NCAA Week 1 – Schedule and Links

Friday, January 4 Scores Stream
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – [9] Michigan, Iowa State, West Virginia, Rutgers (@ Cancun Classic) FLO
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – [8] Cal @ [4] LSU LINK SEC+
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – [19] Missouri, [23] Minnesota, UIC @ [20] Arizona State LINK FREE
8:00 ET/5:00 PT – Iowa @ [14] Auburn LINK SEC+
8:30 ET/5:30 PT – Temple, SEMO, Northern Illinois @ [6] Alabama LINK SEC+
9:00 ET/6:00 PT – [11] Nebraska @ [1] UCLA LINK ESPN2
11:00 ET/8:00 PT – Illinois State @ Alaska LINK FREE
Saturday, January 5 Scores Stream
2:00 ET/11:00 PT – [25] NC State @ Michigan State LINK BTN+
4:00 ET/1:00 PT – [18] Ohio State @ [7] Georgia LINK SEC+
6:00 ET/3:00 PT – Penn State @ [5] Utah LINK FREE
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – [2] Oklahoma @ [12] Arkansas LINK SEC+
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – [10] Kentucky @ TWU LINK FREE
Sunday, January 6 Scores Stream
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – [22] Illinois, Arizona, Bridgeport @ Central Michigan LINK ESPN3
5:00 ET/2:00 PT – [21] Stanford, UC Davis, San Jose State @ Sac State LINK  FREE
5:00 ET/2:00 PT – UW-Oshkosh @ Hamline
6:00 ET/3:00 PT – Illinois State @ Alaska LINK FREE
Monday, January 7 Scores Stream
9:00 ET/6:00 PT – New Hampshire @ Southern Utah FREE
Tuesday, January 8 Scores Stream
4:00 ET/1:00 PT – Brockport @ Cortland

Links will continue to be added as they become available.

*The meets on Monday and Tuesday will not count as part of week 1 for ranking purposes.

**#3 Florida, #13 Denver, #15 Washington, #16 Boise State, and #17 Oregon State are idle this week. Because of laziness probably. 


Meets marked ESPN2 will be broadcast live on TV and can also be streamed online at the link provided for those who have a log-in from a TV provider subscription—U-Verse, Spectrum, DirecTV, Dish, Xfinity, Verizon, Sling, Hulu, or YouTube TV.

Meets marked SECN+ may be streamed on WatchESPN for those who have a log-in from a TV provider subscription—U-Verse, Spectrum, DirecTV, Dish, Xfinity, Verizon, Sling, Hulu, or YouTube TV.

Meets marked P12N will be broadcast live on TV and can also be streamed online at the link provided for those who have a log-in from a participating TV provider subscription. A number of providers have dropped the Pac-12 Networks recently, including U-Verse, so make sure you still have access even if you did in the past. You’re safe for the first couple weeks but may be in trouble after that.

The Pac-12 Network provides an international subscription for those outside the US. Otherwise you’re probably left looking for last-minute bootleg streams, which do appear but can be finicky. That also applies if you are without the subscriptions listed above.

Meets marked FLO may be streamed through a paid subscription to FloGymnastics ($30/month).

Meets marked BTN+ may be streamed through a paid subscription to BTN+ ($15/month) or through FloGymnastics ($30/month).

Meets marked ESPN3 may be streamed on WatchESPN for those who have a log-in from a participating internet service provider, which is most of them.

Meets marked FREE are free at the link provided.

National Team Rankings – January 2019

How It Works
Taking into account all scores recorded at competitions in the last six months, each nation is given a team total based on how its best-scoring group of five senior gymnasts would do in a hypothetical 3-up, 3-count team final.

Each individual’s best scores may come from any official competition (they need not all be from the same meet), and whichever group of five gymnasts would produce the highest score is the one selected.

Countries that have not shown enough senior routines in the last six months to fill a 3-up, 3-count team on each event are not included.

Rankings will be updated at the beginning of each month, and scores will expire after six months in order to provide the most up-to-date snapshot of where nations are at the current moment. The current rankings include only scores from July 2018–December 2018. Now that 2019 has arrived, the newly senior 2003 babies have been added, noted with a “(2003)” next to their names.

Rejoining the rankings this month were Ireland and Guatemala, and dropping off was Cyprus.

Last month’s ranking is in parentheses. Continue reading National Team Rankings – January 2019

Explained: The New NCAA Championship Format

We’re five days away from the start of the NCAA season, so even though you’ve valiantly put off understanding the new championship format for as long as possible (and I’m so proud of you for it), it’s time to buckle down and do the thing.

The new postseason format instituted for 2019 is an improvement over the previous system in many ways, most notably because of the elimination of those bloated and interminable six-team meets with bye rotations. It still has its faults and problems from the previous format that have gone unresolved, which we’ll all be sure to complain about at every possible moment, but it’s a step. So here’s how it will go.

The season itself will progress as before. The teams will compete every weekend, they’ll all get overscored, you’ll be furious about it, and everything will be fine and normal. Following the conference championships, the top 36 teams will still advance to the elimination meets, as per usual, while the season ends for everyone else. After that, it gets new and different.

ELIMINATION ROUNDS

Previously, the 36 advancing teams would be divided among 6 regional sites—6 teams at each site—for a single day of elimination competition from which the top 2 teams at each site advanced to the national championship.

This year, the 36 advancing teams will be divided among 4 regional sites—9 teams at each site—for three days of elimination competition after which the top 2 teams at each site will advance to the national championship. Continue reading Explained: The New NCAA Championship Format

2019 Preview – UCLA Bruins

UCLA
Seniors
Brielle Nguyen
BB
FX
  • Competed 13 BB routines in 2018 following transfer from Illinois — RQS of 9.850
  • Competed weekly FX in ’17 for Illinois
Katelyn Ohashi
VT
UB
BB
FX
  • Ranked #1 in nation on FX, #3 on BB in 2018
  • RQS of 9.970 on FX, 9.945 on BB
  • Competed 12 UB routines for 9.696 avg (scored 9.8+ on 7 of 12)
  • VTed 4 times for 9.831 average
Stella Savvidou
  • Did not compete in 2018 due to injury
  • Further wrist surgery in October
  • Made final UB lineup in 2017
Macy Toronjo UB
FX
  • Did not compete in 2018 due to injury
  • Is no longer listed as taking a redshirt year
  • Competed 8 FXs in 2017, peaking at 9.950
Juniors
Anna Glenn
VT
UB
BB
  • Returned from 2017 labrum injury to make final VT, UB lineups in 2018 – VT RQS of 9.825
  • Competed 5 UB routines, peak of 9.875
  • Competed one BB routine for 9.900
Grace Glenn
BB
  • Returned from 2017 labrum injury to compete BB in every meet in 2018
  • Hit 15 for 15 routines — RQS of 9.925
Felicia Hano
VT
BB
FX
  • Competed weekly VT, FX in 2018 — ranked #7 nationally on FX
  • RQS of 9.935 on FX, 9.900 on VT for Y1.5
  • Competed 2 BB routines (9.775 avg) and one UB routine (9.025) in 2018
Madison Kocian
VT
UB
BB
FX
  • Returned from shoulder surgery to compete 13 BBs, 8 FXs, and 3 UBs in 2018
  • RQS of 9.875 on BB
  • Average of 9.861 on FX, 9.863 on UB
  • Also competed weekly VT in 2017 for 9.860 RQS
Gracie Kramer
VT
FX
  • Competed 13 FXs in 2018 for 9.890 RQS
  • Has 10.0 start VT, competed twice in 2018, hitting once
  • VTed 10 times in 2017 for 9.810 RQS
Giulianna Pino
  • Did not compete in first two seasons
Kyla Ross
VT
UB
BB
FX
  • Competed AA in 10 of 15 meets in 2018
  • Ranked #1 nationally on UB
  • RQS of 9.960 on UB, 9.910 on BB, 9.895 on VT, 9.890 on FX
Mercedez Sanchez
  • Did not compete in first two seasons
Sophomores
Nia Dennis
VT
UB
BB
FX
  • Competed VT, UB every week in 2018
  • Competed 11 FX routines and 3 BB routines
  • RQS of 9.885 on VT, 9.880 on UB, 9.860 on FX
  • Average of 9.792 on BB
Savannah Kooyman
UB
FX
  • Provided backup routines on UB, FX in 2018
  • Competed 3 UBs (9.800 avg) and 1 BB (9.825)
Kendal Poston
  • Did not compete in first season
Pauline Tratz
VT
FX
  • Competed VT, FX in 14 of 15 meets in 2018
  • RQS of 9.910 on FX, 9.875 on VT
  • Has potential 10.0 start on VT
Freshmen
Norah Flatley
UB
BB
FX
  • Chow’s
  • 3rd at 2014 Junior P&G Championships
  • Expected to be replacement-Peng on UB and BB
Margzetta Frazier
VT
UB
BB
FX
  • Parkettes
  • Is continuing to train DTY on VT
  • Will be counted on for VT, FX, and UB. Can provide BB as needed
Sara Taubman
  • Head over Heels
  • 12th AA, 2018 Region 1s
Sekai Wright
VT
FX
  • Will miss beginning of 2019 with injury
  • AGA Long Beach
  • 1st on VT, 2018 JO Nationals
  • Has Yurchenko 1.5

FINAL SEASON RANKINGS
2018 – 1st
2017 – 4th
2016 – 5th
2015 – 11th
2014 – 8th
2013 – 4th
2012 – 3rd
2011 – 2nd
2010 – 1st
2009 – 7th

THE STORY
Let’s be honest, for all of UCLA’s improvements in the 2018 season, none of us actually expected the Bruins to win the championship. They were supposed to finish 2nd or 3rd, make great strides to set up a title run in 2019, do a life lesson or two, and close the book on an altogether successful season. That’s not what happened. Christmas came early.

Winning a title bestows de facto favorite status the following year, yet UCLA will know that the 2018 victory did in fact come early. It was an upset, a phenomenal two-event performance on the day but an untenable strategy to maintain if this is to become a dynasty. “We’ll be ranked 3rd all year long, be kind of blah in the first two rotations of the final, and then Peng will get a 20, and wheeee!” isn’t exactly how you draw it up.

Now that this UCLA group has won a title, there’s no going back in terms of expectations, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t improvements to be made. The 2019 roster was always supposed to be better than 2018’s team and does have realistic areas where it can aim higher, scoring weaknesses from 2018 to resolve, and lost meets from last season to win this time around so that a potential title this year would not be an upset. It would be normal.

VAULT 2019
Lineup locks: Marz Frazier, Felicia Hano, Nia Dennis, Kyla Ross
Lineup options: Pauline Tratz, Sekai Wright, Anna Glenn, Gracie Kramer, Kendal Poston, Norah Flatley, Katelyn Ohashi, Madison Kocian

You guys, a tradition is over. We can’t talk about Kyla Ross’s mythical 10.0 start on vault in the UCLA preview this year because it’s not mythical anymore. We saw it for realsies at Meet the Bruins as part of what will be an upgraded vault lineup in 2019. With just two 10.0s, UCLA’s 2018 vault team didn’t have the start values to get the necessary 49.4s in a postseason-scoring context, but this year’s lineup looks significantly more competitive. Continue reading 2019 Preview – UCLA Bruins

Because gymnastics is a comedy, not a drama