Friday, March 20
2:00 ET/ 11:00 PT	DIII Nationals [58] Oshkosh [64] La Crosse [65] Whitewater [69] Brockport [70] Cortland [72] Eau Claire	SCORES	FREE
7:00 ET/ 4:00 PT	Big Ten (1) [32] Nebraska [35] Washington [37] Rutgers [41] Illinois	SCORES	BTN
7:00 ET/ 4:00 PT	MIC [45] TWU [50] SEMO [56] Illinois St [79] Centenary	SCORES	ESPN+

Tonight is merely the conference championship appetizer, but it will deliver one of the most significant sessions for postseason qualification purposes.

Eyes will be on the results from Washington and Rutgers, both teams in the danger zone but with a chance to clinch a postseason spot with a strong score—or open the door with a miss. Washington is aiming for 196.100 and Rutgers for 196.500.

Ranked at #41, Illinois is technically still in contention but would need a crap-ton of help. For them, today is about recording a season high (196.175+) and then hoping Washington and Rutgers both lose their absolute minds at the same time.

If we even see Washington get 194.800 and Rutgers get 195.325 today, that would eliminate everyone ranked lower than #37 and turn tomorrow solely into a “what’s Pitt going to do?” party.

Nebraska is qualified for regionals and set to finish ranked in the 29-36 zone, so should be in the play-ins regardless of what happens here (unless the draw committee decides to ruin our lives in some way).

Heather Brink has come resplendent in her championship doilies.

Rotation 1

Navarro – VT – UW – yfull, small hop back, holds onto the finish position

Brown – UB – Illinois – clear hip to gienger to overshoot. hit, some bigger leg separations – DLO, hop back

Jencks – BB – Nebraska – bhs loso, secure, back knee deductions – full turn – kickover, check – switch, little slow into the straddle 1/2, under split – 1.5, hop forward. 9.725

Rutgers has a central boob sword. Washington has an armpit space needle

Uhlenberg – FX – Rutgers – front lay to rudi, legs apart on rudi, controls the landing – double tuck, good control, chest up – switch 1/2 to wolf full wolf full, around well and clearly. 9.800

Schaefer – VT – UW – yfull, larger bounce back, some knees and pike

I, for one, love how the live scores aren’t working.

Denning – UB – Illinois – toe on to maloney, legs apart but catches and connects to bail, good vertical – hits hs on high – DLO, leans chest forward with little scoot to hold

Gard – BB – Nebraska – bhs loso, solid landing, good leg position – full turn check correction – beat to side aerial, quick snap down to hold it – switch to switch to split, secure landing, leg short of split – gainer pike

Larsen – FX – Rutgers – good landing on double back – rudi, travels back into stag jump connection – switch 1/2 to wolf full, lower on the position – back 1.5 to front lay, under control.

Lin – VT – UW – yfull, bounce back and a pike, and then an extra shuffle out of landing

Dixon – UB – Illinois – toe on to maloney, leg sep, into bail, some hip angle – arch on hs on high but pulls it back – DLO, hop back

Krause – BB – Nebraska – split jump, nice leg position – full turn – bhs loso – hitch kick to switch 1/2, wobble before the beat jumop – side aerial, another bigger wobble with lean to the side – gainer tuck full, hop back – big wobbles but great form

Adrian – FX – Rugers – back 1.5 to front full, hit, slight bit of knees – switch 1/2 to wolf 1.5, great rotation on the 1.5 wolf, a little under on switch split position – rudi, hips moving back but controls it

Tubbs – VT – Washington – strong stick on yfull – some pike in the air but good leg position, very strong

Cho – UB – Illinois – maloney to pak, lovely pak, small leg break initiating the maloney – van leeuwen, legs together – nice hs on high – DLO, stuck. very good

Sikon – BB – Nebraska – candle mount, hit – arm check on cartwheel – bhs loso, pulls out the secure landing – cat, pause before switch 1/2, good 180 position, just loses some feet – full turn – bhs tuck 1.5 dmt, step back

McDonough – VT – Washington – yfull, bounce back with some direction, pike down at the end

Goldsmith – FX – Rutgers – front 2/1, hit but a dancey bounce slide out – front full to front lay, clean layout position – good straddle position – 1.5 to back lay to straddle, well controlled.

Burns – BB – Nebraska – bhs loso loso, solid landing, good, slight knee position – full turn arm wave – beat to straddle 1/2, a little tight but secure – 1.5 dmt with hop

Bolden – VT – UW – yfull, best height, but bounce back and then another step trying to control

Saltness – UB – Illinois – falls on Ray – redoes it and catches super close, works through, good pak – gainer full to double tuck, hop up in place

Griffin – BB – Nebraska – kickover to bhs with a check after – switch to split is hit – full turn – 1.5 dmt, good stick

Dildy – FX – Rutgers – front tuck through to double tuck, chest up, good control – switch side 1/2 to popa, good rotation – comfortable straddle shush – double pike, step back slightly out of control

9.950 is not a program floor record for Rutgers. Courtney Turner got a 10.000 in 2002.

Gow – UB – Illinois – shaposh to bail, little hip angle but hit – rushes hs on high slightly – toe pike 1/2 dmt, holds onto stick with chest forward squeeze lean

Leese – FX – Rutgers – high FTDT, good control, small shin separation to start – switch 1/2 to popa to shush, very nice, good feet and split positions – front tuck through to double tuck, good height. And 9.950

After 1
Rutgers 49.275
Nebraska 48.750
Illinois 48.675
Washington 48.650

Rutgers well on their way after a big floor rotation, Washington with some work to do on the better events. Illinois able to drop the bars fall but still under the required pace.

Rotation 2

Chevaire – VT – Rutgers – yfull, good pop, medium bounce back, little pike

Oppoegard – UB – UW – hits piked jaeger, bail hs, some hip angle – short hs on high – DLO, legs apart and a lunge back

Kauffman – BB – Illinois – full turn, little arm wave – aerial, connects to loso, bigger wobble and tucks the loso – switch to split is solid – bhs 1.5, holds onto the stick

Gard – FX – Nebraska – double tuck, under control – switch ring to tour jete 1/2 is around – front lay to front full, bounces forward OOB – double pike, chest down but under control

Larsen – VT – Rutgers – yfull, similar, solid position in the air, bounce back and a lean forward to control

McWilliams – UB – UW – short first hs – blind with some legs – catches jaeger into overshoot, catches close with some form in the combo but gets it – DLO, legs apart, lunge back

Saltness – BB – Illinois – full turn, good – bhs loso, good back leg and secure landing – cat leap to switch side, solid landing as well – side aerial, little hesitation – beat to split full, lands it solidly, slightly under rotated and scoots around the feet on the beam – front layout full, stuck

Sikon – FX – Nebraska – double tuck, chest up, comfortable landing – 1.5 to a fall, misses the punch on front full and sits it down

Schenkel – VT – Rutgers – Tsuk tuck 1.5 is fun – arm circles to hold the stick – leg position on block

Lin – UB – UW – clear to gienger to overshoot, great height, leg sep on catch, connects to overshoot with some pike – good hs on high – FTDT, step back

Byrne – BB – Illinois – hits candle mount – full turn wobble – bhs loso large break and falls – straddle, good extension – beat to sheep jump, wobble after – 2/1, good stick

Kraus – FX – Nebraska – double tuck, bounce back – tour jete 1/2 to popa is around well – back 1.5 to lay, hit, a little low on layout amplitude – double pike, controls it chest down

Riley – VT – Rutgers – y1.5, very large lunge forward

Moody – UB – Washington – toe on to maloney, leg seps into pak, hit – FTDT, solid stick

Coppola – BB – Illinois – full turn, smooth – side aerial to round-off, connected – switch to split to beat, back leg looked a little short but controlled – side aerial is way short and falls – counting fall now

Shaver – FX – Nebraska – front tuck through to double tuck, bigger bounce back – keeps it in – switch to switch side 1/2 to straddle, really good rotation, a little tight on position – double pike, chest down with shuffle forward

Dildy – VT – Rutgers – yfull is solid, little hop back, good height

Tubbs – UB – Washington – toe on to maloney to bail, great legs together position – a ltitle tight in hs on high – DLO, slight pike, great stick. 9.925

Very solid bhs loso and side aerial from Clancy on beam for Illinois, sticks 1.5 dmt

Jencks – FX – Nebraska – front lay to rudi, under control, some leg crossing – switch 1/2 to wolf full wolf full combination – double tuck, solid control –

Leese – VT – Rutgers – y1.5, way short and falls

Cho – BB – Illinois – bhs loso, solid, good leg position – switch to switch 1/2 to beat, strong positions, small hesitation before switch 1/2 – holds kind of jarred stick on 1.5

McDonough – UB – Washington – very high jaeger to overshoot – giant full to double tuck, a little forward with a hop

Homecillo – FX – Nebraska – double pike, bounce back – back 1.5 to front lay, solid – switch 1/2 to popa, nice splits and completion – double tuck, very strong, control and chest up

Now we wait to see if the scores catch up with us. Rutgers still over 196 pace but gave away ground on vault. Will need more 9.8s than 9.7s on bars and beam now.

After 2
Rutgers 98.025
Washington 97.600
Nebraska 97.500
Illinois 97.175

No 49 rotations there.

Washington will have to continue to pick up the pace, but going to beam now, which should be their best score. Illinois won’t get up to that season high.

Rotation 3

Peterson – VT – Nebraska – yfull, little hop back, not the biggest but solid. 9.725

Uhlenberg – UB – Rutgers – blind to jaeger, hit, a little low – bail, leg sep, hits it, some angle – good hs on high – DLO, legs apart and little pike, near stick, slide back. 9.775

Lin – BB – Washington – full turn is smoothly done – bhs loso hit – beat – switch, a little pause into switch 1/2, short of split but secure – 1.5, hop forward

Joelson – FX – Illinois – front tuck through to double tuck, solid control – double pike is lower but pulls it out, chest down

Jencks – VT – Nebraska – did not get her block, very weird, landed fingers and feet at same time and looked like she hurt her hand/wrist on landing – forgot to salute and does not want to talk about it

Earley – UB – Rutgers – nice height on gienger – giant full, good finish into double tuck, very close to bar but lands it doesn’t hold finish position with step salute

Navarro – BB – Washington – bhs bhs loso, check. 1.5 dmt a little under with step back

Brown – FX – Illinois – whip through to double tuck, huge stumble back, multiple lunges OOB –

Baechle – VT – Nebraska – y1.5 tucked is hit but a large lunge forward and to the side

Rains – UB – Rutgers – super high jaeger but so close she can’t connect out of it – adds an empty swing and then is very close on overshoot

This meet has gone to Mess Town.

Oppegard – BB – Washington – bhs loso, hit, chest well down on landing but secure – switch to switch 1/2 to beat, tight split but secure – full turn – side aerial, chest down again but secure – gainer full, stuck, some legs

Banks – FX – Illinois – front 2/1, slightly under-rotated but controls the step out, not too much of a crossover – tour jete 1/2 to wolf full wolf full, quite a bit under split on those – 1.5 to layout, has to straddle the layout

Pech – VT – Nebraska – y1.5, short with a step back. 9.750

Adrian – UB – Rutgers – tkatchev to pak, hit, good rhythm in combo – hits hs on high well – giant full to double tuck, stuck, chest up well. Nice.

Hallinan – BB – Washington – kickover to back tuck, a little slow but will get it, solid landings – switch to split – aerial is smooth – 1.5 dmt, deep with a hop forward

Gow – FX – Illinois – rudi to loso right into the corner but stays in bounds – tour jete 1/2 to split full tuck full, around –

Dildy – UB – Rutgers – maloney to pak, hit with leg sep – FTDT, good height, chest forward with a hop

Sikon – VT – Nebraska – yfull, bigger bounce back

King – FX – Illinois – double tuck, good height and shows control, solid leg position – switch side 1/2 to straddle, around well – back 1.5 to front full, solid hit, little bit of knees

Moody – BB – Washington – bhs loso and falls, so they’ll be counting a couple 9.7s at least

Schenkel – UB – Rutgers – blind to piked jaeger to overshoot, good amplitude – smooth hs on high – toe pike 1/2 awkward landing, jarred with a leg up wobble step

Cho – FX – Illinois – FTDT, great completion and form, small slide back – switch 1/2 to wolf full, around well – front tuck through to double tuck, larger bounce back

Shaver – VT – Nebraska – y1.5 hit, large lunge forward

Tubbs – BB – Washington – aerial, arm wave-connection broken-before bhs loso, but hits the bhs loso part well – beat to split jump 3/4, nice position – full turn, nice – hitch kick – gainer pike, nice stick

After 3
Rutgers 147.000
Washington 146.300
Illinois 146.250
Nebraska 146.150

Rutgers retains the lead on 147.000. That clinch score is long gone, but they can still get a solid total to stay in position heading to tomorrow. But beam has to cooperate. Washington in similar shape. They’re not going to clinch today but can still get a useful number.

Rotation 4

Burns – UB – Nebraska – piked jaeger – bail, nice vertical, legs together – hits hs on high – DLO, lower, some pike, step back

Coppola – VT – Illinois – yfull, bigger bounce back, pike

Hallinan – FX – Washington – front lay front full front pike, hit, a little low but fine – double tuck, chest down pretty far with step forward – switch to switch ring 1/2, not the ring-est

Adrian – BB – Rutgers – bhs loso, secure – switch to switch 1/2, low on switch 1/2 position – beat – 2/1, holds onto stick with a little chest lean. 9.825

Sikon – UB – Nebraska – blind to jaeger to overshoot, small leg break – giant full, past into double tuck, good stick

Kauffman – VT – Illinois – yfull, solid position in the air, hop back

Schaffer – FX – Washington – front 2/1, some knees, crossover step but under control – switch 1/2 to wolf full, around, under on wolf position – 2.5, good height, hit – 1.5 to layout, clean

Rains – BB – Rutgers – bhs loso, hits it and then a little shaky on landing – aerial, some knee, another little waver after landing – split jump to split ring jump, wobble, nice foot positions – full turn, holds it – gainer full, stuck

Shaver – UB – Nebraska – toe on to maloney to pak, a little close on pak btu muscles out of it – some loose back on handstand, keeps going – DLO, some pike, little bounce up in place

King – VT – Illinois – y1.5, good pop, large bounce forward, leg sep on block

Larsen – BB – Rutgers – full turn, hesitant – bhs loso, hit with some knees – switch to switch 1/2, pretty far under split with a step back, 1.5 dmt, deep, lunge forward

Lin – FX – Washington – front 2/1, a little deep with an under rotation step – 1.5 to lay is hit – rudi

Byrne – VT – Illinois – yfull, good power, bounce back

Kraus – UB – Nebraska – good hs – Ray to overshoot, hits it, good speed and leg position – FTDT, a little forward with a hop

Smith – BB – Rutgers – bhs bhs loso, can’t save it, lots of arm swings but comes off, will now count Larsen’s 9.600 – short of split on switch switch combo – 1.5 dmt, low, lunge back

McWilliams – FX – Washington – rudi to loso, under control, just a little leg crossing – switch side 1/2ish into straddle jump – double pike, bounce back

Goldstein – VT – Illinois – yfull, small bounce back

Peterson – UB – Nebraska – maloney to bail, adjusts grip in the middle but gets the combination – hits hs on high – FTDT, nice stick

Riley – BB – Rutgers – bhs loso, wobble, keeps it on, leg up some – split jump to split 3/4 is hit – side aerial another bigger wobble, back and forth but stays on it – 1.5 dmt, stuck. A shaky routine but stays on to maybe save the season. 9.625

Bolden – FX – Washington – FTDT, bounce back, stays in bounds – switch 1/2 to wolf full – back 1.5 to front full, a little under with a slide back

Clancy – VT – Illinois – y1.5 with a great stick, just some soft knees throughout and direction

Griffin – UB – Nebraksa – maloney with some pike, connects to pak – good height – van leeuwen – leg separations but solid – stalder tuck 1/2, holds the landing, just deep

Dildy – BB – Rutgers – kickover pike to bhs, solidly done – cat leap to switch side, a little crooked but good height and secure – high straddle 1/4, little check lean on landing – gainer full is low but stuck.

That hit will break hearts for teams ranked 38+.

Navarro finishes floor for Washington with a hit, so we’ll wait for scores.

9.850 for Dildy gives Rutgers 195.700. They move to 195.3975 NQS.

Illinois goes 195.125 and moves to 195.19 NQS and is eliminated.

Washington finishes 195.475, and goes to an NQS of 195.42045. While Washington didn’t get their pre-meet goal score, Rutgers didn’t either, so Washington did enough to stay ahead of Rutgers and be in.

THE THINGS:
Penn, Boise State, Ball State, Illinois, and Towson are out.
Arizona, Air Force, Central Michigan, and Washington are safe.

It all comes down to Rutgers or Pitt. Rutgers did enough to move ahead of Pitt for now, but Pitt can still get a regionals spot with a result tomorrow. 195.650 is the goal score for Pitt, which would move them ahead of Rutgers.

FINAL
Rutgers 195.700
Washington 195.475
Illinois 195.125
Nebraska 195.075