Recent History
2017 – 8th
2016 – 18th
2015 – 34th
2014 – 26th
2013 – 19th
2012 – 18th
2011 – 18th
2010 – 23rd

Expectations for Washington in 2018 will understandably be much higher than they have been in many, many years following the Cinderella journey to nationals in 2017. Still, when evaluating 2018 chances, it’s worth remembering that Washington finished the 2017 regular season in 13th, a more accurate position from which to gauge what would count as improvement/success or not in 2018.

Returning to nationals is doable, but it would still be a very big deal and perhaps would still count an upset.

Vault
Lineup locks
Burleson (9.845), Roy (9.825), Goings (9.820)
Lineup options
Hoffa (9.780), Riley (9.775), Copiak (9.705), Roberson(-), Oh (FR)

Vault proved the weak event for Washington last season and remains the biggest concern heading into 2018. A primary complication is just how many injuries Washington is dealing with right now, forced to put up only four vaulters in this week’s public intrasquad. The injury to freshman Geneva Thompson, a JO standout on vault who was supposed to bolster this lineup, particularly doesn’t help matters.

Once again, Washington will have a 10.0 start from Roy‘s Tsuk 1/2, which received 9.8s in the second spot last season. Other than that, it’s going to be a lineup of fulls, with Burleson and Goings the most likely to break that 9.800 barrier. Critical reinforcements must also come from Hoffa, returning from her ACL injury with a Yfull. Those four will be the core of the lineup. Rounding out the group last season were Riley‘s Y1/2 and Copiak‘s full, both tending to be in the 9.7s. Continue reading 2018 Outlook – Washington Huskies →

Recent History
2017 – 16th
2016 – 7th
2015 – 18th
2014 – 16th
2013 – 28th
2012 – 49th
2011 – 50th
2010 – 55th

We expected big things from Cal in 2017 coming off the excellent finish in 2016, but the early-season injuries to Williams and Keelen set the tone for a year that never looked quite right. More challenges await in 2018 with a roster that has lost more than half its postseason routines from 2017, but a talented freshman class provides cause for sustained and realistic hope of making it back to nationals.

Be sure to check out Casey’s twitter, the only news source I trust in these trying times, for reports on Cal’s recent intrasquad.

Vault
Lineup locks
Williams (9.865 in 2016), Robinson (9.860), George (FR)
Lineup options
Sy Seilnacht (9.820), Keelen, (9.817), Gallarzo (9.770), Mastrangelo (9.750)

Cal has one absolutely guaranteed 10.0-start vault in Robinson, who should be reliable for 9.850s again in 2017, but that’s not where the 10.0 train will end for Cal. Williams always intends to vault a 1.5, the only question being whether she has the control on the landing to make the 10.0-start worth it. She’ll definitely try for it, and Cal needs her to get 9.9s this year. Also expect to see much of the freshman George, who performs a high Yurchenko full that will score competitively with many 10.0 starts out there.

Beyond that, Cal has enough nominees to make a comfortable six by playing a rousing game of “Who can kind of stick a full and not get a dumpy little 9.725?” Keelen did train a 1.5 in the preseason last year (so maybe at some point?), but even without it, her full should be making the lineup, with possible assistance from Sylvie Seilnacht and Mastrangelo with fulls and Gallarzo with a vestigial Yurchenko 1/2 from back when that was valuable. Continue reading 2018 Outlook – California Golden Bears →

Recent History
2017 – 10th
2016 – 13th
2015 – 7th
2014 – 10th
2013 – 7th
2012 – 13th
2011 – 6th
2010 – 10th

Michigan has underperformed its quality in the postseason for two consecutive years now, missing nationals in 2016 after a beam implosion at home, then dropping to 10th in 2017 after a beam implosion in the semifinals. (Super Six would have been a step too far last season, but Michigan should have finished 7th or 8th.)

The question in 2018: without Artz and Chiarelli, has Michigan lost more routines than it gained?

Vault
Lineup locks
McLean (9.915), Karas (9.895), Townsend (FR), Zaziski (9.845)
Lineup options
Shchennikova (9.758), Osman (9.745), Funk (9.744), Farley (FR), Brown (9.775 in 2016)

Michigan will hope to enjoy at least three vaults with 10.0 start values this season in the form of Y1.5s from McLean, Karas, and Townsend. Those three will lead the scoring and should ensure that Michigan stays on a similar path to last season, which ended with a 49.290 team RQS on vault, just with Townsend in place of Chiarelli.

Zaziski vaulted the best Yurchenko full among the supporting cast last season and should return to the lineup to do that again. For the remaining two spots, the Wolverines will have their pick of fulls from among five realistic options. I was partial to Osman‘s vault in JO, though it was Shchennikova and Funk who just got the nod in the preseason exhibition for those two spots. Shchennikova‘s amplitude looked improved over last season. Still, there’s some fairly interchangeable scoring potential among this group, the worry being that everything can all get a little too 9.750. Michigan needs to get 9.800s out of those first two spots to stay on track for that 49.300.

The wildcard is Farley, who vaulted an Omelianchik in JO but did not perform vault in the exhibition. If her landing is good enough to score higher than 9.750, it would give Michigan a usable 4th 10.0 start. Continue reading 2018 Outlook – Michigan Wolverines →

LSU has lost some vital routines since last season, losses that may make the squad more vulnerable to losing its grip on the #2 spot to the likes of Florida and company than it was in 2017. The Tigers are going to need a couple new bars and beam options and at least one new big score on vault and floor to mitigate the no-Gnat situation.  

Still, the hope of increased contributions from some returning gymnasts like Priessman and Harrold, as well as a large freshman class of seven, has LSU optimistic about its chances of keeping pace with its previous form.

Christina Desiderio

The star of LSU’s newest flock is Desiderio, the Parkettes elite who turned senior in 2016 just in time to hoist herself into the Olympic-year camp group, proceeding to place 12th overall at Olympic Trials. Desiderio was originally slated to begin next season, but LSU had an open scholarship spot for this year, and Desiderio was able to make it work. She’s the baby of the class, having only recently turned 17.

Getting Desiderio to arrive this year is important for LSU because she’s the power gymnast of this class, the one best poised to provide a new 9.9 on floor to replace what has been lost.

Floor has always been Desiderio’s best event, a big-power piece with a double double and a ready-to-be-kept-for-NCAA double layout.

Lost among the big tumbling is that Desiderio can also hit leaps and split positions on floor exceptionally well. She’s doing difficult elements and hitting 180 on them. So far in LSU’s preseason intrasquad reports, we’ve only really heard about Desiderio on beam, but she will be a key to the floor lineup for years to come.

Beam is, however, the other major strength for Desiderio, where she is quite an aggressive and confident gymnast. That’s what stands out the most. She is not a timid beamer. With strong acrobatic elements and more-than-passable NCAA dance skills, she seems like a given for the beam lineup as well.

Desiderio competed a DTY for a number of years as a junior elite as well as a senior elite. It was never her best skill, especially as the years went on, but she’s powerful enough that I could see her providing a 1.5 in college. As the only one among the freshies who has competed a 10.0 start before, there will be some expectation that she can still do that.  Continue reading 2018 Freshmen – LSU →