| WASHINGTON ROSTER 2017 | |
| Seniors | |
| Kaitlyn Duranczyk |
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| Janae Janik |
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| Alex Yacalis |
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| Juniors | |
| Hailey Burleson |
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| Joslyn Goings |
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| Emily Liddle |
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| Zoey Schaefer |
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| Sophomores | |
| Kristyn Hoffa |
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| Monica Riley |
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| Malory Rose |
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| Freshmen | |
| Madison Copiak |
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| Michaela Nelson |
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| Evanni Roberson |
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| Haley Roy |
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| Maya Washington |
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Recent History
2016 – 18th
2015 – 34th
2014 – 26th
2013 – 19th
2012 – 18th
2011 – 18th
2010 – 23rd
Last year, Washington returned to the ranking we expect of this team following a couple extremely bleak years that involved not having enough vaults, and missing time, and tremors, and auditory hallucinations in the third person. Things are better now. While the absence of Allison Northey puts significant strain on all four lineups to find new 9.850s, the freshman class is hearty, accomplished, and nationally competitive, which should allow for first-year head coach Elise Ray to keep Washington on the same track and competitive (if not favored) in this year’s YIM v. RAY Pac-12 Throwdown For Like Probably 6th, which is basically the most important thing going on in college gymnastics.
Vault
Top returners – Yacalis (9.835), Goings (9.820)
Returning options – Burleson (9.805), Liddle (9.755)
Washington got by on vault last season against the odds, ranking 5th in the conference and squeaking over 49 in RQS in spite of having very few true vaulters. Unsurprisingly, the returning squad is rather sparse here. They have three OK Yfulls from Yacalis, Goings, and Burleson, and a handspring front pike (9.90 start) from Liddle that has been used the last couple seasons. That’s not a lot to go on, meaning the freshmen will have to take over to keep Washington competitive within conference given the improvement in vault quality and start values across the board.
It begins with Copiak, who vaulted a 1.5 in elite, and Roy, who vaults a Tsuk layout 1/2—a 10.0 start. Two 10.0 vaults would make this lineup much more serious. Roberson also shows legitimate power on a full, and Nelson looks a possibility to provide a full at around the same level as the returning vaults. If all (or most) of those new vaults come through, it should give Washington a bit more leeway to choose the better scores and siphon out the 9.700s so that 49.0 becomes more normal than miracle.
Bars
Top returners – Duranczyk (9.895)
Returning options – Burleson (9.785), Schaefer (9.755), Goings (9.745), Janik (9.500)
Bars was impressive enough for Washington last season (unless you ask the regionals judges, who thought it was overt trash), though the execution didn’t always match the potential, with moments of strong toe point and handstands undermined by crazy/fragile dismount landings here and there. (And everywhere.)
Not having the expected 9.825-9.850 option from Janae Janik was a loss, though the emergence of Duranczyk as a star instead of a 9.750 helped make up for it. Getting both competing at the same time this season would be a not-bad thing. They could be joined by the returning collection of 9.750-9.775s without the lineup becoming a total horror, but I like a few freshmen to make a case.
This new class is more about power, but not entirely so. Bars was the event that almost got Copiak on some Canadian teams, and it’s where Maya Washington excels with a serious Gienger. Roberson is theoretically a vault and floor gymnast but also happened to win bars at JO Nats this year, so there’s that. Getting four regular 9.8s on bars compared to last year’s two (which is doable) would make a much better case for Washington as a serious 196 team.
Beam
Top returners – Goings (9.865)
Returning options – Rose (9.810), Duranczyk (9.785), Burleson (9.645), Yacalis (9.565) Janik (9.263)
Despite the misleading nature of some of those reeee-ough returning scores, beam was Washington’s best and closest-to-nationally-competitive event last season (the one with realistic 9.8s from first to sixth position), and while the departure of best-one Allison Northey puts increased pressure on the other scores, it should remain the team’s best event in 2017.
Goings received solid counting scores pretty much the entire year, and Rose established herself as the useful leadoff and setup routine that UW had been lacking, neither gymnast falling once during the season. As on bars, the return of a full-strength Janik would give the team another 9.800, and while Duranczyk is a fall risk on beam, she too gets 9.8s when she manages to hit and should be enough of an asset because of that. The remaining options are much scarier, so ideally the freshmen will fill out the lineup, with perhaps a Copiak, Nelson, Washington trio providing options.
Floor
Top returners – Duranczyk (9.840), Yacalis (9.835), Schaefer (9.835)
Returning options – Goings (9.770), Liddle (9.750), Burleson (9.681)
Washington proved a solid 9.825-9.850 floor team last season, never really overwhelming but being composed enough to minimize unfortunate scores. On the other events, Washington will need three new routines from the freshmen to become a weekly 196 side, but on floor they return five postseason routines (including frequent 9.8s from Yacalis, Duranczyk, and Schaefer) and could get by with maybe one or two new contributions.
Well too bad because this freshman group is kind of a floor class. Of all the lineups, floor is the one they’re most capable of reinventing, and even though Washington returns more realistic numbers here, that doesn’t mean it couldn’t use some reinventing and purging of 9.7s. In their past lives, Copiak and Roberson brought the full-ins, Roy brought the DLO, and Nelson brought the big-amplitude double pike, which would be a new look for a roster that is not known for its power gymnastics.
The theme here, and why there’s reason to be encouraged about Washington’s prospects, is that we’re consistently seeing two routines lost from last season on each event but three realistic replacements coming from the freshmen. They’re freshmen so it’s all speculative—we haven’t seen a lot of training footage from Washington to help make claims—but Washington should be looking at an increase of options this year to allow for the dropping of some of those disqualifying early 9.725s.
Hoffa is also back from injury and showing a really nice yfull in training, expect her to make an appearance!
Riley is back as well in all around at the purple and gold! They have more depth than they have had in years. Keep them healthy and they will shine.
Have a really sneaking feeling that Washington are going to rise up the ranks significantly and possibly make nationals as a team. Copiak is special, and a 9’9 gal will really help to drag the typical 9’8s to 9’85. Watch this space