Minnesota and Pittsburgh at Maryland

Update 1/27: This meet was postponed due to COVID protocols within the Minnesota program.

Update 2/2: This meet was rescheduled from 1/30 for 2/14.

Update 2/9: Pittsburgh joined this meet.

Recap

The Big Storyline: The Terps and Panthers had themselves a day, while struggles on beam set the Gophers too far behind for a comeback. Minnesota was on the second meet of a double and rested a few key athletes. Missing some of those top numbers, plus a nervy beam rotation that included a counted fall, saw Minnesota lose to Maryland for only the third time, and to Pittsburgh for the first time ever. 

Implications: This isn’t catastrophic for Minnesota, but the Gophers are going to be on away-score notice moving forward since they don’t yet have a big number as we head into NQS on Feb. 21. The loss doesn’t jeopardize Minnesota’s conference standing (remember, Big Tens are seeded by win-loss), where it holds steady in third behind undefeated Michigan and Iowa. Maryland made a statement and should move closer to being out of the regionals cutoff danger zone. Pitt also gave notice to the rest of the EAGL, putting up a number competitive with the team highs in that conference so far.  

Records: Pitt’s 49.400 on bars is a new program record. Katie Chamberlain tied the bars program record with her 9.950. Both Maryland and Pitt put up fourth-best totals in their respective histories.

Preview

Current Rankings: No. 6 Minnesota and Pittsburgh at No. 46 Maryland

Why You Should Clear Space on Your DVR: It’s a Valentine’s showdown in the XFinity Center! What goes better with your wine and chocolate than beautiful gymnastics? Minnesota has cemented itself in the group of teams whose main goal is competing on the final day of nationals. It’ll be on the back side of a two-meet weekend, looking to add a huge road number to its tally after its performance at Illinois last week wasn’t up to Gophers’ standards. Maryland had a tough start, with injuries hampering some of its best gymnasts, but the Terps got back on track last week with a near-196 in East Lansing. 

You Can Fast Forward, but not Through This: Reese McClure is back! The junior missed all of January for the Terps with an ankle sprain, but her signature, often-stuck gainer Rudi beam dismount was back in action last week. The entire Maryland vault lineup is stacked with amplitude and is a blast to watch. Minnesota’s dynamic duo of Ona Loper and Lexy Ramler are having the fifth years the entire gymternet hoped for; we’ll see what the pals can do on V Day. Mya Hooten is of course spectacular on floor, and freshman Haley Tyson has been settling into her role in the bars lineup.