| Saturday, April 20 |
Scores | Stream |
| 7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Team Final [1] Oklahoma [2] UCLA [3] LSU [5] Denver |
LINK | ESPNU Quad Vault Bars Beam Floor |
Great work with the name. It’s cool how everyone knows what this meet is called, and it’s name isn’t stupid. Super well done, once again, team.
Welcome to the winning part where someone is going to do the winning. Based on yesterday’s performances, you like Oklahoma for the win overall because of that 197.850 with some eh-ish-ness on beam, but no one was that…greatly great? So if someone turns out to be…great…
That’s where we are at this point. The last two seasons, the best team in the semifinal has not won the title.
Your rotation order is LSU on vault, Oklahoma on bars, UCLA on beam, Denver on floor. I’ve been saying recently that starting on bars is the new worst rotation order because of the SVs on vault, but that doesn’t really apply to Oklahoma because Oklahoma does have a full vault lineup of 10.0s.
I don’t think any of the teams hate this rotation order. Denver got the semi-dreaded starting on floor order, but Denver’s best scores can come on bars and beam anyway, so that works. Plus, Denver’s super happy to be here, so whatever order you like…
Should we do rotation-by-rotation based on yesterday’s scores? Sure, why not.
Rotation 1 – LSU VT, Oklahoma UB, UCLA BB, Denver FX
1. Oklahoma – 49.5625
2. LSU – 49.450
3. UCLA – 49.3625
4. Denver – 49.2625
UCLA’s the one that needs to pull up the scores in that first rotation. Oklahoma starts on a huge score, but UCLA should be as well and can’t drop two tenths to Oklahoma right away.
Rotation 2 – Denver VT, LSU UB, Oklahoma BB, UCLA FX
1. UCLA – 98.975
2. LSU – 98.8875
3. Oklahoma – 98.850
4. Denver – 98.3625
UCLA starts on what really should be its two best scores, so it’s essential for UCLA to be out in front after the second rotation. LSU would love to be this close, and Oklahoma wouldn’t mind being only a tenth or so back. That works for them.
Rotation 3 – UCLA VT, Denver UB, LSU BB, Oklahoma FX
Oklahoma – 148.450
UCLA – 148.2625
LSU – 148.0375
Denver – 147.7500
This is the best comparative rotation for Oklahoma versus all the other teams, so Oklahoma can abide not having the lead after two, but not really after three. Then it would be trouble.
Rotation 4 – Oklahoma VT, UCLA UB, Denver BB, LSU FX
Oklahoma – 197.850
UCLA – 197.675
LSU – 197.5125
Denver – 197.0375
There’s still only a couple tenths in it based on yesterday’s scores, so not that much has to change.
There is so much B roll of chalky hands clapping being shot right now in front of me. BUT WHAT ABOUT THE LIGHTS TURNING ON IN AN EMPTY GYM WHILE IT’S STILL DARK OUTSIDE TO SYMBOLIZE THE HARD HOURS NO ONE SEES.
It will be interesting to see if it does end up being Oklahoma and UCLA for the title because they have the two quickest rotations for the 4th event, while Denver and LSU will be competing long after. Not ideal if the 4F format was designed to eliminate anticlimactic finishes with winning teams on byes.
Start lists are out. UCLA has Dennis and Tratz on floor and no Frazier again on the list. Although Frazier did just warm up her floor in the first spot—along with 1700 other UCLA gymnasts—and it’s UCLA so who knows.
Miss Val can’t wait to dance. There’s a lot.
UCLA also has Kendal Poston warming up vault, but she just sat a handspring pike 1/2.
So of course the talk of gymnastics is Maggie’s floor routine and the two passes and winning the all-around. I mean, I agree there’s no difficulty, but what are they supposed to do? It starts from a 10, so it has to be evaluated from there, and they can’t just arbitrarily add in a “Maggie should do more” deduction that they haven’t taken from anyone else. We complain about the judges not following the rules and inventing scores, so we can’t also be mad that they followed the rules. At the same time, I think there’s a solid justification for a .05 distribution deduction. All the difficulty, such as it is, is packed in the front of the routine. Will be interesting to watch today after the judges have had a day of getting feedback from their peers about it.
Teams leaving the floor now for costume change. If there’s no full-on headdress when they reemerge, then miss…
Lineup change: Denver has put Chesnok in on vault instead of Schou.
“There is only one song, and it is called ‘This Girl Is on Fire'” – NCAA gymnastics championships.
UCLA has tweeted a lineup with Marz back in rather than Tratz. #UCLAThings
The competition for drunkest team moms has been won by all the teams. But mostly LSU.
The usual as we wait for intros. Miss Val bullying you into dancing with her. Jordan Chiles in the front row in her UCLA garb, living her best life.
I think the number of times this MC woman has asked these gymnast dads to be “loud and proud” is a hate crime.
The number of coaching rumors I have heard the last few days, you guys. If even a quarter of them come true, this offseason is going to be intense.
DD’s outfit is all of it.
Finally time for intros. Got to build the tension.
I like how UCLA separates the Glenns in the lineup just cuz.
ROTATION 1
Apparently UCLA is wearing a repeat leo for team finals, and the fashion police are not having it. But I mean, better than yesterday, right?
SIDs sassing the other teams’ media guides is the kind of petty content I’m here for.
We’ve still got a couple minutes left in the touch.
OK here we go.
Finnegan – with a very strong full obviously
Glenn – BB – UCLA – crisp on loso series today – aerial a little short but works well into split – leap series is gorgeous of course. Stuck gainer full, pretty start.
Webb a little short on her double front 1/2 dismount with a hop forward today –
Mostly 9.8s for Webb
Harrold – VT – LSU – strong control on her 1.5 this week following a near-perfect 9.9125 for Finnegan.
Marks – UB – OU – good first hs – toe shap , small leg break 0- bail, – nearly there on final cast hs – sticks with a stagger
nice leap series for Nguyen on beam – really slow on her aerial to loso combination but very secure. They’ll give it but you can take for rhythm.
Small hop of Kelley on vault.
Christ, are they rounding these scores to three decimal places? KILL ME.
Kern finishes a hit floor for Denver, solid double back, chest down.
Mostly 9.850s for Marks.
Thomas – UB – OU – short first hs – toe 1/2 to solid jaeger – bail is hit – a short hs at the end – DLO, a little forward with a hop. Oklahoma looking fine but not crisp early on.
Cannemela a litlte bouncy on her full on VT.
Kocian – BB – UCLA – bhs loso series -large break with a bend at the hips, keeps it on but enough to need to drop – aerial with knees into split jump – 1.5 with a walking bound out of it, not a strong routine.
Edwards – VT – LSU – very strong landing, some knees throughout, but one of her stronger vaults
Dowell – UB – OU – Ray, good – toe on to bail, some angle in the air, ends in solid position – DLO, baby slide back. First one to really bring it.
Mostly 9.900 and 9.850 for Dowell. Should be more separation between that and Thomas. Thomas was not nearly at the same level.
Denver solidly mid 9.8s on floor.
Edney – VT – LSU _ she lands short today on the 1.5 with a step back. Won’t be the score they wanted, but it was a pretty solid rotation before that.
Lehrmann – Ub – OU – lovely toes in jaeger – bail – clean – pretty much there on final cast hs – small step back on FTDT, but a good one
Flatley is very crisp on beam – pretty quick series – nailed side aerial and L turn – punch front 1/1 with a little hop. A score they needed with the big two coming
Nichols – UB – OU – Ray, great height into pak, strong – a short hs on low back – toe shap 1/2, only the smallest bit of legs – DLO, just a ltitle flung out but held the stick. I had a couple handstands in there, but will be a big score.
THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP DOESN’T NEED WORKING LIVE SCORES.
Split of 9.900 but mostly 9.950s for Nichols. They aren’t posting the final scores int he arena either.
Ohashi – BB – UCLA – aerial to bhs loso with a BREAK – a lean at the hips – covered quickly and well but that should be pretty significant. VERY interested to see what they do. The rest of it was perfect. Will still alow to drop Kocian’s score, but nopt what they needed.
Karr finishes up on floor with a struggle rudi, ragged legs and a crossover back step
ONE OF THE JUDGES GAVE OHASHI 9.900. This is why we drop a score?
Also surprised to see 9.850s for Karr’s floor with that last pass. One judge went as low as 9.700.
Brown – FX – DU – fantastic DLO and good control today – 1/5 to layout to sissone, strong – double pike, well done. A better routine than she won a share of the floor title with yesterday.
Ross – BB – UCLA – bhs loso very secure – switch to split, supreme – side aerialt o stuck dismount. The routine UCLA needed.
I’m seeing mostly 9.950s for Ross. Two 9.900s?
9.9375 for Brown. 9.925 for Ross.
After 1:
Oklahoma 49.450
UCLA 49.3875
LSU 49.375
Denver 49.200
Well, we’ve got some crazy ranges and scores so far. Just as you always hoped. UCLA the only team that will be disappointed in that rotation with Kocian and Ohashi both not up to par. They needed more there, but not out of it, just a tenth back of Oklahoma. But they need floor to be one of those 49.650 days now.
UCLA’s team score just rained to 49.3875 to move ahead of LSU.
Looks like Flatley’s number got bumped up.
ROTATION 2
Durante – BB – LSU – good first hs – 1/2 turn to pretty jaeger – pak, smoothly done, late 1/2 turn on low with a bit of legs – FTDT, short with a bound forward, pretty strong until the dismount.
Trautman hitting well on beam
Tratz – FX – UCLA – full in, a little short with a step forward – 1.5 to front full, better under control – switch ring to split leap full, a bit of feet – double tuck, controlled step back
9.900s for Trautman on beam.
Ferrer – UB – LSU – short first hs – 1/2 turn to jaeger, fine – bail, some feet – DLO with just a little slide
Dowell – BB – OU – aerial to back pike, some chest down but secure – switch to switch, as usual second switch better than the first, first a little low – kochetkova solid – punch front full, hop forward
Dennis short on her full in piked witha step forward – lovely hgih layout second pass, a little steppy – double tuck also a little slidey. Not ideal UCLA floor routines to start.
Harrold – UB =- LSU – that arch on her zuchold again today but not too bad – hit jaeger, double front with a step
Spread of 9.750 to 9.900 for Harrold on bars – mostly 9.900s
Karr – VT – DU – some knees on the 1.5 – good landing
Edney – UB – LSU – Hindorff, usual, some piked shape but a solid catch – good legs together on bail – not quite there on final cast hs – DLO, holds the stick with a little lean
Lehrmann – BB – OU – secure loso series – aerial to beat, hit – cat to switch side, a little crooked but solid
Kramer – FX – UCLA – bouncy on her front 2/1 to front pike and OOB. UCLA not performing like a championship team today. The rest was good, but this rotation bascially needs two 10s at this point to be the kind of score UCLA wants
hop forward on 1.5 for Brown on VT
Priessmn – UB – tkatchev to pak – 1/2 turn is a little late – iffy final cast hs – DLO, small slide
9.900 for Priessman.
Finnegan – UB – LSU – Ray with lovely toes – bail, only the smallest legs – good shoot (a little close?) DLO, nearly basically sticks it, the little piked body shape.
Woodard pretty on her keap combination –
Ross – FX – whip to double tuck is bouncy – 1.5 to layout, also a little archy – good split full to popa, hit those positions – double pike was pretty solid, but once again not the best routine she can do
LSU got the bars score it needed – 49.4625
Still 9.9125 for Ross. Guys.
Webb – BB – OU – very strong on series landing – cat leap to aerial, a bit of knees, super solid – You can take a bit of leaps – sdei aerial to full, holds it, chest a touch forward.
Hano – FX – UCLA – DLO, controlled landing – front full to 1/2 to air run, solidly done – split leap 1/1 to wolf jump 1/1, well hit positions – double pike with a bounce back and the flag is up. Ooof. UCLA.
Nichols – BB – OU – aerial to split, lovely – bhjs loso, a little squeeze to hold that landing – switch to split leap, loverly – 1.5, stuck landing. Fab routine.
Ohashi – FX – UCLA – split leg DLO with a solid landing today – 1.5 to 1/2 to split to front tuck – front full to 1/2 to drop split. The first person to show up in this floor rotation
Two 10s for Maggie. The rest 9.950s.
9.950 for Ohashi.
Story of this rotation will be UCLA falling back on what should be its best event with five weaker-than-expected routines, but Oklahoma destroyed that beam rotation.
After 2
Oklahoma 99.0625
LSU 98.8375
UCLA 98.6875
Denver 98.4125
UCLA needed to be winning at this point and is…not winning. Edge to Oklahoma now, going to a strength compared to LSU. You expect Oklahoma to add to the lead in this rotation. If they can add something like .150 to .200 to the lead in this rotation—on floor while LSU is on beam—then this is pointing a single direction. If not, LSU will have a shot going to floor at the end.
I think there’s going to be a lot of second guessing not having Frazier lead off that floor lineup.
They should put her up to do the DTY now because why not at this point.
ROTATION 3
Dennis – VT – UCLA – big full, needed it, stuck.
Desiderio – BB – LSU – aerial to sissone is solid – hits loso series – switch to switch 1/2 to beat, better today, still a deduction on switch position –
Webb – FX – OU – front 2/1, controlled landing – 1.5 to front full, keeps that back foot down – rudi, good height, a little bouncing back there
Wright – VT – UCLA – lunge forward on 1.5
Really nice full finishing position for Ruiz on bars – legs together bail – short final cast hs – SLO, holds stick, legs apart
Dean – BB – LSU – side aerial to bhs, hit with knees – switch to split 1/4, a touch of knees – stuck dismount. One of her solid ones.
Tratz – VT – UCLA – hop back on full
I’m seeing some 9.950s for Webb on floor.
Schoepfer – FX – OU – double tuck, stumbles backward and sits it down!
Hano – VT – UCLA – 1.5 pretty solid direction, not too large on the hop
Durante – BB – LSU – aerial to beat jump, smoothly done – bhs loso series, super crisp -switch to split 1/4 – a bit of feet here and there but this is very nice – chest down on dismount with a bounce, but that was the biggest thing.
Ross – VT – UCLA – 1.5 with a small slide back. At least to me from my angle because I see one judge with a 10.
Degouveia – FX – OU – hits the front 2/1 under control, some legs – front lay and full, just some touch of position here and there but solid work – pretty extension on leaps – 1.5 to layout, whips it over a little
Kramer – VT – UCLA – bounce forward on her 1.5
Edney was short of position on her sissone – small arm wave adjustment on series – switch to straddle 1/4, working tight in those leaps tofay – stuck 1.5.
Brown finishes bars with excellent stuck DLO. Had a small arch on low bar earlier on
UCLA will take 49.4 on vault any day, especially at nationals, but they dug themselves a hole before that.
Nichols – FX – OU – double pike, very solid, controlled step – split leap 1.5, great position and around – front full to front layout stepout, grogeous – switch ring to split leap full – I mean it’s a gorgeous routine. You can take the distribution I think, but very little else. It starts from a 10.
Campbell as a hesitation on a leap landing on beam, but switch and split were pretty good.
I’m seeing 9.950s from everyone for Nichols. and I can’t really disagree.
Miss Val just winked at me while being interviewed by Holly Rowe, so there’s that.
Dowell – FX – OU – nailed her Dowell – 1.5 to layout, supreme – split leap full to popa, solid work – front layout o front full, very controlled, will be another big number.
Finnegan’s leaps are gorgeous and exceptional – stuck dismount, great set.
LSU competing exceptionally well today, but as long as Oklahoma gets a hit from the final routine from Trautman, it’s next level.
Trautman – FX – OU – DLO, keeps front foot down comfortably – front lay to front full to sissone – split leap full to popa, great positions – double tuck, solid landing. Strong routine.
Oklahoma brought it today.
I see one 10 for Trautman. The rest 9.950s.
Oklahoma extends its lead to over four tenths on LSU going to the last rotation. So as long as Oklahoma goes normal, it would take basically a mathematically impossible score from LSU to catch.
We’re in a TV hold on the touch warmup for rotation 4.
After 3
Oklahoma 148.7125
LSU 148.300
UCLA 148.1125
Denver 147.650
So this fourth rotation is all about Oklahoma
ROTATION 4
Lehrmann – VT – OU – hop on 1.5, but solid
Harrold crossover step and OOB on her front 2/1 on FX. Double pike was excellent –
Frazier – UB – UCLA – shaopp to pak, great pak, a little legs on shap – toe shap 1/2 is more solid in form – DLO short with a hop forward
Webb hits 1.5, a bit larger bound to the side
Webb still going mostly 9.850s for her vault.
Dennis – UB – UCLA – toe shap to bail, good position, one shoert hs – DLO is not strong, large bend forward at the hips and then a step
How did Harrold still go 9.8375 with an OOB flag out on floor?
Desiderio _ FX – DLO solid, some chest but she worked out that pass this year.
Degouveia hits vault today, not a large hop, and then Trautman also more under control, still some knees and a little hop together, but viable 9.900. And we’re seeing 9.950s. OK.
Maggie hits 1.5 with just a little shuffle, which will clinch the championship. No one is coming back on that score.
Dowell – VT – OU – sticks her 1.5. Just icing for Oklahoma. Untouchable score. They had one weak routine the whole day, the fall on floor, which was dropped.
Flatley catches a little close on her jaeger, the rest clean, goes mostly 9.900s with a 9.950.
Priessman – FX – LSU – small bounce on double pike, chest down – crazy bouncy on split leap and popa combination – double tuck – 1.5 to layout, bouncy landing, a little low
Vasquez – BB – Denver – pretty aerial, small adjustment – bhs loso, small slide back –
Kocian does one of her best routines of the year until the end, slide back on FTDT.
I CANNOT with the judge going 9.950 for Priessman’s routine. Not possible.
Edney – FX – LSU – double arabian, a little slide forward – lands short on her final double tuck with a lunge forward
Oklahoma’s final score 198.3375. Not quite the record but close.
Ross – UB – UCLA – toe shap to bail, perfect – toe shoot, strong – great final cast hs – DLO, stuck with an arm wave.
All 9.950s for that one from Ross, so it would have been straight 10s without the dismount. They got away with 197.5375, which is still a strong score, but the first two rotations took them out of it. Not the quality of the season.
Finnegan – FX – LSU – 1.5 through to 2.5 – double tuck is exactly as it should be – switch ring to switch 1/2, strong extension obviously – double pike, a small bounce back and an extended college salute because get it girl.
Schou finishing up on beam for Denver – hits sheep – bhs gainer full, stuck.
A good day for Denver. They should be happy with the performance and getting here of course. Just weren’t quite going to have the routines in this comparison.
Kelley – FX – LSU – big DLO, some legs apart, controlled step, chest position – front lay to front full, bounce forward – split leap full to tuck jump double, will be a deduction on split full for lack of 180 – double tuck, solid control.
Your final results will be Oklahoma in 1st, LSU in 2nd, UCLA in 3rd and Denver in 4th. Correct.
Oklahoma the strongest team today. LSU also had a very good day but just wasn’t going to have the routines to challenge a hit from Oklahoma, which is what happened. UCLA will be the only team of these four that will feel it left tenths on the table with those first two rotations, but it ended up being a difference of 8 tenths behind Oklahoma. UCLA didn’t leave 8 tenths on the table and likely would have finished 2nd with a strong meet.
Welp, I guess DD’s got to stay on for a few more seasons.
Scoring will be interesting to dissect because CLEARLY there was a directive about giving out too many 10s. Because it was such a drastic change in that regard versus what we saw during the season, but there was still just such a variable lens and such a massive range. Obviously, I’ll have a lot to comb through.
This final was VERY 2017. Similar kind of performance for Oklahoma, similar margin over LSU.
But I feel like I’ve got a live show to take care of now.
UCLA. You’re killing me 🙁
How does Nichols with a small wobble score higher than Ross on beam????
Amen!
/full disclosure, I love both Kyla and Maggie
OU definitely got some gifts on beam compared to kyla’s Beam. But UCLA has gotten some gifts tonight as well
Wondering why UCLA got the starting order of Beam? (Or was this decided before any quali scores?) Thanks.
It’s a random draw determining start order based on how teams finish in the semifinals
Thanks!
There was a blind draw before regionals, semi final 1 winner started on BB with runner up on VT, semi final 2 winner started on UB and the runner up on FX.
Thanks! Interesting it isn’t Oly order, ie. highest Team Score from 1st day (or Regionals) starts Vault, 2nd highest Bars, 3rd Beam etc.. to reflect the ‘advantage’ of starting on Vt/Bars. Thanks for replying!
UCLA look not really to be keeping themselves in this thing.
But then, we were saying the same thing at the halfway point last year.
bench marz …..makes no sense
Marz has had trouble with landings on floor. Tratz warmed up better. It makes a lot of sense.
because there are no byes, there will not be time for an epic pep talk from chris waller – so i don’t know if ucla has a chance
really pullling for lsu tonight. this senior class is so deserving and it’ll suck if dd retires without a single national championship after all she’s done for ncaa gymnastics
I’d love to see LSU snatch this at the end, but I don’t see it happening tonight with the way Oklahoma looks rn… but we’ll see!
Agree agree agree
I think LSU maxed out on their season high totals tonight and didn’t have the routines to compete with OU (or UCLA) when either of those teams hit completely – we saw tonight both OU and LSU have their strongest A game.
Unfortunately I don’t see how LSU gets back to this spot within the next couple of years because they are losing more than they are gaining. Florida and Alabama should be the top teams in 2019-20 in SEC (UGA may be a wild card if Megan Roberts competes AA to replace Snead) but given the bonus tenths they received so much this season it’s hard to tell where to put them in. I would guess UGA should’ve been a 196.800-ish team like Alabama was all year.
If Alabama has Olson next season they can be right there with Florida, otherwise they may need some help from UF making errors. (Olson may defer a year to compete for the 2020 Olympics.)
But the LSU four seniors went out on a high and should be proud. This year’s sophomores will need to bring more to the table as juniors for LSU to have a chance next season.
LSU is waiting for their post 2020 recruits to come in. At the moment all they have is Kiya Johnson for next season, and even if she is the best freshmen ever (extremely unlikely) literally won’t be able to counteract losing AA from Finnegan, two events each from Priessman and Kelley and a solid vault score from Cannamela. DD has tended toward bringing people in early but I really hope she doesn’t for next season, accepts that next year just won’t be their best season and wait it out. Bama should be the best team in the SEC next season given the talent of their roster but they also had a pretty great one this year and squandered it.
Bama had a good team this year and squeezed the most out of its seniors – all of them were getting 9.9 calibre routines when as underclassmen they were stuck more in the 9.7s.
If they remaining Bama gymnasts can bring the work ethic and heart of the senior class they should be stronger. If Olson decides to pull a Brittany Rogers and do both NCAA/Elite rather than a Dowell and defer, plus Bailey Key actually can compete a routine or two they should be right up there with Florida. Will Trinity Thomas defer to try for the Olympics as well? Only Boren is graduating and UF should have enough routines to get at least 9.8 scores on all events to replace her – but will they change coaches after what happened at Regionals?
I also imagine UGA will have a coaching shuffle with a new volunteer coach – Courtney really needs to take charge of her team and she’ll never get the full credit as long as a certain someone is there. She has had two babies in her two years as head coach and likely had a lot of behind-the-scenes work on sponsorships, boosters and fundraising to learn, but it’s probably best for her to take control.
Another thing Bama had this year was realistic scoring compared to many of the other teams. If everyone was scored like Alabama they probably finish among the Top 8 – not sure if they make the final four but they would be competitive with Denver and Utah.
Beam and Floor when staring the comp is a little different to B&F, relaxed. The dynamics of a team and to quote our Val, how ‘loose’ they are, likely to play a part in performance. Perhaps think so. Hope they can just enjoy things now!
Bruin fan here but OU is definitely the better team tonight. Was hoping they would win but I think this year it’s going to be OU. Would love to see an LSU upset though!
Man this is looking like it is going to be a landslide win for OU. I’m fine with them winning, but I was hoping it was going to be exciting like the semifinals or last year. Coronations are boring.
I’m annoyed by UCLA. Why would you hold Marz from floor.
They said Val changes lineup based on warm up. But maybe that strategy is flawed because some gymnasts nearly never hit in competition (Kocian beam, Tratz floor), and I’d like to see someone else have a chance.
Look at Edney on floor yesterday. They said she never once hit her middle pass in one touch, but she hit the crap out of that routine when it counted. Seems to me like trusting your athletes to hit in competition even with a rough warmup builds their confidence and Isaí better strategy than benching them for having a rough warmup.
I used to like her, but not gunna lie, I’m so ready for a change of leadership at UCLA.
Two random thoughts:
1) From far away OU’s leos are kind of nice…then up close its like AH!
2) I love Felica Hano…but her floor is so hard for me to watch…it’s just so strange.
I think hers is my favorite floor routine from UCLA this year!
Fish has so much fun with her routine, I love it. Also Gracie Kramer! I love Pauline’s choreo on floor this year, too. And how confident Kyla’s become in her dance. I love Margz’s too; sad she had trouble in warmups.
Why did they show a wedgie shot of Fish that didn’t show her foot when they were talking about the OOB inquiry?
🤦🏼♀️
Harrold gets a 9.8375 for a small step and Wright goes 9.800 for a huge low lunge. Same vault and both have some form issues in the actual vault. Okay . . .
They got crazier across all four as the competition went on. Kyla near flawless beam rotation 1 for a 9.925, Schou pretty good but not perfect for 9.9375 final rotation on beam.
DeGouveia score on floor is a JOKE
I’m going to miss Brenna so much! Loved seeing the Dowell every week.
i mean COME ON… 9.9625 for nichols on beam with an adjustment and her feet 4 feet apart on landing but finnegan does a clearly superior and basiclaly perfect routine and gets 9.95?
Exactly!! Sarah’s routine was great. I dont understand why Maggie and other OU gymnasts holt that horrendous 4 feet apart ‘stick’ for so long! Other teams put their feet together right after touching the ground.
Seriously. It makes it so hard to like Maggie’s very excellent gymnastics when she is so routinely over scored. and OU and Nichols can win without the extra help.
Agreed. OU is hitting and looks the most like a championship team, but they shouldn’t be up by this much
Yeah I feel Oklahoma’s scores are high today. They are doing fantastic. But multiple floor routine had small deductions that weren’t taken that were for the other teams. Sarah Finnegan has a better routine than Maggie Nichols and Kyla Ross in bean, But was not rewarded for it.
Shes been shafted all year
Finnegan has been exceptional tonight. I hope she kills her floor routine!
This made me so mad!!! OU had fantastic beam, but their 9.9s seemed to be handed out more loosely than other teams. How did Woodard and Lehrmann beat Ross, and how did Nichols beat Finnegan?
Good thing the ranking is accurate for teams bc the Oklahoma FX scores are absurd.
And Finnegan scores lower on beam than Nichols because WHY??????
She’s wearing the wrong leotard.
Anyone else feel that this is just a lock for OU now? UCLA have been meh all night. I’d love for LSU to sneak up and steal this thing.
Yeah, it’s honestly been pretty boring (Is this what watching the US WAG team compete at Worlds is like?). For LSU to pull it out would be awesome, but OU would have to count a fall and I don’t see that happening…
Yes Sallyb, appears locked. Especially with OU six vaulters all having 10.0 starting value vaults.
Florida is my team…but as they were this year there is no way in hell they were keeping up with the scoring today. Loving LSU hitting and the fire from OU.
whoa…that wasn’t a sentence- I meant “if they were here this year, there is no way…”
God damn it!!!
Sorry. I was pulling for LSU. Freaking OU isnt giving up even a toe worth of deductions.
P.s–while im mad—i hate the way maggie claps for herself.
Her gymnastics speaks for itself; that clap though…..
Agreed. Respect how clean she is, but I can’t stand that or her stick. Again, gymnastics great, but…
The horror. *eye roll*
Eh, I’m not a fan of Mykayla’s jumping-screaming or Finnegan’s fist pumping but whatever amps them up, I guess.
This is so unimportant. Just say you don’t like Maggie and move on.
Thought I was the only one who was thinking this
Kind of an odd thing to criticize Maggie specifically for when lots of other gymnasts do the same thing. For the record I find the clapping annoying and weird too but I assume athletes are coached to do that to help sell the score.
Bart says before the last rotation: “All 4 teams still in contention!”
WHAT? LOL
Bart drives me crazy and he seems to be getting lazy in preparation. He has called gymnasts by the wrong name several times this year and claims a score is a season or career high when it isn’t. I hope they replace him soon.
Omg, the number of times he mispronounced Natalie Wojcik’s name last night was bad, especially in contrast to the way he overpronounces ESPN Deportes. For the love of god, be a perfectionist or don’t, this middle of the road inconsistency is unacceptable.
I am happy for LSU, but until you can explain to me how in the hell Ohashi was scored higher than the four lsu gymnasts on Beam?
She wasn’t? She got a 9.8, and no LSU gymnasts were sub 9.8 on beam.
One judge gave her a 9.90…..
on the espn channel people in the comments are discussing if the earth is round or a sphere
Wait!! Peng-Peng Lee is coming down from the stands in a leo for her 7th year. She will do all of UCLA’s bar routines for a potential 50.0 score to win for UCLA!
😉
I might go to bed (it’s nearly 2am in the uk). No one is catching OU now and tbh I’m kinda bored 😂
I wanted UCLA to win, but I’m soooooo happy for Brenna!!!
UGH. Judges. Can you not just give Brenna a 10 for that vault? 9.9875 is awesome. But. Why not a 10?
TBH I would not have been upset with a 10, but it wasn’t QUITE perfect (leg sep on entry)… the ONE time the NCAA judges give an accurate score, sigh…
Truth. But since they were so close to a 10, I basically wanted them to just give it to her. (100% just based on feelings!) Then again, I wanted Sarah to get a 10 on beam tonight, too.
Whelp this has been boring. OU by far looked the most like a champions and deserved to win, though it should have been closer between them and LSU. UCLA was off from the get go. Wish LSU or UCLA could have pulled it out. Looking forward to next year.
I’m super stoked to see LSU’s great performance tonight. For Sarah to have such a fantastic last night… there must be onions in this room right now!
Brenna Dowell…I have the biggest girl crush on her. So sad she’s a senior.
What a BIG disappointment Kocian has been in college. I was so excited to see her transition into college, and it’s just hasn’t happened for her.
Totally agree. Kyla on the other hand has been stand out. I really expected it to be the other way.
She was about difficulty and execution on bars as an elite. Not floor or beam. And when you had so much difficulty, it isn’t always easy to transition to college. No excuses on bars though- she should be getting 9.9s every time.
She might be performing a bit below expectations, but we have to remember how injured she is and always has been.
cut her some slack! she has some kind of stress fraction in her femur and /or a inflamation in the bone or something like that? i think she did fine her freshman year and will be great her senior year when she’s finally healthy
I think you can have some excuses on bars when you had shoulder surgery…
I think it’s a little harsh assessment. I think her injuries fot the best of her.
Kocian was amazing last year. And they NEEDED her on vault, floor, and bars. Let’s see what she does when she’s fully healed.
And Kyla struggled more last year. Let’s not judge anyone based on one year. Ohashi took awhile to get to where she is.
I kept expecting Val to pull her out on the lineup
At one point someone had a v good practice and she offered to give them her spot but Miss Val said no I’m the beam coach I make the lineups. But I think it was Grace anyway and she made it in the end. And wasn’t perfect anyway.
She was a pretty big deal her freshman year, definitely outperforming Kyla, imo
Yes. I expected Kyla to be an NCAA star from the start, and even with her freshmen floor problems she has been. Kocian has dealt with a ton of injuries in college, she powered through 2017 because she came straight off the olympics and was therefore physically at a point where college gymnastics was pedestrian for her. Now the injuries have set in, she’s past the Olympic high and is doing the best she could do given that. I hope she can be healthy for her final year, it would suck to peak freshmen year, but if she can’t I still respect her for the fight she has shown throughout. She reminds me a little of Priessman in that regard (though Priessman probably had a couple more surgeries).
I’d like to give a shout out to Norah Flatley. UCLA had some meh moments, but she killed her routines under pressure as a freshman.
Totally agree! She had a bit of a rough meet yesterday, but today she showed up!
OU hit every routine tonight except for Evy’s floor fall, which was dropped. They showed up tonight and despite how much you don’t like it, you can’t take that from them.
Biased AF as a sooner grad but I don’t care. Boomer sooner, y’all.
Every comment I have read is about how Oklahoma had a great meet, but way to be a gracious winner 🙄
You’re right. No one should celebrate for their team hitting an amazing competition.
“Despite how much you don’t like it, you can’t take it from them” is completely unnecessary given how EVERYONE is saying how great Oklahoma was and how deserved their win was.
Obviously you can lead with that if you want, but I find it an ungracious way to celebrate. And again, not necessary.
I’ll assume OU puts more effort into gymnastics than reading comprehension… which is unfortunate since I have a niece who is studying journalism there.
I’ve not seen one person question the win of even the margin.
Ugh let that person be happy. The “in your face, everyone else!” from someone in the moment isn’t the end of the world. If UCLA had won how many people would be doing that exact same thing?
I do agree, however, that it doesn’t make sense because no one was really rooting against OU all season and making them a villain either…
@Anonymous at 2:36 Nobody is saying that person shouldn’t be happy. All anyone is saying is that the person was ungracious. If you don’t want people to have negative comments for you when you express joy that your team won, then express your joy in a way that isn’t unnecessarily rude.
As for your UCLA comment, I don’t understand it. Why do people tend to want to bring up UCLA fans whenever any fan for any other team says something rude? Yes, UCLA has some rude fans, and they’re extremely annoying. So does every other big name team in the country. I don’t understand why UCLA (and sometimes Utah) are always randomly brought up whenever a fan of any other team is rude.
This just in:
Based on new video reviews, Oklahoma has also been awarded as sole winner of last year’s Championship.
?
Hahahaha!
Hmm. I think there was a lot more potential for suspense with six on the floor.
Not that anyone was catching Oklahoma tonight (at least, not with UCLA having a bit of an off night). But there wasn’t even much suspense about 2d, 3d or 4th.
Just comparing the last Super Six and the first Four on the Floor, last year definitely wins
Because Michigan and Oregon State would have really challenged Oklahoma today…?
Suspense doesn’t have much to do with the number of teams on the meet, and four teams are much easier and better to follow than six.
Overall, I think the scores were accurate in that each team had some “huh” over-scoring at some point but overall the places were correct. Only complaints are:
1) Sarah Finnegan not getting a higher beam score.
2) Brenna not getting a ten for that vault…I want to hear what those two 9.95s were for.
3) Overall what felt like over scoring for Kyla (on floor) and Maggie (on beam).
4) Wishing UCLA had hit so we could see where they would have placed on a great day.
Brenna was pretty off to the side. I actually thought 9.9 would’ve been accurate, but really they had such an amazing day while their only real challenger (UCLA) dropped the ball on their two best events that it didn’t matter.
Oklahoma deserved this one fair and square! Bruin fan here but there is no denying it. Heres to hoping this has lit a fire under the Bruin’s butts!
“I CANNOT with the judge going 9.950 for Priessman’s routine. Not possible.”
What about those 9.9 hops for OU on Vault?
He may mean that it’s mathematically impossible. At the end of the meet, judges tend to overlook small things like soft knees, flexed feet, etc. Lexie’s routine had 0.15 in landing deductions alone, which have to be taken.
OU for the win!! The best scoring of the season, minus the begrudging 9.9875 for Dowell . Because this Championship was “NO WAY, NO 10’S here, nah ah
Some messed up scoring, but the rank was right. And Brenna was robbed on that vault! Picture perfect.
FYI there was an inquiry for Ruby’s OOB and they said she was in according to broadcast
I mean it doesn’t really matter. LSU is second no matter what.
Obviously, but Spencer pointed out the score was too high for an OOB. Was saying that’s why
I thought that was for Hano’s FX?
Both. Not sure how they ruled on Hano.
When the flag went up I immediately thought it was a mistake.
As i saw it, i was 100% sure she just touched the tape. I always thought the tape would count as in bounds? I think the setup could have been better because tape and oob had the exact same colour. I guess it‘s also hard for the line judge to see in that short time if a toe touched the white or the other white?
I like Madison Kocian but she needs to figure beam out or they need to find a replacement in the lineup for her. Or maybe put her last so the others can build without her usual speedbump in the middle. Though, I guess it says something about her that, despite her frequent issues, she is still in the lineup.
Oklahoma brought their A game for the final meet while UCLA was nervy (…though it did seem that scoring loosened up on beam and FX after UCLA went.) OU was definitely the best today but they did seem to get more generous scoring than LSU and UCLA did in a few areas (can’t comment on Denver, didn’t see much of them).
VT and UB scoring also loosened up at the end. Compare Harrold or Edwards to Wright.
Agree OU got some gifts, but UCLA also got some head scratchers (Ohashi’s beam, Kyla’s floor). LSU deserves better
Well that was…. anticlimactic. Looking forward to next season already!
Good night all, it’s been a pleasure
Very deserved for OU, on the night and after the season they’ve had. I think they will continue to be dominant, at least for a couple more years. But I must say, I am ready for a final that is ACTUALLY competitive, lol…
It’ll be interesting to see what the landscape looks like in two years. A lot of talented athletes are seniors next year, so it’ll be interesting to see how teams move on.
Ross, Kocian, Kramer, Hano, the Glenns, Skinner, Nichols, Degouveia, Edney, Harrold, Dickson, Vega, Korth, Karr, Desch, Mahoney, Porter, Lu, etc.
I don’t know that we will see Skinner. She seems very interested in going for the Tokyo Olympics and has publicly claimed that NCAA scoring is “stupid”. She feels she isn’t rewarded for her difficulty and her scores aren’t reflecting what she can do compared to others. It’s her own fault for her routine compositions, but when you take her frustration with NCAA and add in a burning desire to make it to an Olympic Games, it could mean that she won’t be back to NCAA.
Well, UCLA let us all down as far as making a competitive final. At their best they could’ve at least put the pressure on, although Oklahoma did a fantastic job.
But I too am ready for a final that goes down to the wire.
Is it weird to say I love Nia’s toenail polish?
/yeah, probably weird.
Maybe? But I agree with you! I have a weekly thing, though, where I give myself a pedicure after my Biology homework (I’m a film major; science stresses me out) so I thought maybe that’s why I notice things like that!
I think that Miss Val announcing her retirement early on put a ton of pressure on the UCLA ladies. While Oklahoma was on fire tonight, it appeared that UCLA was tense, IMO, quite different than last year’s meet. They were trying too hard, I believe, to win, and get Miss Val one last national championship. Maybe it would have been better to announce her retirement post season. UCLA would likely not have caught up to Oklahoma, but they certainly gave up more than 1.00 in deductions today overall and could have at least made it a close battle. They should have finished 2nd and all the little mistakes cost them not only the title, but they dropped behind LSU.
> Maybe it would have been better to announce
> her (Miss Val’s) retirement post season.
How will D-D Breaux handle her announcement some time in the future? Would Miss Val’s handling of her retirement announcement timing affect D-D’s plans on how/when to announce her own retirement some day?
I think announcing the retirement gave UCLA huge gifts in scoring. Besides being horribly annoying having to listen to it all season it really did bump their scores. I preferred Greg marsden’s silent exit. On another topic, starting on either beam or floor was the Kia of death in the post season this year. Scores rose soooooo much as the session went on there was no way to get the top scores
I think the best thing that happened this weekend was someone else winning floor instead of Katelyn Ohashi. Don’t get me wrong she has a cool routine, but the number of times she has had a deduction on her first pass (step to the side, bounce back) and she has still got a 10 is ridiculous
Definitely lots of pressure plus expectations set by a regular season packed with inflated scores. Miss Val did not need a season-long parade in her honor, but man did ESPN play right into it. Did any other teams get fluff pieces like UCLA did? ‘Cause all I saw were, like, 2-second clips from interviews of a handful of non-UCLA gymnasts. I sure would’ve liked more coverage on the seniors closing out their careers than Miss Val standing on the sidelines bobbing her head at nothing for a minute straight.
I was SO irritated by the Miss Val love parade that ESPN put on all season. I actually laughed out loud the other night when they talked about her being the embodiment of “joy and excellence,” or some other such nonsense. This is not at all to say she is a bad coach/person – seems like she’s done a ton for that program, – and I will miss her choreography – but let’s be real, she is VERY good at self-promotion. It was also really off-putting to see the UCLA gymnasts being gifted ridiculous scores all season – made me want to root against them even though I love the athletes on that team.
So yeah, glad all that is over!
Maggie and Sarah tied in AA today!
There’s always a deduction to argue one could take, but versus the 9.95 vault scores for others, there was no question she should’ve been a 10. Oh well.
Brenna’s vault was INCREDIBLE.
Does anyone think Ms Val made a mistake by not putting Margz in the floor lineup?
Floor, yes. And what about putting Margzetta in the vault lineup? This season I’ve seen her warm up her double (yes, a double like Skinner) and nail it.
I wonder if the UCLA coaches decided to ease Margzetta into the NCAA grind by just using her here and there in this her freshman year…but then adding her into more lineups next year? By her Junior or Senior year Margzetta should be doing the all around. She was fabulous in elite.
Marz was… not fabulous in elite?? She was certainly a decent elite, and even being a senior elite with an international assignment is an incredible accomplishment, but this weird revisionist history about Marz baffles me. She competed in a post-Olympic season and still didn’t make major teams. Of the competing ex-senior elites in NCAA, her elite career was one of the least impressive.
It does feel sacrilege around these parts to say that, Anonymous sitting above me, but I’m with you. I think she got a lot of boost from her (very awesome) personality and willingness to speak out. I’d love to see her tighten things up and become more consistent over the next few years.
Responding to the other Anons. Margz was sort of rising in regard right before she left for NCAA. Her form had improved, she was solid across all events, and she was looking like a real possibility for making a team (until Simone came back). She was definitely edging into the Amelia Hundley/Alyssa Baumann territory where you are in the conversation about making a team but on the edge (along with Trinity and Jordan Chiles). With the lower difficulty of NCAA, I could see her form/technique maybe improving enough to be in the conversation. Certainly Skinner’s form improved on everything but her back handsprings when she stopped doing the crazy difficulty, especially on bars.
Very much.
No. I assume Marz wasn’t hitting in practice / warmups, otherwise she’d have been in.
Marz also hasn’t scored great for her routine yet under critical judging – like I love watching it but she does have some regular deductions she hasn’t fixed yet, and when judging is realistic it’s noticeable (not so much at the meets where every UCLA FX with solid landings gets a 9.925.)
No. It wouldn’t have made a difference. The problem for UCLA wasn’t any one routine, it was 6 or 7 routines. Maybe Frazier would’ve scored higher than Tratz or Dennis, maybe she wouldn’t have. Either way, they still would have finished in third. Frazier, Dennis, and Tratz were all inconsistent with their landings this year, and I don’t think there was one clear, right choice for who to put in.