A few short years ago neutral-site podium quad meets were rarely streamed, but thankfully that trend is on its way to being reversed and we have the opportunity to watch the 2024 national runner-up California take on top 25 opponents Michigan State, Alabama, and North Carolina.
After claiming the ACC regular season title, Cal is now in postseason prep mode, competing in the second of four straight quad meets. The Golden Bears can’t improve on their No. 6 national ranking today, but they can prevent Michigan State from passing them by scoring at least a 197.150. While the obvious gymnasts to watch are Mya Lauzon, Maddie Williams, and eMjae Frazier, who are all ranked in the top 15 in the all around, also keep an eye out Mya Wiley who just received her first ACC Newcomer of the Week award.
Michigan State was on track for a mid-to-high-197 in last week’s Big Four meet before some beam miscues in the final rotation, with the Spartans ultimately settling for a 197.150. Their goal today should be to put together a complete meet which would help them stay in the top 8 long-term. They can prevent a surging Alabama team from passing them in the rankings with a 196.925, but ultimately the goal score should be much higher than that. Keep an eye on Nikki Smith, who has fallen in each of the last two meets (albeit on different events) and will be looking to lead the team with a mistake-free all around performance.
Alabama comes into this meet on the heels of its third-straight mid-197 performance on Friday. SEC championship qualification is still not certain, but the Crimson Tide can secure its place in Birmingham by scoring at least a 197.250 today. Lilly Hudson and Gabby Gladieux are obvious stars to keep an eye on, but also watch out for freshman Paityn Walker who’s coming off a season-high 9.925 on bars on Friday.
North Carolina’s turnaround has been one of the best underrated storylines of the season, so it feels right that the Tar Heels get to show off their talented roster against three top-15 teams ahead of postseason competition. Regional qualification seems all but assured at this point, and there is a good chance of avoiding a first round dual if they can maintain their current level of consistency. Freshman JoJo Valahovic has been a steady force, with four ACC Newcomer of the Week awards and season highs of 9.9+ on all three of her events.
The meet can be streamed on ACCN, with live stats available on Statbroadcast.
Rotation 1: Cal VT, MSU UB, Alabama BB, UNC FX
Williams (Cal) VT: Beautiful Y-full, almost fully laid out, I think she had a small shuffle but I was looking at Doyle and they didn’t show a replay. 9.775
LaCoursiere (Bama) BB: Candle mount was held very long but I’m not sure the judges will care. Good-sized wobble after her double stag. Front aerial to back handspring solid! Small check after her full turn. Roundoff 1.5 dismount stuck. 9.850
Doyle (MSU) UB: Really nice piked Jaeger, floaty Pak, small small back on her double tuck dismount. 9.750
Naranjo (UNC) FX: For some reason they didn’t show almost the entire routine despite promising they would show everything. We’re off to a great start! 9.800
Cesario (Cal) VT: Y-full with a hop back, the camera angle wasn’t great but she looked a little piked down to me. 9.750
Fuller (Bama) BB: Small knee bend on the front aerial. Full turn possibly a little overrotated but she covered it well. BHS LOSO, feet could be more pointed but that’s picky. RO 1.5 dismount, couldn’t tell if she lifted her foot to bring her heels together but otherwise stuck. 9.900
Stephen (MSU) UB: Not a great angle to see handstands but her form looks impeccable. FTDT dismount stuck. Great routine! 9.800
Stippich (UNC) FX: Overpowered her double pike but her toes were pretty pointed which was nice to see. Much better landing on her double tuck. Her front layout on her combo pass was a little whippy rather than floaty but otherwise solid. 9.750
Wiley (Cal) VT: Y-1.5, soft knees in the air and maybe a small hop? 9.825
Rybicki (Bama) BB: BHS LOSO is solid. Large wobble and arm swing on her switch half, then another small wobble on her full turn. Front full twist dismount, stuck. 9.800
Zsarmani (MSU) UB: Maloney had a small leg separation and then she came off the bar on her Pak despite getting her hands around the bar. She gets back up and repeats the Pak with leg separation. DLO dismount with a small shift in her feet. 8.875
Valahovic (UNC) FX: I’m obsessed with her Amelie music. Out of bounds on her FTDT. Front tuck through to double tuck, good landing but feet are clearly flexed in the air. I’m not sure her second jump was fully extended to 180. 9.725
Frazier (Cal) VT: DTY, some leg twisting and possibly soft knees in the air and then takes a very large hop back. 9.700
Ladanyi (Bama) BB: Feet looked flexed on her front aerial but hard to tell from this angle (replay later showed soft knees as well). Leaps looked great! BHS to gainer layout full off the side, stuck! Nice routine. 9.925
Smith (MSU) UB: Nice Maloney to Pak, maybe a little leg separation. Small wobble on her half turn. Gorgeous double layout with a small hop back. 9.825
Forbes (UNC) FX: FTDT super high and floaty as usual…then they cut away to a vault replay. Why are we not utilizing the split screen at all times? Overpowered her double tuck and had to take a large step back, plus some foot form in the air. 9.725
Lauzon (Cal) VT: Y-1.5, small hop forward but otherwise great. 9.850
Hudson (Bama) BB: Switch leap switch leap was solid. Side aerial to beat jump perfect! Also stuck her dismount. I think I missed her acro series while they were showing floor instead. 9.900
Harkness (MSU) UB: Beautiful Geinger, bail goes right to handstand. Textbook form in her DLO dismount but chest is a little low and she has to hop in place. 9.825
Knower (UNC) FX: FTDT to open, very controlled landing. Combo pass looked great. Her second jump looked a little short of 180. 9.825
Mayhew (Cal) VT: Knees slightly soft in the air on her Y-1.5 and she stumbles a bit on the landing and has to take a small step forward. 9.800
Gladieux (Bama) BB: Small wobble after her back layout but it probably wasn’t very visible from the side. Bigger wobble after the full turn. Double twist dismount STUCK, chest maybe a touch low. Great rotation for the Tide! 9.900
Kellerman (MSU) UB: Straddled Jaeger was maybe a touch close to the bar. DLO stuck! 9.875
Miller (UNC) FX: Front tuck through to double tuck, lunge back wasn’t fully controlled but she was clean in the air. I’m not sure her second leap was fully extended but everything looked fully rotated to me. Double pike, I love seeing the pointed toes in this UNC floor routine! Definitely not an ideal ring position on her last leap but this is college so it probably won’t matter. 9.750
After 1: Alabama 49.475, MSU 49.075, Cal 49.000, UNC 48.850
Dream start for Alabama! With beam out of the way let’s hope the Tide will sail through the rest of the meet. Cal vault scores probably aren’t what we expect but bars next should hopefully right the ship. MSU managed to get through the rotation strong after Zsarmani’s fall, but no 9.9+ scores isn’t ideal. UNC survived its lowest ranked event with no major issues so things should be looking up from here for the Tar Heels.
Rotation 2: UNC VT, Cal UB, MSU BB, Alabama FX
N. King (UNC) VT: Piked down on her Y-full, chest a little down and a small hop. 9.725
Lauzon (Cal) UB: Gorgeous Van Leeuven, small foot adjustment after her FTDT dismount, chest might’ve been a little low too. On replay I can see the feet were a little staggered on the landing too. 9.825
Kalefe (MSU) BB: Small wobble after her triple series but otherwise gorgeous. Sticks her gainer full dismount, really nice routine to start the rotation. 9.875
Sears (Bama) FX: Huge double pike but overpowers it OOB. Gorgeous high leaps as usual, I love her straddle positions. Front tuck through to double tuck, flexed feet in the air but landed well. 9.675
E. King (UNC) VT: Slightly less piked down in her Y-full than her sister, I think, and a similar hop back. 9.750
Frazier (Cal) UB: Maloney to a very floaty Pak, well done. Great stuck double layout, maybe some slight leg separation but I’m being picky. 9.875
Misenheimer (MSU) BB: Leans to the side between her front aerial and her connected jump, that should be a broken connection but I doubt the judges will break it. Soft knees on her BHS LOSO. Sticks her back 1.5 dismount. 9.800
Adams (Bama) FX: Great form on her double pike in the air but her plant foot slides back on the lunge. A little low in amplitude on her front layout in her combo pass and has to whip it around. 9.875
Knower (UNC) VT: A little piked down in her Y-full, lands with her chest a little low and hops in place. 9.800
Newman-Achee (Cal) UB: Beautiful Maloney to Pak! Great handstands too. Feet staggered on her dismount landing but she sticks it. 9.875
Smith (MSU) BB: Large bend at the hips wobble after her BHS LOSO. A couple small steps on her double back dismount. 9.775
LaCoursiere (Bama) FX: Nice double tuck to open. Stumbles on the landing of her 1.5 and sits it down after initially looking like she landed it well, that might’ve been. Front layout to front full to finish. 9.050
Dekanoidze (UNC) VT: Really nice Y-full, tiny hop in place. Possibly some pike down but the camera angle wasn’t great. 9.750
Cesario (Cal) UB: Great straddled Jaeger. DLO dismount with leg separation and a small hop. 9.850
Duplissis (MSU) BB: BHS BHS LOSO, a little hesitant but otherwise no issues. Sticks her roundoff 1.5 dismount! 9.875
Rybicki (Bama) FX: Waaaay overpowered on her double tuck and she flew backwards out of bounds. Not a lot of amplitude on her front layout in her combo pass. 9.575
Valahovic (UNC) VT: Wow, gorgeous Y-1.5! Block looked great, good twisting form in the air, very small foot movement on the landing. 9.875
Williams (Cal) UB: Beautiful Van Leeuwen, I think we missed the beginning of her routine, ugh. Gorgeous DLO, legs perfectly together and stuck! 9.950
Schulte (MSU) BB: Great leap combo to start. BHS LOSO, super solid. Sticks her dismount, great routine! 9.925
Hudson (Bama) FX: Front double full, the controlled lunge wasn’t quite as controlled as usual. Her back 2.5 is as gorgeous as always. 9.950
Forbes (UNC) VT: Great amplitude on her Y-full, hops back on the landing. 9.775
Brown (Cal) UB: Floaty Pak, nice Van Leeuwen. Her last handstand didn’t look vertical to me, but she stuck her toe on pike front half dismount with a slightly low chest. 9.800
Stephen (MSU) BB: Front aerial to two feet is such a cool skill. BHS LOSO is solid but her knees looked a little soft. Stuck double twist dismount, great end to the rotation. 9.950
Gladieux (Bama) FX: Super high FTDT to start, she didn’t need to do a controlled lunge but she did one anyway. Gorgeous leaps, wow. Front layout to front 1.5 to split jump, her usual amplitude and perfection. She’s one of the best floor athletes in the country in my mind, and Alabama really needed those last two routines to close the rotation. 9.950
After 2: Alabama/MSU 98.500, Cal 98.375, UNC 97.800
I would like to apologize for jinxing Alabama, but the good news is that the Tide is still in 1st place, albeit tied with MSU who had a SEASON HIGH performance on beam! That’s great for the Spartans who had a bit of a balance beam situation last meet. Cal is lurking close behind so the top two teams can’t get too comfortable.
Rotation 3: Alabama VT, UNC UB, Cal BB, MSU FX
Paradise (Bama) VT: Small leg separation on her block and then she takes a large hop forward and to the side on the landing. 9.825
Knower (UNC) UB: Some leg separation in her Geinger. Slightly loose when catching her bail handstand. Nice FTDT, small leg separation early in the twisting but lots of amplitude and the landing is stuck. 9.750
Cesario (Cal) BB: Solid acro series, no wobbles. Big leg-up wobble after her leap series. Small hop forward on her RO 1.5 dismount. 9.700
Harkness (MSU) FX: FTDT landed a little low and has to take a step forward. Double tuck landing is better. 9.850
Bunagan (Bama) VT: Large step forward on her Y-1.5 with some small form issues in the air. 9.800
N. King (UNC) UB: Lots of leg separation on her Pak, deep squat and off balance on her double tuck landing. Lots of little form issues throughout the routine. 9.700
Williams (Cal) BB: Very tiny lean after her front aerial to split jump. BHS LOSO, maybe lacking a little amplitude. Another small lean after her leap series. Sticks the gainer full! 9.850
Tucker (MSU) FX: Rudi to back LOSO, very nice. I was watching Williams on beam and I’m not sure if they even showed the rest of the routine? If they did then I guess I was mesmerized. 9.850
Kvamme (Bama) VT: Y-1.5 with a legs a little locked on the landing, underrotated and has to take a large step back. 9.725
Stippich (UNC) UB: A little short on her first cast handstand but her straddled Jaeger is nice. Good DLO, tiny leg separation with a tiny hop. 9.825
Frazier (Cal) BB: No big breaks in the routine until her dismount, when she had to lean forward and take a couple of small steps to recover her balance. 9.850
Beaufait (MSU) FX: Opens with a front double twist that may have been a tiny bit shy of fully rotated but she covered it well. 9.675
German (Bama) VT: Y-1.5, a tiny bit underrotated and hops back and to the side. 9.850
Fink (UNC) UB: Flexed feet on her straddled Jaeger and catches it a little close, good bail to handstand. Leg separation and soft knees on her DLO, takes a hop back. 9.725
Scanlon (Cal) BB: BHS LOSO, solid. Wow, her leap series is gorgeous. Aaaand they stopped showing her routine. Whyyyyyyy? 9.900
Stephen (MSU) FX: Rock solid tumbling as usual, great execution. 9.900
Gladieux (Bama) VT: For some reason we only got to see her Y-1.5 from the beginning of the runway but she seemed happy with it. Looked like a small hop forward. 9.875
Schaefer (UNC) UB: Gorgeous straddled Jaeger, I love her toepoint! Bail handstand was a little short of vertical. FTDT dismount, stuck. 9.825
Lauzon (Cal) BB: She’s one of a few gymnasts allowed to do wolf turns in my book. Triple series is great! Stuck her double twist dismount, fabulous routine. 9.925
Smith (MSU) FX: They showed her intro dance and then cut back to Lauzon on beam. WHY ARE WE NOT USING THE SPLIT SCREEN. I digress. Her double tuck to finish was good but we missed the first pass. Oh hey, they showed a replay, it looked like her chest may have been a little low on the opening FTDT but she landed it well. 9.825
Hudson (Bama) VT: Twisted a little late but she got it fully rotated. Small hop. 9.925
Dekanoidze (UNC) UB: Maloney to bail handstand are both solid. Gorgeous DLO, stuck with her feet slightly staggered on the landing. 9.900
Achampong (Cal) BB: She had a small stumble after landing her first leap in the series but otherwise gorgeous. BHS LOSO, solid. It looked like she wasn’t totally balanced on her full turn but she covered it well. Stuck gainer full. 9.825
Schulte (MSU) FX: Gorgeous tucked full-in to open, I’m not sure if she kept her front foot planted, there maybe have been a small movement. Maybe could’ve used a little more control/precision in her leap rotation. Front tuck through to double tuck, tiny movement of her plant foot on the lunge. 9.900
After 3: MSU 147.825, Alabama/Cal 147.775, UNC 146.825
This one is too close to call! We have another tie, this time for second place, with MSU a half tenth ahead of both Alabama and Cal. MSU and Cal are both moving to their best events, so this one is going to come down to the wire.
Rotation 4: MSU VT, Alabama UB, UNC BB, Cal FX
Tucker (MSU) VT: Underrotated Y-1.5, it looked good in the air but she had to take a step back. 9.750
Gladieux (Bama) UB: First cast handstand a little short. Straddled Jaeger, the left leg looked a little higher than the right and the foot was flexed. Sticks the double tuck dismount, she seems happy with that. 9.800
Naranjo (UNC) BB: Front aerial to LOSO is solid. Large bend at the hips wobble after her switch half and can’t connect it to her wolf jump but she adds in a pike jump. Deep squat and a step on her RO 1.5 dismount. 9.550
Mayhew (Cal) FX: Solid tumbling, didn’t see any major issues. 9.825
Doyle (MSU) VT: Lands her Y-1.5 short and lock-legged, has to take a couple large steps back to save herself from falling. 9.650
Hudson (Bama) UB: Small leg separation on her Maloney and not as tight as usual on her bail handstand. Slightly underrotated on the FTDT dismount, has to hop forward. 9.725
Valahovic (UNC) BB: BHS LOSO with a decent-sized lean to the side. Beautiful leap series. RO 1.5 dismount stuck! 9.850
Kane (Cal) FX: Lineup change from Keuneke. Some form issues on her first twisting pass. Slightly insecure in her last tumbling pass landing but covers it pretty well. 9.700
Zsarmani (MSU) VT: Lands her Y-1.5 with her right leg over the line and takes a step to the side. Otherwise it looked clean in the air. 9.850
Walker (Bama) UB: Small issue on her Pak, she had to regrasp her hand but it ended up being very minor. Nice between the bars Geinger though caught it a little close. FTDT a little close to the bar and then had to take a hop back on the landing, a little cowboyed in the air too. 9.725
N. King (UNC) BB: BHS LOSO with some bent legs and a lean to the side. Small hesitation between her leaps, and then they inexplicably cut to floor in the middle of the routine. 9.750
Williams (Cal) FX: Nice Rudi but a little uncontrolled in the lunge and has to lean her chest back a little. Double wolf turn didn’t maintain the same height throughout but I doubt that matters in college! Beautiful split positions in her leaps. Nice combo pass to finish. 9.850
Smith (MSU) VT: Her usual gorgeous Y-1.5, rather large step forward out of it. 9.875
LaCoursiere (Bama) UB: Beautiful Maloney to Pak, super floaty with great rhythm. Van Leeuwen also nice. FTDT dismount with a stick. Great routine! 9.925
Knower (UNC) BB: BHS LOSO with straight knees, love it. Might’ve cheated her rotation on her second leap a little. RO 1.5 dismount with a small hop. 9.775
Cesario (Cal) FX: High tucked full-in, some flexed feet but a nice open tuck. Sticks her front layout cold. Great routine! 9.875
Stephen (MSU) VT: Y-1.5, large step out of it just like Smith. Replay shows some shoulder angle on the block. 9.900
Fuller (Bama) UB: Some leg separation in her Pak but a nice Van Leeuwen. More leg separation in her DLO, more noticeable than on the Pak, and some flexed feet as well, but she sticks in the landing. 9.925
Fink (UNC) BB: Switch leap switch leap is solid. BHS LOSO LOSO with a big balance check and almost falls. Another wobble after her full turn. Gainer full dismount landed a little low and has to take a small hop forward. 9.700
Frazier (Cal) FX: DLO to open, great form and nice controlled lunge. I feel like her amplitude could be better but I’m probably being picky. Gorgeous leaps as always, then they cut away to show a replay of Kellerman’s vault. We came back in time to see her closing double tuck, solid landing. 9.925
Kellerman (MSU) VT: Her usual stuck front pike half. Great way to end the rotation! 9.950
Adams (Bama) UB: Starts out her routine well but goes over on a cast handstand, then does it again on a full turn and comes off the bar. Small step back on her double tuck after she remounts. 8.650
McBride (UNC) BB: Side aerial to BHS, I love seeing that series and she does it well. Cat leap to straddle quarter but pauses in between. Small lean after her front tuck. Side aerial to 1.5 dismount with a step back. 9.725
Lauzon (Cal) FX: Front double twist to punch front, that was beautiful. Gorgeous leaps as well, it’s rare to see a good ring position in college. Back 1.5 to front full, solid. I wouldn’t be mad about a 10 for that, but she ends up with a 9.950.
FINAL: Cal 197.200, MSU 197.150, Alabama 196.875, UNC 195.625
Alabama will be disappointed to lose that one after such a great start to the meet, but what a finish for Cal with a 49.425 on floor. MSU had some high points to today’s meet but left some points on the table on both vault and bars. UNC had a solid day overall with no falls but fell short of the 196-plus score the team has become accustomed to in recent weeks.
I also have to add in a note about how frustrating that coverage was. ESPN networks usually have great quad meet coverage with the double dual format, so I don’t know why they kept cutting away from the split screen, especially mid-routine. That needs to get worked out before postseason since the entire point of the double dual format was supposed to be to make it easier for viewers to see all the routines.
VT: Kellerman (MSU) 9.950
UB: Williams (Cal) 9.950
BB: Stephen (MSU) 9.950
FX: Lauzon (Cal), Gladieux (Alabama), Hudson (Alabama) 9.950
AA: Lauzon (Cal), Stephen (MSU) 39.550
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