OK.
Sigh.
I’ve given in to calling it NQS. But I’m not happy about it and will still call it RQS most of the time. It’s still the SCORE used to determine who QUALIFIES to REGIONALS. Regional Qualifying Score.
1. Oklahoma Sooners
NQS: 197.940
Previous ranking: 1
| Road Score 1: | 198.075 |
| Road Score 2: | 198.050 |
| Road Score 3: | 197.975 |
| Home/Road Score 1: | 198.325 |
| Home/Road Score 2: | 197.825 |
| Home/Road Score 3: | 197.775 |
| NQS: | 197.940 |
Maximum possible NQS after next meet: 198.050
Meets remaining: 4
Road meets remaining: 2
Oklahoma improves its NQS only slightly this week after the solid-but-non-invincible 197.775 scored in victory over UCLA. That score replaced a previous 197.700 but is still the low number Oklahoma that will be looking to drop this coming weekend, a two-meet road trip against Michigan on Saturday and Iowa State on Monday. Nichols returned on bars and beam, though it was beam that proved to be the culprit in keeping Oklahoma away from the 198s this week rather than floor, which looked more composed and improved even without Nichols once again. As last week, Oklahoma is already locked at #1 for next Monday’s rankings regardless of the events of this weekend.
2. UCLA Bruins
NQS: 197.800
Previous ranking: 2
| Road Score 1: | 198.025 |
| Road Score 2: | 197.900 |
| Road Score 3: | 197.700 |
| Home/Road Score 1: | 198.025 |
| Home/Road Score 2: | 197.775 |
| Home/Road Score 3: | 197.600 |
| NQS: | 197.800 |
Maximum possible NQS after next meet: 197.885
Meets remaining: 3
Road meets remaining: 1
No change for UCLA this week following the 197.575 in a loss to Oklahoma, an acceptable score but not one that got into the top 6 team scores on the season. UCLA showed some solid improvements on floor but was a little too blah in the first half of the meet, particularly in those final cast handstands on bars, to earn the right to challenge Oklahoma—or a countable road score. Because this 197.800 NQS is already quite high, UCLA cannot be caught at #2 this coming weekend.
3. Florida Gators
NQS: 197.545
Previous ranking: 3
| Road Score 1: | 198.025 |
| Road Score 2: | 197.500 |
| Road Score 3: | 197.325 |
| Home/Road Score 1: | 197.850 |
| Home/Road Score 2: | 197.675 |
| Home/Road Score 3: | 197.375 |
| NQS: | 197.545 |
Maximum possible NQS after next meet: 197.675
Meets remaining: 2
Road meets remaining: 1
Florida suffered a similar fate to UCLA in that a no-vault-for-you road score of 197.225 was not enough to change the NQS picture this week. That means Florida is now guaranteed to count both a 197.675 and a 197.500, which will make it difficult to move up higher than third even with 198s in the remaining two meets since UCLA has all of those 197.7+ scores. Though not impossible. Like the top 2, Florida is already safe at #3 for next week’s rankings.
4. LSU Tigers
NQS: 197.380
Previous ranking: 4
| Road Score 1: | 197.450 |
| Road Score 2: | 197.250 |
| Road Score 3: | 197.125 |
| Home/Road Score 1: | 197.900 |
| Home/Road Score 2: | 197.650 |
| Home/Road Score 3: | 197.425 |
| NQS: | 197.380 |
Maximum possible NQS after next meet: 197.475
Meets remaining: 3
Road meets remaining: 2
LSU finally got its score, using the cracky top-3-team home evaluation the squad had been dreaming about for weeks to snatch a season high and ensure that the team remained at #4 despite being under threat from both Utah and Denver. This weekend, LSU stays at home to face Oregon State and will therefore have to wait to get rid of those remaining low-197 road scores. Focus will once again be on retaining the #4 spot, which is almost in the bag but not entirely. If LSU goes sub-197.450 and Denver gets a season high at the same time, then Denver could pass up LSU for #4, but it’s a fairly long shot.
5. Utah Utes
NQS: 197.315
Previous ranking: 5
| Road Score 1: | 197.375 |
| Road Score 2: | 197.250 |
| Road Score 3: | 197.150 |
| Home/Road Score 1: | 197.975 |
| Home/Road Score 2: | 197.625 |
| Home/Road Score 3: | 197.175 |
| NQS: | 197.315 |
Maximum possible NQS after next meet: 197.480
Meets remaining: 2
Road meets remaining: 2
Facing a similar threat from Denver, Utah had to get a season high against Michigan on Saturday to retain its #5 ranking and did so with a Happy Senior Day 197.975 of its own. All is safe for now. But, Utah does not compete this coming weekend so will be enitrely at the mercy of Denver as to whether #5 can be retained for another week.
6. Denver Pioneers
NQS: 197.310
Previous ranking: 6
| Road Score 1: | 197.775 |
| Road Score 2: | 197.450 |
| Road Score 3: | 196.350 |
| Home/Road Score 1: | 197.725 |
| Home/Road Score 2: | 197.625 |
| Home/Road Score 3: | 197.400 |
| NQS: | 197.310 |
Maximum possible NQS after next meet: 197.385
Meets remaining: 3
Road meets remaining: 2
Another gigantic score for Denver, this one achieved on the road, has allowed the Pioneers to close the gap with the big teams and put some serious ranking pressure on both LSU and Utah. Denver competes in its home finale this weekend, which means that now-pedestrian-looking road 196 cannot be dropped yet, but there’s still some room for Denver to improve its current NQS and move ahead of an idle Utah. That would require a 197.450, which is very doable based on precedent. As noted in the LSU section, catching LSU is also possible but would require a season high and some help.
7. Michigan Wolverines
NQS: 196.935
Previous ranking: 9
| Road Score 1: | 197.750 |
| Road Score 2: | 197.350 |
| Road Score 3: | 197.075 |
| Home/Road Score 1: | 197.350 |
| Home/Road Score 2: | 196.500 |
| Home/Road Score 3: | 196.400 |
| NQS: | 196.935 |
Maximum possible NQS after next meet: 197.205
Meets remaining: 3
Road meets remaining: 2
Michigan was not able to snatch the upset victory over Utah but did manage to drop a low score and replace it with a much nicer 197.350, accounting for a gain of two places in the rankings. So mission accomplished. Because of the large margin that Denver has created over the rest of the challengers, Michigan’s ranking goal in its home finale against Oklahoma on Saturday will be to hang onto this #7 spot, which can be achieved with a 197.375 regardless of what any other team scores.
8. Georgia Bulldogs
NQS: 196.895
Previous ranking: 7
| Road Score 1: | 197.450 |
| Road Score 2: | 196.400 |
| Road Score 3: | 196.325 |
| Home/Road Score 1: | 197.475 |
| Home/Road Score 2: | 197.300 |
| Home/Road Score 3: | 197.000 |
| NQS: | 196.895 |
Maximum possible NQS after next meet: 197.125
Meets remaining: 3
Road meets remaining: 2
Georgia did an eh against LSU, collapsing on bars in the first rotation to take away the possibility of a score that would knock off one of those 196s, dropping behind Michigan in the rankings as a result. Georgia still has two more road meets left in which to get rid of those 196s, but both of those meets will need to be big hits for serious 197s to entertain any possibility of catching the top 6. Catching Michigan looks the more attainable goal right now, but with Michigan having a higher peak score after this week, that’s in Michigan’s hands more than in Georgia’s. Georgia does also have to focus on fending off Minnesota (because that’s a thing now), which it can do with a 196.575.
9. Alabama Crimson Tide
NQS: 196.780
Previous ranking: 8
| Road Score 1: | 196.900 |
| Road Score 2: | 196.850 |
| Road Score 3: | 196.800 |
| Home/Road Score 1: | 196.850 |
| Home/Road Score 2: | 196.700 |
| Home/Road Score 3: | 196.700 |
| NQS: | 196.780 |
Maximum possible NQS after next meet: 196.820
Meets remaining: 3
Road meets remaining: 3
Alabama dodged a bullet to stay at #9, coming into the weekend in ranking danger and once again not recording that elusive 197. Still, the danger is far from averted. Because all of Alabama’s scores are almost exactly the same, there’s little room to grow this week by removing a low score or by matching a super-high score. Even a huge number this weekend at Elevate would simply be dropped as the high score of the six. That’s why Alabama can’t move up any higher than 9th after this week and will not have the luxury of determining its own fate since Minnesota and Kentucky have the higher peak scores.
10. Minnesota Golden Gophers
NQS: 196.760
Previous ranking: 11
| Road Score 1: | 196.925 |
| Road Score 2: | 196.700 |
| Road Score 3: | 196.600 |
| Home/Road Score 1: | 197.500 |
| Home/Road Score 2: | 196.850 |
| Home/Road Score 3: | 196.725 |
| NQS: | 196.760 |
Maximum possible NQS after next meet: 196.940
Meets remaining: 3
Road meets remaining: 3
The days of talking about poor, oppressed Minnesota who just can’t get the scores are officially over now that a 197.500 season high in the home finale has the team in the top 10 with a juicy opportunity to go higher. Even Michigan could be in Minnesota’s sights if things go just right this weekend, but the immediate goal will be passing Alabama, which Minnesota would do with a 196.925 at Elevate this weekend. A tough ask, but as we’ve seen, not impossible.
11. Boise State Broncos
NQS: 196.610
Previous ranking: 13
| Road Score 1: | 197.175 |
| Road Score 2: | 196.525 |
| Road Score 3: | 196.375 |
| Home/Road Score 1: | 197.125 |
| Home/Road Score 2: | 196.625 |
| Home/Road Score 3: | 196.400 |
| NQS: | 196.610 |
Maximum possible NQS after next meet: 196.765
Meets remaining: 3
Road meets remaining: 2
Boise State made an important statement in breaking the 197 mark in its first meet post-Remme, led by a Courtney McGregor 9.975 and accounting for a two-spot jump in the rankings. Boise State competes in its home finale this Thursday against BYU, a meet with significant ranking-position and regionals-seeding implications for both teams, so remember that’s happening even though it’s a Thursday. He says to himself.
12. Kentucky Wildcats
RQS: 196.600
Previous ranking: 10
| Road Score 1: | 197.225 |
| Road Score 2: | 196.650 |
| Road Score 3: | 196.000 |
| Home/Road Score 1: | 197.200 |
| Home/Road Score 2: | 197.150 |
| Home/Road Score 3: | 196.000 |
| NQS: | 196.600 |
Maximum possible NQS after next meet: 196.845
Meets remaining: 3
Road meets remaining: 2
A missed-opportunity meet against Missouri saw Kentucky record a not-particularly-usable 196.000 road score, in which the mixture of some pretty tight evaluation in the first half of the meet and some mistakes on floor kept Kentucky from that big number. The team will, however, have another massive opportunity to move back up the rankings in its home finale on Friday, needing a 196.850 to guarantee passing Boise State and a 197.125 to guarantee passing Alabama. Not easy scores, but scores this team has proven capable of achieving. That 197.125 to pass Alabama is especially important because there are only two more weeks left to change the seedings for SEC Champs and Kentucky still has a shot to get into the evening session. Kentucky also needs to watch out for Auburn and can fend them off with a 196.700.
13. Auburn Tigers
NQS: 196.540
Previous ranking: 12
| Road Score 1: | 196.700 |
| Road Score 2: | 196.400 |
| Road Score 3: | 196.125 |
| Home/Road Score 1: | 197.100 |
| Home/Road Score 2: | 196.775 |
| Home/Road Score 3: | 196.700 |
| NQS: | 196.540 |
Maximum possible NQS after next meet: 196.735
Meets remaining: 3
Road meets remaining: 2
Auburn’s 196.400 against Alabama was enough to improve the team’s NQS by a smidge but not enough to really shift things or help the ranking. This coming week at Elevate, Auburn could gain a couple ranking spots if things go just right but won’t control that since it has a lower peak score than any of the teams ranked above. Auburn is not out of the race for the evening session at SECs, but this will be its final road meet before the conference champs, so Auburn needs a big number to remove that 196.1 to have any shot. A mark of 196.950 would also guarantee staying in the top 13, so that’s sort of the dream number.
14. California Golden Bears
NQS: 196.460
Previous ranking: 14
| Road Score 1: | 196.975 |
| Road Score 2: | 196.225 |
| Road Score 3: | 196.150 |
| Home/Road Score 1: | 196.700 |
| Home/Road Score 2: | 196.650 |
| Home/Road Score 3: | 196.575 |
| NQS: | 196.460 |
Maximum possible NQS after next meet: 196.625
Meets remaining: 3
Road meets remaining: 2
An essential performance saw Cal snatch its season high score on the road and nearly break the 197 barrier, enough to fend off Oregon State for the time being. Cal must increase its road scores to ensure staying in the top 16, and that performance was the first step. The next step comes this Friday at SJSU. Cal is potentially at the mercy of OSU again this week since this Beavs have the higher maximum—but Cal is also pretty safely ahead of Washington in the race for the Pac-12 evening session, at least for now. Most importantly, Cal will be looking to ensure staying in the top 16 (seeded spots for regionals) and would do that for this week with a 196.625.
15. Oregon State Beavers
NQS: 196.375
Previous ranking: 12
| Road Score 1: | 196.650 |
| Road Score 2: | 196.350 |
| Road Score 3: | 196.100 |
| Home/Road Score 1: | 197.450 |
| Home/Road Score 2: | 196.950 |
| Home/Road Score 3: | 195.825 |
| NQS: | 196.375 |
Maximum possible NQS after next meet: 196.700
Meets remaining: 3
Road meets remaining: 2
A surprising sub-196 performance over the weekend meant that Oregon State did not noticeably improve its RQS and did not catch Cal—but will have another chance to do that this week and can guarantee it with a 197.100. A tough task, but we’ll see how the scores go at LSU. Critical on Oregon State’s radar will also be hanging onto a top 16 spot, the necessary score to do that this week being 196.725.
16. BYU Cougars
NQS: 196.300
Previous ranking: 19
| Road Score 1: | 196.500 |
| Road Score 2: | 196.425 |
| Road Score 3: | 195.650 |
| Home/Road Score 1: | 196.900 |
| Home/Road Score 2: | 196.475 |
| Home/Road Score 3: | 196.450 |
| NQS: | 196.300 |
Maximum possible RQS after next meet: 196.550
Meets remaining: 4
Road meets remaining: 2
That essential second road score finally came for BYU this week, meaning BYU has five good numbers for NQS and two remaining road meet opportunities remaining to get that sixth one—this Thursday against Boise State and the following Wednesday at ASU. So keep your eyes open mid-week. There’s no particular score BYU is looking at right now since Nebraska (currently in 18th) has the same peak NQS this week and Washington (currently in 19th) competes twice. So basically, when the ranking is on the borderline like this, every week becomes season-high-or-bust in order to try to keep the spot.
17. Missouri Tigers
NQS: 196.255
Previous ranking: 16
| Road Score 1: | 196.475 |
| Road Score 2: | 196.450 |
| Road Score 3: | 196.200 |
| Home/Road Score 1: | 196.550 |
| Home/Road Score 2: | 196.250 |
| Home/Road Score 3: | 195.900 |
| NQS: | 196.255 |
Maximum possible NQS after next meet: 196.385
Meets remaining: 3
Road meets remaining: 2
Missouri got the victory against Kentucky at home and improved its NQS by a bit in the process, though that final score of 196.250 isn’t really in the range that we’re looking at for the seeded spots—and also saw Missouri fall behind BYU. With a lower peak than BYU and Nebraska after week 10’s meets, Missouri will have a battle ahead to get back up into the 16.
18. Nebraska Cornhuskers
NQS: 196.250
Previous ranking: 19
| Road Score 1: | 196.400 |
| Road Score 2: | 195.900 |
| Road Score 3: | 195.700 |
| Home/Road Score 1: | 197.250 |
| Home/Road Score 2: | 196.825 |
| Home/Road Score 3: | 196.375 |
| NQS: | 196.240 |
Maximum possible NQS after next meet: 196.550
Meets remaining: 3
Road meets remaining: 2
Another strong home result afforded Nebraska a gain of one spot in the rankings, though it’s the road scores that are still keeping Nebraska in geographical-placement purgatory with two 195s and two road meets left to remove them. This weekend’s visit to Denver, then, has serious ranking implications. Nebraska’s peak NQS of 196.550 is still quite a hearty potential number and could get the team as high as #13 if every other squad in the country has a disaster, but a missed meet would mean a 195 has to count for NQS and would make it very difficult to gain ground from here on out. It’s a must-hit weekend.
19. Washington Huskies
NQS: 196.205
Previous ranking: 17
| Road Score 1: | 196.750 |
| Road Score 2: | 196.525 |
| Road Score 3: | 196.350 |
| Home/Road Score 1: | 196.250 |
| Home/Road Score 2: | 196.000 |
| Home/Road Score 3: | 195.900 |
| NQS: | 196.205 |
Maximum possible NQS after next meet: 196.375
Meets remaining: 4
Road meets remaining: 2
Despite a very strong score over the weekend, Washington has fallen about a tenth off the pace because those low 196s are just a bit too…low 196. Still, both of the bold scores the Huskies have here are pretty competitive and over that critical 196.5 mark, so Washington will not feel out of it in the race for the top 16 yet. The two-meet weekend ahead will tell us whether Washington is in it or not as Washington looks for scores along the lines of what Cal and Oregon State currently have in bold, at least 196.5 and probably a little more.
FAST FORWARD NOISES
Here, we hit the portion of the rankings where the teams are not really in contention for a seeded regionals place but are definitely going to advance to regionals in the top 36, and look pretty solid to avoid the play-ins right now, so there’s not a ton riding on the individual scores from here on out other than avoiding the play-ins. So, let’s fast forward to the teams closer to the danger zone to see what they need to do from here on out.
27. NC State Wolfpack
NQS: 195.565
Previous ranking: 25
| Road Score 1: | 195.850 |
| Road Score 2: | 195.400 |
| Road Score 3: | 195.375 |
| Home/Road Score 1: | 196.400 |
| Home/Road Score 2: | 195.850 |
| Home/Road Score 3: | 195.350 |
| NQS: | 195.565 |
Maximum possible NQS after next meet: 195.775
Meets remaining: 3
Road meets remaining: 2
Earlier in the season, NC State was in trouble, but after some recent high 195s, I’m not really worried about NC State’s prospects in making regionals. The NQS is already probably-maybe safe, and it will just take another solid 195.7y type score to ensure it. NC State does still have to semi-worry about the play-ins, but as long as Maryland and George Washington both end up in the top 36, they should be in the same regional as NC State and would be pushed into the play-in.
28. Arizona Wildcats
NQS: 195.550
Previous ranking: 28
| Road Score 1: | 196.450 |
| Road Score 2: | 195.400 |
| Road Score 3: | 195.250 |
| Home/Road Score 1: | 195.975 |
| Home/Road Score 2: | 195.650 |
| Home/Road Score 3: | 195.475 |
| NQS: | 195.550 |
Maximum possible NQS after next meet: 195.790
Meets remaining: 3
Road meets remaining: 2
Arizona has exceeded expectations this season and is also about one more 195.7 away from looking safe. The worry for Arizona is the play-in, so it’s still going to be a side goal to pass up a team like Stanford (currently #24) to get another Western-ish team between Arizona and the cutoff. Though it’s probably going to take at least another 196 to catch Stanford, which currently has two 196s on its own slate.
29. Southern Utah Thunderbirds
NQS: 195.465
Previous ranking: N/A
| Road Score 1: | 195.525 |
| Road Score 2: | 195.250 |
| Road Score 3: | 195.050 |
| Home/Road Score 1: | 196.575 |
| Home/Road Score 2: | 196.000 |
| Home/Road Score 3: | 195.500 |
| RQS: | 195.465 |
Maximum possible RQS after next meet: 195.770
Meets remaining: 4
Road meets remaining: 4
Southern Utah did not have an NQS last week because of a home-heavy early schedule that left the team without enough road scores. But, with enough totals now, SUU has moved up to a relatively comfortable ranking position, with a counting 196 that can counteract some of those lower 195s. Southern Utah will still be looking for at least two more good scores over the next four meets though because the danger of a play-in meet is still very real. The current situation would likely see SUU shunted off to the Oregon State regional as one of the lowest-ranked teams there.
30. New Hampshire Wildcats
NQS: 195.350
Previous ranking: 29
| Road Score 1: | 196.025 |
| Road Score 2: | 195.375 |
| Road Score 3: | 194.950 |
| Home/Road Score 1: | 196.000 |
| Home/Road Score 2: | 195.500 |
| Home/Road Score 3: | 194.925 |
| NQS: | 195.350 |
Maximum possible NQS after next meet: 195.570
Meets remaining: 3
Road meets remaining: 1
New Hampshire managed the all-important second 196 of the season over the weekend and has extended its lead over the remaining bubble teams. There’s not too much reason for UNH to worry right now as the Wildcats have a pretty sizable buffer over the non-Iowa teams ranked just below, though there are five teams with a mathematically possible chance to pass this week, so UNH will be looking for a 195.650 to make sure Iowa is the only one with a chance to pass and the ranking remains reasonable.
31. Iowa Hawkeyes
NQS: 195.300
Previous ranking: 33
| Road Score 1: | 196.450 |
| Road Score 2: | 195.375 |
| Road Score 3: | 194.775 |
| Home/Road Score 1: | 196.250 |
| Home/Road Score 2: | 195.400 |
| Home/Road Score 3: | 194.700 |
| RQS: | 195.300 |
Maximum possible RQS after next meet: 195.650
Meets remaining: 3
Road meets remaining: 3
From being one of the seriously in-danger bubble teams just a few weeks ago, Iowa has made a dramatic turnaround with these recent 196s and is starting to look like a very realistic and reasonable regionals qualifier—with a shot to move out of the play-in zone as well if these low 196s keep coming. Iowa can guarantee moving ahead of New Hampshire with a 196.075 this weekend, and every team passed is one step closer to securing regionals.
32. Kent State Golden Flashes
NQS: 195.270
Previous ranking: 41
| Road Score 1: | 195.800 |
| Road Score 2: | 195.550 |
| Road Score 3: | 194.450 |
| Home/Road Score 1: | 195.725 |
| Home/Road Score 2: | 195.700 |
| Home/Road Score 3: | 194.925 |
| NQS: | 195.270 |
Maximum possible NQS after next meet: 195.445
Meets remaining: 3
Road meets remaining: 2
Kent State did the job over the weekend, dropping that low 192 to zoom up into the regionals-qualification places, much to the chagrin of everyone else in this ranking range. There are still two more 194s that have to go in the remaining three meets, but those bold scores are at a nice level right now. A 195.7-195.8 is comfortably a making-regionals kind of score if it’s maintained from meet to meet.
33. UIC Flames
NQS: 195.210
Previous ranking: 31
| Road Score 1: | 195.650 |
| Road Score 2: | 195.250 |
| Road Score 3: | 195.200 |
| Home/Road Score 1: | 195.500 |
| Home/Road Score 2: | 195.100 |
| Home/Road Score 3: | 195.000 |
| NQS: | 195.210 |
Maximum possible NQS after next meet: 195.340
Meets remaining: 3
Road meets remaining: 3
Despite a season high, UIC dropped a couple spots this week because of the introductions of Southern Utah and Kent State to this portion of the rankings, showing just how hard it’s going to be to keep up these top 36 places over the next couple weeks. Going 194.650 on Tuesday did not help the cause as it was not a counting score. UIC is looking for a 195.175 this weekend to ensure staying in the top 36 for another week.
34. Maryland Terrapins
NQS: 195.205
Previous ranking: 32
| Road Score 1: | 195.500 |
| Road Score 2: | 195.325 |
| Road Score 3: | 195.275 |
| Home/Road Score 1: | 195.950 |
| Home/Road Score 2: | 194.975 |
| Home/Road Score 3: | 194.950 |
| NQS: | 195.205 |
Maximum possible NQS after next meet: 195.405
Meets remaining: 4
Road meets remaining: 3
Maryland’s two high 194s from a weekend meet and a Monday meet did improve the team’s NQS by replacing lower 194s, but 194s are not regionals scores and those numbers will still need to be dropped if Maryland is to hang onto this position. When Maryland competes again this weekend, the goal will be 195.650 to ensure passing UIC, while the minimum goal will be 195.150 to ensure staying in the top 36.
35. George Washington Colonials
NQS: 195.135
Previous ranking: 34
| Road Score 1: | 195.350 |
| Road Score 2: | 194.975 |
| Road Score 3: | 194.675 |
| Home/Road Score 1: | 195.400 |
| Home/Road Score 2: | 195.350 |
| Home/Road Score 3: | 195.325 |
| NQS: | 195.135 |
Maximum possible RQS after next meet: 195.280
Meets remaining: 3
Road meets remaining: 3
George Washington got a 195.325 at home over the weekend, not a disastrous score for regionals purposes, but one that is only borderline for the presumed cutoff point, and maybe a little low. A further 194.675 on Monday against Maryland did little to improve GW’s NQS, so it’s danger time now. Every remaining meet needs to be over 195.5 for GW to have a solid shot at staying in the top 36, and this week needs to be at least 195.225, otherwise there’s a chance for both CMU and Davis to drop GW out of the 36.
36. Illinois Illini
RQS: 195.110
Previous ranking: 30
| Road Score 1: | 195.650 |
| Road Score 2: | 195.525 |
| Road Score 3: | 194.675 |
| Home/Road Score 1: | 195.175 |
| Home/Road Score 2: | 195.100 |
| Home/Road Score 3: | 195.075 |
| RQS: | 195.110 |
Maximum possible RQS after next meet: 195.225
Meets remaining: 4
Road meets remaining: 3
Illinois is your “I’m not mad at her, I’m worried about her” team of the week as an unusable score at home against Denver saw the Illini drop six spots in the rankings to 36th, the final cutoff point. Competing in its home finale this weekend, Illinois won’t have a chance to drop that last low road score, but there are also some home scores that really need dealing with because 195.1s aren’t going to make it. The concern is that Illinois’ peak score after this weekend is rather low, lower than that of CMU and Davis, so Illinois could get passed even with an amazing performance. It’s going to take a couple consecutive excellent meets to get safe.
37. Central Michigan Chippewas
NQS: 195.095
Previous ranking: 39
| Road Score 1: | 196.175 |
| Road Score 2: | 195.175 |
| Road Score 3: | 194.200 |
| Home/Road Score 1: | 195.775 |
| Home/Road Score 2: | 195.275 |
| Home/Road Score 3: | 195.050 |
| NQS: | 195.095 |
Maximum possible NQS after next meet: 195.490
Meets remaining: 3
Road meets remaining: 2
Central Michigan did the job over the weekend by breaking 196 in a season-high performance, accounting for a gain of two ranking spots. It’s still not enough to get up into the top 36 for the moment, but Friday’s meet at Kentucky presents an excellent and essential opportunity for getting rid of that 194.200. You’ll note that CMU’s peak NQS after next week is higher than for any of the teams ranked 32-36, so CMU will expect to shake things up with a good hit. Even just a 194.950 would get CMU into the top 36 next Monday, but that score is still low for safety purposes. The mid 195 is the real win.
38. UC Davis Aggies
RQS: 195.040
Previous ranking: 36
| Road Score 1: | 195.450 |
| Road Score 2: | 195.225 |
| Road Score 3: | 194.950 |
| Home/Road Score 1: | 195.525 |
| Home/Road Score 2: | 195.050 |
| Home/Road Score 3: | 194.525 |
| NQS: | 195.040 |
Maximum possible RQS after next meet: 195.240
Meets remaining: 3
Road meets remaining: 1
In another sign of how tough this is getting, UC Davis hit a road season-high over the weekend and still dropped ground in the race for the top 36, falling out of the zone. It’s going to be an extremely tough battle for Davis because a couple of those bold road scores are already on the low side of borderline. In terms of immediate goals, moving ahead of Illinois this week would at least keep Davis within sight of the chosen ones at the very least. That would take 195.475, so that’s the score to watch his week.
39. Michigan State Spartans
NQS: 194.950
Previous ranking: 37
| Road Score 1: | 195.850 |
| Road Score 2: | 194.900 |
| Road Score 3: | 194.625 |
| Home/Road Score 1: | 195.425 |
| Home/Road Score 2: | 195.225 |
| Home/Road Score 3: | 194.575 |
| NQS: | 194.950 |
Maximum possible NQS after next meet: 195.205
Meets remaining: 3
Road meets remaining: 2
Michigan State is another team that obliterated expectations over the weekend with a huge score but still finds itself in more trouble than ever because of three 194s hanging around with three meets remaining. The bold scores right now are manageable, but it’s going to take three 195s in the remaining three meets to have a shot at finishing in the top 36 and making regionals.
39. Utah State Aggies
NQS: 194.950
Previous ranking: 35
| Road Score 1: | 196.075 |
| Road Score 2: | 195.025 |
| Road Score 3: | 194.975 |
| Home/Road Score 1: | 194.975 |
| Home/Road Score 2: | 194.925 |
| Home/Road Score 3: | 194.850 |
| NQS: | 194.950 |
Maximum possible RQS after next meet: 195.195
Meets remaining: 3
Road meets remaining: 2
Utah State got its first 195 score of the season over the weekend, but a 195.025 is still not high enough as USU’s path to the top 36 starts to look increasingly difficult. It’s going to take high 195s from here on out to balance those two lower scores that are already bold.
41. Lindenwood Lions
RQS: 194.875
Previous ranking: 40
| Road Score 1: | 195.350 |
| Road Score 2: | 195.275 |
| Road Score 3: | 194.350 |
| Home/Road Score 1: | 195.650 |
| Home/Road Score 2: | 194.850 |
| Home/Road Score 3: | 194.550 |
| RQS: | 194.875 |
Maximum possible RQS after next meet: 194.875
Meets remaining: 3
Road meets remaining: 3
A 195.650 has kept DII hopes alive with Lindenwood recording exactly the kind of score it needs to stay competitive. The trick will be doing that three more times on the road because none of those 194s can be allowed to count.
42. Pittsburgh Panthers
NQS: 194.715
Previous ranking: 38
| Road Score 1: | 195.100 |
| Road Score 2: | 194.825 |
| Road Score 3: | 193.725 |
| Home/Road Score 1: | 195.425 |
| Home/Road Score 2: | 195.175 |
| Home/Road Score 3: | 194.750 |
| NQS: | 194.715 |
Maximum possible NQS after next meet: 195.055
Meets remaining: 3
Road meets remaining: 3
A tough week saw Pittsburgh record a low 193 that wasn’t even able to replace the previously counting 193. We can’t begin to entertain chances for Pittsburgh to make regionals until that 193 goes away and goes away with a big number. It’s becoming increasingly clear that 195.1s and 195.2s aren’t going to do it this year, so every one of those in bold needs to be balanced with a high 195 to keep the NQS is competitive range.
Fun fact: Nichols and Trautman(OU) and Karr(DU) got the Big 12 Honors this week- all 3 from MN and Twin City Twisters 🙂
Here’s hoping the Minnesota streak continues and Lexy Ramler surprises everyone at Nationals and wins the AA in a surprise upset.
Go Gophers!
Oklahoma FX rotation was completely overscored vs UCLA Sunday night.
How does Draper go 9.900 with that routine compared to Frazier with 9.825??
I know Spencer doesn’t reply to comments (😝), so does anyone know how he comes up with “Maximum possible NQS after next meet”? It’s probably some algorithm I don’t understand. Any insight will be appreciated! Thanks in advance gymternet! 😃
NQS is calculated based on the six highest scores (must count three away scores), with the highest removed. So the best possible outcome for a team in the next week is that their current highest score is beaten and becomes the second highest score. So you can always calculate the maximum possible RQS assuming that the team scores a season high, and it doesn’t matter what that season high is because the highest is dropped.
Adding that the lowest current counting score among a team’s Top 6 is also dropped with the new season-high.
Among the new six counting scores the new season high is eliminated and the next five scores are averaged together to calculate the new average.
For example, Florida’s highest 6 scores are 198.025 (away), 197.850 (home), 197.675 (home), 197.500 (away), 197.375 (home), and 197.325 (away). Their NQS is the average of the remaining five after dropping the 198.025 (197.850+197.675+197.500+197.375+197.325 / 5 = 197.545) and if they score over 198.025 at their next meet, which is a home meet, then they would could the 198.025 instead of 197.375 and move up to NQS of 197.675.
* would drop
Wow, THANK YOU guys, that makes perfect sense! After reading through your reply comments, & quickly understanding it, I’m pretty surprised at myself for not figuring it out on my own. But hey, we all need some help from time to time! 😉
Again, thank you to both of you, but also especially “DRS” for the great explanation & example. I appreciate it!
… and BYU gets a season-high 197.000 to move up to #13