Alabama 2017

ALABAMA ROSTER 2017
Seniors
Katie Bailey
  • Weekly UB, frequent VT, BB, FX throughout career
  • 2016 RQS: UB – 9.890, FX – 9.875, VT – 9.860
  • 2016 average: BB – 9.714
Amanda Jetter
  • Constant in UB lineup, FX contributor as physically able in first three years
  • 2016 RQS: UB – 9.875
  • 2016 average: FX – 9.888
Keely McNeer
  • Leadoff VT, UB, BB in 2016
  • 2016 RQS: BB – 9.885, VT – 9.840, UB – 9.835
Mary Lillian Sanders
  • Suddenly made final BB lineup in 2016
  • 2016 average: BB – 9.800
Aja Sims
  • Queen of BB lineup, semi-regular FX in 2016
  • 2016 RQS: BB – 9.915, FX – 9.845
McKenzie Valentin
  • Transfer from Arizona for 2015 season
  • Competes a few FX routines per season
  • 2016 average: FX – 9.831
Juniors
Mackenzie Brannan
  • Near-weekly AA contributor in 2016, made all four final lineups
  • 2016 RQS: UB – 9.900, VT – 9.890, FX – 9.870, BB – 9.820
Nickie Guerrero
  • Staple of BB, VT lineups in 2016
  • Occasional backup FX
  • 2016 RQS: BB – 9.895, VT – 9.865
  • 2016 average: FX – 9.850
Jennie Loeb
  • Has not competed in first two seasons
Kiana Winston
  • Weekly UB, frequent BB, FX, occasional VT in 2016
  • 2016 RQSL UB – 9.920, FX – 9.905, BB – 9.845
  • 2016 average: VT – 9.850
Sophomores
Abby
Armbrecht
  • Competed 3 VTs in 2016 for 9.642 average (one fall)
Jenna Bresette
  • Weekly VT in 2016
  • 2016 RQS: VT – 9.835
Peyton Ernst
  • Transfer from Florida
  • Weekly BB in 2016 for 9.860 RQS
Angelina
Giancroce
  • Occasional early season UB, FX in 2016
  • 2016 RQS: FX – 9.635
  • 2016 average: UB – 9.792
Ari Guerra
  • Occasional mid-season UB, FX in 2016
  • 2016 average: UB – 9.855, FX – 9.820
Freshmen
Wynter Childers
  • Spearfish SD
  • 2015 JO National AA champion
  • 2016 JO National BB, FX champion
Caitlin Cole
  • Haydens
  • 2016 Region 8 BB 3rd
Maddie Desch
  • GAGE
  • 2014 World Championship alternate
  • 2014 Nationals 7th AA
Shea Mahoney
  • Legacy Elite
  • 2015 JO Nationals 7th AA, 2nd VT, 3rd FX

Recent History
2016 – 3rd
2015 – 4th
2014 – 4th
2013 – 3rd
2012 – 1st
2011 – 1st
2010 – 3rd

Alabama owns the country’s longest active Super Six streak, sitting at nine years. Considering the relatively non-devastating roster losses from last season and the sheer depth of this team, that streak should reach ten years this season.

That, of course, isn’t the goal. The goal is winning. Alabama remains among the more likely schools to win the title this year, though not the most likely. To get over that hurdle once again and improve on last year’s finish, Alabama will have to find a way to translate its bevy of nearly interchangeable 9.875s into a core of a few 9.9s. A team with five 9.9s will do better than a team with ten 9.850s, which is Alabama’s challenge right now. In Super Six last year, Alabama recorded six 9.9s compared to Oklahoma’s twelve, and that’s your margin of victory right there.

Based on last season, it would be foolish nonsense to even attempt to profile Alabama’s lineups since seven million people will compete on each apparatus and the lineup will reinvent itself every week, so let’s do it. Continue reading Alabama 2017

Florida 2017

FLORIDA ROSTER 2017
Seniors
Claire Boyce
  • Missed 2016 season with injury
  • Weekly BB, FX, backup UB in 2015
  • 2015 RQS: BB – 9.905, FX – 9.860, UB – 9.825
Juniors
Kennedy Baker
  • Constant in the AA in 2016
  • 2016 RQS: FX – 9.940, VT – 9.915, BB – 9.870, UB – 9.860
Grace McLaughlin
  • Leadoff FX in 2016
  • One routine each on UB (9.800) and BB (9.775)
  • 2016 RQS: FX – 9.825
Alex McMurtry
  • Leader of VT, UB, BB lineups in 2016
  • Competes FX when physically able
  • 2016 RQS: BB – 9.945, UB – 9.940, VT – 9.925
  • 2016 average: FX – 9.885
Rachel Slocum
  • Transfer from Eastern Michigan
  • Weekly VT, FX for EMU in 2016
  • 2016 RQS: VT – 9.875, FX – 9.855
Sophomores
Alicia Boren
  • Competed AA in all but one meet in 2016
  • 2016 RQS: VT – 9.910, FX – 9.905, BB – 9.890, UB – 9.860
Amanda Cheney
  • Competed VT twice in 2016 for 9.713 average
Lacy Dagen
  • Missed freshman year with injury
Ashley Hiller
  • Backup FX, VT in 2016
  • 2016 average: FX – 9.725, VT – 9.700
Freshmen
Sierra Alexander
  • West Broward FL
  • 2016 Region 8 VT 4th
Maegan Chant
  • World Class CAN
  • 2014 World Championship team
  • 2016 Canadian Nationals 8th AA
Rachel Gowey
  • Chow’s
  • 2014 Classic AA 4th
  • 2015 Pan Am UB champion
Amelia Hundley
  • Cincinnati
  • 2016 Olympic Trials 9th AA
  • 2015 Pan Ams 4th AA

*NOTE: Ericha Fassbender has been deemed ineligible for 2017 and removed from Florida’s team. For the gossip about why, please see the entire internet.

Recent History
2016 – 4th
2015 – 1st
2014 – 1st
2013 – 1st
2012 – 2nd
2011 – 7th
2010 – 5th

The last eight months have suddenly become an era of turnover and turmoil for Florida, with the graduation of a program-defining senior class, the transfer of Peyton Ernst, the injury to Alyssa Baumann, recruit departures from Bailie Key and Laurie Hernandez, and now the ineligibility of Ericha Fassbender. This team looks a lot different than it did last year, but also a lot different than we expected it to look this year. Much can change in the course of eight months.

This turmoil has stunted expectations for Florida in 2017, but looking past the ambiguous notion of public expectations, this remains a Super Six-quality roster that stands among the five most likely winners of the national title. A title is certainly not the presumptive result it has been in recent seasons, but it’s still squarely in the picture. Because of the dramatic turnover in the roster, however, much of that potential success will rest on how well the accomplished freshman class can hit the ground Sloaning and not only fill empty lineup spots but replace multiple missing 9.9s on multiple events. Continue reading Florida 2017

Cal 2017

CAL ROSTER 2017
Seniors
Isabelle Castillo
  • Competed two BB routines in 2015 for a 9.750 average
Zoe Draghi
  • End-of-lineup contributor on BB, FX in 2016
  • 2016 RQS: FX – 9.895, BB – 9.845
Dana Ho
  • Did not compete in 2016
  • Contributed weekly UB, BB, FX in 2015
  • 2015 RQS: UB – 9.835, BB – 9.820, FX – 9.805
Jessica Howe
  • Competed weekly UB, BB, FX in 2016
  • 2016 RQS: FX – 9.855, UB – 9.850, BB – 9.850
Charlie Owens
  • Competed early-lineup BB, FX in 2016
  • Backup routines on VT, UB
  • 2016 RQS: FX – 9.810, BB – 9.790
  • 2016 average: VT – 9.763, UB – 9.042
Desiree
Palomares
  • Weekly VT, BB, frequent FX in 2016
  • 2016 RQS: BB – 9.855, VT – 9.795, FX – 9.745
Emily Richardson
  • Weekly VT, UB and postseason BB in 2016
  • 2016 RQS: VT – 9.825, UB – 9.800
  • 2016 average: BB – 9.820
Amber Takara
  • Weekly UB and backup VT in 2016
  • 2016 RQS: UB – 9.840
  • 2016 average: VT – 9.788
Juniors
Alicia Gallarzo
  • Frequent VT, backup UB in 2016
  • 2016 RQS: VT – 9.840
  • 2016 average: UB – 9.648
Ariana Robinson
  • Weekly mid-lineup VT, FX in 2016
  • 2016 RQS: FX – 9.855, VT – 9.845
Yuleen Sternberg
  • Anchor-position UB routine in 2016
  • 2016 RQS: UB – 9.820
Toni-Ann Williams
  • Team-leading routine on VT, UB, FX
  • Occasional BB
  • 2016 RQS: FX – 9.935, VT – 9.865, UB – 9.855, BB – 9.465
Sophomores
Emily Howe
  • Did not compete in freshman year
Sofie Seilnacht
  • Weekly BB, postseason UB in 2016
  • 2016 RQS: BB – 9.825
  • 2016 average: UB – 9.700
Sylvie Seilnacht
  • Weekly VT, backup BB, FX in 2016
  • 2016 RQS: VT – 9.825
  • 2016 average: BB – 9.738, FX – 9.483
Chelsea Shu
  • Did not compete in freshman year
Freshmen
Alexandra
Dudschus
  • Airborne CA
  • 2016 Region 1 UB 5th, BB 5th
Cassidy Keelen
  • Texas Dreams
  • 2016 JO Nationals AA 2nd, VT & BB 3rd
  • 2015 JO Nationals AA 2nd, VT 2nd, FX 3rd
Rachel Mastrangelo
  • Southeastern
  • 2015 JO Nationals 15th AA
Mariah Peterson
  • All-American
  • 2016 JO Nationals 4th UB, 7th VT
  • 2015 JO Nationals 5th AA

Recent History
2016 – 7th
2015 – 18th
2014 – 16th
2013 – 28th
2012 – 49th
2011 – 50th
2010 – 55th

Cal is most certainly a thing now and will continue to be one in 2017, having lost zero postseason routines from last year while adding some critical freshmen who will see competition time and reinforce several lineups. And yet, the lower-seed splatfest that was the 2016 national semifinals saw Cal finish an unexpected 7th, even with a sub-196 total, leading to the odd expectation that the team will be better in 2017 than in 2016, but will actually finish worse. This is a very good team, though probably not a true Super Six contender quite yet.

Still, we can expect Cal to be more frequently 196+ in 2017, notch a few more upsets, and return to nationals. Now that it has happened once, it’s supposed to happen every year. Continue reading Cal 2017