It’s a surprise tri-meet! Eastern Michigan makes a last-minute addition to this cross-conference matchup after rumors of Oklahoma having limited athletes available due to illness and potentially withdrawing from the meet altogether. It’s also senior night for the Wolverines, and we’ll be seeing final performances in the Crisler Center from sixth-years Carly Bauman and Reyna Guggino, whose impact on the Michigan program cannot be overstated.
This meet will be key in Michigan’s fight to stay in the hunt for nationals. A stellar beam lineup has put it in a strong position for the postseason, but the race isn’t over yet. Although the team has been consistent in recent weeks, its season-high of 197.475 is lower than that of other top teams that will also be challenging for a trip to Fort Worth. While beam and floor remain the Wolverines’ key events, putting the pieces together on vault would give them a major scoring boost: strong Yurchenko 1.5s from Guggino, Sophia Diaz, and Jahzara Ranger could help in the push towards a 198.000.
At this point in the season, Oklahoma hasn’t left us with many questions: the Sooners have held the top spot in the national rankings since week four, and sophomore Addison Fatta has secured her position as one of the top all-arounders in the country. The biggest thing to look out for tonight will be what head coach KJ Kindler chooses to do with her lineups, especially if some of her regular standouts are unavailable. We’ve seen more shuffling than is typical from the Sooners this year—last week juniors Keira Wells and Caitlin Smith made event debuts while sophomore Lily Pederson was out with illness, and junior Hannah Scheible’s explosive handspring front pike half has been in and out of the vault lineup in her comeback campaign. All eyes will be on the Sooners and their strategy in this final regular-season matchup.
Due to it being a last-minute schedule addition, it’s unlikely (although unconfirmed) that Eastern Michigan will be able to count this score toward its NQS, but the Eagles could use the meet as a chance to test lineups or depth before they face conference rival Kent State on Sunday. The Eagles will be opening the meet on beam, which has been a tricky event this season, but junior Katin Childress is a remarkable specialist whose consistency has made her one of the top-ranked beam workers in the MAC—she could set the tone early tonight.
This meet will be streamed on B1G+, and scores can be found on Virtius. Not a B1G+ subscriber? Sign up today for the monthly pass with the code COLLEGEGYM3 for just $10.99/month (regularly $12.99/month).
Rotation 1: Michigan VT, Oklahoma UB, Eastern Michigan BB
Davis (Michigan): Yurchenko full, short with chest down and a step forward. 9.750
Murphy (Oklahoma): Legs glued together through her opening Maloney to Bail series. Full pirouette is a touch late before her double tuck dismount with a small step. 9.775
Guggino (Michigan): Drills the landing on her Yurchenko 1.5! Really nice landing position, just slightly soft knees in the air. 9.950
Sanger (Michigan): Yurchenko full with good body position and distance, hop back. 9.850
Scheible (Oklahoma): Good Jaeger, followed by a Bail to a great handstand. Full in dismount with a step back. The Sooners haven’t found their landings yet today. 9.825
Jordan (Michigan): The best full of the lineup so far, nice position on the table and good distance with a minimal hop. 9.900
Fatta (Oklahoma): Clean through the Church to Pak. Very late handstand on the low bar. Double layout dismount, lands low with a hop. 9.850
Diaz (Michigan): Excellent dynamics on her 1.5, just a scooch back. 9.850
Kohler (EMU): They’re showing pieces of Eastern Michigan routines, but it looks like the stream will largely focus on Michigan and Oklahoma. Small adjustment on her dance series. BHS to 1.5 dismount, clean in the air with a hop forward. 9.700
Estep (Oklahoma): Only the dismount was shown, full in with a hop. 9.900
Ranger (Michigan): Super high 1.5 with a hop forward, should score higher than Diaz. 9.925
Smith (Oklahoma): Maloney to Pak with leg seaparation. Very late handstand on the low bar, looks like she’s rushing a bit. Great height and form on her double layout, step back. 9.800
Torrez (Oklahoma): Great height on her Ray. Toe on to Pak, legs are glued together. Short handstand on the low bar, better on the high. Double layout with a hop. I’m not used to Oklahoma not finding their landings, especially on bars. 9.850
Landry (EMU): Solid BHS LOSO. Great split positions through the dance series. Bobble on her full turn. Gainer full off the side with a small slide. Great set! 9.750
Lowe (EMU): Some bobbles through her dance series. Finishes with a stuck 1.5 dismount, excellent finish. 9.800
Ex – Clapper (Michigan): Good distance on her full, big lunge back. 9.750
Ex – Slade (Oklahoma): Only showed her dismount, pinged the double layout a little and took a couple steps back. 9.725
AFTER ONE: Michigan 49.475, Oklahoma 49.225, Eastern Michigan 48.800
A season high on vault is a great way to open Michigan’s meet and bodes well for its preseason hopes. A stick for Guggino’s final vault in the Crisler Center will be a memorable moment for sure. Oklahoma will not be so thrilled – nothing went wrong, but that rotation lacked the polish we’re used to seeing from the Sooners. I hope the athletes are feeling okay, if the rumors of illness on the team are true. The stream is definitely struggling to show all three teams, so we didn’t get to see much of Eastern Michigan, but 48.800 ties their season high on beam and sets them up nicely for a solid team score tonight.
Rotation 2: Oklahoma VT, Michigan UB, Eastern Michigan FX
Blessey (Oklahoma): Great tight body position on her handspring front pike half, step back on the landing. 9.850
Jordan (Michigan): Blind change to Jaeger, can’t get her hands over the bar and falls. Gets back up with a clean Bail, finishes with a blind full to double tuck with a step. Unfortunate to have a fall in the leadoff spot, hopefully Clapper can put it behind her. 8.950
Wells (Oklahoma): Yurchenko 1.5, very nearly stuck, the smallest shuffle in place. Great vault from her. 9.925
Clapper (Michigan): Piked Jaeger, some bent arms on the catch. Good through the transitions. Great handstand before her double layout, hop back. Good comeback after the leadoff fall. 9.750
Scheible (Oklahoma): Huge handspring front pike half, undeniably stuck! I love her secure landing position. 9.975
Estep (Oklahoma): 1.5, clean in the air with a step forward. 9.900
Evans (EMU): Big double pike, some front foot movement.
Mueller (Oklahoma): Yep, Oklahoma has found its sticks – drills the 1.5 and looks very pleased with it. 9.975
Diaz (Michigan): Clean through the transitions. Step forward on the dismount. 9.775
Fatta (Oklahoma): Good height on her 1.5 but lacks a little distance, hops forward. 9.875
Lew (Michigan): Piked Jaeger, lovely straight arms on the catch. Clean Pak. Slightly short handstand. Comes up a little short on the double layout and steps back. 9.775
Bauman (Michigan): Toe on half to high Jaeger, slightly bent arms. Short handstand before her overshoot. Blind change to double front, sticks it. Some small mistakes throughout, but good for the Wolverines to get a stuck landing. 9.825
Karle (EMU): Front layout to Rudi, good control on the landing. Roundoff to layout to double stag jump side pass – so fun, and great height! 9.800
Sanger (Michigan): Late blind change before a very cleann piked Jaeger. Good Pak. Excellent final handstand before a stuck double layout. Great way to close out the rotation after a shaky start. 9.875
Landry (EMU): Opens with a clean and controlled double tuck. Switch side to Popa to Popa, good straddle positions. 1.5 to front layout, just keeps it in bounds. Great solid routine for the Eagles. 9.775
Brushwood (EMU): Falls to her hands on her Rudi. Switch side to straddle jump is clean. Straddle jump to double stag jump is very nice, good toe point. Finishes with a very controlled double tuck, her toes are pointed in the air throughout which is lovely.
Ex – Slade (Oklahoma): Yurchenko full, clean in the air with a hop back.
AFTER TWO: Oklahoma 98.875, Michigan 98.475, E
My mistake for having any doubts about Oklahoma after the first rotation. The Sooners went on to post a massive 49.650 on vault, led by a pair of clean, stuck vaults for 9.975s from Scheible and Mueller. Michigan didn’t count any misses, but small mistakes added up for a season low 49.000 on bars. It’s unfortunate to lose the great momentum the Wolverines built up with that vault rotation, and they’ll be looking to build it back up as they head to their strongest event. Eastern Michigan put together a solid floor rotation for a very respectable 48.925, keeping them on pace for a big team score tonight.
Rotation 3: Michigan BB, Oklahoma FX, Eastern Michigan VT
Parenti (Michigan): She was out last week, so it’s good to see her back in this lineup. BHS LOSO, rock solid. Clean through the dance series. Front aerial to split jump, good body positions. Roundoff to 1.5 dismount with a small hop. Great leadoff! 9.825
Fatta (Oklahoma): Front full step out through to back 2.5, stumbles out of it a little. Split leap full to Popa, travels but nice body position. Front double full, clean and controlled. 9.900
Davis (Michigan): Clean and confident through the BHS loso. Cat leap to side aerial to beat jump, solid and moves very swiftly through the series. Switch leap to pike jump, split looked shy of 180. BHS gainer full off the side with a hop. 9.800
Wells (Oklahoma): She made her floor debut just last week! We’re only seeing her last pass here – 1.5 to front full, soft knees but perfectly controlled landing. 9.900
Daniel (EMU): Tucked yurchenko full with a step back, good distance. 9.725
Bauman (Michigan): BHS LOSO, great extension and solid landing. Split jump to straddle jump half to sissone, excellent split positions. Piked side somi, big wobble with the leg up and just barely holds on! I definitely thought that was going to be a fall. Gainer pike off the end with a hop back. Well done with that save. 9.800
Estep (Oklahoma): Front double full with a small stumble. 9.925
Ranger (Michigan): BHS LOSO, is too off-center for the third LOSO and falls. Switch leap to pike jump is solid. Front toss with a balance check. Roundoff double tuck with a step. 9.225
Mueller (Oklahoma): Clean Rudi. Split full to Popa, very clean and precise through the rotations. I wish we could have seen the first half of that routine, it’s my favorite in the Oklahoma lineup. 9.925
Boozer (Michigan): The pressure is on to deliver after Ranger’s fall – but if anyone can do that, it’s Boozer. Switch leap to switch split jump to split jump, perfect. Front aerial with an adjustment. BHS LOSO with a big lean. Gainer full off the side, stuck. Looks like the nerves are contagious, but she got through it. 9.750
Pawlak (Oklahoma): 1.5 to front full, well-controlled. Switch full, looks a touch short.
Ex – Slade (Oklahoma): 1.5 to front full, small leg separation. Double pike with really nice height and a secure landing. Switch side to straddle jump half is clean.
Ex – Desmond (Oklahoma): Double layout, large leg separation and a small hop. Front tuck through to double tuck, legs glued together and excellent control on the landing. Switch half to Popa, nice and precise. That second pass is gorgeous, I could see that making the lineup next season.
AFTER THREE: Oklahoma 148.450, Michigan 147.500, Eastern Michigan 146.400
Michigan looks nervy tonight. 49.025 is a season low on beam, and that’s without counting a fall. The Wolverines would need a 49.500 on floor to break 197 – they’ve gone as high as 49.550, so it’s definitely possible, but it’ll take laser-focus and mental toughness. We didn’t get to see many full routines from the Sooners, but they put together a very strong floor rotation for a 49.575. A 198 is possible if beam is equally strong. I wish we were seeing more of Eastern Michigan, who are quietly killing it and are solidly on 195 pace.
Rotation 4: Oklahoma BB, Michigan FX, Eastern Michigan UB
Fatta (Oklahoma): Solid on the BHS LOSO to start. Clean side aerial. Hitch kick to switch side, very good. She finishes every skill so cleanly and confidently. Good split positions through the leap series. BHS gainer full off the side, stuck. Excellent leadoff for the Sooners. 9.875
Davis (Michigan): Front layout to Rudi, powerful but good control. Switch half to wolf full to wolf full, great height. And we cut away to Wells beam. 9.900
Wells (Oklahoma): Cat leap to switch leg side aerial, very clean. Switch leap to split jump, good 18 0 splits. BHS LOSO, looked like she thought about adjusting but held on. Roundoff to 1.5 dismount, great punch and height off the beam, stuck landing. I’ll take that clean, high dismount over a gainer full any day. 9.875
Diaz (Michigan): Front double twist, dances out of it. Full wolf turn is clean. Rudi to LOSO, great height and distance. Switch half to wolf full is clean and dynamic. Really nice routine from her. 9.925
Murphy (Oklahoma): Beat jump to ring jump, ring position looks great at this angle. BHS gainer full off the side with a stick. 9.950
Daniel (EMU): Looks like she’s remounting after a fall. Double layout dismount with a great stick. 9.100
Bauman (Michigan): Her last routine in the Crisler Center. Front double twist, super clean in the air, dances out of it. Switch half to wolf full to wolf full, great precision. 1.5 to front full, legs glued together and great rise on the second salto. That should be a big score for the Wolverines! 9.950
Estep (Oklahoma): Switch leap to straddle jump 1/4 is solid. Cat leap to side aerial with a bobble. Roundoff to 1.5 dismount with a shuffle back on the landing. 9.775
Lowe (EMU): Toe on front pike half dismount with a stick, very nice. 9.850
Walters (Michigan): Front double twist, not as clean in the air as Bauman but the best control on landing of the ones we’ve seen. Good straddle positions through the leap series. 1.5 to front full, holds onto the landing. Great clean routine from her. 9.900
Mueller (Oklahoma): BHS LOSO is solid to start. Side somi, looks like a side aerial but that’s just how she does it. Good split positions through the leap series. Roundoff 1.5 dismount with a step back. 9.825
Ranger (Michigan): This has been an excellent floor rotation for Michigan, but Ranger can really ensure a strong finish here. Opens with a big double layout and an excellently controlled landing. Switch half to Popa is clean and precise. Front layout through to double tuck, lands a touch short but turns it into a stuck landing – great coverup! So nice to see her come back like this after that beam fall. 9.925
Torrez (Oklahoma): Side aerial to LOSO is impressive as always. Switch leap to straddle jump, excellent body positions. BHS gainer full off the side is high, clean and stuck. The brilliant anchor work we’ve come to expect from Torrez. 9.950
Ex – Guggino (Michigan): Double pike, bounces out of it. Good straddle positions through the leap series. Front layout to Rudi, better control on this pass. 9.800
Ex – Siegfeldt (Oklahoma): Cat leap to front aerial, beautiful lines. BHS LOSO, breaks at the hip and falls. I though she had it. Beat jump to ring jump, small adjustment but great ring position. BHS gainer full off the side, stuck. 9.225
Ex – Sanger (Michigan): Double pike, some front foot movement. Switch half to wolf full to wolf full is good. 1.5 to front full, clean and controlled. 9.825
Ex – Smith (Oklahoma): I missed most of her routine but she finished with a stuck 1.5 dismount.
FINAL: Oklahoma 197.925, Michigan 197.100, Eastern Michigan 195.025
Oklahoma started off a bit rough – by Oklahoma standards – on bars, but quickly assuaged any worries with totals of 49.475 or higher on the next three events. Getting so close to 198 without Lily Pederson and with other athletes potentially not at full strength speaks volumes about the depth and readiness of this team. Michigan started strong, had a disappointing dip in the second and third rotation, and closed out even stronger than it began. The final number is solid, but this felt like more of a midseason performance than the last meet of the regular season. The Wolverines are capable of big numbers on every event, but they’ve yet to put together the entire performance in one meet. That’s what they’ll be needing to do in the postseason to contend for a spot at nationals. Eastern Michigan made the most of its last-minute addition to this meet to deliver its third-highest team score of the season, putting it in a strong position for the upcoming MAC Conference Championship. Kyrie Lowe also tied for third place on bars, an impressive result in this stacked field.
VT: Scheible and Mueller – 9.975
UB: Estep – 9.900
BB: Murphy and Torrez – 9.950
FX: Bauman – 9.950
AA: Fatta and Estep – 39.500
READ THIS NEXT: Data Deep Dive: Lineup Experience
Live blog by Sophie Poirier
