Stuff and Nonsense

Things Are Happening – December 16, 2016

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A. NCAA Cavalcade of Stars

The parade of preseason showcases is winding down as the teams focus on pushing themselves into regular-season form, just so they can then take a big ol’ Christmas break right before the first meet. This is why coaches have aneurysms.

Anyway, the broadcast exhibitions from Utah, Michigan/EMU, and LSU can be replayed at the links provided, and for my thoughts on them, check out the respective team previews for Utah, Michigan, and LSU.

Oklahoma also held a public exhibition that wasn’t even on national television (like an idiot), but it featured Maggie Nichols being all Maggie Nichols.

 

She received a 10.0 for this routine. You should take preseason scoring with a vat of salt and the appropriate level of not paying attention to it at all (Michigan’s meet featured “celebrity” judges, as long as you don’t know what a celebrity is), but that actually is kind of a 10. From what I’ve seen, the Oklahoma routines were scored (relatively) realistically. I had to laugh about Nichols getting a 10.0 on bars before her first routine even happened, though, as I imagine McKenzie Wofford looking at that like, “Seriously?! Three years over here.”

Emily Giambalvo was at the meet and has Nichols’ full floor routine.

And the normal amount of not being able to even re: Miss Capps.

And Brenna on bars.

UCLA has our first glimpse of Kocian continuing to look completely Kocian in NCAA. We see Stalder Shap to Pak, and then Toe Shap 1/2, which is already six tenths of bonus and she hasn’t even dismounted yet. She might be OK.

We also see THE PENG, who is adding a Ray to her routine in addition to her impossibly beautifully executed Bhardwaj. Check out that full Zamarripa of a handstand from Savvidou, who (according to a totally unbiased and definitely mysterious UCLA-obsessed person whom you will never guess) is the sleeper hit of UCLA’s preseason training.

 

On beam, we have Peng’s Homma flares (directly connected to enacting world peace through arm wave), Kocian being normal (walkover, sheep, side aerial…no standout skills but she doesn’t need them), and Ohashi continuing to work the layout 1/1. She’s hitting it, and I’d imagine we’ll see some difficulty-respect scoring here. It’s the year of difficulty in NCAA.

 

Janay Honest won The Great Bruin DLO Off.

 

FLOG has its full visit to Alabama, the highlights of which are the expected: Kiana Winston’s Pak and Aja Sims’ switch side. Buttah. Continue reading Things Are Happening – December 16, 2016 →

Season Preview

Michigan 2017

Not to be outdone, Michigan conducted its own preseason exhibition last weekend—an actual exhibition meet against an actual opponent in EMU. It was, in many ways, a less-representative showing than the previews we’ve seen from Utah or LSU because two rather important gymnasts were missing in Karas and Zaziski (neither for what appear to be serious or long-term reasons), but it did still provide us with a solid-enough sense of how Michigan shapes up for 2017.

MICHIGAN ROSTER 2017
Seniors
Nicole Artz
  • AA star, team-best routines on UB, BB, FX
  • Also provides early-mid lineup VT
  • 2016 RQS: FX – 9.955, BB – 9.910, UB – 9.900, VT – 9.815
Talia Chiarelli
  • Critical team scores on VT, BB, FX
  • Does not compete UB because Brestyan’s
  • 2016 RQS: FX – 9.910, VT – 9.890, BB – 9.870
Juniors
Brianna Brown
  • Starring UB and critical BB in first two seasons
  • Contributes early-lineup VT, FX as needed, which is pretty much always
  • 2016 RQS: UB – 9.890, FX – 9.850, BB – 9.845, VT – 9.775
Lauren Marinez
  • Staple of BB lineup in sophomore season
  • 2016 RQS: BB – 9.850
Paige Zaziski
  • Transfer from Arkansas
  • Competed VT, UB, FX each meet in 2016, competed AA each meet in 2015
  • 2016 RQS: UB – 9.875, VT – 9.840, BB – 9.840
Sophomores
Olivia Karas
  • Competed AA in every meet as a freshman
  • 2016 RQS: VT – 9.940, FX – 9.935, BB – 9.875, UB – 9.850
Emma McLean
  • Weekly leadoff VT and occasional FX in 2016
  • 2016 RQS: FX – 9.815, VT – 9.790
Freshmen
Lexi Funk
  • IGI
  • 2016 JO Nationals BB 8th, FX 9th
  • 2015 JO Nationals UB 5th, BB 5th
Maggie O’Hara
  • Southeastern
  • 2016 JO Nationals UB 2nd, BB 8th
Maddy Osman
  • Orlando Metro
  • 2016 JO Nationals 5th AA, 2nd FX
Sam Roy
  • Hunts MI
  • 2016 Region 5, FX 5th
Polina Shchennikova
  • TIGAR/5280
  • 2013 Junior Nationals AA 8th, UB 3rd

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

Michigan drew the beam short straw again last year, missing nationals after an implosion at what otherwise would have been a pleasure cruise of a regional. Ultimately, the 2016 Wolverines equaled the result of that wildly depleted 2012 side (when it was a miracle they finished as high as 13th), a placement unbecoming of a team that could have made Super Six.

Based on the roster and the number of essential routines returning from last year in Artz, Chiarelli, Karas, and Brown, there’s every reason to expect 2017 to go quite similarly to 2016 (except, they’ll hope, without the ending part). The slate of most likely competition routines is quite similar, though a critical difference may be an increased supply of options as more routines have come into the team than were lost. That should allow Michigan better opportunities to rest major contributors or drop inconsistent routines.  Continue reading Michigan 2017 →

Season Preview

Denver 2017

DENVER ROSTER 2017
Seniors
Rachel Fielitz
  • Injured after first meet in 2016
  • Top VT, weekly BB, FX in 2015
  • 2015 RQS: VT 9.905, FX – 9.840, BB – 9.790
Leah Lomonte
  • Did not compete in 2016 because of injury
  • Weekly BB, backup UB in 2015
  • 2015 RQS: BB – 9.820
  • 2015 average: UB – 9.663
Julia Ross
  • Top UB, weekly VT, BB in 2016
  • 2016 RQS: UB – 9.880, BB – 9.860, VT – 9.820
Juniors
Nikole Addison
  • #2 team FX routine in 2016
  • Weekly UB and occasional VT
  • 2016 RQS: FX – 9.870, UB – 9.800, VT – 9.785
Claire Hammen
  • Staple of BB and FX lineups in 2016
  • 2016 RQS: FX – 9.855, BB – 9.835
Sophomores
Grace Broadhurst
  • Did not compete in freshman year
Diana Chesnok
  • Weekly VT, UB, backup BB in 2016
  • Preseason ankle injury
  • 2016 RQS: UB – 9.860, VT – 9.830
  • 2016 average: BB – 9.556
Claire Kern
  • Competed leadoff UB in 2016
  • 2016 RQS: UB – 9.830
Kaitlyn Schou
  • Regular early-lineup on VT, BB, FX in 2016
  • 2016 RQS: FX – 9.840, BB – 9.815, VT – 9.755
Freshmen
Maddie Karr
  • Twin City
  • 2016 JO National AA, VT, UB, BB champion
Courtney Loper
  • Chow’s
  • 2015 JO Nationals AA 14th, FX 8th
Sam Ogden
  • WOGA
  • 2014 Classic, 9th AA

Recent History
2016 – 15th
2015 – 15th
2014 – 18th
2013 – 20th
2012 – 23rd
2011 – 17th
2010 – 15th

It’s difficult to escape the feeling that 2016 was the year for Denver: entering regionals ranked an unexpected 11th, facing a kind draw, and ultimately needing just a 49.0 on beam to get to nationals. Those opportunities don’t come around constantly, and it’s a shame that Denver’s final 15th place finish is just sort of normal for them and doesn’t reflect the accomplishments of the season.

Denver lost 11 routines from last year’s regionals slate, including best-on-each-piece sets from Nina McGee, which is tragic. Although, there’s still reason to be optimistic that Denver can replace the majority of these routines and return to a similar level, floating in and out of the better half of the teens. Top JO recruit Maddie Karr, former elite Sam Ogden, and the return of some previously injured seniors should combine to provide enough routines to fill the gaps on the majority of events. Continue reading Denver 2017 →

Season Preview

LSU 2017

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Last night, LSU conducted its now-annual Gymnastics 101 (GET IT BECAUSE THIS IS A COLLEGE) to showcase the team’s best routines heading into the new season. It was…exactly what you would expect from a meet a month before the season begins. Sort of getting there. It did, however, provide a glorious opportunity for us to dig into the lineups and prospects for the upcoming season, so let’s go.

LSU ROSTER 2017
Seniors
Sydney
Ewing
  • Competed VT, BB, FX every meet in 2016
  • 2016 RQS: VT – 9.905, BB – 9.870, FX – 9.865
Ashleigh Gnat
  • Team’s top routine & anchor on VT, BB, FX
  • Can contribute UB as needed
  • 2016 RQS: FX – 9.980, VT – 9.965, BB – 9.895
  • 2016 average: UB – 9.727
Shae
Zamardi
  • Weekly UB routine each of last two seasons
  • Provides FX option
  • 2016 RQS: UB – 9.875
  • 2016 average: FX – 9.517
Juniors
Myia
Hambrick
  • Competed AA at nearly every meet in 2016, ranked 10th nationally
  • 2016 RQS: UB – 9.905, BB – 9.885, VT – 9.880, FX – 9.880
Lauren Li
  • Transfer from Penn State for sophomore year
  • Has not competed a routine for LSU
Erin
Macadaeg
  • Constant important work on BB
  • Can provide VT, FX as needed, competed once on FX in 2016 for 9.950
  • 2016 RQS: BB – 9.890
  • 2016 average: VT – 9.768, FX – 9.950
Kylie Moran
  •  Has not competed a routine for LSU
Sophomores
Julianna
Cannamela
  • Provided borderline lineup/backup routine on each event in 2016
  • Made final VT, BB lineups
  • 2016 RQS: VT – 9.835
  • 2016 average: UB – 9.663, BB – 9.603, FX – 9.050
Sarah Finnegan
  • Weekly UB, BB routines and frequent VT in 2016
  • Provides occasional option on FX
  • 2016 RQS: UB – 9.915, BB – 9.915, VT – 9.835
  • 2016 average: FX – 9.692
McKenna
Kelley
  • Near-weekly FX routines in 2016
  • 2016 RQS: FX – 9.885
  • DID YOU KNOW SHE’S MARY LOU RETTON’S DAUGHTER?????
Lexie
Priessman
  • Overcame Chronic Cincinnati Leg Death to make final UB lineup
  • Contributed a couple early seasion VT, BB routines
  • 2016 averages: UB – 9.869, VT – 9.750, BB – 9.725
Kaitlyn
Szafranski
  • Did not compete a routine in freshman year
Freshmen
Kennedi
Edney
  • Precision
  • 2016 JO Nationals 3rd AA
  • 2014-2015 JO National AA champion
Ruby Harrold
  • 2016 Olympian for GBR
  • 2013-2015 World Championship team member, UB finalist
Ashlyn Kirby
  • Shooting Stars NC
  • 2015 JO Nationals 10th AA

Recent History
2016 – 2nd
2015 – 10th
2014 – 3rd
2013 – 5th
2012 – 9th
2011 – 20th
2010 – 9th

They’re inching closer. The question for the LSU Tigers is not whether they can make Super Six in 2017. They can and better, otherwise they’ll have squandered a championship-level roster twice in three years. The question right now is whether LSU can improve on last season’s “Oh, so close” and actually take the title for the first time.

It’s a distinct possibility, one that will largely depend on just how good Oklahoma ends up being this year. Still, LSU has lost very few routines from last season, which provides an opportunity for improvement over last season’s 2nd-place side. If the Tigers can get just a little better on bars and a little more consistent on beam, there’s every reason to expect them to be able to challenge the Sooners. Continue reading LSU 2017 →

Because gymnastics is a comedy, not a drama