2021 NCAA Roster Notes

November 30, 2020 balancebeamsituation 3 Comments

Working under the assumption that the maybe-season will actually exist, here are the 2021 roster notes for any lineup prognostication needs you may or may not have.

OKLAHOMA SOONERS
*Seniors*
Jordan Draper	UB FX	#3 returning score on FX (9.880) Competed 1 UB for 9.850
Evy Schoepfer	VT BB FX	#3 returning score on VT (9.880) Competed 2 BBs, avg 9.838 Competed FX in 2018 and 2019 seasons
Karrie Thomas	UB BB	#4 returning score on UB (9.855) Competed 4 BBs, avg 9.863
Anastasia Webb	VT UB BB FX	Ranked #5 nationally in AA in 2020 #1 returning score on VT (9.935), BB (9.925), FX (9.925) #2 returning score on UB (9.895)
Carly Woodard	BB	Competed BB in every meet in 2020 #3 returning score on BB (9.905)
*Juniors*
Emma LaPinta	FX	Competed FX in 10 of 11 meets in 2020 #4 returning score on FX (9.875)
Allie Stern	VT FX	#2 returning score on VT (9.895) Competed 1 FX for 9.725
Olivia Trautman	VT UB BB FX	Competed VT, UB, BB in final 5 meets of 2020 Did not compete floor due to injury #3 returning score on UB (9.880) Scored two 10.000s on VT FX NQS of 9.965 in 2019
*Sophomores*
Vanessa Deniz	UB BB FX	Competed 5 UB, FX and 1 BB (9.650) in 2020 Avg 9.880 FX, 9.860 UB
Jenna Dunn	BB	Competed BB every meet in 2020 #4 returning score on BB (9.850)
Erin Hutchison		Did not compete in first season
Ragan Smith	VT UB BB FX	Competed UB, BB, FX every meet in 2020 #1 returning score on UB (9.930), BB (9.925) #2 returning score on FX (9.885) Competed 4 VTs, avg 9.750
Brooke Weins	VT	Competed VT in 6 of 11 meets in 2020 NQS 9.735
*Freshmen*
Audrey Davis	VT UB BB FX	WOGA Former elite, 6th AA 2018 US Classic
Julianne Fehring	VT UB FX	LaFleur’s 3rd AA, 1st VT, 2019 JO Nationals
Danae Fletcher	VT UB FX	MG Elite 4th AA, 1st FX, 2019 JO Nationals
Bell Johnson	VT UB FX	Bart Conner’s 15th AA, 2019 JO Nationals
Katherine LeVasseur	VT UB BB FX	Mavericks 3rd VT, 2019 JO Nationals 3rd FX, 2020 Nastia Cup
Audrey Lynn	VT	Bart Conner’s 9th VT, 2020 WOGA Classic
Sheridan Ramsey	VT	Aim High 6th VT, 2019 Region 3 Champs
Quinn Smith	VT UB BB FX	Arizona Sunrays 1st VT, 2nd FX, 9th AA 2018 JO Nationals
Meilin Sullivan		Out for 2021 season with myocarditis/pericarditis Fuzion 5th UB, 2019 JO Nationals

FLORIDA GATORS
*Seniors*
Alyssa Baumann	VT BB FX	Competed BB, FX all 9 meets in 2020 #2 returning score on both (9.935 FX, 9.930 BB) Showed 6 VTs, avg 9.704
Jazmyn Foberg	VT UB	Returned from missing 2019 to show 3 VTs in 2020, avg 9.825 Made final 2018 lineups on VT (9.850), UB (9.840)
Megan Skaggs	VT UB BB	#3 returning score on UB (9.870) #4 returning score on VT (9.850) Competed BB each week in 2019
*Juniors*
Leah Clapper	BB FX	#4 returning score on BB (9.810) Competed exhibition FX in 2019
Sydney Johnson-Scharpf	BB FX	Competed 7 FX, 5 BB in 2020 #3 returning score on FX (9.845) BB avg 9.750
Nya Reed	VT FX	Competed 5 FX, 4 VT in 2020 (missed 1 month with injury) Avg 9.860 FX, 9.762 VT 2019 NQS of 9.920 FX, 9.862 FX
Savannah Schoenherr	VT UB FX	Competed VT, UB every meet in 2020 #2 returning score on UB (9.910) #3 returning score on VT 9.865 Showed 1 FX for 9.925
Halley Taylor	FX	Competed 1 FX in 2020 for 9.750
Trinity Thomas	VT UB BB FX	Ranked #2 nationally in AA in 2020 #1 returning score on all four events NQS of 9.965 FX, 9.965 BB, 9.945 UB, 9.900 VT
*Sophomore*
Payton Richards	VT UB BB FX	Competed AA in 5 of 9 meets in 2020 #2 returning score on VT (9.885) #3 returning score on BB (9.895) NQS of 9.835 UB, avg 9.830 FX
*Freshmen*
Chloi Clark	VT FX	Gymtegrity 4th VT, 2019 JO Nationals
Gabrielle Gallentine	VT UB FX	Everest Junior elite, 2017-18 29th AA, 2018 US Jr Classic
Ellie Lazzari	VT UB BB FX	Legacy Elite 1st AA, 2019 JO Nationals
Alex Magee	UB	Orlando Metro 9th UB, 2019 region 8s

UCLA BRUINS
*Seniors*
Nia Dennis	VT UB BB FX	Competed VT, FX each meet in 2020 #1 returning score on both (9.915 FX, 9.875 VT) Competed 2 BBs (hit 1 of 2) Competed UB in 2019, avg 9.814
Savannah Kooyman	UB	Competed UB each week in 2020 NQS of 9.805
Kendal Poston	VT BB	Competed 9 VTs, 5 BBs in 2020 #2 returning score on VT (9.820) Avg of 9.675 on BB
Nicki Shapiro	UB BB	Returned to roster to compete 5 BB, 1 UB Hit 4 of 5 on BB (avg 9.690) Scored 9.775 in single UB routine
Pauline Tratz	VT FX	Competed 4 VT, 4 FX in 2020 Avg 9.800 VT, 9.638 FX 2019 NQS of 9.900 FX, 9.850 VT
Lilia Waller		Returns to roster for 2021 Last on roster in 2018, did not compete
*Juniors*
Norah Flatley	VT UB BB FX	Competed UB, BB in 9 of 10 meets in 2020 #1 returning score on BB (9.885) #2 returning score on UB (9.845) Competed 6 FX, hitting 5 of 6
Margzetta Frazier	VT UB BB FX	Competed AA first 3 meets of 2020 Then limited to UB due to injury #1 returning score on UB (9.915) Avg 9.925 FX, 9.817 VT, 9.800 BB
Samantha Sakti	BB	Competed BB in 8 meets in 2020 #2 returning score on BB (9.830)
Sara Taubman		Did not compete in first 2 seasons
Sekai Wright	VT	Missed most of 2020 season Competed 2 VT, avg 9.750 NQS of 9.855 in 2019
*Sophomores*
Emma Andres	VT FX	Competed 3 FX, 1 VT (9.750) in 2020 Avg 9.817 FX
Paige Hogan		Did not compete in 2020
Chloe Lashbrooke	VT FX	Competed 6 FX, 2 VT in 2020 #2 returning score on FX (9.860) Avg 9.775 VT
Kalyany Steele	VT UB FX	Competed 6 UB in 2020 Hit 5 of 6, NQS of 9.660
*Freshmen*
Chae Campbell	VT UB BB FX	Metroplex 3rd AA, 2019 JO Nationals 9th AA, 2020 Nastia Cup
Frida Esparza	VT UB BB FX	Head Over Heels 2018 Mexican AA champion 32nd AA, 2018 World Championships
Sara Ulias	UB	Paramount 3rd UB, 2019 Region 1

UTAH RED ROCKS
*Seniors*
Alexia Burch	VT UB BB FX	Competed VT, BB every meet in 2020 #1 returning score on VT (9.890) #5 returning score on BB (9.880) Showed 1 FX for 9.725
Emilie LeBlanc	UB BB	Competed UB, BB every meet in 2020 #2 returning score on UB (9.855) #6 returning score on BB (9.850)
Sydney Soloski	VT BB FX	#1 returning score on FX (9.925) #3 returning score on VT (9.805) Made final 2019 BB lineup
*Juniors*
Cammy Hall	VT	Competed VT every meet in 2020 #1 returning VT score (9.865)
Cristal Isa	VT UB BB FX	Competed UB, BB every meet in 2020 Appeared in AA 3 times #1 returning score on UB (9.900), BB (9.930) NQS of 9.840 FX, avg 9.825 VT
Adrienne Randall	BB FX	Competed BB every meet, FX in 8 of 9 in 2020 #2 returning score on FX (9.880) #4 returning score on BB (9.915)
*Sophomores*
Jillian Hoffman	VT UB FX	Preseason shoulder surgery Competed 4 FX in 2020, hitting 2 of 4
Maile O’Keefe	VT UB BB FX	Competed UB, BB every week in 2020 Appeared in the AA four times #3 returning score on BB (9.925), FX (9.870), UB (9.810) Avg of 9.775 over 5 VTs
Abby Paulson	VT UB BB FX	Competed BB, FX every meet in 2020 #1 returning score on BB (9.930) #4 returning score on FX (9.855) Showed 4 UBs, avg 9.838
Jaedyn Rucker	VT UB BB FX	Missed entire 2020 season with injury 1st VT, 2nd AA, 2018 JO Nationals
*Freshmen*
Jaylene Gilstrap	VT BB FX	Metroplex Senior elite, 2018-2019
Alani Sabado	VT UB BB FX	SCEGA 3rd AA, 2019 JO Nationals
Lucy Stanhope	VT UB BB FX	City of Liverpool Member of GB 2018 European Championship team

MICHIGAN WOLVERINES
*Seniors*
Anna Dayton		Joined team as sophomore Did not compete in 2019 or 2020
Lauren Farley	UB BB FX	Competed BB every meet in 20202 #3 returning score on BB (9.825) Showed 1 UB, 1 FX, both for 9.775
Anne Maxim	VT UB	Did not compete in 2020 due to injury 2019 NQS of 9.815 UB, 9.810 VT
*Juniors*
Abby Brenner	VT UB FX	Competed VT, FX every meet in 2020, UB in 7 of 9 #1 returning score on VT (9.910) #4 returning score on FX (9.870), UB (9.850)
Abby Heiskell	VT UB BB FX	Competed 8 UB, 5 FX and BB, 1 FX in 2020 #3 returning score on UB (9.855) Avg 9.850 VT, 9.645 BB. Score of 9.550 FX
Maddie Mariani	VT UB BB	Competed 7 UB, 6 BB, 5 VT in 2020 #4 returning score on BB (9.800) #6 returning score on UB (9.835) Avg 9.815 VT
Natalie Wojcik	VT UB BB FX	Competed AA every meet in 2020 #1 returning score on BB (9.915), UB (9.895) #2 returning score on FX (9.895) #4 returning score on VT (9.870)
*Sophomores*
Sierra Brooks	VT UB BB FX	Competed AA every meet in 2020 #2 returning score on VT (9.895), FX (9.895), BB (9.890), and UB (9.880)
Abbie Gaies		Did not compete in 2020
Nicoletta Koulos	VT FX	Competed 8 VT, FX in 2020 NQS of 9.790 on both
Gabby Wilson	VT UB FX	Competed VT, UB, FX every meet in 2020 #1 returning score on FX (9.905) #3 returning score on VT (9.880) #4 returning score on UB (9.850)
*Freshmen*
Carly Bauman	VT UB BB FX	Chow’s 2nd BB, 4th UB, 2019 JO Nationals 1st AA, 2018 JO Nationals
Reyna Guggino	VT FX	Tampa Bay Turners 4th VT, 2019 Region 8s
Naomi Morrison	VT UB FX	Arizona Dynamics 5th AA, 2019 JO Nationals
Jenna Mulligan	VT FX	Gymnastics Unlimited 5th FX, 8th BB, 2018 JO Nationals

LSU TIGERS
*Seniors*
Reagan Campbell	BB FX	Competed BB, FX every meet in 2020 #1 returning score on BB (9.930) #2 returning score on FX (9.875)
Bridget Dean	UB BB	Competed BB every meet in 2020 Competed UB in 9 of 11, FX in 7 of 11 #3 returning score on FX (9.815) #4 returning score on BB (9.840)
Christina Desiderio	BB FX	Competed 8 BBs, 5 FXs in 2020 #5 returning score on BB (9.830) Avg 9.785 on FX
Sami Durante	VT UB BB	Competed UB, BB every meet in 2020 Competed VT in final 6 meets #1 returning score on UB (9.890) #3 returning score on BB (9.860) #4 returning score on VT (9.755)
Sarah Edwards	VT FX	Competed VT, FX in first 4 meets of 2020 before injury Avg of 9.888 on VT Avg of 9.783 for hit FX (also received a 2.000 for injury routine)
Olivia Gunter	FX	Competed first routines for LSU in 2020 Showed 6 FX for NQS of 9.705
*Juniors*
Rebecca D’Antonio	VT	Competed first routines for LSU in 2020 Showed 2 VTs, avg of 9.713
*Sophomores*
Kiya Johnson	VT UB BB FX	Competed AA in 9 of 11 meets in 2020 #1 returning score on FX (9.960), VT (9.925) #2 returning score on BB (9.895), UB (9.875) Finished season ranked #6 AA, #2 FX
Lexie Nibbs	VT	Competed 4 VTs for LSU in 2020, avg 9.744
Maddie Rau	VT FX	Competed 10 VTs in 2020 after joining in Jan. #3 returning score on VT (9.785) Showed 1 FX in final meet for 9.775
Kai Rivers	VT UB BB FX	Competed VT, UB in 10 of 11 meets in 2020 Competed 3 BBs, avg 9.883 #2 returning score on VT (9.850), UB (9.840)
Kamryn Ryan		Did not compete in first season
Alyona Shchennikova	VT UB BB FX	Competed 8 UB, 2 BB in 2020 #5 returning score on UB (9.835) Hit 1 for 2 on BB
Caitlin Smith		Did not compete in first season
*Seniors*
Elena Arenas	VT UB BB FX	Georgia Elite 8th AA, 2019 JO Nationals 9th AA, 2017 P&G Championships
Sierra Ballard	VT FX	North Shore 8th VT, 2019 JO Nationals
Chase Brock	VT UB FX	Gymnastix 6th UB, 8th VT, 2018 JO Nationals
Haleigh Bryant	VT UB BB FX	Everest 1st AA, 2020 Nastia Cup 2nd AA, 2019 JO Nationals
Olivia Dunne	VT UB BB FX	ENA Paramus 9th AA, 2017 junior P&G Championships 11th AA, 2020 Nastia Cup

DENVER PIONEERS
*Seniors*
Lynnzee Brown	VT UB BB FX	Competed AA in first 7 meets before injury #1 returning score on FX (9.920), UB (9.895), VT (9.870) #2 returning score on BB (9.895) Finished ranked #7 AA for second straight year
Emily Glynn	VT UB FX	Competed VT, UB, FX every meet in 2020 #2 returning score on UB (9.890), VT (9.810) #4 returning score on FX (9.825)
Mia Sundstrom	VT UB BB FX	Competed in first 5 meets of 2020 before injury Avg of 9.830 VT, 9.825 UB, 9.575 BB
*Juniors*
Natalie Morton	UB	Competed 4 UBs in 2020, avg 9.444
Alexandra Ruiz	VT UB BB FX	Competed AA in 8 of 10 meets in 2020 #3 returning score on FX (9.835), VT (9.800) #4 returning score on UB (9.860), BB (9.820)
Alexis Vasquez	VT BB	Competed BB in every meet in 2020 #1 returning score on BB (9.960) Competed 1 VT for 9.725
*Sophomores*
Victoria Fitts	VT	Competed 2 VTs in 2020, hit 1 of 2 for 9.825
Amoree Lockhart	VT UB BB FX	Competed BB, FX every meet in 2020 #2 returning score on FX (9.845) #4 returning score on BB (9.820) Showed 4 UBs (avg 9.306), 1 VT (9.525)
Callie Schlottman	BB	Competed 3 BB in 2020, hitting 2 of 3
AK Subject	VT UB BB FX	Competed VT, UB every meet in 2020 #3 returning score on UB (9.870) #4 returning score on VT (9.760) Competed FX in 8 of 10 meets, NQS 9.685
*Freshmen*
Rose Casali	VT UB FX	Southeastern 6th AA, 5th UB, 2019 JO Nationals
Jessica Hutchinson	VT UB FX	Silvia’s 10th FX, 2019 JO Nationals
Isabel Mabanta	VT BB FX	Denton Former senior elite 19th AA, 2018 US Classic
Rylie Mundell	VT UB BB FX	CGI 4th AA, 2019 JO Nationals 7th AA, 2020 Nastia Cup
Abbie Thompson	VT BB FX	Orlando Metro 6th AA, 4th FX, 2019 JO Nationals

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Freshman Preview

Freshman Preview: Oklahoma

November 25, 2020 balancebeamsituation 12 Comments

OKLAHOMA

Who Is She?

Whew boy. Deep breaths. Oklahoma has opted to deal with the departure of Maggie Nichols by recruiting every person KJ has ever met as part of a freshman class of nine (it actually was 10, but Cassidy Knight no longer appears). So let’s get into it.

The name-brand in the group is former WOGA elite Audrey Davis, who placed 6th all-around at junior nationals in 2017, four tenths behind Leanne Wong, then 14th all-around at senior nationals in 2018. Davis returned to JO for a moment in 2020 to compete bars and beam, winning beam at every meet she entered.

After Davis, we get to the cavalcade of ninja L10s. Two weeks ago, Oklahoma announced that Danae Fletcher, an MG Elite refugee, would be granted asylum to join the team a year early. Because there just weren’t enough people in this class already. Most recently, Fletcher placed 4th AA in her junior division at JO Nationals in 2019, winning the floor title. Speaking of floor, Katherine LeVasseur enjoyed her best result at March’s Nastia Cup on that event, placing third, but typically her strongest scores come on vault, where she scored a 10.000 at 2019 Region 3s.

Winning vault is a bit of a theme in this year’s class. Julianne Fehring won the event in her division at 2019 JO Nationals with a Yurchenko 1.5, following in the footsteps of Quinn Smith, who did the exact same at 2018 JO Nationals with her own Yurchenko 1.5.

Lest it seem to be all vault, I’d rate bars as Bell Johnson‘s best event, having earned her highest placement there at each of the last three JO Nationals.

Augmenting the class further are two walk-ons who were not part of the signing class—Sheridan Ramsey and Audrey Lynn. Ramsey scored a 9.750 on vault at 2019 Region 3s for her best score ever, while Lynn is a newer L10, just starting that level in the 2019 season, who recorded her top career score of 9.650 on vault in 2020 just before the shutdown.

Oklahoma’s freshman class also includes Meilin Sullivan—who placed 5th on bars at 2019 JO Nationals and profiles as a very believable bars, beam, and floor contender—but per her mom on the socials, she’ll be out for the season with COVID-induced myocarditis/pericarditis.

Still, um, it’s a lot of people with a lot of gymnastics.

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Freshman Preview

Freshman Preview: UCLA

November 21, 2020 balancebeamsituation 7 Comments

UCLA

Who Is She?

Let’s be honest, this pandemic has been a real fart chunk for UCLA. The prospectively epic 2021 incoming class that was supposed to feature Jordan Chiles, Brooklyn Moors, Ana Padurariu, and Emma Malabuyo now includes…none of them until next year. (Brooklyn Moors appears on the roster because she is taking classes remotely while training for the Olympics but will not be with the team in 2021.)

So who is there? Frida Esparza still brings the elite experience to the 2021 newcomers, a US and Mexico international who competed at Classic and championships in the US in 2016 and 2017 before registering to compete for Mexico. Esparza represented Mexico at worlds in 2018 and 2019, scoring 51.399 in qualification at in 2018 to lead the country and place as an alternate to the all-around final.

Chae Campbell has been atop the L10 field for what seems like centuries, ever since she popped into Junior A at 2015 JO Nationals to win vault and floor. Campbell spent a little time toying with elite as well during that period, attending junior Classic in 2015 and finishing 3rd on vault but missing the national AA qualifying score by a smidgen. After a couple other elite qualifying attempts in the following years, Campbell opted to stick with L10, most recently placing 3rd AA at JO Nationals in 2019 and 9th AA (2nd FX) at the 2020 Nastia Cup.

Walk-on Sara Ulias rounds out the class, an athlete who got a 9.525 on bars at Region 1s last year and has the raw ability on that event to be a project.

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Freshman Preview

Freshman Preview: Cal

November 20, 2020 balancebeamsituation 5 Comments

CAL

Who Is She?

For as long as the sun has risen in the sky, this year has been circled on the calendar as the season Cal makes the leap into the realm of the big-name teams. Why? Andrea Li and Gabby Perea. Two of the very top recruits in this year’s national class, the kind of athletes who usually go to a school that’s already won a national championship or four. For these two to go to Cal together is a major coup.

Li has been among the best L10s in the country for the last six years, truly bursting onto the scene when she won the junior Nastia Cup in 2016, and most recently winning JO Nationals in 2018, placing 2nd in 2019, and finishing 3rd at the senior Nastia Cup in 2020 while winning floor. She’s been cleaning up for a long time.

Perea was, of course, part of the 2016-2017 army of junior elite stars who were the future right up until they weren’t anymore. Perea finished 3rd at junior nationals in 2016 behind only Maile O’Keefe and Riley McCusker but struggled to stay healthy and competitive after that. Perea made a return to elite competition in 2019, qualifying to nationals, then elected to drop back to L10 for the 2020 season, competing at the Nastia Cup and finishing 6th overall, three spots behind Li. That reasonably solid, NCAA-level all-around performance at the Nastia Cup this year was important for Perea as one would have been forgiven for thinking that she might simply crumble into a pile dust instead, given her injury history and career trajectory and the suspect track record of recent excellent juniors.

Four additional athletes will join the big two in Cal’s incoming class, and following in Perea’s footsteps there’s an emerging theme of successful juniors that we currently have some questions about as they transition to a college career. Kennedy Quay probably profiles as the most significant of the non-big-name contributors in this class, placing 5th all-around at JO Nationals in 2017 and 6th in 2018—with a 2nd-place result on vault on both occasions—though she has seen only limited competition time since and has not competed floor in the last two years. Cosette Carranza shined bright as a junior in 2016, placing 2nd all-around at JO Nationals, but has been quite limited since and has barely competed in the last four years, making it difficult to know what’s going to happen there. It’s a situation fairly reminiscent of another Texas-Dreams-to-Cal gymnast—Grace Quinn. Or just fairly reminiscent of Texas Dreams.

Elise Byun and Blake Gozashti were two of the later joiners in this class, Byun advancing to JO Nationals in both her years as a L10 in 2018 and 2019 while boasting a Tsuk entry on vault, and Gozashti being one of those classic athletes who has minimal L10 accomplishments to name but with form that presents a potential ball of clay to be molded.

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Balance Beam Situation

Monthly Archives: November 2020

2021 NCAA Roster Notes

Freshman Preview: Oklahoma

Freshman Preview: UCLA

Freshman Preview: Cal

Because gymnastics is a comedy, not a drama