Yearly Archives: 2015

Uncategorized

Worlds 2015 – A Mess to Be Made

5 Comments

It’s time to get ready for the inevitable beautiful disaster that will be the women’s competition at 2015 Worlds. I mean, the glorious display of the best two and a half uninjured gymnasts the world has to offer. It should still be great, though, with multiple close qualification fights for Rio team spots and for the AA final. There’s reason to be excited in spite of the US/Simone inevitability and the general international bones-made-of-glass situation. But when Seda Tutkhalyan pulls out with restless leg syndrome, don’t come crying to me.

Because of brilliance, USAGym is providing live qualification streams of the top countries. Remember way back in 2011 when Gabby’s qualification bars routine was lost to the sands of time? This is better. For the rest of qualification, we’ll just be forced to follow the scores and then compulsively record them in a series of manila folders. Since the FIG’s live scoring is always terrible and has maybe a quarter of the information we would want, I assume we’ll once again be left to rely on that janky Swiss Timing java applet that barely exists or opens, and your computer is always like
What even is that thing?

But in preparation for definitely not knowing what that thing is, here are a few notes on the storylines I’ll be paying attention to in each qualification subdivision.

(Also remember that the clocks change in the UK on Sunday the 25th. It doesn’t affect women’s qualifying, but it will affect the other competitions if you’re making plans and doing time-zone conversion.)

Subdivision 1 (Romania, Spain, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Norway, Panama, Cyprus) – 4:15am ET/1:15am PT, October 23 
-Even without Ponor, it should be a pretty straightforward day for Romania in qualification. The team will advance to TF/Rio comfortably (as we learned in 2014, Romania is still top 8 even with a bars-tastrophe), Iordache will obviously make the AA final and should make BB and FX finals, with Bulimar potentially sneaking into some events as well.

-In a less interesting version of that we’ll see with the US team, the most competitive part of Romania’s qualification day (aside from the odyssey that is watching that bars rotation) will be who gets the second AA spot. In an ideally hit scenario, it will be Bulimar, but she hasn’t been competing big difficulty and has also never not been injured in the whole history of earth. If she hits, she’s fine, but she doesn’t have enough of a buffer over Jurca and Ocolisan to afford an off day or another one of those patented 12s on bars. 

-Spain will be fighting to finish in the top 16 and advance to the April test event. It’s certainly not a given, but it is attainable and some encouraging signs have emerged recently. The team finished 15th last year and, more importantly, scored 214 at a friendly meet a few weeks ago without Roxana Popa. But, you know, Florida-home-meet-level-side-eye on that. Spain followed that 214 with a 211 at Novara. 211 was the cutoff for the top 16 last year, though with a few teams in this ranking area stepping up their rosters, it may get a tad harder this time. For Spain, so much depends upon a red wheelbarrow (the one that’s carrying Roxana Popa’s legs). Popa competed bars at Novara and got what would be a very helpful score for the team, but the farther away she is from top form, the iffier things become. (If Spain had competed without Popa in 2014, the team would have finished 24th instead of 15th). She’s kind of the whole deal. But as long as Spain can get out of 211 land, I’d say that constitutes a useful and acceptable result.

-Chuso. Methuselah is back at it, and because she is a time-traveling gypsy who has come back to show us all the wonders that future robo-humans will be able to attain, she has just casually decided to upgrade to a Produnova. Like you do when you’re 40. She’s not like a regular mom, she’s a cool mom. She may need that Prod since making the vault final is not quite the same guarantee these days with Hong, Biles, Paseka, Skinner (maybe…), Steingruber, the death-wish sisters, Moreno, Phan, etc. I’d still always take Chusovitina in a fight (and to make the vault final, but definitely in a fight).

Subdivision 2 (Japan, Austria, Ukraine, Slovakia, Georgia, Israel, Ecuador, Mongolia) – 6:30am ET/3:30am PT, October 23
–Japan should make TF, but it’s always a little touch-and-go for a while. Over the last couple quads, Japan has carved out an identity as a 6th-8th place team, never really in the safety zone, but always managing to slide through. We won’t really know anything even once Japan finishes because all the other borderline TF teams will still need to compete, and they’ll be the ones to determine whether Japan’s mark ends up being a good one or not. It’s going to be a scratch-and-claw this year for those last two TF spots, with Japan, Australia, Netherlands, Canada, Brazil, Germany, and maybe even France or Belgium all gunning for it.

-Having Japan go early in the competition is excellent because I do expect Japan to qualify in 7th or 8th, meaning that their team score should be close to the cutoff. That gives us a clear event-by-event standard for measuring how all the subsequent teams are doing in their bids for TF/Rio. Outscore Japan, and start chilling the champagne. Don’t outscore Japan, and start checking the weather reports for Rio in April. I’m thinking it will take over 220 to make TF this year, so that’s something to watch, but we won’t know the standard until Japan goes.

-The Japanese are usually good for a Teramoto EF spot somewhere, but mostly we’ll need to keep an eye on Sae Miyakawa’s floor. She’s a good contender for the final as long as she doesn’t get hit with the compulsory five-tenth “you’re Japanese” floor deduction.

Subdivision 3 (Canada, Sweden, Argentina, New Zealand, Bolivia, Serbia, Lithuania) – 8:40am ET/5:40am PT, October 23
-We’ll need to pay serious attention to this one because Canada’s qualification performance is one of the more crucial and urgent. Brittany Rogers adds real quality and general wonderfulness to the mix, which is part of why we can expect a better result than last year, but Canada will not have access to Rogers for the test event since it coincides with NCAA nationals (thanks, scheduling). That means it’s all the more important for Canada to finish top 8 and clinch the Rio spot now. (Though I think Canada would still be favored to make it out of the test event even without Rogers, but no one wants to leave it that late and nail-bitey). 220 is an absolutely realistic qualifying score for this team, so a repeat of last year’s 214 is not acceptable. 54s-55s on these events, not 52s.

-Ellie Black will hope to play spoiler in the AA medal race, but for immediate qualification purposes, she’ll be fine. Advancing in the top 6 and making it into the lead group would reflect a strong day and is quite attainable. I’d also expect Black to challenge for the beam final, and if Rogers makes the bars final, I can’t be held responsible for my celebration. Black has two solid vaults, but may get nipped out of the final by people with more difficulty and worse execution again. 

Subdivision 4 (Great Britain, Brazil, Venezuela, Finland, Trinidad & Tobago, Uruguay, Phillipines) – 11:30am ET/8:30am PT, October 23
 -Along with Italy, Great Britain has established a new middle class of top teams. They’re not in the big 4, but they’re more likely to make TF than the contending Japan group mentioned above. The health of Frags is a major concern. As is beam, just as a concept. Still, I certainly like GB to make team final relatively comfortably, so qualification will be more about positioning for the other finals. As usual, pray to the old gods and the new for Becky Downie on bars. With Ellie Downie and Amy Tinkler turning senior to challenge the old-world AA order, we could also see a nice little competition brew itself up for those two AA spots.

-Brazil. The country with the most anxiety coming into qualification because of the tremendous pressure of qualifying for a home Olympics. The longer it takes, the scarier it will get. I like Brazil to get through eventually as a full team, but it may take until the test event. Still, they’re hauling out the big guns to get it done right now. With the reanimated corpse of Jade Barbosa on the team as well as a woodland spirit named Flavia Saraiva, we can expect an improvement on last year’s debacle. Bars is the worry, though. Are these bars routines really able to score well enough to keep them 220 competitive? Absolutely cannot afford a 51 there.

-JESSICA LOPEZ. My sun and stars. That’s all. The crown princess of Venezuela is always a good bet to make the AA final and always teases us with potential to make the bars final and then doesn’t. Expect more of the same.

Subdivision 5 (Russia, Italy, Portugal, Iceland, Puerto Rico, Morocco) – 1:45pm ET/10:45am PT, October 23
-Oh Christ. That is the only acceptable beginning to any paragraph discussing the Russian WAG team. The crate of fur hats that Valentina will be forcing onto the apparatuses no longer includes that little tease Aliya Mustafina (so what’s even the point? Just of life?). Also Afanasyeva is maybe dying or whatever, so everything is terrible. How much do you wish we could watch Russian podium training this year? It’s going to be so Russian.

-Still, the Russians will be absolutely fine for qualification, even if they’re at the expected level of mess-itude on floor and everywhere. AA qualification will be a close contest between Tutkhalyan, Kharenkova, and Spiridonova, which should be the fun part of Russia’s qualification terrors. Expect the usual solid smattering of EF qualifiers as well. Paseka will make vault. If Komova makes bars and beam, the internet will turn into a flock of butterflies never to be heard from again. Spiridonova should make bars, though if someone has an error, we could even see the where-did-this-come-from Paseka bars routine sneak into the final. Kharenkova could also make the beam final, if this were Narnia, but she’s going to fall 16 times instead.

-Don’t sleep on Italy. It’s very uncomfortable. In fact, with some possible question marks looming around GB, I like Italy as the best choice for a non-big 4 spoiler this year. And even though qualification should be straightforward, Italy has done us the kindness of being yet another team with an interesting AA race among Ferrari, Ferlito, and Fasana. In fact, the top AA score from this subdivision may quite possibly come from Italy. As usual, Ferrari and Fasana should challenge for spots in the floor final as well. The best part of this subdivision, though, will be following how close Italy is able to get to this depleted Russia team. Can Italy actually pounce?
 
-Ana Filipa Martins is also in this subdivision. She qualified for the AA final last time, which was exciting because PORTUGAL?!!! So watch out for a possible repeat. We’re thinking somewhere in the 54s will be the AA cutoff again, right? Probably?  

Subdivision 6 (Germany, Poland, Colombia, Slovenia, Croatia, Bahamas, Algeria) – 3:50pm ET/12:50pm PT, October 23
-Hm. Germany. What do we do with this team? Germany made the TF once recently, in 2011, but usually finishes 9th and everyone goes, “Huh. That’s a shame” and then forgets about it instantly. This team is fairly delightful to watch, with some non-boring bars work from Hill, Seitz, and Scheder, and that beam routine from Schaefer. It would be a disappointment if Germany doesn’t qualify someone into the bars final. As for the team, challenging the likes of Japan and Australia is another level that Germany has not reached with any consistency. If the Germans can’t pump up the difficulty on vault and floor, it’s hard to imagine that challenge happening this time. The floor score in particular needs to be within reason of what Japan and Canada will have previously put up. Germany will pick up points on bars, but not a whole bushel of points and can’t rely exclusively on that.

-Poland is in the same subdivision as Germany. Too soon? Obviously, it would be an international day of glory if Marta Pihan-Kulesza made the floor final, though that’s not particularly realistic with this field. Still, she can make the AA. Poland finished 17th last year, just out of the all-important top 16 cutoff, and while I think it would be considered an upset if they sneak into the top 16, what if Poland made the test event? 

END OF DAY 1. At this point, the majority of the TF slots will likely be taken, so teams in the top 5 after the first day should feel pretty good. The team in 6th will be quite nervous, and the teams in 7th and 8th will be out, with the US and China still to come. 

Subdivision 7 (China, North Korea, Singapore, Chile, Guatemala, Dominican Republic, Monaco, Cayman Islands) – 4:15am ET/1:15am PT, October 24
-With the bars wasteland for Romania and the general Russianness of Russia, China seems to have emerged as a clear favorite for 2nd. This team is not the best possible Chinese team, without Yao or Huang, but it does have a desperately needed infusion of new blood, including a real vault and floor worker in Wang Yan. It will be fun to see how Wang, Mao Yi (another floor option, but who makes me a thousand kinds of nervous), and Fan Yilin (the new bars-a-tron 3000) will fare as they try to reinvigorate a team that has gradually stagnated post 2008.  

-Shang Chunsong probably remains the best AA hope for China but lacks the vault to make a real run at it. I would expect Wang Yan to be the second AAer, though pretty much everyone on China’s team has a weak event or two that could cost her. Not having Huang and Yao hurts on bars, but this is China, so they still have a million backup 6.7s that can be used. It’s not the end of the world. Expect two qualifiers to the bars final as always, but it’s not quite the cutthroat competition to make the final that it usually is. That’s always the best part of China in qualification, but this year it looks like just three likely contenders in Tan Jiaxin, Fan, and Shang instead of the usual 60. Shang will be a medal threat on beam, and shockingly, China actually has two realistic floor finalists in Wang and Shang if they can actually hit their CV-a-thon routines.

-Other than China, the vault final will be the major story of this subdivision. That’s basically what North Korea is here for. It has been a while since PRK brought routines capable of making the bars and beam final, so it’s pretty much just Hong’s vault and guests. Hong will be the gold favorite once again and will make the final easily. Less assured of making it into the final is Our Lady of Screaming Kneecaps, Yamilet Pena, who will chuck her customary Prod, land on her ass, and probably still make the final on difficulty. Yay gymnastics!

-Also in this subdivision is Ana Sofia Gomez, who has had a little bit of trouble bringing her A game to recent competitions like Worlds last year or the Pan Ams AA final this year. Hopefully, she’s just saving her good one for this competition because a hit AA in qualification could qualify her in a very high position to the AA final.

Subdivision 8 (Belgium, South Korea, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Malta, Vietnam, Indonesia) – 6:25am ET/3:25am PT, October 24
-And now we arrive at Subdivision 8, a.k.a. the one you’re planning on sleeping through. But still, get on the Belgium train, you guys, because it’s leaving the station. Belgium finished 11th last year, and I think this year’s team should be better than that one. Making the team final is too much to ask, but Belgium should comfortably make the test event and will have a real shot to qualify from there. AA qualifiers aren’t a given for this Belgium team, but pretty much everyone is capable of 54s, which should be close to the cutoff. That could get tense. It’s a loose definition of the word tense, but if we’re just sitting there watching the scores, we’ll take any horse race we can suddenly get excited about for two seconds.

-South Korea managed to finish 18th last year, and whether or not the South Koreans can sneak into the test event will have to suffice as the primary uncertainty factor in this subdivision. It’s hard to predict a big result from South Korea because the team has not shown competitive difficulty recently, in spite of perfecting execution. Every year, the people at the event watching podium training go, “WHAT OUT FOR SOUTH KOREA THIS YEAR!!!11111 THIS TEAM IS IT! SO BEAUTIFUL,” but they’ll usually struggle to get out of 12.8 land.

-Anna Pavlova is out, so instead, we’ll just have to spend that time turning into a pile of dust at the idea that she first competed in the Olympics 11 years ago.

-Phan of Vietnam is back. She’s likely to be the only EF contender in this subdivision, and since she’s going after most of the top vault contenders, we’ll have a pretty good idea of what she needs by that point.

Subdivision 9 (Australia, France, Bulgaria, Peru, Taiwan, Cuba, BeloAmerica) – 8:40am ET/5:40am PT, October 24
-Subdivision 9 will have serious implications for TF, as Australia is another of the perennial borderline qualifiers, a team that should get through but can’t have a disaster day and expect it to happen. France, meanwhile, suddenly scored a 6 trillion this month in a desperate effort to remind us that it’s still a country. This is the session the likes of Germany and Canada will be watching in the fetal position. And by Germany and Canada, I mean me. As for several of the other teams, it would be a disappointment if this year’s Australian group can’t hit 220. The Australians may put up some AA qualifiers, but that won’t be the main focus. Get your NCAA hats on, because it’s all about the team. Also keep an eye on Larrissa Miller’s bids for the bars and floor finals, and I’m sure I hardly need to say this, but just be ready to burn the FIG to the ground if Mez doesn’t make the beam final.

-This is an exciting time for the French, the first exciting time in quite a while, because there is finally a generation of new, lovely seniors capable of restoring competitive scores, with a DTY in there, some high-5s bars difficulties, and the capability to go 54 in the AA. This team shouldn’t have to squeak by in 12th all the time the way we’ve become accustomed. That 226 from the friendly meet is a score from a friendly meet, so ignore it, but it does at least add a little bit of intrigue about what kind of number France might actually be able to put together.

-The Cubans! Welcome back.

-Also, the BeloAmericans will be competing in this subdivision in their effort to teach little Belorussian girls what dreams are.

Subdivision 10 (United States, Netherlands, Latvia, Ireland, India) – 11:30am ET/8:30am PT, October 24
-Here we go. We can dispense with any discussions of qualification or Simone because obviously. Shooting gold medals everywhere. The main thing to watch for the US (aside from who is actually on the team), will be the fight to make the AA final. Is it bad that across all the whole competition at Worlds, this is the thing I’m most excited about? If Skinner is one of the competitors, it makes the decision easy as to who does which events in qualification and means Nichols, Raisman, and Douglas will all be given the chance to fight for that second spot. All three are quite capable of doing it, and all have been second at various times this season. It’s going to be crazy close, and I’m particularly interested to see how much the Raisman Worlds execution bump is still a thing.

-We can expect Biles and Skinner(if) to make the vault final fairly easily. Biles and Raisman will also be the frontrunners both to make the floor final and to finish 1-2 there. Bars and beam will be a trickier proposition. Kocian can make the bars final with a good one, but it’s not a given even with a hit. Biles should make beam, along with potentially Raisman, but it’s also beam. Mostly, this is about who that second AAer is going to be. 

-I sort of love that Netherlands has become the trendy, cool kids’ pick to upset things and be a non-traditional team final qualifier. It will be quite challenging given the level of the teams they’re contending against, but the Dutch have flashes of difficulty from the Weverseseses in places and a new individual hope in Thorsdottir who can qualify to the AA final and fill the Van Gerner/Van Klaveren void without losing too much. Regardless, making the test event at least seems straightforward. We have a few teams in that “Won’t contend for medals and TF will be tough, but the test event should be easy” category. For them, this competition is just about getting through, not falling into a rip in the space-time continuum mid-routine, and then setting up for a big push in April.

-Dipa Karmakar of India will also be Prodding her way through this subdivision, hoping to fall-advance.  

Subdivision 11 (Mexico, Greece, Egypt, Malaysia, Denmark, Namibia) – 1:40pm ET/10:40am PT, October 24
-Mexico’s 14th place finish last year was a huge deal. The goal here will be to replicate that performance, which seems realistic considering that the entire team is the same as last year. The problem for Mexico is that other adjacent teams have bolstered their rosters with new talent, so it’s hard to envision Mexico improving on 14th place. I’d still tab Mexico as one of the top 16 teams, but it’s going to be a tense score-watching experience. Mexico finished as the best team to miss out on the test event last time around, and it would be heartbreaking if that happens twice in a row. Vault is the major strength, so they’ll need to pick up serious ground there, probably looking to go a solid point and a half better than the likes of Spain and South Korea and close to a point better than Switzerland, though Steingruber will make that tough. Once again this year, the advancing-to-finals hopes will be Elsa Garcia in the AA and Alexa Moreno on vault.

-Vasiliki Millousi is back again. You’re welcome, society. Farah Ann Abdul Hadi (Malaysian Zamarripa) is also in this subdivision, so we’ll need to scrounge for videos so that we might revel in the glory of both of them.   

Subdivision 12 (Switzerland, Hungary, South Africa, Czech Republic, Jamaica, Armenia, Honduras) – 3:50pm ET/12:50pm PT, October 24
-We end with the Jamaica subdivision. I’m sorry, is there anyone else in this session? Because I’m only here for Jamaica. NCAA goddesses Danusia Francis and Toni Ann Williams will be actually teaching little girls how to dream with their performances in this session. And by little girls, I mean gay adults. The only role models you’ve ever needed. I’m living in hope that we’ll see Danusia’s transverse aerial and Toni Ann’s double front beam dismount, and while advancing to any kind of final is likely unrealistic, I don’t care.

-Also repping the NCAA flag is Houry Gebeshian, who is back once again competing for Armenia.

-Oh, there are teams here too. Why isn’t Switzerland better? Switzerland always ends up finishing about 18th, even with Steingruber and in the days of Kaeslin the Elder. They just haven’t had the full team, but we can still hope Switzerland makes a run for the test event this time. It’s not out of the question, and we need someone to break into what looks like a relatively solid group of 16 teams going because it would be too boring if we just see the same top 16 as last year. But mostly, this is about Euro champion Steingruber. She should make the vault final and should qualify relatively highly into the AA. There’s not a ton of AA depth after the two US qualifiers and Iordache, so qualifying top 6 is possible for her.   

World Championships

2015 US World Championship Team

9 Comments

You might have heard, but some big, earth-rattling news came out today: Norah Flatley has announced for UCLA.

I can’t think of anything else that happened.

I guess there was the other tiny matter of the US World Championship team. We’ll have to muster the energy to distract ourselves from National Norah Flatley Day to think about that for a moment. In what would certainly have been a surprise earlier in the summer and would have been a pretty big surprise after nationals as well, the team is Biles, Raisman, Nichols, Douglas, Kocian, Dowell, and Skinner, with the alternate to be named as late as humanly possible. It comes as less of a surprise now after the withdrawal of Ross, the apparent natural-disaster implosion of Key, and the Spoiler Alert Roster from the end of September that told us this was the way things were leaning, though I’m still scheduling time for a sad-nap about Alyssa Baumann.

Unlike normal, it isn’t immediately clear which gymnast will be the alternate in this group, but it looks likely to be Dowell or Skinner, with Skinner making the most sense to me. I won’t entertain the blasphemy that it might be Nichols. I won’t. Skinner is usable on vault and floor, but she wasn’t top three on those events at nationals, which kept her out of all the highest-scoring team permutations as she came in behind Raisman’s Junkanar on vault and variously behind Douglas and Nichols on floor. We can hope Raisman’s Junkanar has become slightly less junky in the intervening months. Floor will be the closest battle on this team through training, and I’m sure that third TF spot won’t be decided until after qualifications.

At the same time, Dowell also didn’t make a mark on the highest-scoring team permutations at nationals either because, even on her one bars hit during the summer competition season, she scored the same as Biles and wasn’t in the top 5 on the day. The main lesson, once again, is that camp matters and Nationals…not so much. Honestly, this is as US team that probably won’t need its alternate even if an injury occurs. There will be strong, likely backups already in the 6. 

It’s a huge accomplishment for Dowell even to make the seven, a prospect I thought was iffy when she announced she was deferring (which I still question because even with making this team, the Olympics remain a very tough ask), but it ended up being a perfect confluence of events for her with Locklear not able to get her difficulty back and Kyla pulling out. Suddenly, a bars door was open and she walked right through it.

As for Bailie Key, has anyone ever gone from pre-summer lock to not-even-the-alternate so quickly without an injury? I do have to say, it was always work to try to shoehorn her into teams with a “maybe she can do bars?” argument. What became apparent at Nationals is that she isn’t necessary to the team on any event, and if consistency has become a problem, that seals it. If she’s going to have any hope for 2016 at all (dreams that were pretty much just decapitated), she needs an Amanar and they need to go back to the drawing board with that beam routine. To me, it’s a tear down. Start from scratch. She was a beam star as a junior, and she should be a top three beamer for this team right now. The fact that she isn’t close to that is a problem.

Beam. I’m hoping this roster indicates that Gabby Douglas is doing another one of her late-season beam renaissances because otherwise this team is looking a little light on beam. Maybe not light, but questionable compared to its potential score. Baumann seemed to have a chance at a beam spot because she’s capable of gaining a solid five tenths over the scores Douglas, Nichols, and Kocian were getting at nationals. To see her not among the seven tells me that a third high-14s beam score must have emerged during the camps to make any Baumann benefit negligible. Or Martha just really likes MyKayla Skinner’s company. 

If Skinner is indeed the alternate, the conversation about who goes on which events in qualification gets very interesting. Especially for Aly “I’m coming back because of unfinished business in the AA” Raisman. Watch that space in the coming weeks. It’ll be fun. Also, the US competes in qualification at a totally reasonable time for us this year. Mid-late morning (depending on where you are)! On a Saturday! What is this exciting witchcraft? 

NCAA Schedule

2016 Preliminary NCAA Schedule

2 Comments

It’s getting to be that time of year again. Rosters are set, official training is well underway, and no one has had enough time to become a disappointment yet. It’s the sweetest time of year.

Still, there’s plenty to get through between now and the start of the NCAA season, with a little thing called the World Championship hogging our attention for the next three weeks or so, but once elite has exhausted its time in the sun, I’ll get into the usual dissection of freshman classes and team lineups, parsing all the various roster changes, injury retirements, and scandalous dismissals that have taken place since we left the United Factory of 10s last April. But for now, enough teams have finally gotten around to holding themselves upright long enough to release a season schedule that it makes sense to put together the annual composite list.

It’s still a work in progress, with a couple dozen of the usual slowpoke teams still lagging behind, but this is now a mostly complete look at the upcoming 2016 season. All the first-tier teams have released their schedules except Illinois and Penn State. As usual, this schedule will reside at the tab above, where I’ll keep updating it as we get closer to the season and more teams release their slates/learn what time zones are/figure out that their schedules are wrong. (Dear Boise State, if you think you’re going to Utah on January 15th for a meet, you might want to tell Utah that…)

Meets between teams that qualified to the championship last year are in bold for quick reference. This season isn’t all that bad in terms of simultaneous big meets (at least not as bad as last year). The one really bad day (or good day, if you’re an excited person who enjoys things) will be February 26, when LSU/Florida, Georgia/Alabama, and Michigan/Oklahoma overlap to some degree, but it’s not all that dire because not that many people get to watch Oklahoma meets anyway and the SEC meets are somewhat spaced out. Oklahoma/Georgia and Utah/Stanford on February 20th is another squint-worthy overlap, but it’s usually worse.

In terms of strength of schedule, the SEC always wins because of the built-in requirements of having to go against many of the best teams, but UCLA is also trying to shoot the moon with difficult opponents this year, having scheduled non-conference meets with Florida, Oklahoma, Alabama, and Georgia all this season (Alabama, Georgia, and Oklahoma at home). Season-ticketers will get their money’s worth this time.

Other noteworthy quirks in the schedule include NC State competing an exclusively road schedule (save for one not-really-home home meet on senior night) because of renovations to the competition facility, and we also see the return of the Flimsy Excuse for a Trip to Cancun Championship on the first weekend in January, which still no one has offered to take me to. I’m waiting.

<!– /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-charset:128; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-format:other; mso-font-pitch:fixed; mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;} @font-face {font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-charset:128; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-format:other; mso-font-pitch:fixed; mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;} @font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;}

WEEK 0 – December 28-January 3
Saturday, January 2
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Cancun Classic (Michigan, Arkansas, Iowa)
Sunday, January 3
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – Temple, UW-Eau Claire @ Central Michigan
WEEK 1 – January 4-10
Friday, January 8
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Ball State @ Kentucky
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Central Michigan, UW-Whitewater, Winona State @ UW-Eau Claire
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – UW-La Crosse @ UW-Stout
7:30 ET/4:30 PT – Lindenwood @ SEMO
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – Florida @ Texas Woman’s
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – BYU @ Utah
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – Michigan State @ Arizona
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – Illinois @ Missouri
9:00 ET/6:00 PT – Centenary @ Utah State
9:00 ET/6:00 PT – Nebraska, Bowling Green @ Arizona State
Saturday, January 9
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – Towson, Temple @ Kent State
2:00 ET/11:00 PT – UW-Oshkosh @ Gustavus Adolphus
4:00 ET/1:00 PT – Georgia @ Michigan
4:00 ET/1:00 PT – NC State @ Penn State
5:00 ET/2:00 PT – Oklahoma @ LSU
5:00 ET/2:00 PT – Northern Illinois @ Iowa
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – New Hampshire, George Washington, Rutgers (Boston, MA)
7:30 ET/4:30 PT – Iowa State @ Minnesota
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – Southern Utah, West Virginia @ Denver
8:30 ET/5:30 PT – Illinois State, Seattle Pacific @ Air Force
9:00 ET/6:00 PT – Ohio State @ Washington
TBA – Rhode Island @ Springfield
Sunday, January 10
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – Temple @ Kent State
2:00 ET/11:00 PT – UW-Whitewater @ Hamline
4:00 ET/1:00 PT – Missouri @ Lindenwood
5:00 ET/2:00 PT – Alabama @ UCLA
5:00 ET/2:00 PT – Nor Cal Classic (Stanford, Cal, UC Davis. Sacramento State @ San Jose State
5:00 ET/2:00 PT – Auburn @ Oregon State
WEEK 2 – January 11-17
Tuesday, January 12
4:00 ET/1:00 PT – Cortland @ Brockport
4:00 ET/1:00 PT – West Chester @ Ursinus
Thursday, January 14
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Yale @ New Hampshire
10:00 ET/7:00 PT – LSU vs. NC State (Las Vegas, NV)
Friday, January 15
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – UCLA @ Florida
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Missouri @ Alabama
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Oregon State, Bridgeport, Illinois State, Wisconsin-Eau Claire @ Lindenwood
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – BYU @ Central Michigan
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Iowa @ Michigan State
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Temple @ William & Mary
7:30 ET/4:30 PT – UW-Whitewater, UW-Stout, Gustavus Adolphus @ Winona State
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – Cal, Texas Woman’s @ Oklahoma
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – Kentucky @ Auburn
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – Kent State @ Utah State
8:30 ET/5:30 PT – Georgia @ Arkansas
9:00 ET/6:00 PT – Utah @ Southern Utah
10:00 ET/7:00 PT – Sacramento State @ San Jose State
Saturday, January 16
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – Illinois @ Rutgers
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – Ursinus @ Brockport
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – Cortland, Rhode Island @ West Chester
3:00 ET/12:00 PT – Hamline, UW-Eau Claire, UW-La Crosse @ UW-Oshkosh
4:00 ET/1:00 PT – Ohio State @ Michigan
5:00 ET/2:00 PT – Nebraska @ Penn State
5:00 ET/2:00 PT – Maryland @ Minnesota
5:00 ET/2:00 PT – Illinois-Chicago @ Northern Illinois
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – Ozone Classic (Iowa State, Pittsburgh, SEMO, Air Force)
TBA – Springfield @ S. Connecticut
Sunday, January 17
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – Bowling Green @ Western Michigan
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – Towson @ Ball State
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – North Carolina, Temple @ George Washington
2:00 ET/11:00 PT – Arizona @ Texas Woman’s
3:00 ET/12:00 PT – Oklahoma @ Arkansas
4:00 ET/1:00 PT – Alabama vs. Auburn (Birmingham, AL)
4:00 ET/1:00 PT – New Hampshire @ West Virginia
WEEK 3 – January 18-24

Monday, January 18
2:00 ET/11:00 PT – Stanford @ Georgia
3:00 ET/12:00 PT – Denver @ Iowa
9:00 ET/6:00 PT – Washington @ Arizona State

Tuesday, January 19
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Winona State @ Gustavus Adolphus
Wednesday, January 20
4:00 ET/1:00 PT – Brockport @ Ithaca
Friday, January 22
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Arkansas @ Alabama
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – SEMO @ Centenary
7:30 ET/4:30 PT – UW-La Crosse @ Hamline
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – Iowa State, Arizona State @ Oklahoma
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – Georgia @ Missouri
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – Michigan @ Illinois
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – Central Michigan @ Northern Illinois
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – Lindenwood, Ball State @ Illinois State
8:30 ET/5:30 PT – Florida @ Auburn
8:30 ET/5:30 PT – Kentucky @ LSU
9:00 ET/6:00 PT – Utah State @ Southern Utah
9:00 ET/6:00 PT – Boise State, UC Davis @ BYU
TBA – Sacramento State @ Seattle Pacific
Saturday, January 23
1:00 ET/10:00 PT ­ – Cornell @ Cortland
3:00 ET/12:00 PT – UCLA @ Arizona
5:00 ET/2:00 PT – Oregon State @ Utah
5:00 ET/2:00 PT – UW-Stout, UW-Eau Claire, UW-Oshkosh @ UW-Whitewater
6:00 ET/3:00 PT – New Hampshire, Temple @ Pittsburgh
6:00 ET/3:00 PT – Alaska @ Bowling Green
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Rutgers @ Nebraska
7:30 ET/4:30 PT – Michigan State @ Minnesota
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – Washington @ Denver
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – Ohio State @ Iowa
TBA – Pennsylvania @ Yale
Sunday, January 24
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – NC State @ Illinois-Chicago
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – Eastern Michigan, Illinois State @ Ball State
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – Brockport @ Springfield
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – Ithaca @ Ursinus
2:00 ET/11:00 PT – Western Michigan, William & Mary @ West Virginia
2:00 ET/11:00 PT – SEMO, Air Force, Centenary @ Texas Woman’s
TBA – Cal, UC Davis, San Jose State @ Stanford
TBA – Rhode Island @ Brown
WEEK 4 – January 25-31
Friday, January 29
6:00 ET/3:00 PT – Ursinus @ West Chester
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Alabama @ Florida
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Michigan @ Nebraska
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Georgia @ Kentucky
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Temple, Centenary, Ursinus @ West Chester
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Hamline @ UW-Eau Claire
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Gustavus Adolphus @ UW-Stout
7:30 ET/4:30 PT – NC State, Lindenwood @ Iowa State
7:30 ET/4:30 PT – UW-Whitewater @ SEMO
7:30 ET/4:30 PT – Winona State @ UW-La Crosse
8:30 ET/5:30 PT – Auburn @ Arkansas
9:00 ET/6:00 PT – BYU @ Boise State
9:00 ET/6:00 PT – Southern Utah @ Utah State
10:00 ET/7:00 PT – Texas Woman’s, William & Mary, Seattle Pacific @ San Jose State
10:00 ET/7:00 PT – UC Davis @ Sacramento State
Saturday, January 30
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – New Hampshire, Bridgeport, S. Connecticut @ Yale
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – Ithaca @ Brockport
2:00 ET/11:00 PT – Rutgers, Pittsburgh, Towson @ Michigan State
4:00 ET/1:00 PT – Minnesota @ Ohio State
4:00 ET/1:00 PT – Denver @ Bowling Green
4:00 ET/1:00 PT – Northern Illinois @ Eastern Michigan
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Arizona @ Oregon State
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – Metroplex Challenge (Oklahoma, LSU, Stanford, Washington, Missouri)
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – UW-Oshkosh @ Air Force
Sunday, January 31
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – Kent State @ Western Michigan
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – Ball State @ Central Michigan
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – Centenary @ Pennsylvania
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – Cortland, S. Connecticut @ Springfield
2:00 ET/11:00 PT – Iowa @ Maryland
3:00 ET/12:00 PT – Illinois-Chicago @ Illinois State
WEEK 5 – February 1-7

Monday, February 1
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – Arizona @ Utah
10:00 ET/7:00 PT – UCLA @ Cal

Friday, February 5
6:30 ET/3:30 PT – Central Michigan @ Eastern Michigan
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Florida @ Georgia
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Winona State @ UW-La Crosse
7:30 ET/4:30 PT – West Virginia @ Iowa State
7:30 ET/4:30 PT – UW-Stout @ Hamline
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – Oklahoma, Auburn, Illinois State @ Texas Woman’s
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – SEMO, Lindenwood @ Missouri
8:30 ET/5:30 PT – Kentucky @ Alabama
8:30 ET/5:30 PT – Arkansas @ LSU
9:00 ET/6:00 PT – Boise State @ Southern Utah
10:00 ET/7:00 PT – San Jose State @ UC Davis
10:00 ET/7:00 PT – Seattle Pacific @ Sacramento State
TBA – Arizona State @ Stanford
Saturday, February 6
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – Ohio State, Yale, Ursinus @ Rutgers
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – NC State, Bowling Green, Pittsburgh @ North Carolina
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – William & Mary, West Chester, Ursinus @ Temple
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – Cortland @ S. Connecticut
4:00 ET/1:00 PT – Utah @ UCLA
4:00 ET/1:00 PT – Ball State @ Western Michigan
4:00 ET/1:00 PT – Centenary @ Air Force
5:00 ET/2:00 PT – Illinois @ Minnesota
5:00 ET/2:00 PT – Nebraska @ Iowa
5:00 ET/2:00 PT – Gustavus Adolphus @ UW-Whitewater
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – Utah State @ Denver
11:00 ET/8:00 PT – BYU @ Alaska
TBA – Springfield @ Ithaca
Sunday, February 7
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – Towson, Bridgeport, Brown @ New Hampshire
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – Rhode Island @ Brockport
2:00 ET/11:00 PT – Northern Illinois, George Washington @ Kent State
5:00 ET/2:00 PT – Arizona @ Cal
5:00 ET/2:00 PT – West Virginia @ Oklahoma
WEEK 6 – February 8-14

Monday, February 8
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Maryland, Eastern Michigan @ Michigan
10:00 ET/7:00 PT – Oregon State @ Washington
TBA – Illinois-Chicago @ Centenary

Tuesday, February 9
7:30 ET/4:30 PT – UW-Oshkosh @ Winona State
Friday, February 12
6:30 ET/3:30 PT – Air Force @ Cortland State
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Arkansas @ Florida
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Missouri @ Kentucky
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – NC State, William & Mary @ North Carolina
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – UW-Eau Claire @ UW-Stout
7:30 ET/4:30 PT – Gustavus Adolphus @ UW-La Crosse
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – Bart & Nadia Extravaganza (Oklahoma, Denver, Utah State, George Washington)
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – IGI Chicago Style (Central Michigan, Northern Illinois, Temple, Alaska)
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – Winona State @ Illinois State
8:30 ET/5:30 PT – Alabama @ Auburn
9:00 ET/6:00 PT – BYU, Sacramento State @ Southern Utah
9:00 ET/6:00 PT – Minnesota @ Nebraska
10:00 ET/7:00 PT – Boise State @ San Jose State
Saturday, February 13
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – Brockport @ Cornell
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – Ursinus @ Towson
3:00 ET/12:00 PT – UW-Whitewater @ UW-Oshkosh
4:00 ET/1:00 PT – LSU @ Georgia
4:00 ET/1:00 PT – Penn State @ Ohio State
5:00 ET/2:00 PT – Iowa @ Illinois
6:00 ET/3:00 PT – Eastern Michigan, SEMO @ Bowling Green
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Iowa State, Texas Woman’s @ Centenary
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Southern Connecticut @ New Hampshire
9:00 ET/6:00 PT – Washington @ Utah
9:00 ET/6:00 PT – Stanford @ Arizona
11:00 ET/8:00 PT – Oregon State @ UCLA
TBA – West Chester, Rhode Island @ Yale
Sunday, February 14
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – Kentucky, Lindenwood, Kent State @ Ball State
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – Air Force @ Cornell
2:00 ET/11:00 PT – Michigan State @ Michigan
2:00 ET/11:00 PT – Gustavus Adolphus @ Hamline
3:00 ET/12:00 PT – Western Michigan @ Northern Illinois
3:00 ET/12:00 PT – Alaska @ Illinois-Chicago
4:00 ET/1:00 PT – West Virginia @ Alabama
TBA – Rutgers @ Maryland
TBA – Springfield @ Rhode Island
WEEK 7 – February 15-21

Monday, February 15
9:00 ET/6:00 PT – Cal @ Arizona State

Friday, February 19
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Florida @ Missouri
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – New Hampshire, North Carolina, William & Mary @ George Washington
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – UW-Eau Claire @ Gustavus Adolphus
7:30 ET/4:30 PT – Arkansas @ Maryland
7:30 ET/4:30 PT – Minnesota, Air Force @ Iowa State
7:30 ET/4:30 PT – Illinois State @ SEMO
7:30 ET/4:30 PT – Hamline @ Winona State
7:30 ET/4:30 PT – UW-Stout @ UW-Oshkosh
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – Illinois @ Michigan State
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – Ball State, Seattle Pacific @ Northern Illinois
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – Centenary @ UW-Whitewater
8:30 ET/5:30 PT – Auburn @ LSU
9:00 ET/6:00 PT – Michigan @ Southern Utah
9:00 ET/6:00 PT – Ohio State @ Boise State
9:00 ET/6:00 PT – Utah State @ BYU
10:00 ET/7:00 PT – San Jose State @ Sacramento State
Saturday, February 20
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – Brockport @ Cortland
2:00 ET/11:00 PT – Texas Woman’s @ Pittsburgh
4:00 ET/1:00 PT – Oklahoma @ Georgia
4:00 ET/1:00 PT – Alabama, Denver, Cornell, Yale @ Penn State
5:00 ET/2:00 PT – Utah @ Stanford
5:00 ET/2:00 PT – Cal @ Oregon State
5:00 ET/2:00 PT – Towson @ Iowa
6:00 ET/3:00 PT – Pennsylvania, Temple, Ursinus @ Rutgers
Sunday, February 21
1:00 ET/10:00 PT –Western Michigan @ Central Michigan
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – Bowling Green @ Kent State
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – Ithaca @ Rhode Island
2:00 ET/11:00 PT – Kentucky @ West Virginia
3:00 ET/12:00 PT – Nebraska, NC State, UW-La Crosse @ Iowa State
4:00 ET/1:00 PT – UCLA @ Washington
TBA – West Chester @ Springfield
WEEK 8 – February 22-28

Monday, February 22
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – Lindenwood @ Illinois-Chicago
9:00 ET/6:00 PT – Arizona @ Arizona State

Friday, February 26
4:00 ET/1:00 PT – Penn State, West Virginia, Temple, West Chester, S. Connecticut (@ Philadelphia, PA)
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – LSU @ Florida
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – NC State, George Washington @ Towson
7:30 ET/4:30 PT – Maryland @ New Hampshire
7:30 ET/4:30 PT – UW-Oshkosh @ UW-Eau Claire
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – Michigan @ Oklahoma
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – Missouri @ Auburn
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – Kentucky @ Arkansas
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – Iowa State @ Illinois
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – SEMO @ Air Force
8:30 ET/5:30 PT – Georgia @ Alabama
9:00 ET/6:00 PT – Boise State @ Utah State
10:00 ET/7:00 PT – San Jose State, Alaska @ Seattle Pacific
TBA – Ivy Classic (Yale, Brown, Pennsylvania @ Cornell)
TBA – @ UW-Stout
Saturday, February 27
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – Springfield @ Ursinus
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – Cortland @ Ithaca
3:00 ET/12:00 PT – Southern Utah @ BYU
4:00 ET/1:00 PT – Utah @ Cal
4:00 ET/1:00 PT – Arizona State @ UCLA
4:00 ET/1:00 PT – Eastern Michigan, Pittsburgh @ Ohio State
5:00 ET/2:00 PT – Winona State, Gustavus Adolphus, Hamline @ Minnesota
5:00 ET/2:00 PT – UW-La Crosse @ UW-Whitewater
6:00 ET/3:00 PT – Washington @ Arizona
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Sacramento State, Birdgeport, Northern Illinois @ Nebraska
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Centenary, Temple @ Texas Woman’s
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – Iowa, SEMO, Illinois-Chicago @ Denver
TBA – Rutgers @ North Carolina
Sunday, February 28
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – Bowling Green @ Ball State
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – Brockport, Rhode Island @ Ithaca
3:00 ET/12:00 PT – Illinois @ Lindenwood
3:00 ET/12:00 PT – Michigan State, Wisconsin-Stout @ Illinois State
5:00 ET/2:00 PT – Alaska @ UC Davis
TBA – Kent State @ Central Michigan
WEEK 9 – February 29-March 6

Monday, February 29
10:00 ET/7:00 PT – Stanford @ Oregon State

Friday, March 4
6:00 ET/3:00 PT – Central Michigan @ Bowling Green
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Florida @ Kentucky
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Utah @ Michigan
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Auburn @ Georgia
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – NC State @ George Washington
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Eastern Michigan @ Kent State
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – NCGA qualifier (Winona State, Hamline, Gustavus Adolphus, UW-Whitewater, UW-Stout, UW-Eau Claire, UW-Oshkosh @ UW-La Crosse)
7:30 ET/4:30 PT – Iowa @ Iowa State
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – Arizona @ Oklahoma
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – Arkansas @ Missouri
8:30 ET/5:30 PT – Alabama @ LSU
9:00 ET/6:00 PT – Minnesota, Air Force @ Denver
9:00 ET/6:00 PT – Penn State @ Arizona State
9:00 ET/6:00 PT – New Hampshire, BYU @ Utah State
9:00 ET/6:00 PT – Western Michigan @ Washington
10:00 ET/7:00 PT – Ball State, Seattle Pacific @ Oregon State
10:00 ET/7:00 PT – Southern Utah, Michigan State, Lindenwood @ Cal
10:00 ET/7:00 PT –  Brown @ Sacramento State
TBA – Yale @ Maryland
Saturday, March 5
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – Bridgeport, Pennsylvania, S. Connecticut @ Temple
2:00 ET/11:00 PT – Centenary @ SEMO
5:00 ET/2:00 PT – Northern Illinois, Illinois State, Illinois-Chicago @ Illinois
Sunday, March 6
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – Cornell @ Kent State
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – Towson, West Chester, S. Connecticut @ Rutgers
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – NCGA qualifier (Brockport, Cortland, Ursinus, Springfield, Rhode Island @ Ithaca)
2:00 ET/11:00 PT – Ohio State, Bowling Green @ West Virginia
2:00 ET/11:00 PT – George Washington, Pittsburgh, Texas Woman’s Yale @ Maryland
3:00 ET/12:00 PT – Utah State @ Nebraska
3:00 ET/12:00 PT – Minnesota, Denver @ Air Force
4:00 ET/1:00 PT – Michigan State @ Boise State
5:00 ET/2:00 PT – Georgia @ UCLA
5:00 ET/2:00 PT – UC Davis @ San Jose State
WEEK 10 – March 7-13

Monday, March 7
10:00 ET/7:00 PT – Washington @ Seattle Pacific

Thursday, March 10
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – Bowling Green @ Illinois State
TBA – Yale @ Bridgeport
Friday, March 11
6:30 ET/3:30 PT – Central Michigan, SEMO @ Eastern Michigan
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – North Carolina @ Florida
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Iowa State @ Kentucky
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Pittsburgh @ West Virginia
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Centenary @ Lindenwood
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – Arizona State @ Auburn
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – Utah State @ Arkansas
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – BYU @ Arizona
10:00 ET/7:00 PT – Southern Utah, San Jose State @ Boise State
10:00 ET/7:00 PT – Cal @ UC Davis
11:00 ET/8:00 PT – Air Force @ Alaska
TBA – Missouri @ Western Michigan
TBA – Yale @ George Washington
Saturday, March 12
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – Big Five Meet #1: Michigan, Minnesota, Iowa, Rutgers @ Penn State
2:00 ET/11:00 PT – Northern Illinois @ Bowling Green
4:00 ET/1:00 PT – Big Five Meet #2: Nebraska, Illinois, Michigan State, Maryland @ Ohio State
6:00 ET/3:00 PT – Temple, S. Connecticut @ Brown
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Georgia @ Utah
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – LSU, Oregon State, New Hampshire @ Texas Woman’s
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Ball State @ NC State
9:00 ET/6:00 PT – Denver, Seattle Pacific @ Washington
Sunday, March 13
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – Kent State, William & Mary, Yale @ George Washington
2:00 ET/11:00 PT – West Virginia @ Pittsburgh
5:00 ET/2:00 PT – Oklahoma @ UCLA
6:00 ET/3:00 PT – Air Force @ Alaska
TBA – Utah State @ Illinois-Chicago
WEEK 11 – March 14-20
Friday, March 18
TBA – NCGA Team Championship (Brockport, NY)
Saturday, March 19
12:00 ET/9:00 PT – Big Ten Championship Session 1 (Lincoln, NE)
2:00 ET/11:00 PT – SEC Championship Session 1 (Little Rock, AR)
2:00 ET/11:00 PT – MAC Championship (Muncie, IN)
2:00 ET/11:00 PT – EAGL Championship (Pittsburgh, PA)
4:00 ET/1:00 PT – Pac-12 Championship Session 1 (Seattle, WA)
5:00 ET/2:00 PT – Big Ten Championship Session 2 (Lincoln, NE)
5:00 ET/2:00 PT – Big 12 Championship (Frisco, TX)
5:00 ET/2:00 PT – MIC Championship (Cape Girardeau, MO)
6:00 ET/3:00 PT – SEC Championship Session 2 (Little Rock, AR)
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – Mountain Rim Championship (Boise, ID)
9:00 ET/6:00 PT – Pac-12 Championship Session 2 (Seattle, WA)
9:00 ET/6:00 PT – Mountain Pacific Championship (Sacramento, CA)
TBA – ECAC Championship (Williamsburg, VA)
TBA – NCGA Individual Championship (Brockport, NY)
WEEK 12 – March 21-27
OFF
WEEK 13 – March 28-April 3
Saturday, April 2
4:00 ET/1:00 PT – Georgia Regional
TBA – Utah Regional
TBA – Alabama Regional
TBA – Michigan Regional
TBA – Minnesota Regional
TBA – Iowa Regional
WEEK 14 – April 4-10
OFF
WEEK 15 – April 11-17

April 15-17 – NCAA Championship (Fort Worth, TX)

Meet Recap, Olympic Trials

2004 Olympic Trials Part 2: Courtney McCool’s Comedy Oil Change

8 Comments

On to day 2 of the 2004 Olympic Trials competition. And by competition, I mean blathering for two hours while people warm up, with four routines thrown in as a treat. Also a treat, the live team announcement and ceremonial awarding of the emotional trauma and resentment.

-The TJ MAXX TOUR OF CHAMPIONS is coming to your home town!!!!!!!!! What if you called that number right now and tried to get tickets? “I just want to see Carly Patterson!”
-The “TJ Maxx tour of champions” is also what I call the grocery store on a Sunday morning.

-“You will marvel as these gymnasts deliver gymnastics.” TWIST.
-Oh, your senses will be kick-started all right. Particularly your senses of shame and regret.

-Interpretive ode to the red-light district?

-And now, let’s begin.
-Ooooh, a flashback episode! “Previously, on the manipulative nightmare that is the Olympic Trials broadcast history, everyone’s life was garbage…”

-It’s really important to start with an “it’ll end in tears” montage. Just to set the tone of the proceedings. Ladies, learn from this. Blubbering is the only goal.

-Elise Ray is crying. Shannon Miller is crying. Alyssa Beckerman is crying. Beth Rybacki is crying. Obviously. Beth Rybacki is a Native American origin story of how the Great Lakes came to be. Which one’s happy? Which one’s sad? It doesn’t matter. TEARS!

-Al is doing a pretty good job reminiscing about how traumatic that 2000 team announcement debacle was (raw, disorganized, abrupt, and unnecessary public and painful), but it’s hard to tell whether that’s supposed to be a good thing or a bad thing. Given the forthcoming 2004 announcement, I’m thinking it’s supposed to be a good thing. “Imagine your worst nightmare. I can’t wait to watch all of it.”

-Yes, Bela decided to step down after 2000. Everyone else was going, “Please continue, Bela! It went so well! We love and need you!” That’s what happened.

-Turn back the clock to when Martha was also appearing as Sister Margaretta/Understudy Maria in Bucharest’s longest-running production of The Sound of Music.

-When I was in elementary school, my haircut of choice was The Martha. #styleicon
Continue reading 2004 Olympic Trials Part 2: Courtney McCool’s Comedy Oil Change →