Friday’s Kentucky Regional continues tonight as No. 16 Kentucky hosts No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 18 Ohio State, and the winner of the Round One matchup between No. 31 Central Michigan and No. 36 Rutgers – the Scarlet Knights. While the Sooners are expected to advance comfortably, the battle for the second spot should be a tight one between the host Wildcats and a surging Buckeyes squad eyeing a return to the regional final.
Top-seeded Oklahoma enters the postseason as the clear favorite and could likely advance even with minor mistakes. All-around standout Addison Fatta has led the way, but the Sooners’ depth has been key, with strong contributions from across the lineup, including freshmen Mackenzie Estep and Ella Murphy.
Kentucky finds itself in an unfamiliar position, fighting for advancement rather than a top seed during a rebuilding year. Hosting provides a crucial edge as the Wildcats look to hold off Ohio State and earn one more home meet in 2026. Delaynee Rodriguez, a top-10 all-arounder nationally, will be central to that effort, while Creslyn Brose brings scoring potential on floor. Both could also factor into individual qualification if Kentucky falls short.
Ohio State, which faced Kentucky in this same round last year, will be motivated to flip the result and reach the regional final for the third time in four seasons. With a narrower gap between the teams this year, the Buckeyes are well-positioned to challenge. JJ Coleman, who owns a 10.0 on floor this season, and senior all-arounder Tory Vetter will be key contributors.
After snagging the final spot into regionals, Rutgers stunned Central Michigan in the first round to secure a top-32 finish for the first time since 2000 and snag even more chances for individuals to sneak into nationals. The Scarlet Knights were firing on all cylinders yesterday, matching and pushing season-best totals across the board, and still with nothing to lose, they’ll aim to work more magic. Emily Leese was confident in her full-in on floor on Thursday, and that should see her threaten for a trip to Fort Worth to end her year.
The individual race adds another layer of intrigue. Illinois’ Chloe Cho, tied with Rodriguez at No. 10 nationally in the all-around, competes in this session and rotates with Kentucky, setting up a compelling head-to-head battle for a potential nationals berth.
Follow along with video and live scores!
Rotation 1: Oklahoma Vault, Kentucky Bars, Ohio State Beam, Rutgers Floor
Blessey (OU): Front pike half. Good height and form, sticks it. 9.925, what a start.
Rizo (UK): Blind to Jaeger, good rotation, bail, one arm bent slightly, good handstands, double layout with a step and leg separation. 9.750
Uhlenberg (RU): Mounts with a front layout to Rudi, messy feet in the air, good landing, double tuck, lots of height, switch half to wolf jump full x2, cheated the last two rotations a bit. 9.850
Wells (OU): Y1.5. Beautiful flight, pencil straight, small step forward. 9.875
Jackson (OSU): Low beam work to get started, good leaps, hit 180 in the split jump, front aerial to back swingdown and fights but falls, remounts quickly, another near fall on an indistinguishable leap, full turn, side aerial to 1.5 dismount, hop forward. 8.900
Scheible (OU): Front pike half. Less height and distance than Blessey, hop in place. 9.875
Van Frayen (UK): Blind to Jaeger, good height, Pak, hits all her handstands, FTDT dropped down for a stick. 9.850
The home crowd is here and ready to cheer! Making lots of noise early, with good reason.
Adrian (RU): Opens with a nice front layout to front full, switch half overrotated into a wolf jump 1.5, Rudi, chest forward and a shuffle with the feet. 9.825
Near fall from Ohio State on beam, will be counting at least this wobble.
Estep (OU): Y1.5. Good power, nearly stuck but takes a small step. 9.875
Martin (OSU): BHS LOSO, secure, cat leap to side aerial, snaps her arms down, switch leap x2, small adjustment, full turn, BHS 1.5, tiny step back with one foot. 9.750
Mueller (OU): Y1.5. Good block, soft knees at the end, hop forward. 9.850
Noonan (UK): Ray caught close to overshoot, double layout, bends to hold onto the stick. 9.850
Vetter (OSU): Full turn, BHS LOSO, small lean to the left, beat jump to side aerial, no issues, switch leap to straddle side, hesitant landing, BHS gainer full, stuck. 9.850
Fatta (OU): Y1.5. Great form, just a hop forward. 9.900
Rodriguez (UK): Tkatchev, easy, clear hip to bail, works it well, no handstand issues, dismounts double layout, legs together but a hop forward. 9.800
Leese (RU): Huge full-in, so well controlled, switch half to Popa to Shushunova, front tuck to double tuck, another great landing. Following 9.9s already, this score should be big. 9.875
Cho (Illinois): On bars. Maloney to Pak, great form, Maloney half, feet stuck together, good handstands, sticks the double layout. 9.900
Totals: Oklahoma – 49.450, Kentucky – 49.250, Ohio State – 48.975, Rutgers – 49.375
What a start for Rutgers! Clearly riding yesterday’s momentum, the team with nothing to lose started exactly the way it needed to in order to have any shot. Now, the Scarlet Knights need to keep hitting. The Sooners open with the lead, as expected, but will look to garner some more sticks as the evening carries on. The home Wildcats started well on their lowest-ranked event, so to be in the thick of things after that is a good spot to be. Unfortunately, the Buckeyes suffered some early misses, having the tough assignment of starting on beam. Fortunately, they didn’t take themselves fully out of it, and Ohio State has plenty of time to attempt a comeback.
Rotation 2: Rutgers Vault, Oklahoma Bars, Kentucky Beam, Ohio State Floor
Chevaire (RU): Yfull. Clean form, slight pike down, tiny hop in place. 9.825
Pederson (OU): Ray, toe on, Pak, legs glued, half pirouette, works the last handstand, double layout is stuck. 9.950!
Rizo (UK): Back dive mount, front aerial, BHS LOSO, switch leap to straddle side, full turn, RO 1.5 with a hop forward. 9.800
Larsen (RU): Yfull. Quick with the twist, good power but can’t harness it, big hop back. 9.700
Murphy (OU): Toe on to Maloney to Pak, beautiful toe point, great half pirouette, giant full to double tuck, stuck. That’s going to be another huge score. 9.950
Belman (OSU): Double pike to open, great pike position, FHS front full front layout, right into the corner but stays in, awkward side step though, good leap series, ends with a double tuck, comes in short and puts hands and knees down. A missed opportunity with an opening 9.9. 9.100
Fatta (OU): Church to Pak, slightly bent arms on the first catch, half pirouette, hop back on the dismount. 9.850
Lee (UK): BHS BHS LOSO, off, switch leap to straddle side, full turn, front aerial to beat jump, double stag jump, RO 1.5, fights but takes a step. 9.150
Riley (RU): Y1.5. Legs apart off the table, good distance, bound forward. 9.750
Bennett (UK): Full turn, BHS LOSO, crashes, possibly injured, fell right onto the beam. Remounts and finishes to big applause from the Wildcat faithful. 9.000
Grimes (OSU): Starts with a double pike, good power, right into RO 1.5 front layout, no issues with the leap series, double tuck, a tad short but covers with an emphatic lunge. 9.825
Dildy (RU): Yfull. Lots of power, legs together, sticks it. 9.875
Scheible (OU): Blind to Jaeger, bail, a bit pikey, no handstand problems, dismounts FTDT and a stick. 9.900
Vetter (OSU): Double tuck, easy, switch full to Popa x2, good bouncy, closes with front layout to Rudi, well controlled.
Torrez (OU): Ray, massive, toe on to Pak, floaty, maybe short on last handstand, hop on the double layout. 9.875
Leese (RU): Y1.5. Lots of amplitude, stuck! 9.925
Coleman (OSU): Giant full-in to open, right into switch side to Popa, excellent height in the leap series, double tuck to close, short and steps forward. 9.850
Cho (Illinois): On beam. Backwards roll with some mid-roll split choreo, wolf turn, BHS LOSO, smooth, switch leap to switch half to beat jump, slight hesitation between the last two, side aerial, dismounts RO 1.5, empathic stick. 9.850
Alvarado-Reid (Central Michigan): On floor. Rudi to double stag, nice amplitude, switch full to sissone, RO 1.5 front layout, problem-free, switch half to wolf full, cleanly rotated. 9.900
Rotation Totals: Rutgers – 48.875, Oklahoma – 49.525, Kentucky – 48.450, Ohio State – 49.175
Totals: Oklahoma – 98.975, Rutgers – 98.475, Ohio State – 98.150, Kentucky – 97.700
Drama in the second rotation! Counting a fall by the home team and some short landing on floor by Ohio State keeps Rutgers in the second spot halfway through despite a sub-49 rotation on vault. But, Rutgers is hitting, which is more than the other two competitors can say, and so far that has been the difference maker. The Buckeyes are still right there, and expect the Wildcats to make somewhat of a comeback here with the crowd on floor. Oh, and Oklahoma just put up a massive 49.5-plus on bars to storm ahead. No drama there.
Rotation 3: Ohio State Vault, Rutgers Bars, Oklahoma Beam, Kentucky Floor
Grimes (OSU): Yfull. Nice leg form, decent distance, small hop back. 9.800
Uhlenberg (RU): Blind to Jaeger, nearly over on the handstand, a bit wobbly in the bail, good handstands, dismounts double layout, leg separation, but sticks it. 9.775
Van Frayen (UK): Double wolf turn, double tuck, bouncy into the lunge, not super controlled, switch ring to switch half, needs more commitment to the ring, front layout to Rudi, best part of the routine. 9.800
Pomager (OSU): Yfull. Good body position, spots the ground, hop in place. 9.775
Wells (OU): Cat leap to switch leg side aerial, small lean, full turn, switch leap to split jump, good job hitting 180, BHS LOSO, sturdy, dismounts RO 1.5, opens early for the stick. 9.875
Smith (OSU): Y1.5. Nice block, drops it down for a stick, controls the power. 9.950, the Buckeyes needed that.
Rains (RU): Blind to Jaeger to overshoot, huge height, kept the toe point too, stalder to double tuck, stuck but bent arms coming out of the stalder. 9.850
Bennett (UK): Glad to see her able to compete after the fall, big double pike, step forward as she kicked out too early ever so slightly, switch ring to L-jump full, front layout to front full, ends with a double tuck, low but controls the lunge. 9.850
Martin (OSU): Y1.5. Bent arms on the block but good distance, another stick. 9.950
Adrian (RU): Tkatchev to Pak, great, giant full to double tuck, tiny slide back. 9.850
Pederson (OU): Full turn, smooth, BHS LOSO, lean to the right, side somi, no issues, hitch kick to switch side, RO double full dismount, stuck. 9.900
A fall for Kentucky on floor.
Vetter (OSU): Yfull. Pops high off the table to drop down for ANOTHER stick. 9.950, perfect!
Coleman (OSU): Yfull. So much height, a tad to the right, but, yet another stuck landing. 9.900
Torrez (OU): Wolf jump, great shape, side aerial LOSO, comes off, gets back up quickly, switch leap to straddle jump, big height, BHS gainer full, stuck. 9.100
Alvarado-Reid (Central Michigan): On vault. Wide arms on the block, not a lot of height, pikes down to a small hop. 9.800
Rodriguez (UK): Starts with Rudi to back layout, so clean, switch side to wolf jump full, overrotated the first leap, double tuck, nice and open, RO 1.5 to layout barani to straddle jump. 9.900
Saltness (Illinois): On bars. Ray caught close, beautiful Pak, giant full to double tuck with a lean for the stick. 9.800
Brose (UK): RO double pike, so dynamic, engaging performance from the get-go, tour jete half to wolf jump full, precise, FHS front full front layout, clean, front double full, excellent set. 9.925
Cho (Illinois): On floor. Booming full-in, confident landing, switch leap through to switch half to wolf jump full, holds the stick, front tuck to double tuck, a bit low on the landing but works it well. 9.875
Rotation Totals: Ohio State – 49.550, Rutgers – 49.025, Oklahoma – 49.425, Kentucky – 49.325
Totals: Oklahoma – 148.400, Ohio State – 147.700, Rutgers – 147.500, Kentucky – 147.025
With Ohio State’s stick-a-thon in that rotation, the Buckeyes have surged ahead of the Scarlet Knights for the coveted second spot. But, with just a two-tenth difference, this final rotation matters. The Buckeyes head to bars, and Rutgers has a much trickier path with beam ahead. Speaking of beam, the Sooners had no issue on that event extending their lead, needing just an average final rotation to seal the deal. Kentucky had to erase a fall, but, rallied with its final two routines to put up a respectable total.
Rotation 4: Kentucky Vault, Ohio State Bars, Rutgers Beam, Oklahoma Floor
Hofseth (UK): Yfull. Clean throughout, hop back on the landing. 9.800
Pomager (OSU): Toe on to Maloney to Pak, good height, misses the half pirouette at first, giant full to double tuck, gets the stick. 9.700
Adrian (RU): Full turn, BHS LOSO, great toe point, switch leap to switch half, just slightly shy on the half, RO double full dismount, stuck. 9.825
Rizo (UK): Yfull. Nice height, nearly stuck but succumbs to a step. 9.825
Berry (OSU): Toe on, nearly doesn’t make it over, Maloney and peels off, remounts, dismounts stalder to double tuck, step forward. 8.450
Rains (RU): BHS LOSO, solid, cat leap to front aerial, patient with her movements, split jump to ring jump, big check, full turn, small check, stuck gainer full, bends to do so. 9.650
Gardner (UK): Front pike half. Early twist, spots the ground, flexed feet, hop back. 9.825
Rader (OSU): Toe on to Maloney to Pak, flexed her feet a bit, half pirouette, short on last handstand, double layout, big bend for the stick. 9.700
Larsen (RU): Full turn, beat jump, BHS LOSO, fluid, switch leap to switch half, slight pause between and a check at the end, RO 1.5, big hop forward. 9.675
Vetter (OSU): Tkatchev, clear hip to bail, shy of handstand, same with final handstand, sticks the FTDT dismount. 9.800
Wells (OU): Front tuck to double tuck, lots of height, switch half to wolf jump 1.5, a bit off balance, RO 1.5 front layout, gets good rise. 9.875
Rodriguez (UK): Y1.5. Bad block, sits it down. 9.200
Mueller (OU): Front tuck to double tuck, lunge forward, front layout to Rudi, step back, tour jete half to Popa, off balance. 9.900
Riley (RU): BHS LOSO, falls on her leap series. gets up quickly, side aerial, full turn, BHS 1.5 dismount, sticks it. 9.000
Coleman (OSU): Blind to piked Jaeger to overshoot, nice amplitude, FTDT, gets the stick. 9.850
Flynn Cashion (UK): Front pike half. Explosive off the table, near stick but takes a step back. 9.875
Estep (OU): Front layout to front double full, switch half to wolf jump full, overcooked the first, RO 2.5, a little under so a shuffle back. 9.900
Alvarado-Reid (Central Michigan): On bars. Toe on to Maloney to Pak, smooth, half pirouette, giant full to stuck double tuck. 9.825
Cho (Illinois): On vault. Yfull. Crunchy block but executes the vault well without much height, small hop. 9.750
Rotation Totals: Kentucky – 49.150, Ohio State – 48.850, Rutgers – 48.800, Oklahoma – 49.475
Final: Oklahoma – 197.875, Ohio State – 196.550, Rutgers – 196.300, Kentucky – 196.175
The fall for the Buckeyes made things interesting, but they were able to overcome that to keep the Scarlet Knights at bay to advance to Sunday’s regional final alongside the Sooners. What a great end to the year, though, for Rutgers, who should finish just outside the top-25 and outperform all expectations. It was also good to see Kentucky end on a solid note in a tough home defeat.
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Live blog by Brandis Heffner
