air Force BB, Nebraska FX
McDermott (USAFA): Opens with a nailed triple series! Switch leap straddle quarter, bit of a low split on the switch. RO 1.5 with a stick. 9.800
Gard (NEB): Sticks her double tuck to open, leap series was solid, maybe lacked a little split on the switch ring. Second pass was her combo pass, hits it with no issues. Double pike to close it out, stumbles backwards out of it and sits it down. Another opening routine fall for Nebraska, but it avoided disaster last time, can it do it again? 8.875
Hartley (USAFA): cat leap to side aerial, solid. Handstand to BHS LOSO series, really nicely done. Split jump to stag jump, side gainer full, low chest but sticks the landing. 9.725
Baechle (NEB): FHS front double full, sideways hop on the landing. Nice extension on the leap series! I really thought her music went out for a minute, whoops. Back 1.5 to front full combination pass, nicely done. 9.750
Bacott (USAFA): Lineup change here for Kristianson. Standing back, wow! Hits her series, connection may be questioned, but overall nicely done. Switch leap split jump, good. Side gainer full, low chest on the landing with a stick. Looks like that lineup change might have paid off here. 9.825
Sikon (NEB): Back 1.5 to front full, underrotates and takes a couple steps backwards out of it. Comes back with a double tuck, much cleaner on the landing. Leaps were right at 180 throughout, solid routine! 9.750
Bigler (USAFA): BHS LOSO, looked like she had it but second guessed herself and ends up coming off. Cat leap to side aerial, solid. Split jump to split half, solid, RO 1.5 dismount with a hop on the landing. Now both teams are in pressure sets, who will rise and who will crumble? 9.300, so Hartley’s 9.725 will be a counting score.
Kraus (NEB): Issue with her music, has to come off and re-enter the floor. Double tuck first pass, little crooked on the landing, but keeps it controlled. Her extension on her leaps is FABULOUS, wow. Back 1.5 to front full second pass, steps forward out of it. Double pike to finish, bit of a low chest on that landing, but an overall solid routine! 9.850
Slife (USAFA): BHS LOSO, hit. Good control on the full turn. Punch front, spot on, switch leap straddle, beautiful position in the air. RO 1.5 with the tiniest step forward. 9.850
Shaver (NEB): Front tuck through to double tuck opening pass, really nicely done. Lacked a bit of extension on her straddle in the leap series. Double pike to close it out, hop back out of it and had a low chest position on the landing. 9.850
Both of these anchor routines have to hit to avoid counting a fall. No pressure, right?
Greene (USAFA): Interesting series on the beam, leans a bit out of it but stays on. Switch leap switch leap, back leg could’ve been a little higher for my liking. Cat leap to standing layout to beat jump, I’ve seen a lot of really unique skills for Air Force today! RO 1.5, stumbles backwards of it. 9.500
Homecillo (NEB): Oh, this is fun music! Double pike to open, bit of a low chest position on the landing. Back 1.5 to front layout, nicely done, hits her positions in the air on all of her leaps. Oh…her music just straight up went out on that one. That’s…not good. Double tuck on her last pass even with the music going out, nails it. 9.850
AFTER THREE: Nebraska 146.725, Air Force 145.475
The Huskers are firmly in the lead after three rotations. Air Force had some stumbles on beam, including Alyssa Bigler’s first score below a 9.700 since January. Nebraska found some form on floor (even with Homecillo’s music going out at the end) after a opening fall from Gard and should just have to stay on the beam to advance to tomorrow.
Rotation 4: Nebraska BB, Air Force FX
Gard (NEB): Hoping to bounce back after her fall on floor. BHS LOSO, nails. Beat jump to side aerial, lifts her leg slightly but stays on. Nice extension on the leap series, sticks her gainer pike dismount off the end. 9.725
Bacott (USAFA): RO double tuck to open, large side step out of it. Good extension in her straddle jump on her leap series. Rudi as her second pass, stumbles out of it but stays upright. Back 1.5 to front layout to close it out, some loose legs in the air on the layout. 9.600
Homecillo (NEB): BHS BHS LOSO, slight lean at the end but covers it well. Overrotates the full turn, but keeps on rolling. Good extension on her leap series, RO 1.5 with a small hop forward. 9.775
McDermott (USAFA): Front layout to Rudi to open, nice control on that landing. Her 180 positions on her leaps are spot on today, hits her second pass nicely. Front layout front full, underrotates and hops back out of it.
Sikon (NEB): Really nice beam work on her mount, BHS LOSO, hit. Cat leap to switch half, tiny lean out of it. Hits her dismount with a nice stick. Huskers feeling really good at the end.
Willis (USAFA): front layout to Rudi to open it up, low chest position with a pike down on the landing. Double pike to finish it out, steps to the side. Lacked some extension on her leaps but got to give her credit for her performance.
Kraus (NEB): Nice high straddle jump to start. BHS LOSO, hit. Hitch kick switch half beat jump, leans to the side and had a slight pause between skills so we’ll see if she gets credit for that. Tucked gainer full off the end, bit low on the landing but keeps the stick.
Greene (USAFA): Beautiful twisting to open her floor routine! FHS to Rudi second pass, would’ve liked to see a tighter position in the wolf jump on her series. Back 1.5 to front layout, solid. Falcons trying to keep the momentum up despite a disappointing meet. 9.850
and like I suspected, there’s a judges conference on balance beam. Looks like most judges gave her credit for the series, only one judge gave her a 9.9 SV
Burns (NEB): BHS LO LOSO, solid. Beat jump to split, lacked a 180 position in the air. RO 1.5 dismount with a hop forward on the landing.
Slife (USAFA): NAILS her opening tucked full-in pass, holy goodness. And she’s a SWIFTIE??? I love her so much more now. Back 1.5 to front full, solid. Jeez, she’s not human.
Griffin (NEB): Looking to drop a 9.725 right now, piked front toss was really pretty today. Nice control on that full turn! RO 1.5, steps backwards out of it, but it should be more than enough to get Nebraska to round two. 9.750, one judge gave her a 9.600 SV.
Bigler (USAFA): Double twist to open, bit of a sideways hop out of it. Gorgeous extension but some flexed feet in her leap series. RO 2.5 twist, large step forward out of it. Back 1.5 to front layout, nicely done.
FINAL: Nebraska 195.600, Air Force 194.475
VT: Slife (USAFA) – 9.900
UB: Slife (USAFA) – 9.900
BB: Slife (USAFA) – 9.850
FX: Slife (USAFA) – 9.900
AA: Slife (USAFA) – 39.550
Slife sweeps the event titles, but it’s Nebraska who advances to round two! While today didn’t quite go how Air Force wanted it to, it was still a historical team season and it has absolutely nothing to hang its head about. Nebraska will head round two looking to advance to the regional final, but it will have to replicate some of the vault magic it found today to compete against the top teams in its session.
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Live blog by Savanna Wellman
