MPSF Championship

Recap

The Big Storyline: UC Davis rode its consistency across all four events to an MPSF title, the team’s first since 2015. The Aggies finished six-tenths ahead of second place San Jose State; The Spartans counted a fall on beam, ultimately ending their chance at the title or a regionals berth. 

Postseason Implications: UC Davis and San Jose State entered Saturday as two of five teams vying for three regionals spots, but neither ended up making the cut, leaving no full MPSF teams in the regionals field. A number of athletes from these teams have the potential to reach regionals as individuals. 

Conference Awards

• Gymnast of the Year: Lauren Macpherson (San Jose State)
• Event Specialist of the Year: Amber Koeth (Sacramento State)
• Newcomer of the Year: Amelia Moneymaker (UC Davis)
• Coaches of the Year: Tanya Ho (UC Davis), Melissa Genovese (Sacramento State)

Preview

• No. 37 San Jose State | 196.215 NQS | 196.625 season high
• No. 40 UC Davis | 195.965 NQS | 196.750 season high
• No. 53 Sacramento State | 194.960 NQS | 195.725 season high
• No. 58 Air Force | 194.350 NQS | 195.650 season high
• No. 70 Alaska | 190.770 NQS | 193.700 season high

If you can only watch one meet, here’s why it should be this one… San Jose State and UC Davis are both on the bubble and need big scores at this meet as they try to secure regional spots. This meet should also be a close one, with San Jose State’s season NQA three tenths above UC Davis’, but UC Davis having the higher season high. That said, if either falters, Sacramento State could pounce with its ability to score into the mid 195s

If this is one of many meets you’ll be watching, don’t miss this… San Jose State’s floor rotation has been strong this season, scoring 49.4-plus two times in the last month. Additionally, UC Davis has a very unique can’t-miss vault lineup that features five different vaults, including Keanna Abraham’s massive Yurchenko one and a half and Emma Otsu’s Omelianchik.  

What’s the bigger picture to keep an eye on? Both San Jose State and UC Davis need to score mid-196s to keep their regionals hopes alive, although their fates are not completely in their own hands. For both teams, bars and beam inconsistency has kept their scores down throughout the season. If the Spartans and Aggies can hit those events for 49-plus, their regional hopes stay alive.

By the Numbers

Past Champions

• Air Force: 1 title, last won in 2019
• Alaska: 1 title, last won in 2009
• San Jose State: 3 titles, last won in 2022
• Sacramento State: 5 titles, last won in 2016
• UC Davis: 6 titles, last won in 2015

Records Watch

• Team: 196.425 | Vault: 49.150 | Bars: 49.325 | Beam: 49.275 | Floor: 49.550
• All Around: 39.450 | Vault: 9.950 | Bars: 9.950 | Beam: 9.925 | Floor: 10.000

Last Time Out

Last season, San Jose State won the MPSF championships with a championship record 196.425. UC Davis finished in second with a 196.050. While issues on bars and vault led Air Force and Sac State to third and fourth place, respectively. Alaska finished in fifth in what could have been the program’s last ever competition. Over the summer, the program was officially reinstated.