SEC Championship Session One

Recap

The Big Storyline: Missouri had its best SEC championship performance to date, winning the first session by over four tenths and finishing fourth overall. Arkansas capitalized on beam struggles from both Kentucky and Georgia to finish second in the session and sixth overall. 

Postseason Implications: All four teams had previously secured bids to regionals, but Kentucky and Missouri formalized their status as three-seeds while Arkansas and Georgia remain unseeded.

Records: Missouri posted a program-best championship score as well as its highest finish since joining the SEC in 2013. Jocelyn Moore earned her third consecutive 9.950 on vault for a share of second place on the event. Teammate Sienna Schreiber also scored 9.950 for second place on beam. 

Controversies: Scoring is typically tighter in the earlier session of championships, and this meet was no exception with just a handful of scores of 9.9 or higher. 

Preview

• No. 9 Kentucky | 197.650 NQS | 197.650 season high
• No. 11 Missouri | 197.190 NQS | 197.675 season high
• No. 17 Arkansas | 196.820 NQS | 197.200 season high
• No. 22 Georgia| 196.575 NQS | 197.175 season high

If you can only watch one meet, here’s why it should be this one…

Top to bottom this is arguably the most competitive afternoon session of the weekend (certainly the only one to feature four top 25 teams). There’s an outside chance that Kentucky and Missouri could challenge the evening session teams, and it’s absolutely plausible that gymnasts from all four teams will factor into the individual titles. 

If this is one of many meets you’ll be watching, don’t miss this…

The third rotation is the one to watch: Georgia will be on its highest-ranked event, vault, while Arkansas and Kentucky will be on their respective make-or-break events, bars and beam. The Gymdogs could pick up numerous valuable tenths with a strong rotation, putting extra pressure on the Razorbacks and Wildcats to hit. Finally, Missouri will be on floor, where it’s scored 49.475 or higher in four of its last six meets, culminating in last week’s program-high 49.650.

What’s the bigger picture to keep an eye on?

All four teams have secured their spots at regionals, and Missouri and Kentucky will be seeded regardless of their performances this weekend. The Wildcats are currently the top-ranked three seed and could make the jump to two seed with a strong score. Similarly, Arkansas is currently unseeded but could move as high as 14th if it meets or exceed its season high. 

By the Numbers

Past Champions

• Georgia: 16 titles, last won in 2008
• Alabama: 10 titles, last won in 2021
• Florida: 10 titles, last won in 2016
• LSU: 4 titles, last won in 2019

Records Watch

• Team: 198.375 | Vault: 49.800 | Bars: 49.700 | Beam: 49.625 | Floor: 49.725
• All Around: 39.850 | Vault: 10.000 | Bars: 10.000 | Beam: 10.000 | Floor: 10.000

Last Time Out

Eighth-ranked Alabama upset heavy favorites Florida and LSU for the championship, thanks in no small part to a stellar performance by sophomore Luisa Blanco in which she took the all-around crown outright and earned shares of the vault, bars and beam titles.