Week 8+ Rankings & NQS Update

Any scores in BOLD can no longer be dropped.


1. Oklahoma – 198.205

Oklahoma NQS
Road score 1198.425
Road score 2198.325
Road score 3198.125
Home/road score 1198.575
Home/road score 2198.225
Home/road score 3197.975
NQS:198.205

Oklahoma put up a program-record 198.575 over the weekend, which also brings OU to an NQS of 198.205, the highest for any team at any point ever. And it’s February. With two meets coming up this weekend, Oklahoma has zero actual need to push for scores with A+ lineups in both of them, but also…the meets are against Florida and Michigan. So…resting is for May.


2. Michigan – 197.950

Michigan NQS
Road score 1198.300
Road score 2198.275
Road score 3197.400
Home/road score 1198.125
Home/road score 2197.975
Home/road score 3197.975
NQS:197.950

Michigan had a mixed bag of a two-meet journey over the last couple days, starting with a non-counting 197.100 at Big Fives but followed by a 198.275 at Nebraska yesterday that lifted Michigan from 4th back up to 2nd in the in-progress rankings. Competing at home against Oklahoma on Monday, Michigan will not be able to drop that road 197.400 until the following week—and will be somewhat vulnerable to Florida since Florida has a higher maximum NQS after this week (198.050 to Michigan’s 198.015) if they both do season highs.


3. Florida – 197.845

Florida NQS
Road score 1197.975
Road score 2197.875
Road score 3197.325
Home/road score 1198.350
Home/road score 2198.150
Home/road score 3197.900
NQS:197.845

Welcome to the world, where Florida went 198.150 on senior night and it was the worst score in the top 4. Try more harder? Florida remains #2 in the official week 8 rankings because Michigan hadn’t competed yet when they came out but is actually in 3rd right now. That could change again on Friday, when Florida will have a good chance to retake #2 at Oklahoma given the opportunity to drop that road 197.325. A 197.875 would be enough to move ahead of Michigan for now, and 198.200 would guarantee staying ahead of Michigan even after Michigan faces Oklahoma next Monday.  


4. Utah – 197.805

Utah NQS
Road score 1197.750
Road score 2197.600
Road score 3197.500
Home/road score 1198.550
Home/road score 2198.200
Home/road score 3197.975
NQS:197.805

Utah went 198.550 on Friday for one of the highest scores in team history (198.600 is the record) to reinforce its status in the top 4. At this point, Utah will expect another 198 at senior night on Friday, but since it’s a home meet, those road scores will have to wait a bit to be improved upon. Increasing those will determine whether Utah has a shot at the top 3 by the end of the season. Utah does have a theoretical chance to catch Florida this weekend, but even with a Utah program record, it would also require Florida going sub 197.7 against Oklahoma, which at this point is basically an implosion, right? 


5. UCLA – 197.655

UCLA NQS
Road score 1197.975
Road score 2197.900
Road score 3197.850
Home/road score 1197.800
Home/road score 2197.450
Home/road score 3197.275
NQS:197.655

UCLA held onto #5 this week with a critical road 197.9, which was important to elevate them a little bit from the soup that these 5-9 teams currently find themselves in. The two that end up in places 8 and 9 (right now Alabama and Auburn) will have to travel to the Oklahoma regional and fight it out with each other for the presumed second spot at nationals, and it could get ugly. This margin that UCLA developed means that a 197.750 this weekend would ensure remaining at #5. 


6. LSU – 197.575

LSU NQS
Road score 1197.975
Road score 2197.500
Road score 3197.250
Home/road score 1198.100
Home/road score 2197.700
Home/road score 3197.450
NQS:197.575

LSU jumped up to #6 this week after the insanity that was that meet against Alabama (10.000/9.800 splits forever!) and will be doubly pleased that the five-minute drive to Friday’s meet venue constitutes going on the road for an away score and a chance to drop that 197.250. LSU’s maximum NQS this week is almost identical to Alabama’s, so those two could end up in either order depending on who is the most season-high-ish on Friday.


7. Cal – 197.535

Cal NQS
Road score 1197.550
Road score 2197.525
Road score 3197.475
Home/road score 1197.975
Home/road score 2197.600
Home/road score 3197.525
NQS:197.535

Cal’s 197.550 on Friday did turn out to be a season road high but also does put the team at a disadvantage compared to the others in this portion of the rankings, what with their road 197.9s and 198s. Cal’s maximum NQS this week is 197.635, which is quite a bit lower than the maximum for UCLA, LSU, and Alabama and could see Cal dropped to 8th even with a strong result on Friday—as long as all those other teams deliver big meets. Cal will be looking for 197.675, which would be enough to stay ahead of Auburn and stay in the top 8.  


8. Alabama – 197.530

Alabama NQS
Road score 1198.000
Road score 2197.525
Road score 3197.375
Home/road score 1197.925
Home/road score 2197.850
Home/road score 3196.975
NQS:197.530

Alabama moved ahead of Auburn and into the top 8 this week with the aforementioned epic fantasy saga against LSU and will be excited about the possibility of dropping that remaining 196.975 and moving up even further. A 197.525 this week against Missouri would be enough to guarantee passing Cal and getting into the top 7. 


9. Auburn – 197.460

Auburn NQS
Road score 1197.700
Road score 2197.350
Road score 3197.200
Home/road score 1197.750
Home/road score 2197.550
Home/road score 3197.500
NQS:197.460

Like Cal, Auburn experienced the joys of going 197.550 and having that be…I guess bad now?…as they were dropped out of the top 8 by LSU and Alabama and now have an uphill climb to get out of that 1-8-9 regional assignment. Auburn does have an outside shot to move up this week, but it would require Cal or Alabama not improving on their droppable scores much at all.


10. Denver – 197.305

Denver NQS
Road score 1197.650
Road score 2197.275
Road score 3197.200
Home/road score 1197.500
Home/road score 2197.425
Home/road score 3197.125
NQS:197.305

A 197.275 at Iowa State over the weekend helped Denver retain its spot in the top 10 this week, though it’s going to be a battle to hang onto that from here on out because #11 Oregon State, #12 Kentucky, and #13 Michigan State all have higher potential NQSs after this weekend. As a regional host, Denver will be a dangerous postseason prospect that other teams don’t want to draw, but Denver would also really prefer to stay in the 9-12 seeding zone rather than the 13-16 seeding zone so that they only have to upset one better-ranked team, not two.


11. Oregon State – 197.285

Oregon State NQS
Road score 1198.075
Road score 2197.300
Road score 3197.275
Home/road score 1197.375
Home/road score 2197.275
Home/road score 3197.200
NQS:197.285

Oregon State went 198 for the very first time on Friday, which gives the team the inside track to move into the top 10 this coming weekend with the highest maximum NQS of the teams ranked 10+. It would take 197.850 to guarantee, which is no slouch of a score but would now be considered a possibility after last week.


12. Kentucky – 197.275

Kentucky NQS
Road score 1197.575
Road score 2197.275
Road score 3196.575
Home/road score 1197.875
Home/road score 2197.825
Home/road score 3197.125
NQS:197.275

Kentucky is making a late push and should be considered dangerous since those bold keeper scores are actually better than what #9 Auburn has in bold right now. Competing at home on Friday (against Auburn), Kentucky won’t be able to get rid of that last road 196 just yet, but will have a chance to set itself up to make a last-minute run at a spot in the SEC evening session once that 196 can go the following weekend. Otherwise, another 197.825 this weekend would definitely put Kentucky ahead of Denver.


13. Michigan State – 197.120

Michigan State NQS
Road score 1197.675
Road score 2197.450
Road score 3196.950
Home/road score 1197.450
Home/road score 2197.200
Home/road score 3196.550
NQS:197.120

Michigan State made a move with two 197s over the last several days and will be a dangerous prospect to move up again with another two meet weekend coming up, as long as the mid-197s continue to roll in. An NQS solidly into the 197.3s after this weekend is a very believable prospect with hit meets.


14. Missouri – 196.890

Missouri NQS
Road score 1197.850
Road score 2196.800
Road score 3196.625
Home/road score 1197.450
Home/road score 2196.975
Home/road score 3196.600
NQS:196.890

A program record score of 197.850 came just at the right time for Missouri to stay among the seeded teams (top 16) for another week. Because if you’re not setting a program record every week at this point, you’re in danger of falling. Missouri has a maximum NQS of 197.140 after this weekend, which is higher than that of Arizona State and Arkansas, so Missouri is in control of its own top-16 fate for now.


15. Arizona State – 196.870

Arizona State NQS
Road score 1197.475
Road score 2196.900
Road score 3196.800
Home/road score 1197.550
Home/road score 2196.800
Home/road score 3196.375
NQS:196.870

Arizona State has been the sleeper agent, suddenly moving into the top 16 with big 197s over the last couple meets. With another 197.375 this weekend in its home finale, ASU would guarantee staying in the top 16 for another week.


16. Ohio State – 196.860

Ohio State NQS
Road score 1196.825
Road score 2196.750
Road score 3196.725
Home/road score 1197.575
Home/road score 2197.225
Home/road score 3196.775
NQS:196.860

Ohio State went 196.750 over the weekend at Big Fives and dropped 3 spots in the rankings because that’s no longer the kind of score that gets you seeded at regionals. Ohio State does have two meets this weekend and a chance to get rid of one of those 196.7s (but not two, since both meets are at home) as it’s looking increasingly like—for the first time—it will take an NQS into the 197s to get a regionals seeding. 


17. Arkansas – 196.815

Arkansas NQS
Road score 1197.125
Road score 2196.675
Road score 3196.225
Home/road score 1197.475
Home/road score 2197.400
Home/road score 3196.650
NQS:196.815

It was another missed opportunity week for Arkansas, with a counting fall the culprit this time that kept the team from another 197.4. With three meets left, the opportunity to get rid of those 196s and snare a spot in the top 16 is still alive, but pretty much all margin for error has now been exhausted. Because Ohio State competes twice this weekend, we won’t know what it will take to be in the top 16 by Monday, but a 197.275 on Friday would ensure Arkansas moves into the top 16 at least for the moment.


18. Georgia – 196.710

Georgia NQS
Road score 1196.925
Road score 2196.850
Road score 3196.425
Home/road score 1197.325
Home/road score 2197.225
Home/road score 3196.125
NQS:196.710

A 196.075 at Auburn with a counting beam miss saddled Georgia with a non-counting score and a loss of 4 ranking spots this week. Now, Georgia goes home with a chance to drop a low 196 and the possibility of getting back into the seeded spots, but with a maximum NQS this week lower than any other team in the top 18, it’s going to be up to those other teams’ performances.


19. Southern Utah – 196.620

Southern Utah NQS
Road score 1197.125
Road score 2197.125
Road score 3196.275
Home/road score 1196.925
Home/road score 2196.600
Home/road score 3196.175
NQS:196.620

Southern Utah had a similar experience to Georgia with a beam-trastrophe for a non-counting result at this week’s meet. The good news for SUU is a two-meet weekend that provides a couple chances to get rid of low 196s and means that the top 16 is still a possibility if both meets are great results.


20. Iowa – 196.610

Iowa NQS
Road score 1196.925
Road score 2196.900
Road score 3196.575
Home/road score 1196.875
Home/road score 2196.475
Home/road score 3196.225
NQS:196.610

Iowa hit a season high at Big Fives to move back into the top 20, and while there’s a chance to catch Georgia and Southern Utah this week to move up further, Iowa has a maximum NQS of 196.750 after this weekend so wouldn’t be able to go higher than 18th or into the seeded spots—and also could be caught by Stanford. 


21. Stanford – 196.585

Stanford NQS
Road score 1197.075
Road score 2196.725
Road score 3196.225
Home/road score 1197.575
Home/road score 2196.625
Home/road score 3196.275
NQS:196.585

Maximum NQS after this weekend: 196.855


22. Minnesota – 196.580

Minnesota NQS
Road score 1197.075
Road score 2196.875
Road score 3196.800
Home/road score 1196.675
Home/road score 2196.325
Home/road score 3196.225
NQS:196.580

Maximum NQS after this weekend: 196.750


23. Washington – 196.530

Washington NQS
Road score 1196.750
Road score 2196.550
Road score 3196.375
Home/road score 1197.250
Home/road score 2196.625
Home/road score 3196.350
NQS:196.530

Maximum NQS after this weekend: 196.710


24. Illinois – 196.520

Illinois NQS
Road score 1196.825
Road score 2196.575
Road score 3196.300
Home/road score 1196.700
Home/road score 2196.600
Home/road score 3196.425
NQS:196.520

Maximum NQS after this weekend: 196.625


25. Maryland – 196.395

Maryland NQS
Road score 1196.875
Road score 2196.475
Road score 3195.875
Home/road score 1196.650
Home/road score 2196.550
Home/road score 3196.425
NQS:196.395

Maximum NQS after Thursday’s meet: 196.595


26. NC State – 196.305

NC State NQS
Road score 1196.475
Road score 2196.275
Road score 3196.125
Home/road score 1196.650
Home/road score 2196.375
Home/road score 3196.275
NQS:196.305

Maximum NQS after this weekend: 196.380


27. Towson – 196.265

Towson NQS
Road score 1196.450
Road score 2196.350
Road score 3196.025
Home/road score 1196.775
Home/road score 2196.375
Home/road score 3196.125
NQS:196.265

Maximum NQS after Thursday’s meet: 196.415

Something to keep an eye on for Maryland, NC State, and Towson (as well as North Carolina ranked a little bit lower) is that all of these teams would be geographically placed in the Pittsburgh regional, which is currently looking like the most crowded region and therefore most likely to have a team that’s ranked high enough to avoid the play-ins nonetheless getting stuffed into one because of where they got placed geographically. Meaning: they’re in a sub-fight with each other not to be one of the lowest two teams in the Pitt regional.


28. Arizona – 196.105

Arizona NQS
Road score 1196.475
Road score 2196.375
Road score 3195.700
Home/road score 1196.800
Home/road score 2196.100
Home/road score 3195.875
NQS:196.105

Maximum NQS after this weekend: 196.325


29. Nebraska – 196.090

Nebraska NQS
Road score 1196.325
Road score 2196.150
Road score 3195.800
Home/road score 1196.925
Home/road score 2196.850
Home/road score 3195.325
NQS:196.090

Maximum NQS after this weekend: 196.410


30. North Carolina – 196.085

North Carolina NQS
Road score 1196.275
Road score 2195.975
Road score 3195.700
Home/road score 1196.325
Home/road score 2196.250
Home/road score 3196.225
NQS:196.085

Maximum NQS after this weekend: 196.105


31. Ball State – 196.045

Ball State NQS
Road score 1196.550
Road score 2196.125
Road score 3195.650
Home/road score 1196.300
Home/road score 2196.100
Home/road score 3196.050
NQS:196.045

Maximum NQS after this weekend: 196.225


32. Western Michigan – 196.040

Western Michigan NQS
Road score 1196.725
Road score 2195.925
Road score 3195.525
Home/road score 1196.750
Home/road score 2196.600
Home/road score 3195.425
NQS:196.040

Maximum NQS after this weekend: 196.305


33. Penn State – 195.995

Penn State NQS
Road score 1196.100
Road score 2195.875
Road score 3195.525
Home/road score 1196.550
Home/road score 2196.350
Home/road score 3196.125
NQS:195.995

Maximum NQS after this weekend: 196.080


34. Boise State – 195.980

Boise State NQS
Road score 1196.525
Road score 2196.075
Road score 3195.300
Home/road score 1196.500
Home/road score 2196.325
Home/road score 3195.700
NQS:195.980

Maximum NQS after this weekend: 196.225


35. BYU – 195.945

BYU NQS
Road score 1196.650
Road score 2196.475
Road score 3195.175
Home/road score 1196.450
Home/road score 2196.150
Home/road score 3195.475
NQS:195.945

Maximum NQS after Wednesday’s meet: 196.180


36. West Virginia – 195.880

West Virginia NQS
Road score 1196.625
Road score 2195.675
Road score 3195.575
Home/road score 1196.575
Home/road score 2196.375
Home/road score 3195.200
NQS:195.880

Maximum NQS after this weekend: 196.165


37. San Jose State – 195.870

San Jose State NQS
Road score 1196.300
Road score 2195.850
Road score 3195.250
Home/road score 1196.625
Home/road score 2196.150
Home/road score 3195.800
NQS:195.870

Maximum NQS after this weekend: 196.035


38. George Washington – 195.855

George Washington NQS
Road score 1196.400
Road score 2196.075
Road score 3195.550
Home/road score 1196.550
Home/road score 2195.875
Home/road score 3195.375
NQS:195.855

Maximum NQS after this weekend: 196.090

George Washington has a max NQS that could get into the top 36 this week, but no other team ranked below GW does. Keep an eye on that because if this margin continues to grow, we could quickly get into a 38-team race for 36 spots. The remaining teams need to start season-highing all over the place.  


39. Iowa State – 195.620

Iowa State NQS
Road score 1195.875
Road score 2195.825
Road score 3195.575
Home/road score 1196.300
Home/road score 2195.525
Home/road score 3195.300
NQS:195.620

Maximum NQS after this weekend: 195.820


40. Kent State – 195.610

Kent State NQS
Road score 1195.925
Road score 2195.750
Road score 3195.625
Home/road score 1195.925
Home/road score 2195.725
Home/road score 3195.025
NQS:195.610

Maximum NQS after this weekend: 195.790


41. Rutgers – 195.475

Rutgers NQS
Road score 1195.225
Road score 2195.150
Road score 3195.125
Home/road score 1196.375
Home/road score 2196.325
Home/road score 3195.550
NQS:195.475

Maximum NQS after this weekend: 195.725


42. Northern Illinois – 195.450

Northern Illinois NQS
Road score 1195.950
Road score 2195.950
Road score 3195.075
Home/road score 1195.500
Home/road score 2195.375
Home/road score 3195.350
NQS:195.450

Maximum NQS after this weekend: 195.625


43. Pitt – 195.445

Pitt NQS
Road score 1195.775
Road score 2195.275
Road score 3195.150
Home/road score 1196.550
Home/road score 2195.950
Home/road score 3195.075
NQS:195.445

Maximum NQS after this weekend: 195.740


44. Central Michigan – 195.405

Central Michigan NQS
Road score 1196.075
Road score 2195.825
Road score 3195.600
Home/road score 1196.250
Home/road score 2195.425
Home/road score 3194.100
NQS:195.405

Maximum NQS after this weekend: 195.835


45. Utah State – 195.245

Utah State NQS
Road score 1195.800
Road score 2195.675
Road score 3195.425
Home/road score 1196.175
Home/road score 2195.900
Home/road score 3193.425
NQS:195.245

Maximum NQS after this weekend: 195.795


45. UC Davis – 195.245

UC Davis NQS
Road score 1195.300
Road score 2195.250
Road score 3194.050
Home/road score 1196.750
Home/road score 2196.175
Home/road score 3195.450
NQS:195.245

Maximum NQS after this weekend: 195.785


47. LIU – 195.190

LIU NQS
Road score 1195.100
Road score 2195.025
Road score 3194.150
Home/road score 1195.925
Home/road score 2195.775
Home/road score 3195.650
NQS:195.140

Maximum NQS after this weekend: 195.495

5 thoughts on “Week 8+ Rankings & NQS Update”

  1. Wow looking like teams will need a 196 to even get to the play ins this year, WILD!

    1. It took a 196 NQS last year to make Regionals (for the first time, I believe)

    2. They will likely need more than 196.000, probably closer to 196.4-196.5 to secure a spot in the top 36.

      In 2022, Western Michigan was 36th with 196.215, grabbing the last spot from Central Michigan, who ended in 37th with 196.140.

      Last year it came down to the conference championships for multiple teams to see whether they were in or out.

      Also we do not know how the play ins will work this year. Play ins are based on regional assignment rank, not actual rankings. So it is not automatic that #28-36 will be assigned to a play in.

      Technically you could be team number 22 ranked and end up having to do a play in if #22 happens to be one of the two lowest rankings in that assigned regional. This happened in 2021 when NC State ranked #26, ended up having to do a play in because they were the in the bottom two numerical ratings in their regional assignment.

      Only 1-16 are seeded. 17-36 are distributed to closest region, which ends up being bullshit.

      With only 4 regions, the regional distribution should be eliminated and all teams should be assigned to a regional based on their numerical ranking, with potential changes being made due to regional hosting. This makes it more fair and evenly distributes the regional sites so there doesn’t end up with one “power” regional where there are high ranked teams from 17-27 due to regional distribution.

      1. At the very least, for the love of all that is good and holy, please, NCAA, do seeding for the play-in meets!

      2. If they are seeding 1-16 and then they seed 29-36, it doesn’t make sense to not seed 17-28 as well.
        Just seed them all accordingly.
        Seeds (Play In)
        1, 8, 9, 16, 17, 24, 25, (32,33)
        2, 7, 10, 15, 18, 23, 26, (31, 34)
        3, 6, 11, 14, 19, 22, 27, (30, 35)
        4, 5, 12, 13, 20, 21, 28, (29, 36)

        Also, my apologies, in my first post I said #28 for play in, its 29-36 that should always be the play ins.

        I know the argument is that the play in teams should be regionally placed due to travel time and also having to compete one additional time due to play in meet, but TOUGH, that is what the draw was based on your ranking.

        I do 100% agree that it doesn’t benefit a team to be #26 and “safe” if they end up having to do a play in over team #30 due to region. So 29-36 ranked teams should always be in the play in.

Comments are closed.