Tag Archives: Arizona

Regionals

Nebraska Regional Preview

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Next stop, Nebraska. Or, as it should more accurately be known, the Air Force Regional of Nebraska, starring Air Force.

Let’s just get through that nonsense so we can talk about the actual competition. Because of a geographical quirk, Air Force is the only (non-DIII) team in the North Central region that did not qualify a full team to regionals. That means Air Force was the only team eligible to receive individual spots here and qualified the whole competition roster, including a gymnast for beam who didn’t even make her own team’s postseason beam lineup but had an RQS from earlier in the year.

Meanwhile, gymnasts like Lindsay Lemke (Michigan State, 9.845 RQS on UB), Jordyn Penny (Ball State, 9.840 RQS on UB), India McPeak (Bowling Green, 9.825 RQS on BB), Kayla Rose (Bowling Green, 9.850 RQS on FX), Kaitlyn Menzione (Ball State, 9.850 RQS on FX), Katey Oswalt (Lindenwood, 9.825 RQS on FX), Erin Alderman (TWU, 9.845 RQS on FX), and Anna Martucci (Northern Illinois, 9.845 RQS on FX) didn’t qualify to regionals only because their schools are located close to other schools and for no reason related to gymnastics at all. Almost like this system should be fixed…

The NC region is always sparse, but typically either Iowa State doesn’t qualify and sends a bunch of individuals as well, or the DIII sides qualify people to mix things up. But this year, Iowa State is going as a team and DIII nationals conflicts with regionals (what is WRONG with everyone?), so the DIII schools can’t send anyone.

Anyway, rant over. To the competition.

April 1, 2017 – 5:00 ET/2:00 PT

Teams (starting event)
[2] LSU (bars)
[11] Boise State (vault)
[14] Nebraska (bye before floor)
[25] Arizona (bye before bars)
[29] Iowa State (beam)
[36] Minnesota (floor)

Individuals
Mariana Murphy, Air Force (AA)
Kara Witgen, Air Force (AA)
Anna Salamone, Air Force (VT, UB)
Riley Hill, Air Force (VT, BB)
Jamie Lewis, Air Force (VT, UB, FX)
Darby Germain, Air Force (UB, FX)
Brittney Reed, Air Force (UB, BB, FX)
Rita Koenigbauer, Air Force (BB)
Chelsea Grimison, Air Force (BB)
Casey Bell, Air Force (FX)

The favorite – LSU
LSU occupies an identical position as Oklahoma when it comes to regionals, placed in what should be a very competitive meet but so much stronger than the other teams that it’s going to be a cakewalk, barring a multiple-fall disaster. All things mirroring the regular season, LSU will expect to be about a point clear of the peloton.

Like Oklahoma’s vaulting, LSU’s bars is a strong lineup that nonetheless looks like it could give away valuable tenths in the title hunt, at least in its current state. It has also been LSU’s lowest event score the last four meets in a row, so stepping up the precision on the difficult landings (Zamardi, Harrold) and the form (Harrold, Priessman) will be a critical development looking toward nationals on an event that doesn’t have to be the biggest score but still needs to be over 49.4.

Floor should be right there with the other very top teams, but LSU is spoiled for choice and still has some decisions to make about that lineup. Do you go with the big routine from Edney or play the execution card with Finnegan? (Or go with Priessman if she’s OK again, but it’s unlikely to be worth the risk.) It’s one of those decisions where they’ll probably be fine either way, but it will be revealing about how risk-averse/risk-embracing they’re feeling. Continue reading Nebraska Regional Preview →

Meet Preview

Pac-12 Championship Preview

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On to the Pac-12!

Like the SEC and Big Ten, the Pac-12 conducts its championship in two sessions, the first beginning at 1:00 PT and including Cal, Arizona, Stanford, and Arizona State, and the second beginning at 6:00 PT and including UCLA, Utah, Oregon State, and Washington.

For the rotation order, the Pac-12 did things a little differently this year, just to make everyone confused. Rather than a predetermined draw, teams were given the opportunity to choose which even they’d like to start on, picking in seeded order. So for the evening session, UCLA chose vault, then Utah chose bars, then Oregon State chose floor, then Washington was left with beam and went, “We’re all going to get 9.875 anyway, so eat that SUCKAAASSSS.”

For the afternoon session, Cal chose vault, then Arizona broke with convention and took beam with the second pick, Stanford took bars, and Arizona State was left with floor.

Session I – Cal, Arizona, Stanford, Arizona State
It’s not completely ridiculous to expect a good score to come out of the first session, a score that at least challenges a couple of the teams in the top group. The scoring potential UCLA and Utah have displayed this year should see them pull away with hit meets, but a team like Cal having a good meet and finishing third is entirely within the realm of possibility. Continue reading Pac-12 Championship Preview →

Live Blog

Saturday Live Blog – February 25, 2017

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Saturday, February 25
 Scores Watch
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – Brown, Cornell, Penn @ Yale Ivy $
2:00 ET/11:00 PT – [21] Arkansas @ Michigan State LINK BTN+
2:00 ET/11:00 PT – Lindenwood @ Centenary LINK FREE
4:00 ET/1:00 PT – Arizona @ [6] UCLA LINK P12
4:00 ET/1:00 PT – Pitt @ Penn State LINK FREE
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – [5] Utah @ Arizona State LINK P12
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – [19] Cal, [24] Utah State, SEMO @ [15] Nebraska LINK FREE
7:30 ET/4:30 PT – [16] George Washington, Kent State @ NC State LINK ACC

The Pac-12 moves to the forefront today, and Alabama’s inability to reach 197 yesterday has presented the opportunity for both Utah and UCLA to move  ahead.

In-progress RQS rankings are as follows:
screen-shot-2017-02-25-at-11-28-30-am

UCLA needs 196.650 to move ahead of Alabama.
Utah needs 197.150 to move ahead of Alabama.
UCLA needs 197.400 to guarantee passing Utah. Continue reading Saturday Live Blog – February 25, 2017 →

Live Blog

Sunday Live Blog – February 19, 2017

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Sunday, February 19
 Scores Watch
12:00 ET/9:00 PT – UW-La Crosse @ Illinois State
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – Central Michigan @ Kent State LINK FREE
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – Temple @ New Hampshire LINK ESPN3
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – Cortland @ Brockport FREE
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – Ithaca @ Springfield FREE
2:00 ET/11:00 PT – [9] Kentucky, William & Mary, Penn @ Maryland LINK BTN+
2:00 ET/11:00 PT – Penn State, Western Michigan, Sacramento State @ TWU LINK FREE
2:00 ET/11:00 PT – Brown, Seattle Pacific @ Lindenwood LINK FREE
3:00 ET/12:00 PT – Rutgers @ Illinois-Chicago LINK
3:30 ET/12:30 PT – [20] George Washington, [22] Iowa @ [2] LSU LINK SEC+
4:00 ET/1:00 PT – [25] Arizona @ [14] Washington LINK P12
4:00 ET/1:00 PT – Alaska @ UC Davis LINK FREE

Remember that UCLA/Utah meet last night? I know. Me too. I just started laughing again. #neverforget

Anyway, there are no rules in this house anymore, so I can’t wait to see what happens next. Continue reading Sunday Live Blog – February 19, 2017 →

Live Blog

Sunday Live Blog – January 29, 2017

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Sunday, January 29
 Scores Watch
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – [6] Kentucky @ Ball State LINK FREE
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – Eastern Michigan @ Western Michigan LINK ESPN3
1:00 ET/10:00 PT – Utah State @ New Hampshire LINK
2:00 ET/11:00 PT – [7] Denver, Towson, Temple @ [25] West Virginia LINK FREE
2:00 ET/11:00 PT – Kent State, SEMO @ Northern Illinois LINK NIU
2:00 ET/11:00 PT – Iowa State @ TWU LINK FREE
3:00 ET/12:00 PT – Penn State @ [21] Illinois LINK FREE
3:00 ET/12:00 PT – Maryland @ [22] Iowa Iowa
3:00 ET/12:00 PT – Air Force @ Centenary
4:00 ET/1:00 PT – Arizona @ Stanford LINK P12
4:00 ET/1:00 PT – Sacramento State @ UC Davis LINK FREE
5:00 ET/2:00 PT – [5] Alabama v. [16] Auburn (@ Birmingham, AL) LINK
7:00 ET/4:00 PT – Illinois-Chicago @ Illinois State FREE

Another day! Another travesty. Probably. Continue reading Sunday Live Blog – January 29, 2017 →

Season Preview

Arizona 2017

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ARIZONA ROSTER 2017
Seniors
Selynna Felix-Terrazas
  • Consistently among the team’s better UB scores
  • Also provides FX and a backup VT
  • 2016 RQS: UB – 9.825, FX – 9.815, VT – 9.725
Krysten Howard
  • Staple of UB lineup throughout career
  • Contributed top-3 FX score and weekly BB in 2016
  • 2016 RQS: BB – 9.820, UB – 9.810, FX – 9.790
Gabby Laub
  • Team’s top UB score in 2016
  • Can also provide early lineup/backup VT
  • 2016 RQS: UB – 9.840, VT – 9.760
Juniors
Maddy Cindric
  • Top returning BB routine
  • Contributes weekly VT and FX, scored 9.775 on UB at regionals
  • 2016 RQS: BB – 9.855, VT – 9.805, FX – 9.770
Victoria Ortiz
  • Weekly UB in 2015, occasional UB in 2016
  • 2016 RQS: UB – 9.750
Kennady Schneider
  • Top-3 FX routine in 2016
  • Can be used on UB
  • 2016 RQS: FX – 9.860, UB – 9.780
Sophomores
Haylie Hendrickson
  • Did not compete freshman year
Lauryn Mattson
  • Contributed weekly VT, and FX as needed
  • 2016 RQS: VT – 9.810, FX – 9.750
Skyler Sheppard
  • Frequent BB contributor in 2016
  • Provides backup VT and FX
  • 2016 RQS: BB – 9.800
Danielle Spencer
  •  Competed UB in every meet in 2016
  • 2016 RQS: UB – 9.805
Freshmen
Christina Berg
  • Legacy Elite
  • 2016 JO Nationals 4th AA, 5th UB
Courtney Cowles
  • Brandy Johnson’s
  • 2015 Florida BB and FX champion
Shannon Farrell
  • Rebound NJ
  • Walk-on
Jenny Leung
  • Stars Houston
  • 2016 Region 3 VT 2nd; 2015 JO Nationals VT 4th
Maddi Leydin
  • Australia
  • 2013 AUS champion, 2015 worlds team
Heather Swanson
  • American Twisters
  • 2016 JO Nationals 5th VT, 7th AA; 2016 Florida state champion

Recent History
2016 – 21st
2015 – 17th
2014 – 24th
2013 – 17th
2012 – 22nd
2011 – 21st
2010 – 20th

The identity of the Arizona program is one of solid team gymnastics but an overall stagnation in results, as illustrated by the bunched-up slate of recent finishes, always fine never great. Going into just her second year, Tabitha Yim will be given time to emerge from the land of regionals also-ran, and while her first year didn’t feature any brand new, suddenly sun-drenched pastures of massive scores, she did oversee a large jump in attendance to an average of 2619 (high of 3707), up from 1554 the previous year.

Based on the roster, I don’t expect too massive a change in Arizona’s lot this season (somewhere in that same old 17-22 range again is the safest bet), but I’ll be keeping an eye on this large-ish freshman class. If they’re able to come through with multiple competitive vault and floor routines, it could turn Arizona into a more legitimate upset threat. Continue reading Arizona 2017 →