Wednesday, April 1
3:00pm ET 12:00pm PT	LSU Play-in Air Force Nebraska	SCORES	ESPN+
5:00pm ET 2:00pm PT	ASU Play-in Arizona St Arizona	SCORES	ESPN+

First order of business: the LSU regional play-in, pitting Air Force against Nebraska.

For Air Force, 2026 is already the team’s best season ever regardless of the result today. They finished the regular season ranked 30th, a program best, and broke all kinds of scoring records, including team and all-around. Now, it’s sort of the victory lap. On the other hand for Nebraska, a team that consistently finished in the top-10 nationally through 2018, just getting into the regional play-in is not a banner accomplishment, and today presents more an opportunity to salvage some kind of result for the season.

Nebraska is also without Whitney Jencks, their top AAer, after her injury at Big Tens.

Rotation 1

Willis – VT – Air Force – yfull, bounce back, a more significant pike down. 9.650

Burns – UB – Nebraska – blind to piked jaeger, taken too far and falls – resumes with an arch handstand, redoes the piked jaeger and hits – bail is solid – short hs on high – DLO, step back

Walker – VT – Air Force – Tsuk 1/1, step to the side, some pike down. 9.725

Conference about the Burns routine. Mary Joe Roehrig is here to explain what a conference is, and be like, yeah I don’t know what their deal is.

Griffin – UB – Nebraska – short hs on low – maloney, not quite the backswing but gets it into pak- van leeuwen, hit with legs aprt – stalder tuck 1/2, big bounce back. Through it? Will get knocked for leg separations and short handstands as well. 9.575

Greene – VT – Air Force – yfull, little step back and then another step – off direction – bigger dynamics and less pike than the first yfull in the lineup. 9.625

Sikon – UB – Nebraska – blind to jaeger to overshoot, solid, good feet on overshoot – a little short on some casts – giant full, a bit past, into double tuck. Stuck. Nice one. 9.800

Raife – VT – Air Force – yfull, bounce back, solid distance and direction, little pike. 9.750

Shaver – UB – Nebraska – toe on to maloney, leg separation, into pak, clean – 1/2 turn on low is well done, good finish position – hits hs on high – DLO, shuffle back both feet. 9.800

Slife – VT – Air Force – very strong Y1.5, stuck landing, good direction, just slightly soft position at the end, little bit of shoulder angle on block. 9.900

Kraus – UB – Nebraska – Ray to overshoot, good amplitude, some leg sep – short handstands – FTDT, hop back. Another fine/solid one. 9.800

Bigler – VT – Air Force – Yfull is somewhat short, hop to the side and piking. 9.750

Peterson – UB – Nebraska – good hs on low – toe on to maloney, some hitch in backswing, connects to bail with an arch, pulls it back – shorter hs on high – FTDT, chest deep and a step forward

After 1
Air Force 48.775
Nebraska 48.675

Nebraska gets through the rough opening to the rotation in sight of Air Force, but bars is typically Nebraska’s strong event when Jencks is there, so they would have liked a lead after one.

Rotation 2

Griffin – VT – Nebraska – gets Yfull to a stick, pretty short vault with piking and chest down, but held the landing. 9.700

Boyer – UB – Air Force – toe on to maloney, small leg break in bail, good toe point – short hs on high – stalder to double tuck, chest down, hop forward. 9.700

Peterson – VT – Nebraska – yfull, also strong coming up with the stick – a bit more distance than Griffin, also piking down. 9.800

Hartley – UB – Air Force – small arch in his on high – blind to piked jaeger, very low and can’t catch – resumes with bail, good toe point – short hs on high – giant full, well past, into double tuck, hop forward

Baechle – VT – Nebraska – also finds the stick on her y1.5 tucked, lean forward to hold control, leg separation on block. 9.875.

Kristianson – UB – Air Force – form on glide kip and a short first hs – piked jaeger, takes it too far and falls, Air Force counting a bars fall now – resumes with bail – balance check stepping up to high – DLO, bounce back and step salute. 8.825

Eesh. An 8.8 counting now.

Pech – VT – Nebraska – y1.5, hits it, a little under rotated with a sideward step back – good distance – kind of crunched on the table. 9.725

Bigler – UB – Air Force – giant full, solid finish into gienger to overshoot, little pike – DLO 1/1, really nice open, leg sep but sticks it. Good. 9.825

Sikon – VT – Nebraska – yfull, also finds the stick well – similar to others with some elbows on block, not a lot of dynamics, and some pike, but finding the landings. 9.775

Greene – UB – Air Force – short hs – blind to jaeger, just gets it – bail, legs together, a little pike – short hs on high – giant full, past, into double tuck, chest forward, step. 9.725

Feel like Greene and Bigler scores are too close there.

Shaver – VT – Nebraska – Y1.5, solid vault, little hop forward and some knee, good distance. 9.850

Slife – UB – Air Force – good first hs – maloney to pak, legs together well – van leeuwen, very small leg sep at beginning – short hs – toe on to FTDT, good toe point, stuck. 9.900

After 2
Nebraska 97.700
Air Force 96.775

Air Force now down by about a point after having to count that 8.8 on bars, while Nebraska landed pretty much to the best of their abilities on vault for 49.025.

Rotation 3

McDermott – BB – Air Force – bhs bhs loso, very secure, chest a bit down, some foot position – switch to straddle 1/4, also secure, a little tight on position – full turn, slightly off – 1.5 dmt, leg sep, good stick. 9.800

Gard – FX – Nebraska – double tuck, good control, chest down – switch ring to tour jete 1/2, just around, lands a little under – front lay to front full, doesn’t rise but controls a dance out – double pike, deep and falls. 8.875

We also have a score entry error here because it says one judge went 9.700, which even in NCAA, there’s no way.

Hartley – BB – Air Force – cat leap to side aerial, good control – full turn, smooth rhythm – handstand to bhs loso, hits it, soft knees and feet, secure – split to stag ring, little pause before beat, under on positions – gainer full, stuck, chest down lean. 9.725

Baechle – FX – Nebraska – front 2/1, just gets it landed, a little under twisted with hop to the side – switch to switch side 1/2 – full turn – back 1.5 to front full, solid completion. 9.750

Bacott – BB – Air Force – full turn – standing back pike, gets it, chest low but secure landing – side aerial, jussst keeps moving into side aerial, leg swing angle in a fine range to get the combo – switch to split, good height – beat to stag ring, also good attack on amplitude, check after – gainer full, low but stuck, chest down. 9.825

Sikon – FX – Nebraska – back 1.5 to front full, to her feet but under rotated with a kind of staggery shuffle – double tuck, more control there – switch to switch 1/2ish to sissone, attempting switch full but a little under. 9.750

Bigler – BB – Air Force – bhs loso, oof looked like she had it but started leaning and ends up falling – full turn, hit – cat leap to side aerial, no trouble – split to split jump 3/4, really like her amplitude and split there – 1.5 dmt, short with slide back. 9.300

Kraus – FX – Nebraska – no music, steps off – double tuck, chest up well, quick hop to present – tour jete 1/2 to popa, gets around – back 1.5 to front lay, lower amplitude on layout – double pike, lower amplitude but gets it to her feet solidly, chest down. 9.825

Slife – BB – Air Force – bhs loso, holds it – full turn, comfortable – high front tuck, solid landing – switch to straddle 1/4, good back leg position – 1.5 dmt, step forward. Solid. 9.850

Shaver – FX – Nebraska – front tuck through to double tuck, comfortable control on step back – switch to switch side1/2 to straddle – double pike, chest down, gets the landing with a little adjustment. 9.850

Greene – BB – Air Force – full turn – bhs loso, big save, landed short but kept it on the beam with an arm wave – switch to switch – cat leap to gainer loso, arm circle beat jump – 1.5 dmt very short, keeps to her feet again but a big lunge back. Oof 9.500 that has to count.

Homecillo – FX – Nebraska – double pike, solid, chest just slightly down but fine – 1.5 to layout, good straight layout position – switch 1/2 to popa – double tuck, controls the rebound, keeps front foot – cat leap 1.5 – 9.850

After 3
Nebraska 146.725
Air Force 145.475

Air Force drops three more tenths on Nebraska there and will need Nebraska to fully go to pieces on beam in the final rotation to make a meet of this one.

Rotation 4

Gard – BB – Nebraska – bhs loso, secure landing – full turn, tiniest arm correction – beat pause to side aerial, swings leg through as a control wobble – switch to switch to split jump is well done – gainer pike, stuck with some direction. 9.725

Scoring expert being on to say there was a broken connection and then is like, eh they probably won’t see it.

Bacott – FX – Air Force – double tuck, chest well down but controls it – switch side 1/2 to straddle – punch rudi, short and jarred back with a bounce – back 1.5 to layout, bounce out, some knees. 9.600

Homecillo – BB – Nebraska – bhs bhs loso, right to the end, check but pulls it back – full turn – beat to straddle 3/4, nice straddle position – 1.5 dmt is high, hop forward. 9.775

McDermott – FX – Air Force – front lay to rudi, good rise in second element – switch to tour jete 1/1, about a quarter under – whip to 1.5, takes it horizontally but gets to her feet – front lay to front full is short, slide back. 9.675 with a 9.750/9.500 split.

Sikon – BB – Nebraska – candle mount, hit – bhs loso, secure landing, leg position – cat leap to switch 1/2, pretty solid split position attack, wobble on landing – full turn – tucked 1.5 dmt, stuck. 9.800

Willis – FX – Air Force – front lay to rudi is a struggle, chest down, leg separation – switch 1/2 to popa, solid – double pike, chest down little movement – split jump full to split jump full – 9.750

Kraus – BB – Nebraska – straddle, good height – full turn – bhs loso, very small lean on landing but strong leg and foot position throughout – hitch kick to switch 1/2, arm wave to break connection into beat jump, really good foot position again – side aerial, wobble – gainer full stuck dmt. 9.800

Greene – FX – Air Force – front 2/1, controls the step out, little bit of soft knee position – rudi, also controls the step, chest up – struggles on split jump full to wolf full, under on split and has to pull around – sissone to switch is comfortable – back 1.5 to lay. 9.850

Conference on the Kraus broken connection. The best thing we learn from having a scoring analyst is that you’re right, no one is on the same page.

Burns – BB – Nebraska – bhs loso loso secure landing, chest down , but nice one – full turn – beat to straddle 1/2, under split and finishes the last bit of turn on the beam – 1.5 dmt, step forward. That will clinch the win for Nebraska. 9.750

Slife – FX – Air Force – FTDT, controls the step back – switch side to straddle jump lacks precision in landing position – back 1.5 to front full, pretty solid, controls a little lowish crossover step. 9.900

Griffin – BB – Nebraska – kickover pike to bhs, through the connection – switch, little waver into split jump, under – full turn, smooth – beat jump – 1.5 dmt, step back – will discuss whether she had a dance combo

Bigler – FX – Air Force – punch front 2/1, gets it around, just some knees, solid control step – tour jete 1/2 to split full – 2.5, nice position in the air, larger lunge forward – loved how we cut away before her last pass and just showed that guy. 9.825

FINAL
Nebraska 195.600
Air Force 194.475

Nebraska through that without counting a miss, which means the result was decided when Air Force counted that 8.8 on bars. No coming back from that against a hit. Nebraska advances to tomorrow.

Now on to Battle Arizona.

I feel like Sydney Snead is an exact voice-alike for someone else in gymnastics, but I can’t place it.

Rotation 1

Kelly – VT – ASU – yfull, pretty solid pop but has chest forward and ends up with an extra shuffle forward after the initial step

And we’re seeing a 9.450 and 9.750 for our first vault. Great.

9.625

Puleo – UB – Arizona – short first hs – blind to piked jaeger, good height – bail, solid foot point – short on all cast hs – giant full, a little past, into double tuck, hop back. 9.675.

And a 9.800/9.550 range on this routine.

Bromley – VT – ASU – yfull, nice height and late twist, lunge back, good direction. 9.750

Smith – UB – Arizona – toe 1/2 to piked jaeger, hit – small arch on hs, brings it back – bail, little form – hits hs, little arch against – DLO, bounce back, some pike. 9.700

Braaflat – VT – ASU – yfull, good distance, bounce back, somewhat off direction. 9.800

Mead – UB – Arizona – blind to piked jaeger, legs together well – hits hs on high – pak, good form – 1/2 turn on low is past – short hs on high – FTDT, nice position, stuck. Good one. 9.775

Gregoire – VT – ASU – hits Y1.5, good form in the air, large bound forward. 9.850

Martin – UB – Arizona – short hs on high – toe on to maloney, legs tgoether into pak, clean – 1/2 turn on low, past – shorter hs on high – DLO, nice position, tries to hold the stick but leans forward. 9.775

El Mammann – VT – ASU – yfull, solid amplitude, bounce back. 9.800

Derr – UB – Arizona – blind to jaeger, solid – hits hs on high – toe on to pak, small leg separation – better 1/2 turn finish position on low – a bit short on hs on high – FTDT, stuck, slight leg stagger, good. 9.875

Purler – VT – ASU – Omelianchik is strong, stuck landing, slight leg sep, slight tuck. Alex knowing what an Omelianchik is. We’re so proud. 9.850

Krohnfeldt – UB – Arizona – toe on to maloney to bail, solid bail position, small leg break in maloney – hits hs on high – DLO, .05 slide back . 9.875

After 1
Arizona State 49.050
Arizona 49.000

Solid first rotation for both. Arizona probably wanted more out of bars, but it was also a little tighter than vault.

Rotation 2

LaRusso – VT – Arizona – yfull, bounce back, some pike. 9.800

Grolla – UB – ASU – toe on to maloney, little leg sep there and on pak, good foot positions – 1/2 turn on low is hit – toe full, past, into double tuck, lower, hop forward. 9.750

Carman – VT – Arizona – yfull is hit, a little short with a hop forward. 9.750

We’re trying to look at a potential hit on the low bar on Grolla’s routine but she didn’t?

Kelly – UB – ASU – blind to jaeger to overshoot, very close catches on both but works through it – giant full, past into double tuck, hop back. 9.600

Martin – VT – Arizona – yfull, only small movement back, little bounce, again some piking through it. 9.800

Ossi – UB – ASU – hits first hs – toe on to maloney, to pak, some form breaks on all – 1/2 turn on low is past – tighter hs on high – DLO, good stick, small leg break. 9.650

Derr – VT – Arizona – yfull, another hit with a bounce back and some piking, solid. 9.775

Kowan – UB – ASU – good first hs – toe on to maloney to bail, legs apart, short of vertical on bail, nice foot positions – – giant full is past, into double tuck, big stumble back with a couple steps. 9.450

Greever – VT – Arizona – yfull, solid pop, bounce back and then an extra step after that. 9.775.

Bromley – UB – ASU – toe on to maloney connects to pak, legs seps – nice hs on high – toe on to toe pike 1/2, good amplitude, bounce back. 9.800

Janicke – VT – Arizona – yfull, best amplitude of the bunch, one tenth step back. 9.800

Gregoire – UB – ASU – giant 1/2 to gienger, hit, legs together – short hip angle in a couple handstands – bail, a little angle – DLO, good form, bounce back. 9.750

After 2
Arizona 97.950
Arizona State 97.600

Arizona hits their Yfulls under control to take the lead as Arizona State suffers a raggedy bars rotation for 48.550.

Rotation 3

Grolla – BB – ASU – hs to bhs loso, check, good leg positions in elements – wolf double, hit – switch to split leap, low leg on split – cat leap toi side aerial, holds onto it, slight correction – gainer full, stuck. 9.800

LaRusso – FX – Arizona – front 2/1, controls the step, some knee position – cat leap to switch side 1/2 to popa to popa, a little under on some straddles, landing precision deduction – back 1.5 to front lay quick dance out. 9.750

Bromley – BB – ASU – full turn, check – beat to sheep jump, hits with slide back, a little shy of sheep position – bhs bhs loso, hit securely – aerial, huge break, grabs the beam to secure – sissone, good back leg – bhs 1.5, holds the stick. 9.500

Carman – FX – Arizona – double pike, bounce back, chest up solidly – switch 1/2ish to kind of an awkward stag jump, some lack of control – back 1.5 to layout, hit, not a lot of rise, but comfortable landing – switch 1/2 to wolf full wolf full, pulls it around, lower positions as it went – 9.750

Kowan – BB – ASU – press hs mount – aerial to bhs, knee in aerial, good leg position in bhs – full turn – kickover to beat, solid combination – switch to switch to split jump, good foot position – gainer full, high but bounce back. 9.750

Derr – FX – Arizona – front 2/1, lunge forward a bit out of control – switch 1/2 to popa to popa, good clear straddle positions – front lay to front full, bounces a little out of control and some knee position – attitude turn. 9.775

El Mammann – BB – ASU – full turn, check – side aerial to loso is hit, small adjustment – beat – split jump to straddle 1/4, a bit under splits – 1.5, hodls stick, some knees. 9.825

Martin – FX – Arizona – double pike, hit, little landing adjustment – switch ring to tour jete 1/2 – front lay to front full, also under control – double tuck, chest forward, minimizes the landing error but a bounce. 9.825

Lichtman – BB – ASU – bhs loso, keeps it on but leans initially and then a step back – full turn – switch to straddle 1/4, great rise – aerial to beat, connects it – 1.5 dmt, legs apart, shuffle forward. 9.725

Strom – FX – Arizona – back in the lineup today – punch rudi to a high loso, good loso, little knees in the rudi but nice- cat leap – switch to switch ring 1/2 – back 1.5 to front full, under control, 9.850

Lee – BB – ASU – sissone, a little short on back leg – hits full turn – bhs bhs loso, small lean correction to hold it, nice leg form throughout – beat to sheep jump, another small lean check – 1.5 dmt, step forward. 9.825

Mead – FX – Arizona – front 2/1, lunge forward OOB – switch 1/2 – tour jete 1/2 to split leap full, good leg positions,a little low – rudi to loso, pulls it out, also a little lower on amplitude but saves it. 9.625

After 3
Arizona 146.900
Arizona State 146.525

Critical hit for Arizona State on beam to keep themselves very much within striking distance with a solid floor rotation.

Rotation 4

Lenczner – BB – Arizona – wolf single, a little awkward control moment – bhs loso, hit securely – split to stag ring, good height, back leg on split a little short – side aerial, lower but secure – 1.5 dmt, hold stick. 9.800

Lee – FX – ASU – front 2/1, a little under rotated with a rebound – switch rign to switch 1/2, good ring position attention, lower in switch 1/2 – back 1.5 to front lay, solid – rudi. 9.800

Krohnfeldt – BB – Arizona – bhs loso, solid control, good leg position – split jump to stag ring, under split on the split jump, good ring, similar to Lenczner – kickover, very off line and falls – full turn, check – 1.5 dmt, hop. 9.225

Purler – FX – ASU – rudi rebounds into double stag, traveling backward – double pike, chest forward with a rebound – switch ring to wolf hop full, pulls it around – front lay to front full, not the highest but controlled. 9.800

Janicke – BB – Arizona – bhs loso, larger lean to the side, keeps it on the beam – full turn – kickover, another lean correction – split jump to straddle 1/2 and falls, counting a fall on beam now – switch to gainer full. 8.925

Braaflat – FX – ASU – front tuck through to double tuck, super deep and now she falls – REGIONALS – front lay to front full – 8.975

Derr – BB – Arizona – bhs loso, good height and extension, lean correction – switch to straddle 1/4, good straddle – front tuck, very deep, saves it but a large lean and step forward – full turn, wobble – gainer pike, hop. 9.550

Bromley – FX – ASU – double pike, bounce back – front full to front lay – switch 1/2 to wolf full combination is very nice, precise and well split – double tuck, controls the step back. 9.825

Wise – BB – Arizona – bhs bhs loso, holds onto it, little lean correction – beat to straddle 1/2, under with another large correction, lean to the side wobble – switch to switch – full turn, check – 1.5 dmt is solid. 9.550

Gregoire – FX – ASU – wolf hop full – front tuck through to double tuck, bounce back, just keeps it in bounds – switch side 1/2 to wolf full, good height, not the splitties t wolf – rudi to a smooth loso. 9.850

Martin – BB – Arizona – switch to stag ring, under control – bhs loso, hit – aerial, solid as well – some minor knee things but very secure routine – full turn, little arm adjustment – bhs gainer full, small slide. 9.875

Kelly – FX – ASU – front 2/1 to front tuck, shuffle forward OOB, but she just has to hit – straddle jump, bounce – back 2.5, another stumble and a lunge forward – tour jete 1/2 to popa. Well, it won’t be a big score, but she only needed a 9.1. 9.625

FINAL
Arizona State 195.425
Arizona 194.900

Arizona clattered to the ground on that final beam rotation to drop out of contention, and will be extra frustrated because they still could have won after the counting fall, but the two following 9.550s could not be survived.

Until tomorrow!