Monthly Archives: May 2017

Stuff and Nonsense

Things Are Happening – May 12, 2017

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A. NCAA coaching whack-a-mole

The big coaching news of the week was, of course, the announcement that Courtney Kupets is taking over as Georgia’s new head, while Suzanne Yoculan will take on the role of sitting in a little box on her shoulder whispering sweet nothings throughout the day.

Conversations with your 2009 self

My full thoughts. And by full thoughts, I mean gifs from The Devil Wears Prada. Obvi. That’s what thoughts are.

Since last week’s update, we also learned that Carey Fagan of Ohio State is being promoted away from the gymnasts, instead taking the role of Assistant AD in charge of student athlete well-being. Kasey Crawford was also officially named the (non-interim) head coach at LaCrosse, though she was already the coach this past season.

So that brings us to 8 head coach openings, three of which have been filled.

Team Outgoing coach Reason Incoming coach
Penn State Jeff Thompson Everything Sarah Brown
Michigan State Kathie Klages Larry Nassar
NC State Mark Stevenson Retired Kim Landrus
Georgia Danna Durante Fired Courtney Kupets
EMU Sarah Brown Fancier job
Illinois Kim Landrus …different job?
Pittsburgh Debbie Yohman Retired
Ohio State Carey Fagan Promoted

That also makes four of the ten Big Ten coaches so far. Watch your backs, Dan and Bev. Continue reading Things Are Happening – May 12, 2017 →

Uncategorized

Chinese Championships 2017

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The 2017 Chinese Championships were the age-old story of the 2016 Olympians saying, “this me = tired” and also “why is the floor exercise just rebar concrete wrapped in a carpet from a 1960s dentist’s office?”

You know the drill. Super fun. So, let’s get into it—just in case you sleep at night and don’t speak fluent Chinese (ugh, try harder) and don’t have the slightest inkling of what happened in this meet.

Team Final/Individual Qualification
The format of the Chinese Championships is more like an international meet, beginning with a provincial team final that also acts as qualification for individual finals later on. Guangdong (Liu Tingting, Zhu Xiaofang, Chen Yile) won the team final, in case you had a horse in that race. Or just REALLY hate Hunan or something.

-I think most of us entered the competition thinking this would serve as the Birth of the Age of TINGTING. Liu Tingting has emerged as the most likely AA star of the future for China over the last year or so, and with last quad’s AA standouts not at full strength for this meet, this seemed to be her time.

That didn’t really happen. LTT did qualify third into the AA final, but she did so with a downgraded vault (Yfull) and a fall on beam that prevented her from qualifying in the presumed first position. She later elected to pull out of the AA final with a mild case of inflamed can’t-have-nice-things, spoiling her opportunity to grab the scepter and reign as China’s new queen. For now.

–Wang Yan also declined the opportunity to win the AA here by competing just three events in qualification—and not FX, her best piece—presumably because she took one look at that floor being ripped up and repaired in the middle of the competition, went “You want me to do what?” and promptly returned to her trailer to be sprayed with cooling mists by her assistants. No medals for Wang Yan here, other than team silver.

-As for Shang Chunsong, she clearly would have preferred that this meet take place maybe three months from now after a solid spa vacation and one of those entire-skeleton transplants, but she tried to power through qualification. Beam and floor were fine enough, bars was not ready, and on vault, she performed an “Ugh, we’re still doing this? This is still an event? SIGH.”

-As for other previous-year stars, Yao Jinnan did not compete here and may or may not be done. Huang Huidan did compete here and also may or may not be done. Her face certainly said, “I’M DONE,” throughout bars and beam.

–Mao Yi, Tan Jiaxin, and Bai Yawen…also participated. Continue reading Chinese Championships 2017 →

Great Moments in Gymnastics

Courtney and Suzanne: Return of the Jedi

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Breaking news. We learned today that the new head coach of the Georgia gymnastics team will be……..Suzantney Kupoculan!

The press conference began with Southern McGlasses going, “blah blah blah tradition of excellence blah blah,” with Kupets lurking in the corner like

Captain McGlasses then announced that the new head coach of Georgia’s gymnastics team will be none other than the portion of face sitting next to him, the gymternet’s sun and stars, Courtney Kupets-Carter. He then added, “there’s definitely not anything more to the story than this. Wink wink. The owl flies at midnight.”

Kupets then got up and told us that

which was really all we needed to know. Continue reading Courtney and Suzanne: Return of the Jedi →

Meet Results

2017 JO Nationals Results

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The full scores can be found here, but I’ll be tracking the leaderboards and major results throughout the weekend and including them as they come in along with my NCAA-based comments.

SENIOR F – Top 10 AA & Notables

Sunday, May 7 – 6:30pm ET

Rk Name NCAA VT UB BB FX Total
 1 Nia
Dennis		 UCLA 2018 9.775 (8) 9.675 (6) 9.675 (2) 9.675 (4) 38.800
Obviously, it’s going to be important for UCLA to invent a time machine to go back and put Dennis into every floor lineup. She’ll be a contender for each lineup, but it’s the potential bigness on floor (as well as vault, we hope) that will be her most valuable contributions to moving UCLA closer to the title next season.
 2 Lynnzee Brown Denver 2018  9.850 (3) 9.725 (2)  9.425 (16) 9.700 (2) 38.700
The exciting part about having another JO star coming in next season for Denver is that she doesn’t have to replace the whole world. It’s mostly building on what’s already there, though that bars total is exciting in terms of the need to replace Julia Ross’s score, along with Brown’s lineup boosting vault and floor sets.
 3 Kyana George Cal 2018 9.725 (10) 9.500 (16) 9.600 (3) 9.825 (1) 38.650
Lots of work to do for the Cal freshmen next season to make up for all the routines lost, but it’s a big and talented group capable of the task. George made waves for her floor routine at JOs last year and followed it up with a win this year. She’s going to be a favorite there.
 4 Lexi Graber Alabama 2018 10.000 (1) 9.500 (16) 9.550 (6) 9.575 (11) 38.625
A 10? You mean like…a 10? We kind of whined about Alabama’s vaulting this past season being OK but not quite…Alabama vaulting, losing out in the start-value race to the other SEC powers. The very clean 1.5 that Graber typically performs will be a boost.
 5 Lea Mitchell Michigan State 2018 9.800 (6) 9.575 (11) 9.475 (12) 9.700 (2) 38.550
Nice to see an unknown interloper among the favored and recognizable names here. It was a solid little JOs for the new Michigan State class, with Maxim getting two top-10 finishes of her own in Senior E. Competitive scores. The new coach will have some fresh pieces to work with in the quest to get back to regionals.
 6 Drew Watson Auburn 2018 9.850 (3) 9.675 (6) 9.275 (27) 9.500 (18) 38.300
It’s a big class for Auburn next year with a number of varied contributors, and it needs to be, coming off what was always going to be a lull season. The vaulting in particular dropped off to a significant degree (and won’t appreciate the loss of Rott either), so I like the look of that 9.850.
 7 Lexy Ramler Minnesota 2018 9.725 (10) 9.100 (39) 9.800 (1) 9.650 (6) 38.275
It’s a shame about the bars. That’s the event we know her for most of all from elite because of that Comaneci. Might have won the title with her normal hit there. She’ll be the critical part of Operation Not Bars-Horrifying next season, along with becoming the team’s huge all-around star. No pressure or anything.
 7 Tra’Vanni Jacobs Kentucky 2018 9.550 (26) 9.700 (4) 9.525 (10) 9.500 (18) 38.275
 9 Nina Schank Cal 2018 9.625 (17) 9.750 (1) 9.375 (17) 9.500 (18) 38.250
Another key part of Cal’s reinvigorating mission. I like to see that bars win.  Expect a new identity in the bars lineup (the team’s lowest-scoring event last season), with the likes of Schank as well as Alma Kuc’s L-grip pirouetting that the judges definitely won’t know the symbols for.
 10 Sophia Carter Arkansas 2018 9.700 (12) 9.575 (11) 9.550 (6) 9.400 (35) 38.225
A good solid result all-around, which is the most important feature of this performance. Arkansas was, through injury, left clutching at the shredded rags of depth last season, so simply bringing events is the first mission for the new gymnasts.
11 Payton Bellows Arizona 2018 9.850 (3) 9.650 (8) 9.025 (41) 9.650 (5) 38.175
Another in the long line of gymnasts who would have finished exceptionally well if not for beam. Arizona is another that had a very good JOs all told. Lots of high finishes.
12 Kelley Hebert UC Davis 2018 9.600 (21) 9.500 (16)  9.575 (5) 9.475 (25) 38.150
19 Kylie Dickson Alabama 2018 9.800 (6) 9.725 (2) 8.875 (44) 9.275 (45) 37.675
A mixed bag of a meet for Miss Dicksonenka, but this new Alabama class is going to bring a lot of routines. That means we won’t have to retire the “Alabama depth depth depth” nugget just yet.
25 Charlotte Cooperman Maryland 2018 9.675 (13) 8.800 (47) 9.600 (3) 9.475 (25) 37.550
31 Lauren Bridgens Penn State 2018 9.875 (2) 8.550 (53) 9.325 (22) 9.625 (8) 37.375
41 Jordan Boogerd Lindenwood 2018 9.475 (33) 9.000 (43) 8.675 (50) 9.650 (5) 36.800

SENIOR E – Top 10 AA & Notables

Sunday, May 7 – 1:45pm ET

Rk Name NCAA VT UB BB FX Total
1 Rachel Flam Stanford 2018 9.900 (1) 9.575 (11) 9.425 (20) 9.725 (1)  38.625
So basically, the plan for Stanford next season is going to be all the freshmen and Elizabeth Price. I MADE YOUR LINEUPS, KRISTEN! Those gigantic vault and floor scores are particular music because…you’ve seen those vault and floor rotations, I don’t have to explain.
2 Evy Schoepfer Oklahoma 2018 9.775 (4) 9.625 (7) 9.475 (11) 9.725 (1) 38.600
Oklahoma has lost a fairly significant chunk of routines after 2017 (about two per event), and while there will be some replacements coming from the current roster, this freshman class of L10 stars will see time and will need to bring a good two events apiece to maintain the same depth.
2 Kaitlyn Yanish Oregon State 2018 9.775 (4) 9.675 (5) 9.450 (13) 9.700 (4)  38.600
The sheer number and quality of routines Oregon State has lost post-2017 (15 of 24 nationals routines) cannot be replaced by this incoming class alone, but there will be pressure on a standout like Yanish not just to contribute but to bring four whole events to bolster those lineups right away. We needed to see something from the newbies, and this counts as something.
4 Alonza Klopfer Alabama 2018 9.675 (13) 9.625 (7) 9.500 (5) 9.575 (10) 38.375
Anyone coming in with the same class as Bailie Key is going to be overshadowed by the expectations for her, but Alabama’s quest to regain more competitiveness than just “solid third in the SEC,” which we got in 2017, will be more about the class than the Key. It’s a lot of gymnasts to replace just to get back to last year’s level (two and three 9.850+ scores per event), let alone improve on that, and Klopfer will be a necessary L10 cog with multiple events.
5 Ona Loper Minnesota 2018 9.775 (4) 9.350 (30) 9.450 (13) 9.725 (1) 38.300
The 2017 season was always going to be a down year for Minnesota after losing all the gymnasts and all the Lindsay Mable the year before, though I don’t think we expected it to be quite so “you almost didn’t make regionals.” The big hope has been Lexy Ramler entering for the 2018 season, but if she’s getting help from another top JO finisher, that’s even more cause for optimism, re: some manner of resurgence. (Why did your low score have to be bars, though? Haven’t we been through enough?)
6 Belle Huang Rutgers 2018 9.550 (22) 9.525 (13) 9.600 (1) 9.575 (10) 38.250
Rutgers! I know, right?! Rutgers has settled into the role of “the other one” in the Big Ten, but with one more year of Shank and Groden, who tend to get the team’s best scores, along with Huang, maybe there’s hope of getting a little bit closer to regionals contention.
7 Anastasia Webb Oklahoma 2018 9.900 (1) 9.150 (35) 9.475 (11) 9.700 (4) 38.225
Webb came in as one of the favorites in this session, didn’t get the bars score for a top, top finish, but still placed well on floor and, getting the most attention, won vault with an Omelianchik. People with NCAA-10.0 vaults are basically JO catnip now. While a couple teams came close, we didn’t see anyone field a lineup of six 10.0 starts last season. Webb could get Oklahoma there for 2018.
8 Megan Verceles Carr Nebraska 9.675 (13) 9.425 (26) 9.525 (3) 9.550 (15) 38.175
Carr wasn’t in Nebraska’s release for the new 2017-2018 gymnasts, so…?
9 Lauren Farley Michigan 2018 9.375 (27) 9.525 (13) 9.575 (2) 9.625 (8) 38.100
Cool it, Michigan. Could end up being the big winner of JOs this year.
10 Mikayla Magee Utah 2019 9.725 (8) 9.200 (34) 9.525 (3) 9.625 (8) 38.075
Competing in the senior E session but won’t be NCAA until the season after next, so there’s still time. We’ll see this one again next year.
10 Jamie Panchak UC Davis 2018 9.650 (16) 9.475 (16) 9.450 (13) 9.500 (20) 38.075
Good consistent showing. Please do the AA every day.
12 Anne Maxim Michigan State 2018 9.550 (22) 9.700 (3) 9.025 (43) 9.650 (7) 37.925
Bars was a fairly weak piece for MSU last season, so that 9.700 stands out.
13 Kennedy Johnson Central Michigan 2018 9.650 (16) 9.725 (1) 9.050 (41) 9.450 (25) 37.875
15 Emma Hartzler Iowa 2018 9.200 (40)  9.725 (1) 9.500 (5) 9.375 (36) 37.800
Some serious bars specialists rolling around outside the top 10 in this session. Hartzler also wasn’t in Iowa’s 2017-2018 class announcement but is apparently walking on.
17 Haley Pitou BYU 2018 9.625 (19) 9.700 (3) 9.400 (21) 9.025 (48) 37.750
20 Geneva Thompson Washington 2018 9.800 (3) 9.075 (38) 9.500 (5) 9.350 (37) 37.725
To the commenter looking for vaults for Washington, Geneva Thompson has some notes.
25 Yolanda Nodarse West
Chester 2018		 9.100 (44) 9.375 (29) 9.500 (5) 9.425 (27) 37.400
35 McKenna Linnen West
Virginia 2018		 9.250 (36) 9.475 (16) 9.500 (5) 8.850 (52) 37.075
39 Samantha Durante Georgia? 2018 9.325 (32) 9.650 (6) 9.450 (13) 8.500 (54) 36.925
Good thing her life has been so calm and uninteresting lately.

SENIOR D – Top 10 AA & Notables

Sunday, May 7 – 9:00am ET

Rk Name NCAA VT UB BB FX Total
1 Abby Brenner Michigan 2019 9.825 (2) 9.700 (1)  9.425 (15) 9.800 (1) 38.750
The Michigan 2019 crew of Brenner, Wojcik, Mariani, and Heiskell has been cleaning up in JO this year, three of the four qualifying to the Nastia and combining for nine top-5 event placements here (along with Farley’s 2nd on beam in Senior E). This was perhaps the deepest session of all at JOs this year, so winning it is no joke. Michigan has lost a ton of critical routines after 2017, but help is coming.
2 Lauren Navarro Stanford 2018 9.750 (4) 9.450 (15) 9.675 (1) 9.725 (2) 38.600
All eyes on this huge and talented class of Stanford freshmen because the 2018 season is a critical year for Stanford coming off a bleak 2017. It will be the last year of Price (WHAT?), plus all of these high-quality, allegedly-can-actually-compete-four-events freshmen like Navarro (and Bryant and Flam and Lawson). If you can’t succeed with this group…
3 Madison Dagen Oregon State 2019 9.750 (4) 9.500 (11) 9.550 (5) 9.650 (7) 38.450
When Madison Dagen committed, I joked that Oregon State’s entire recruiting strategy has become getting the younger sisters of Florida gymnasts and then luring the older sisters away.

Anyway…
4 Rachel Lukacs Georgia 2019 9.725 (7) 9.400 (21) 9.550 (5) 9.675 (5) 38.350
Lukacs is one of the dominant forces in L10 right now, completing the Nastia-Nationals double in 2016 and placing fairly well at both in 2017 (though I think she was probably the favorite coming into this session). Locking Lukacs down will be one of the keys for the new head as she’s on track to be at least a three-event star.
4 Madison Mariani Michigan 2019 9.650 (10) 9.600 (5) 9.450 (10) 9.650 (7) 38.350
More from Michigan’s 2019 JO army. That class will be tasked with replacing the Brown, Zaziski, and Marinez routines, but should have the numbers to do it.
6 Mikaela Meyer Utah State 2018 9.800 (3) 9.500 (11) 9.500 (7) 9.525 (21) 38.325
Kind of overlooked in the postseason rush was what a significant season this turned out to be for Utah State, emerging as a top-25 power for the time being. With two top vault scores leaving in McIntire and Brown, that 9.800 looks juicy in the quest to keep the trajectory moving upward.
7 Natalie Wojcik Michigan 2019 9.850 (1) 9.100 (42) 9.650 (2) 9.700 (4) 38.300
Wojcik was running away with this one until bars, but the other members of this class all got top-5 placements on bars. Combined, they’re a solid 2.5-3 all-around gymnasts. Wojcik’s highlight is her exceptionally clean 1.5 on vault.
8 Jenna Swartzentruber Ohio State 2018 9.750 (4) 9.600 (5) 9.350 (24) 9.575 (12) 38.275
9 Abby
Boden		 BYU 2018 9.575 (22) 9.625 (3) 9.450 (10) 9.600 (10) 38.250
10 Taylor Lawson Stanford 2018 9.625 (11) 9.375 (23) 9.400 (19) 9.725 (2) 38.125
Can you be the whole floor lineup, please? Lawson, Lawson, Flam, Lawson, Lawson, Price.
10 Lex Burch Utah 2018 9.625 (11) 9.250 (35) 9.575 (4) 9.675 (5) 38.125
There won’t be too much pressure on next season’s Utah freshman to have a bunch of competition routines since the only sets that need replacing are from Rowe and the injury returns of Schwab and Tessen will be expected to take care of that and more. But, to truly improve on 2017, extra options will need to come from the likes of Burch.
12 Ella
Warren		 Kentucky 2019 9.700 (8) 9.275 (32) 9.625 (3) 9.475 (24) 38.075
Kentucky won’t have any new gymnasts for a bit (not losing any seniors after 2017), but I’m interested to see if this streak of JO stars over the last two classes is a thing now, where the best JO gymnasts are starting to look at Kentucky.
16 Abigail Matthews Oklahoma 2018 9.350 (34) 9.600 (5) 9.250 (29) 9.575 (12) 37.775
An Oklahoma gymnast who didn’t finish in the top 1 of places? OFF THE TEAM.
19 Karrie Thomas Maryland 2018 9.250 (41) 9.675 (2) 9.150 (36) 9.575 (21) 37.650
Maryland! That’s really all I have to say.
43 Hope Masiado Boise State 2019 9.100 (48) 9.625 (3) 9.000 (44) 8.775 (53) 36.500
Now THAT’s a Boise State line-score. Kidding. But, you know…BARS.

SENIOR C – Top 10 AA & Notables

Saturday, May 6 – 6:30pm ET

Rk Name NCAA VT UB BB FX Total
1 Milan Clausi Cal 2019  9.675 (11) 9.575 (6) 9.600 (3) 9.575 (8) 38.425
This session didn’t really have a standout favorite, so the top positions were always going to the opportunistic few who hit on the day, and Clausi, who finished 23rd last year, fit the bill this time around. Cal’s next two classes have been cleaning up at the JO level the last couple season, which is good because every single gymnast who was ever born just left.
1 Maya
Bordas		  Illinois 2019 9.725 (7)  9.650 (2)  9.400 (15)  9.650 (3)  38.425
We have a tie! (Inappropriate use of exclamation mark.) With so many coaching changes—and possibly more on the way—a lot of these verbal commitments have been thrown into some level of disarray, but this is an excellent sign for a program that needs its other events to catch up with its beam.
3 Sarah Hargrove Nebraska 2019 9.525 (26) 9.550 (9) 9.600 (3) 9.600 (4)  38.275
Nebraska cleaned up during the Senior C session with five total top-5 event finishes across three incoming gymnasts. More than half of Nebraska’s current routines are coming from gymnasts who won’t be there in 2019, so the novel idea of a large class of gymnasts with multiple areas of contribution is quite appealing.
4 Derrian Gobourne  Auburn 2019 9.825 (3) 9.525 (11) 9.300 (22) 9.575 (8) 38.225
Not being able to come up with the big totals on vault and floor anymore in the wake of the losses of Atkinson and Demers brought Auburn low too many times this season, so over the next couple seasons, eyes will be on who can bring vault and floor scores of more than a 9.825 (though there’s hope in the 2018 group as well).
5 Haley Brechwald Pitt 2019 9.675 (11) 9.650 (2) 9.375 (17) 9.500 (18) 38.200
Like Nebraska, Pitt was another winner in the Senior C session with a couple of high-ranking verbals like Brechwald and Chamberlain below. It has been quite a while since Pitt was even in contention for a regionals birth, so with a new coach coming in this season and a couple of top JO finishers the year after, should we start thinking about words like rebirth?
6 Adrienne Randall Utah 2019 9.300 (43) 9.500 (16) 9.650 (1) 9.600 (4) 38.050
A hefty crop of Utah’s expected contributors next season will be underclasswomen with multiple years of eligibility left, so there’s reason for future optimism coming off the good-not-great 2017 season. This beam victory is nice to see for a gymnast in the class tasked with replacing Maddy Stover’s set.
7 Katie Chamberlain Pitt 2019 9.450 (31) 9.525 (11) 9.475 (7) 9.575 (8) 38.025
8 Nya Reed  ??? 9.775 (5) 9.050 (37) 9.500 (6) 9.675 (2) 38.000
9 Eve Micco  ??? 9.575 (22) 9.475 (17) 9.425 (11) 9.475 (21) 37.950
It’s somewhat unusual to have “uncommitted” (unannounced) gymnasts in the Senior C group since this session contains only gymnasts who are 17. It’s almost like they didn’t commit during kindergarten graduation or something.
10 Abby Heiskell Michigan 2019 9.850 (1) 9.600 (4) 8.900 (40) 9.550 (11) 37.900
Heiskell was probably the favorite coming into this session (and would have needed just 9.450 on beam to win it) since she finished 5th at the Nastia this year. That’s what beam will do to you. She remains one of the noteworthy 2019ers in JO.
10 Kaylee Quinn Nebraska 2019 9.800 (4) 9.450 (19) 8.950 (37) 9.700 (1) 37.900
16 Abigail Johnston Nebraska 2019 9.675 (11) 8.875 (40) 9.575 (5) 9.550 (11) 37.675
More high finishes from Team Nebraska. Like Heiskell, Quinn would have been in this for the win with a beam hit.
18 Kaitlin Harvey ??? 9.150 (51) 9.450 (19) 9.625 (2) 9.375 (34) 37.600
24 Deja Chambliss ??? 9.775 (5) 9.325 (26) 8.900 (40) 9.350 (39) 37.350
28 Amara Cunningham Temple 9.675 (11) 9.075 (35) 8.850 (43) 9.600 (4) 37.200
29 Samantha Smith Boise State 2019 9.725 (7) 9.050 (37) 8.800 (44) 9.600 (4) 37.175
37th on bars? Are you sure you have the right school? Boise State doesn’t get out of bed for worse than 8th.
30 Allie Stern ??? 9.850 (1) 9.025 (39) 8.700 (47) 9.550 (11) 37.125
43 Aleysia Kolyanova Air Force 2019 9.400 (37) 9.600 (4) 9.425 (11) 7.900 (57) 36.325
 With that kind of Russian name, you better have finished top-5 on bars.
46 Colby Miller Ohio State 2019 8.725 (57) 9.800 (1) 9.225 (26) 8.350 (55) 36.100
A couple event champions with 9.800 finished rather low down the standings at this one because of a batch of 9.8s.

SENIOR B – Top 10 AA & Notables

Saturday, May 6 – 1:45pm ET

Rk Name NCAA VT UB BB FX Total
1 Makarri Doggette Alabama 2020  9.850 (1) 9.650 (2) 9.500 (4) 9.750 (1) 38.750
We’re still a few years away from seeing Doggette in NCAA, but she’s shaping up to be one of the top JO recruits in her year along with the highest finishers from the senior A division. In the class she’ll come in to replace, Alabama has a lot of gymnasts but not that many lineup routines so far, so they’ll be looking toward an upgrade that year.
2 Rachel Baumann  Georgia 2020 9.625 (10) 9.500 (12) 9.725 (1) 9.675 (6) 38.525
We’re all up in the air with regard to Georgia’s everything right now, but Baumann is presumably part of the crop of exciting recruits for the next couple seasons, as Georgia was beginning to reinvent itself as a hot-spot for ninja L10s. We’ll see. Rachel elected not to pursue senior elite like Alyssa did, but she did win beam here, meaning she’s allowed to remain part of the family. Baumanns win beam.
3 Cristal Isa Arizona 2019 9.625 (10) 9.700 (1) 9.525 (2) 9.625 (8) 38.475
Arizona is among the big winners from day 1, with top-3 finishes in both Senior A and Senior B. For a team that has the ability to be right up with the likes of Washington and Cal right now (but isn’t), these results are an encouraging sign.
4 Samantha Davis Georgia 2019 9.750 (5) 9.575 (6) 9.500 (4) 9.625 (8) 38.450
Another solid result for a Georgia gymnast. Davis is set to come in with the same class as Lukacs and Megan Roberts, one that will be tasked with replacing the Marino/Babalis routines but seems like it should be up to the challenge. Of course, everyone will still have to be locked in with the new administration.
5 Madilyn Quarles Denver 2019 9.600 (13) 9.625 (3) 9.275 (18) 9.700 (2) 38.200
High scores on multiple events are making day 1 look like a win for Denver as well—with four total top-5 event finishes across senior B and senior A, along with the news that Amanar-fetus and junior elite Jaymes Marshall has verbally committed for 2185.
5 Karley
McClain		 S Utah 2019 9.575 (18) 9.425 (17) 9.500 (4) 9.700 (2) 38.200
SUU’s finish at 22nd this season did not reflect the true quality of the year, which saw them challenge the perennial stalwarts in the teens, though with the potential of the 2017 freshman class and JO finishes from future gymnasts from the same gym like McClain seem to indicate that wasn’t a one-off season.
7 Sekai Wright  ??? 9.825 (2) 9.400 (19) 9.350 (16) 9.500 (20) 38.075
Anyone need a vault?
8 Alexandra Greenwald Iowa 2019 9.575 (18) 9.600 (4) 9.275 (18) 9.525 (17) 37.975
Bars has been a strong piece for Iowa the last few seasons, but the heavy majority of their lineup and top scores are from upperclasswomen (next season will be interesting…), so this 9.600 on bars is one to put a star next to.
9 Julie Wiest Ball State 2019 9.600 (13) 9.375 (21) 9.450 (10) 9.525 (17) 37.950
Nice to see a top finish from a commit to one of the lower-ranked teams. These things don’t always carry through to NCAA, but that’s a very consistent and encouraging result.
10 Makayla Maxwell ??? 9.700 (6) 9.225 (32) 9.400 (14) 9.600 (12) 37.925
10 Anna Kaziska SEMO 9.275 (37) 9.525 (10) 9.425 (11) 9.700 (2) 37.925
14 Kendra Combs West
Virginia		 9.400 (31) 9.600 (4) 9.500 (4) 9.225 (42) 37.725
Started on bars and beam and was way out ahead of the rest of the field through two events.
16 Jacey
Baldovino		 Yale 9.500 (25) 9.125 (38) 9.525 (2) 9.500 (20) 37.650
21 Griffin James Alabama 2019 9.775 (4) 9.450 (15) 8.600 (52) 9.625 (8) 37.450
Had a solid meet going there and was in it for a top-10 spot if not for beam. I feel like someone needs a “you are beautiful, you are lovely, go out there and enjoy this.”
28 Rachel
DeCavitch		 ??? 9.275 (37) 8.950 (42) 9.225 (26) 9.700 (2) 37.150
29 Amanda Elswick Arkansas 2019 9.800 (3) 8.200 (52) 9.500 (4) 9.600 (12) 37.100
Arkansas will be refilling the Elswick bucket in due course, so it’s all OK. Not competing bars can be like a family tradition.

SENIOR A – Top 10 AA & Notables

Saturday, May 6 – 9:00am ET

Rk Name NCAA VT UB BB FX Total
1 Kai Rivers  LSU 2020 9.875 (1) 9.700 (1)  9.300 (11)  9.650 (3) 38.525
Rivers won the Nastia Pink Parade earlier this year with her DTY and DLO, and like Rachel Lukacs last year, followed that up by winning senior A as well. Rivers and Edney will overlap at LSU by one season, so I feel like vault is probably going to be fine. For the foreseeable forever.
2 Chloe Widner Arizona 2020 9.750 (2) 9.550 (4) 9.450 (4) 9.675 (1) 38.425
Those high finishes on vault and floor in particular will be music to the ears of a team that has struggled to stay competitive on those events in recent seasons, although it’s in the extension and toe point on beam where she really excels. The last few rave-review “Arizona” verbals at JO Nationals were Kari Lee (went to Utah), Mackenzie Valentin (transferred to Alabama) and Taylor Lawson (signed with Stanford), so here’s hoping.
3 Payton Richards Florida 2020 9.650 (5) 9.650 (2) 9.525 (1) 9.600 (5) 38.425
Richards is slated to enter in the same class as Morgan Hurd and Riley McCusker (those no-names). Right now, both elites are at least on the “defer to the 2020-2021 season” track, which makes Richards all the more important as she could end up being the one who actually shows up.
4 Adela Stoncecipher  ??? 9.625 (6) 9.475 (8) 9.400 (6) 9.675 (1) 38.175
No clue. Awesome name though.
5 Nicoletta Koulos UCLA 2020 9.400 (22) 9.550 (4) 9.375 (7) 9.575 (8) 37.900
Winner of the Miss Val Greek Heritage Scholarship for Having Greek Heritage. Fortunately, she’s also successful at gymnastics. Good how that worked out.
6 Talitha Jones Cal 2019 9.600 (8) 9.400 (13) 9.250 (12) 9.625 (4) 37.875
Most of these Senior As are still a couple years away from NCAA, but Jones is closer, which makes her results a little more relevant for our purposes. She’ll be coming in as Ariana Robinson departs, so those higher scores on vault and floor are appealing.
7 Kylie Piringer Nebraska 2020 9.525 (12) 9.250 (20) 9.350 (8) 9.525 (10) 37.650
8 Robyn Kelley UNH 2020 9.525 (12) 9.100 (31) 9.425 (5) 9.450 (15) 37.500
A New Hampshire gymnast who excelled on beam? Well, I’ll be. Join your sisters. You’re supposed to be finding the new vault and floor stars!
9 Jane Poniewaz Oregon State 2020 9.425 (20) 9.200 (24) 9.250 (12) 9.475 (12) 37.350
10 Kayla Bird Oregon State 2020 9.525 (12) 8.800 (39) 9.475 (3) 9.475 (12) 37.275
Two Oregon States round out the top 10. I’m a little worried about Oregon State in the more immediate future because of every single routine leaving after this season, but I’ll take a high finish on beam any day.
12 Kylie Gorgenyi UNH 2020 9.700 (3) 9.475 (8) 8.725 (39) 9.300 (32) 37.200
There’s your vault! Gorgenyi would have finished well into the top 10 with a hit beam.
19 Chloe Lashbrooke  ??? 9.600 (8) 9.400 (13) 8.200 (49) 9.600 (5) 36.800
26 AK
Subject		 Denver 2020 9.450 (18) 9.450 (11) 8.150 (50) 9.600 (5) 36.650
When I first saw her name on the start list, I thought it was some kind of formatting error or Kyla Roos-style placeholder, but it turns out she’s a person. One who’s good at floor and who rounds out the “would have been finished really well if not for beam” along with her future teammate below.
27 Emma Brown Denver 2020 9.250 (31) 9.550 (4) 8.675 (41) 9.100 (42) 36.575
33 Jenna Dunn ??? 8.950 (49) 8.650 (42) 9.525 (1) 9.275 (34) 36.400
36 Megan Teter ??? 9.350 (25) 9.575 (3)  8.550 (45) 8.625 (53) 36.100
38 Brenna Brooks  Washington 2020 9.700 (3) 8.325 (53)  8.575 (44) 9.350 (27) 35.950
 Vault vault vault vault.
39 Ariana Agrapides  Iowa 2020 9.625 (6) 7.850 (57) 9.200 (16) 9.250 (35) 35.925
Former MG Elite elite. The one who was always at junior nationals with Hernandez and Foberg.

JUNIOR F – Top 10 AA

Continue reading 2017 JO Nationals Results →