1. Oklahoma Sooners
Average: 197.733
Previous ranking: 1
Oklahoma remains #1 and extends its lead over #2 LSU after scoring 198.125 in an away loss to Florida. The result will sting. It’s the Sooners’ first loss since January 2016 and comes in a meet where they’ll have justification for feeling cheated out of a win by the crazy judging (though it must be said that Oklahoma received a fair few gifts of its own en route to breaking the 198 barrier). Feel free to ignore the scores because they were meaningless nonsense, but the performance is nonetheless one Oklahoma will accept for a January meet even though the strain of being without Natalie Brown—and now Jade Degouveia with plantar fasciitis—does show.
2. LSU Tigers
Average: 197.306
Previous ranking: 2
LSU retains its #2 ranking and increases its season average after scoring 197.375 at Metroplex, a score about on par with what the Tigers have been doing all month. It will be difficult, however, to see past the loss. It’s the team’s first loss of the season, coming against a school it was expected to beat too. The primary difference-maker in the loss was beam, where LSU dropped multiple tenths to a currently unstoppable UCLA lineup. A few 9.7s on floor didn’t help either, but getting Desiderio into the floor six is still a victory for the future prospects of the lineup, even if the 9.7 this week wasn’t ideal.
3. Utah Utes
Average: 197.244
Previous ranking: 3
Utah also retains its ranking position by recording a season-high 197.550 in a road victory over Arizona. The most encouraging part of the performance was beam, where a couple of the previously struggling(ish) members of the lineup showed season-best routines by about a billion tenths, making that six look much more competitive than it had in recent weeks. Utah will also be buoyed by the performances of Merrell-Giles and Lee, who were able to carry the load with 9.9s, showing that the team doesn’t have to be a one-Skinner show and can succeed even when she is not at her very best.
4. UCLA Bruins
Average: 197.094
Previous ranking: 4
UCLA stays in 4th but will be absolutely flying after heading to Metroplex and defeating the favored LSU. That 197.625 is the third-highest score in the country so far this year (behind the OU/Florida crack festival), also ranking as the team’s highest road score since 2010 Super Six and highest January score since 2004. (“Thank you, Metroplex. Sincerely, everyone who has ever competed there.”) The most significant accomplishment, however, was outscoring LSU on vault and floor, which few would have seen coming as recently as November and starts to make a real argument for UCLA’s top-3 competitiveness this year. Continue reading Week 4 Rankings →