Welcome to the 2026 season! Tonight, Minnesota and Iowa meet Utah at home for what is sure to be an exciting first competition of the new year. All three squads are looking to begin the season with a clean performance to set the tone for the next few months. Certain to shake things up are significant changes to NQS calculation. Since these changes factor in a greater number of team scores, the typically shakier early-season performances are more likely to count, increasing the stakes tonight.
The usual flow of outgoing and incoming athletes guarantees variation, even for host and No. 5 powerhouse Utah. Decorated Ute Grace McCallum is now on the other side of competition, having graduated and joined the team’s coaching staff. Despite this, Utah enters as the frontrunner, with Makenna Smith and Avery Neff as leaders among other returning all-stars.
Minnesota steps up to the plate hungry after a satisfying top-16 national finish in 2025. The Gophers rounded out the conference championships ranked No. 3 in the Big Ten, keeping in step with powerhouse teams. The graduation of phenom Mya Hooten may prove a tough transition for the Gophers, but keep your eye on first-year Arianna Ostrum, a former five-star recruit certain to accompany experienced returners to make a strong collegiate debut tonight.
For Iowa, head coach Jen Llewellyn will begin her second year at the helm. The Hawkeyes snagged former five-star Sophie Schriever to integrate into a core of strong returners, including standout Aurelie Tran. Last season already witnessed vast improvements for the Hawkeyes under Llewellyn’s leadership, and with experienced returners and new talent, they are set to continue their upward trend.
The offseason has officially ended, and the time has come to reap the fruits of fall training. For these three teams, the season begins tonight.
The meet will be streamed on ESPN+ at 9 p.m. ET, and scores can be found on Virtius.
Rotation 1: Utah VT, Minnesota UB, Iowa BB
UTAH: VT
Raposo: Begins the comp with a Yurchenko 1.5, gets good distance from the table and steps forwards. 9.775
Zirbes: Y 1.5, underrotates and steps back, 9.700
Glynn: Large step forward on her Y1.5, 9.825
Smith: Omelianchik with great form, tiny hop, 9.875
Johnson: High Y 1.5 and sticks it cold. 9.925
Neff: Clean Y 1.5, way too much power and takes two steps, 9.800
Winger (exhibition): A bit low Y 1.5 but pulls it around
Stroud (exhibition): A clean Y-full, small hop
MINNESOTA: UB
Gerdes: Maloney Pak, fluid swings to a FTDT, small step. 9.725
Crump: Powerful swings throughout, takes a small step on her double layout. 9.675
Ostrum: Misses her pirouette but keeps going, tight on her DLO, steps forward. 9.550
Slevin: Feet are glued, fights for the pirouette, clean DLO with a little step back. 9.775
Saltzmann: 9.775
Lyden: Pretty lines and a super floaty DLO, stuck! 9.850
Sophia Nguyen (exhibition):
Johnson (exhibition): Some leg separation on the Maloney bail, toe on pike half dismount, lands low.
IOWA: BB
Ball: Hip bend on the flic lay, strong jumps, sticks the dismount. 9.625
Henderson: Quite solid on her series, dismounts with a double full and takes a big jump back. 9.700
Tran: Very calm on her series, lands well on the gainer dismount. 9.800
Schriever: Looking a tad wobbly, BHS LOSO and steps back but saves it. Hop on the dismount. 9.350
Rojas: Looks very confident in her dance. BHS BHS LOSO and lands well. Gainer layout full dismount, nice form. 9.600
Turner: Candlestick mount, hip break at the full turn. Gainer BHS, BHS LOSO, lifts her leg but stays on. BHS layout 1.5 to finish, feet are glued together. 9.400
Volpe (exhibition): BHS LOSO, excellent chest position on her landing. RO tucked 1.5 dismount, sticks.
Tyson (exhibition): BHS BHS LOSO, well-executed, jumps are clean, cartwheel 1.5 dismount is a little low, but finds her feet.
AFTER ONE: Utah 49.200, Minnesota 48.800, Iowa 48.125
The Utes have already surpassed the 49 mark on their first event, which is no surprise given their slate chock-full of 10.0 SV routines. Some potentially inflated scores, but hey, it’s the judges first meet of the season too? The Gophers had a smooth rotation on bars, and debuted several very clean new routines. There’s some room for improvement for Hawkeyes on beam. The first event wobbles are very real, but no falls, which is a good start.
Rotation 2: Utah UB, Minnesota BB, Iowa FX
UTAH: UB
Smith: Pak, Van Leewen, sticks the toe on pike half easily. 9.900
Stroud: Floats her Jaeger, low bar handstand is right on top. She swings very intentionally. Small hop back on her DLO. 9.750
Ryesman: Gorgeous piked Jaeger, misses her first pirouette. DLO and FIGHTS for the stick. 9.725
Zirbes: Very high straddle Jaeger, Pak, basically brushes the ceiling with her FTDT. 9.875
Padurariu: Toe on pike half dismount, quick turnover but lands with a little low chest, hops forward. 9.850
Neff: Huge Gienger to shoot over, fights for her handstand, FTLO dismount, big step forwards. 9.775
Raposo (exhibition): Very clean swings, DLO sticks.
Winger (exhibition): Straight body handstands are impressive in college. Steps back on her FTDT.
MINNESOTA: BB
Stewart: Gainer dismount full, stuck, 9.475
Gerdes: Extremely centered demeanor, calm landing on her series. 9.725
Moraw: BHS LOSO catches what could’ve been a wobble, side aerial is straight on, side gainer full dismount, sticks. 9.775
Pearl: BHS LOSO lands well, some arm bend on the BHS. Flows her front aerial. BHS gainer full, some leg separation, chest position is good and sticks. 9.825
Rowray: Front kickover jump combo is solid, an interesting front gainer full off the side and sticks it. 9.650
Lyden: Wolf full, BHS LOSO with no issues, RO 1.5 with a little adjustment on the landing. 9.800
Ostrum (exhibition): BHS LOSO makes it look easy. Slightly sideways on the side aerial, but covers it well. Sticks her gainer full. She looks at home on the beam.
Slevin (exhibition): A fight in her mount to stay on. BHS LOSO is spring loaded, nicely done. No problems on her double wolf turn, a small hop forward on her RO 1.5 dismount.
IOWA: FX
Tran: Front 1.5 LOSO a little soft knees. FHS lay is clean. 9.700
Turner: Double pike to open, a bit low chest on landing. Back 1.5 to front lay is super clean, holds the landing for a beat. 9.725
DePoala: Front 1.5 to layout, a little off but makes it and finishes well. 9.725
Castillo: Front through to double pike, a little low on the landing. Holds the landing well on her second pass. 9.650
Erb: Powerful double pike to start. RO 1.5 to full, 9.800
Henderson: Sky-high FTDT. Front through to double tuck, effortless. 9.875
Karenbauer (exhibition): Lots of distance on her double pike, front through to double tuck, lands short and falls forwards.
Schriever (exhibition): Double pike to open. RO whip half to Rudi, fast and clean. Sharp dance and intense music.
AFTER TWO: Utah 98.350, Minnesota 97.575, Iowa 96.950
Utah presents no major issues on one of its best events. Some nerves here and there on the little details, but overall the Utes are clearly well-prepared. Similarly, Iowa and Minnesota has the usual early-season jitters as well, giving away tenths that we likely won’t see happen later on in the season.
Rotation 3: Iowa VT, Utah BB, Minnesota FX
IOWA: VT
Chambers: Y-full stuck, a little low. 9.650
Castillo: Y-full, hops in place. 9.725
Tran: A good block for a high Y-full, flares out and lands well. 9.775
Turner: Y-1.5 an unremarkable height but she twists very quickly to make it through. 9.800
Schriever: Full on pike off, bouncy off the table and lands well. 9.800
Henderson: Super high Y-1.5, a bit straight-legged on the landing. 9.850
Karenbauer (exhibition): Y-full steps back
DePoala (exhibition):
UTAH: BB
Gantner: A clean BHS LOSO, she’s all smiles. RO 1.5, hops forward. 9.775
Zirbes: BHS BHS LOSO and a very confident landing. Tucked gainer full, keeps her toes together and sticks it. 9.875
Stroud: BHS BHS LOSO, RO 1.5, controlled step forward. 9.800
Ryesman: Confident presentation in her dance, BHS LOSO no issues, RO double full, slight pike down. 9.850
Neff: Side aerial BHS is quite solid, side aerial two foot to Shushunova looks like she could’ve come off (doesn’t), flies in her dismount for a high gainer full, stuck. 9.875
Padurariu: Front aerial BHS flows well, she has so much confidence, gainer pike dismount is a little low but stuck it anyway. 9.850
Krump (exhibition): BHS LOSO, gainer pike dismount, pointed toes(!) lands with her chest up and a small hop.
Raposo (exhibition): Some flex toes in her jumps, BHS LOSO is off but she doesn’t move. RO 1.5 to a little hop.
MINNESOTA: FX
Lyden: RO 1.5 to full, straight form and dances out. Double full to close it out, I can’t exaggerate how clean her twisting form is. 9.825
Saltzmann: Double pike, large lunge, front full to layout. Ends with a double tuck and an unproblematic landing. 9.725
Swartzmiller: Big jump out of her first pass, RO 1.5 to layout, powerful, 9.850
Ostrum: Front through to double tuck, energetic leap combo, front lay Rudi. 9.825
Gonsiorowski: FTDT, that looked like 50% of her power. Front through to double tuck, slides back a bit in the lunge out. 9.775
Gerdes: Front through to double tuck, she has a lot of power and doesn’t control the landing, slides back. Double pike is great. 9.800
Steensland (exhibition): FHS 1.5 to layout, quick twisting and bouncy. Back 2.5 twist, a small stumble but gets great height.
Johnson (exhibition): Front full to front half, RO double back to finish well.
AFTER THREE: Utah 147.600, Minnesota 146.650, Iowa 145.900
Iowa had an impressive showing on vault, posting three 10.0 SV vaults and a few other clean Yurchenko fulls. The Hawkeyes will want to work on finer execution on the Y-fulls, but it’s a great start. And Schriever’s full on pike is a treat. Utah preached consistency in this beam rotation, and the poise that most of the athletes showed was palpable. A bit of a start value blip for Neff’s iffy aerial to Shushunova combo, but the judges ultimately gave it to her. Finally, Minnesota’s floor performance kept pace with their usual, but the flair from some graduated routines was a missing component. I’d like to see more energy going forward, but overall the event went well for the Gophers.
Rotation 4: Minnesota VT, Iowa UB, Utah FX
MINNESOTA: VT
Ostrum: Y-full, not particularly high but clean, a little foot adjustment. 9.750
Steensland: Y-full, straight form, a little underrotated, steps forward, 9.625
Slevin: The block off the vault table doesn’t lie, a very nice Y-full, slight pike down. 9.650
Crump: High Y-1.5, a little too much power, hops forwards. 9.750
Moraw: Y-full nicely done, feet are glued together tiny hop to land. 9.850
Gerdes: Y-1.5, steps forward, 9.825
Isabella Nguyen (exhibition): Y-full big hop back
Sophia Nguyen (exhibition):
IOWA: UB
Henderson: Floaty Maloney to Pak, huge FTDT, small hop. 9.700
Masella: Jaeger to shootover, undoubtably holds the stick out for her double layout. 9.800
Schriever: Complete handstands, flies on her Van Leeuwen, pike front half. 9.750
Turner: Maloney to Pak, toes and knees are glued and her handstands magnetic. Small step on her DLO. 9.800
Tran: Maloney Pak, Van Leeuwen, DLO is fast and clean, hops back, 9.850
Bowles: A big Ray, DLO with some leg separation, 9.725
Rojas (exhibition): Gienger slightly close, bail handstand, FTDT pulled in a little and some leg separation.
UTAH: FX
Winger: RO 1.5 to full, great power there. She looks strong in her dance. Back 2.5, steps out of it. 9.800
Stroud: Back 1.5 front full, very controlled. Finishes with a sky-high back 2.5. 9.850
Zirbes: Front double full, her air awareness is impressive. 9.900
Stickler: DLO right into the corner, Rudi layout is a little short. 9.775
Neff: Front 1.5 to front half tucked, misses the bounce and doesn’t finish the pass as planned, according to the commentators. Back 1.5 to front full is clean all around. 9.700
Smith: Front double full to tuck, well-executed but too far and takes one step out of bounds. RO, what do you call that, a back flop? So cool. Rudi to back layout, a big rockstar salute. 9.700
Curtis (exhibition): DLO to open, lands a little low and steps forward out of it. Big leaps! Front full to front full to end.
Glynn (exhibition): Front double full, a bit uncontrolled of a landing. RO 1.5 front layout and finishes well.
FINAL: Utah 196.625, Minnesota 195.475, Iowa 194.825
The final standings are unsurprising. There were bumps in the road for everyone tonight, as expected of a season opener. Each three teams will walk away with a list of details to be refined and areas to shore up individual confidence. Highlights include JerQuavia Henderson’s return to competition after two years, Minnesota’s ability to weave in multiple newcomers with no issue, and Ella Zirbes dominating the all around in her AA debut. We’ll see how these teams digest tonight’s performance and show up differently next week as the season heats up.
VT: Johnson (Utah) — 9.925
UB: Smith (Utah) — 9.900
BB: Zirbes (Utah) — 9.875
FX: Zirbes (Utah) — 9.900
AA: Zirbes (Utah) — 39.350
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Live blog by Frances Leadman
