Friday, April 3
1:00pm ET 10:00am PT	UK SF #1 [8] Missouri [9] Arkansas NC State Maryland	SCORES	ESPN+
4:00pm ET 1:00pm PT	OSU SF #1 [5] Alabama [12] Utah Denver Oregon St	SCORES	ESPN+
7:00pm ET 4:00pm PT	UK SF #2 [1] Oklahoma [16] Kentucky Ohio St Rutgers	SCORES	ESPN+
10:00pm ET 7:00pm PT	OSU SF #2 [4] UCLA [13] Minnesota Iowa Washington	SCORES	ESPN+

I regret to report that all of the seeded teams advanced from yesterday’s semifinals. I shall find it very difficult to accept if today’s teams replicate such abject disappointment.

Pre-meet lineups
The most interesting development to me is Lauren Williams not listed on floor for Arkansas (she’s still listed to vault). Morgan Price is in there instead, doing AA. Leah Smith also returns to vault, and Avalon Campbell returns to bars.

A couple changes back to typical lineups for Missouri compared to SECs. Jackson is back in on vault, and Tanskanen is back in on beam instead of Westerlind. For Maryland, Kogler is back on beam and floor after only vaulting at Big Tens. NC State is running out the same gymnasts as ACCs.

Very funny to me to have Morgan Price as the SEC Newcomer of the Year. Yes, that newcomer. We’ve just…never seen her before!

Kentucky Semifinal 1 – Rotation 1

Wright – VT – NC State – yfull, medium bounce back, piking, good height. 9.800

Green – UB – Missouri – good first hs – toe on to maloney, small leg break, into pak, solid – 1/2 turn on low – hits hs on high – DLO, little leg separation, one tenth step back. 9.775

Bingham – BB – Maryland – full turn – bhs loso, small waver – cat leap to side aerial is smooth – beat to split jump 3/4, holds again with small hesitation – sticks 1.5. 9.825

Klein – FX – Arkansas – front tuck to double tuck, little rebound back – switch side 1/2 to straddle – front lay to front full, under control. 9.850

Fisk – VT – NC State – yfull, larger bounce back. 9.650

Macpherson – UB – Missouri – tighter first hs – hits tkatchev – to on to bail, legs together – FTDT, a bit low, small slide back. 9.775

Reade – BB – Maryland – bhs loso, hit, soft knee form – cat to switch 1/2, hit securely – full turn with wobble – switch to pike jump, lean – 1.5, larger bounce out. 9.700

Cucci – FX – Arkansas – DLO, good control, little pike down – swtich side to popa, finish positions looked solid – front tuck through to double tuck, chest way down, secure landing. 9.825

Rardin – VT – NC State – handspring pike 1/2, high, a little out of control with a bounce and then another step. 9.700

Engelmayer – BB – Maryland – beat to split ring jump, lower with a check – bhs loso, good feet, secure landing – full turn, little hesitation – side aerial 2 feet – side aerial 1.5, step forward. 9.750

Kelly – UB – Missouri – church to overshoot is solid – stalder to double tuck, bounce back – 9.800

Smith – FX – Arkansas – front loso to double tuck, slide back, to the edge but in – switch side 1/2 to straddle – double pike, little bit of shuffling that front foot around again but lands up, good chest position. 9.850

Hall – VT – NC State – yfull, more piking but secures the landing – 9.775

DeFrees – BB – Maryland – bhs loso, off line and falls

Terry – UB – Missouri – hits first hs – toe on to gienger to overshoot, good hit – shorter hs on high – FTDT, good stick. 9.900.

M Price – FX – Arkansas – double pike, good control – back 2.5, slide forward out of it – switch 1/2 to wolf full wolf full lands slightly under the full twist, good positions – front lay to front full, under control. 9.900

Myers – VT – NC State – yfull, pretty solid height, some pike, slide back. 9.800

Horton – UB – Missouri – good first hs – shaposh to pak, legs together – past 1/2 turn on low, small hesitation stepping up to high – good hs on high – DLO, pretty, stuck. 9.925

Kogler – BB – Maryland – bhs bhs loso, solid – switch to split, hit, low back leg on split – full turn, little hesitant – gainer full, little rebound. 9.775

F Price – FX – Arkansas – DLO, bounce back – switch side, over turns into popas, excellent height and position, can deduct for landing precision – front full to front lay, little steppy. 9.875

Thomas – VT – NC State – yfull, good distance, bounce up. 9.875

Komoroski – BB – Maryland – one arm bhs to loso, good leg position, small waver – aerial, check – switch to split, good back foot – full turn – 1.5 dmt, little hop. 9.875

Echols – UB – Missouri – bail with a small arch, pulls it back – hits khorkina – DLO, hop back. 9.800

Roberson – FX – Arkansas – DLO, shows control – switch side, over turns into popa – front loso to double tuck, chest down, hop forward. 9.925. Very funny to me that she landed short on her last pass and got basically the same score she always does.

Middleon – UB – ball St – maloney to bail, leg sep in maloney – giant full to double tuck, little hop.

Good 1.5 dmt stick from Szymanski on beam.

Dewar – FX – Brown – back 1.5 to front full, hop to the side, some knee position – tour jete 1/2 to popa – double tuck, a little deep, controls the landing – gogean, pulls around, a little under

After 1
Arkansas 49.400
Missouri 49.200
NC State 48.950
Maryland 48.925

The favorites separating themselves early. Missouri started slowly, but bars was very stick-based, so when Missouri started sticking, the scores came.

My current thesis is that you can learn everything possible about a team by watching how they put the team sticker on the draw when they advance. Are they putting it parallel with the line? Is half the team stressed out if there’s a crease in it? Are they screaming so hard it’s diagonal?

Kentucky Semifinal 1 – Rotation 2

Wieber maintaining her UCLA heritage by always changing the vault lineup at the last second. Looks like they just switched the order, not the athletes?

Myers – UB – NC Stat e- maloney to bail, little ankle cross in bail – full, past, into double tuck, good landing. 9.750

DeFrees – FX – Maryland – double tuck, bounce back – front lay front full with a slide forward – good clear switch side 1/2 and straddle landing positions. 9.800

Smith – VT – Arkansas – high yfull, good stick, just a little pike. 9.900

Jackson – BB – Missouri – aerial, leans through connection to bhs, keeps moving – switch to switch 1/2, little pause before beat – full turn – holds gainer pike dmt with small lean. 9.850

Fisk – UB – NC State – toe on to maloney, lower maloney amplitude with a leg break but connects to a clean pak – past on 1/2 turn on low – good finish position on full turn, into double tuck, stuck.9.800

Roberson – VT – Arkansas – ro 1/2 on front lay full – pretty large bound forward. 9.700

Kogler – FX – Maryland – double tuck, chest down, step forward – tour jete 1/2 to wolf 1.5, a little bouncy but around – back 1.5 to lay, takes it too far/flat and steps OOB. 9.675

Wier – BB – Missouri – aerial, also lean checks through connection into bhs bhs – full turn – split, a little slow into straddle 1/2 with a check – solid gainer full stick. 9.725

Reid – UB – NC State – toe on to maloney to pak – FTDT, nearly solid the stick ends up with a foot shift. 9.800

Klein – VT – Arkansas – y1.5 a little under with a step back. 9.800

Engelmayer – FX – Maryland – front 2/1, big crossover lunge, just stays in bounds – tour jete 1/2 to split full split full – back 1.5 to lay, whips it around, little slide

Tanskanen – BB – Missouri – bhs loso, wobble lean to the side – beat to straddle 1/2, secure – aerial, waver before beat jump – 1.5 dmt, holds stick with lean forward. 9.775

Volk – UB – NC State – toe on to Ray, falls

Williams – VT – Arkansas – y1.5, medium hop forward. 9.775

Komoroski – FX – NC State – rudi, good control, a little forward – switch ring, footwork got off so kind of struggled to get up to next ring position – 1.5 to 1/2 to split jump, some travel back

Kelly – BB – Missouri – aerial, smoother into bhs – hits wolf double – 1.5 stuck. 9.850

M Price – VT – Arkansas – Y1.5, great height, holds onto the stick, was a little back on her heels but keeps the landing with a waver. One judge went 10 despite a full balance check

Macpherson – BB – Missouri – switch to split jump, good – bhs bhs loso, holds it, little hesitation, mostly solid – wobble on gainer loso – 1.5 dmt, under and arm circle step back. 9.750

Hadrick – UB – NC St – blind to jaeger, a little crooked but caught, connects to overshoot – FTDT, good stick

Rech – FX – Maryland – double tuck, bounce back, good height – back 1.5 to layout, solid

Cucci – VT – Arkansas – y1.5 was odd but also stuck? – block was strange and legs fully crossed and didn’t get a ton of distance but then held onto a stick. 9.825

Lawrence – BB – Missouri – full turn – side aerial to loso and falls. Counting three 9.7s in that lineup now.

Harper – UB – NC State – finishes DLO, nice stick

Reade – FX – Maryland – DLO, very deep, chest down, step forward – switch 1/2 to wolf 1.5 – rotates well, lower position on switch – front lay to front full, slide forward. 9.775

Missouri with a very tight beam rotation, lots of kind of hesitant combinations even before the fall.

Bellan – UB – Ball St – stalder shap to bail, hit – DLO, chest down, step

Royer – FX – SCSU – front fully to front lay, good position in full – switch side 1/2 to straddle, a little bouncy – rudi in shorter, hop forward into split

After 2
Arkansas 98.650
Missouri 98.150
Maryland 97.950
NC State 97.875

Maryland and NC State not really challenging Missouri getting sub-49 on beam, but it’s still close. Missouri still in position for a big floor that can end this thing.

Kentucky Semifinal 1 – Rotation 3

Frankie Price is in full “my event is done and now it’s Cheez-Its time” mode and I like that.

Kogler – VT – Maryland – yfull, high, not a ton of distance, but solid landing, small bounce up 9.825

Roberson – UB – Arkansas – clear hip to maloney to pak, a little close – works through 1/2 turn on low with some body position – DLO, holds stick with lean forward

Harper – BB – NC State – bhs loso, under with a wobble, leg up chest forward – solid on split 3/4 – cat leap to switch side, check – full turn – kickover with a lean – front tuck full is deep, lunge back. 9.550

Jackson – FX – Missouri – high double pike, little bounce – switch (ring attempt but not enough head release to be recognizable) to switch 1/2 to wolf full, around well – front tuck to double tuck, bounce back – 9.850

Engelmayer – VT – Maryland – yfull, solid, small slide back and some pike. 9.750

Volk – BB – NC State – full turn, hit – bhs bhs loso, hit – switch to tuck 3/4, low but hits securely – kickover, hit – gainer full, chest down, hop forward

Tisler – FX – Missouri – front lay to rudi, good control – switch full to straddle 1/2, well completed – back 1.5 to layout, good rise in layout. 9.875

Reade out of control on yfull landing with large bounce back. 9.575

Smith – UB – Arkansas – toe on to maloney, leg seps into bail – good hs on high – DLO, small movement back. 9.875

The DJ in Kentucky is like, “you WILL accept my millennial bullshit” and I appreciate that.

Rardin – BB – NC State – kickover, little pause before bhs – full turn wobble – switch to split, low back leg positions – split jump 1/2 – gainer pike stuck. 9.750

Acevedo – FX – Missouri – double pike, good height, controls it – 1.5 to layout – switch 1/2 to wolf full, around – double tuck is short, hop forward. 9.825

Rech – VT – Maryland – yfull, nice stick, piked, not a lot of distance. 9.775

Campbell – UB – Arkansas – tkatchev, good foot positions – toe on to pak, hit – 1/2 turn on low, solid finish position – shorter on some casts – stalder to double tuck, holds stick, chest forward. 9.850

Hall – BB – NC State – bhs loso, good landing and toe position, full turn – cat leap to switch 1/2 is hit well – aerial to beat, comfortable – gainer full, doesn’t hold landing position with step salute. 9.750

Tanskanen – FX – Missouri – FTDT, shows strong control – switch side 1/2 to straddle – back 1.5 to layout, covers with a slide dance out. 9.900

Buckmon – VT – Maryland – yfull, good distance, little pike, small bounce and then another step. 9.800

Cucci – UB – Arkansas – toe on to pak, solid van leeuwen – DLO, leans forward past horizontal to try to hold stick. 9.800

Tackett – BB – NC State – split jump 3/4, solid – aerial, a little low, saves it with a check – bhs loso, wobble, leg up – switch to wolf jump 3/4, under position, secure – 1.5 dmt, hop forward. 9.625

Griffin – FX – Missouri – double pike, big bounce back, stays in bounds – front tuck through to double tuck, good control, chest up – tour jete 1/2 to popa to popa, well completed. 9.900

Mendez-Abolnik – VT – Maryland – hits y1.5, little step back

M Price – UB – Arkansas – good first hs – toe on to maloney, leg sep, into bail, solid position – FTDT, good absorbed stick. 9.925

Thomas – BB – NC State – full turn, hit – aerial to bhs, smoothly connected – cat leap, low, into side aerial – gainer full, holds it. 9.850

Horton – FX – Missouri – DLO, controls the step back, chest just a tad forward – switch wolf full to switch side 1/2, good – front pike through to double tuck, nice chest up position and control – tuck jump full to knee. 9.925

Staruk – VT – Bridgeport – Tsuk full is pretty strong, smaller pike than most doing it, but can’t hold the stick with arm wave and step back.

Behner – UB – Kent St – toe on to maloney to bail, nice maloney, little bit over in bail position -s talder to double tuck, step back

McMahon – BB – Ball St – fun mount sequence and leg style on full turn – switch to switch, check – bhs loso loso, good leg position, little hesitation – gainer full, stuck. 9.875

Middleton – FX – Ball St – front lay to front full to front tuck, controls it in bounds – sissone to tour jete almost full – rudi, out of control into stag with several arm waves to try to control

After 3
Arkansas 148.025
Missouri 147.600
Maryland 146.950
NC State 146.575

Moving a clear direction now. Someone would have to lose their minds.

Kentucky Semifinal 1 – Rotation 4

Tanskanen – VT – Missouri – handspring pike 1/2, chest down, step forward. 9.700

Saville – UB – Malruland – maloney to pak with leg seps – pretty quick on 1/2 turn on low, solid – a little short on hs on high – DLO, good stick. 9.775

Park – BB – Arkansas – candle mount, good position – full turn, check – bhs loso, smooth in the air, little lean after – switch to switch – side aerial 1.5, stuck. 9.850

Fisk – FX – NC State – double pike, controls step – switch 1/2 to wolf 1.5, lands a little under – 1.5 to layout

Jackson – VT – Missouri – Y1.5, solid, medium hop forward, good height, not a ton of distance. 9.850

Bingham – UB – Maryland – clear hip to tkatchev, good height – arches hs on high, pulls it back – bail, a little crooked – hits hs on high – DLO, some piking, hit, hop forward

Klein – BB – Arkansas – bhs loso loso, secure, bent knees – switch to straddle 1/4, held – 1.5 dmt, leg crossing, hop forward. 9.800

Myers – FX – NC State – double tuck, slide back – switch 1/2 to popa – front lay to rudi, good rise –

Griffin – VT – Missouri – yfull, solid, hop back, some pike. 9.800

Ruffing – UB – Maryland – hits hs on high – blind to jaeger to overshoot, solid leg positions – DLO, forward, little shuffle, both feet moving – 9.675

Weaver – BB – Arkansas – bhs loso, small lean – side aerial, smooth – straddle, wobble, no connection – redoes the straddle into the stag ring – 1.5 dmt, under, hop back. 9.650

Adler – FX – NC State – finishes rudi to attempted straddle jump, gets low with an arm wave control

Horton – VT – Missouri – Y1.5, good form, little hop forward. 9.900

Reade – UB – Maryland – hits gienger to overshoot – tighter hs on high – DLO, nearly holds stick, lean back step salute. 9.775

Cucci – BB – Arkansas – bhs loso, lean wobble – aerial, solid – switch to straddle 1/2 – 1.5 dmt, hop forward. 9.750

Rardin – FX – NC State – front lay to rudi to split jump, high, small travel back – switch 1/2 to wolf 1.5, pulls it around, a little off balance – back 1.5 to lay

Echols – VT – Missouri – yfull, good height, little rebound

Dennis – UB – Maryland – blind to piked jaeger to overshoot, legs together – toe pike 1/2, chest down, hop back. 9.725

M Price – BB – Arkansas – full turn – bhs loso, strong control – cat leap to aerial, holds smoothly – switch to split – 2/1 dmt, short, chest forward with a step to the side

Tisler – VT – Missouri – good lift in yfull, bigger bounce back

Komoroski – UB – Maryland – blind to jaeger, good foot position – pak – late 1/2 turn on low – DLO, nice and floaty, pikes down to land and sticks it

Roberson – BB – Arkansas – beat to pike jump – straddle 1/2 to back tuck, solid – full turn – side aerial to loso, holds securely – punch front full dmt, good stick. 9.950

Thomas – FX – NC State – double pike, chest down, step – switch side to popa, around – rudi, chest up, little bounce – back 1.5 to layout, slide

Middleton – VT – Ball St – yfull, good power, pike, hop back