Tag: ncaa

sports

Six top seeded teams are off to NCAA Nationals!

LEWA EVANS

All six of the top-seeded teams moved on to NCAA Nationals, which is located in Saint Louis Missouri, during the weekend of April 20-22.

Oklahoma hit the 198.00 total score for the eighth time this season, and Maggie Nichols scored the only 10.0 of the weekend in front of her hometown crowd in Minneapolis.  This is her fourth 10.00 score this year on balance beam.

LSU had a solid day in Raleigh with a 197.675 total. The team was led by junior, Sarah Finnegan, and senior, Myia Hambrick, both earning 39.625s in the all-around. The best event of the day came on balance beam, where the Tigers didn’t score below a 9.850. Hambrick led LSU with a 9.925 while freshman, Christina Desiderio, Edney, and Finnegan all scored 9.900s.

UCLA also had a solid day, especially on uneven bars where the Bruins struggled a bit at the Pac-12 championships. Sophomore, Madison Kocian, made her return on uneven bars after having offseason shoulder surgery and scored a 9.875. The Bruins scored a 49.500 event total and did not count a score lower than a 9.875. UCLA was the only team in the top six that did not rely on a single all-around competitor during regionals and finished with a 197.650.

Utah had a huge floor rotation to open the competition with a 49.600. They earned five straight scores of 9.900 or better with Kari Lee, Sydney Soloski, and Missy Reinstadtler earning 9.900s and MyKayla Skinner and MaKenna Merrell-Giles earning 9.950s. Reinstadtler’s biggest moment of the day came on balance beam. The sophomore was up fifth and came after a fall from Lee. Reinstadtler hit a flawless routine to earn a 9.925, which tied for the regional title on beam.

Florida finished with a total score of a 197.725. On floor, all six gymnasts posted a 9.825 or better with Rachel Slocum and Alicia Boren hitting the 9.900 mark. Alex McMurtry won the all-around with a 39.725. The Gators were not as perfect as they could’ve been, they had a fall on both bars and beam, but luckily they didn’t have to count lower than a 9.850 on either event.

After a tight battle in which the Wildcats landed on the outside looking in a year ago, Kentucky came up big in the final rotation to clinch their spot at the NCAA championships for the first time in program history. The Wildcats were in the exact same 12/13 matchup as last season and entering the final rotation were trailing Denver by 0.150. Ella Warren, Mollie Korth, and Katrina Coca earned Kentuck  9.900s on bars while Alex Hyland (9.875), Katie Stuart (9.825), and Katie Carlisle (9.800) rounded out the scoring.

Overall, each of these six teams are very talented and each team has a diverse amount of gymnastics. This years nationals competition should be just as nail biting as previous years since there’s always only a couple tenths of a point that separate the teams final scores. Which team do you believe will win the NCAA National Championships this year?

 

 

 

sports

Oklahoma Sooners Win D1 Regionals!

LEWA EVANS

The No. 1 women’s gymnastics team, the Oklahoma sooners, claimed its ninth straight regional title on Saturday. The Sooners finished in first place at the NCAA Minneapolis Regional with a score of 198.000 inside the Maturi Pavilion.

The Sooners posted the highest team total on each event and earned a share of for individual titles. On bars Nicole Lehrman claimed the top spot with a 9.950. Nichols claimed the beam title with a perfect 10, the floor title with a 9.975, and the all-around title with a 39.775. Additionally, Nichols was named the South-Central Region Gymnast of the Year for the second consecutive season.

The Sooners began on floor for the second straight competition. Freshman, Anastasia Webb, tied her career high score with a 9.950 on one of her best routines of the season. AJ Jackson, senior, also was a strong competitor in the floor line up, earning a 9.925.  Nichols anchored with a huge 9.975.

The Sooners carried their strong start over to vault. Nichols and Jackson both earned 9.9s. Brenna Dowell, junior, and Webb added to the team’s performance, earning 9.875s. The team scored a total of a 49.400 as a final score on the event.

Next, onto the bar rotation, the Sooners continued their strong performances. Nicole Lehrman, a junior, score a 9.950. Stephanie Catour, a senior, and Nichols, both put up 9.9s, and Bre Showers, a sophomore put up a 9.875. They ended bars with a total score of a 49.475.

Finally, onto the beam rotation, the Sooners hit six for six in routines. Nichols anchored with a perfect 10.0. The total score for the Sooners on beam was a 49.525, which allowed them to earn their eighth score of a 198 or higher this season.

Overall, since I was present at this meet, it was great to watch the Sooners compete. They truly are a very talented and diverse team. It was awesome to see them live and see how they operate. Additionally, I thought DI regionals was a wonderful experience because you got to see a lot of different gymnastics from across the nation. There was a lot of talent in the arena and it was great to see everyone go head to head and not hold back. Were any of you guys at the meet? If so, who was your favorite team to watch and why?

sports

Lindenwood setting records, Standford hitting perfection, and Florida honors!

LEWA EVANS

  Lindenwood edged Eastern Michigan, Rutgers, and Temple in a quad meet in Philadelphia that set a new school record. The Lions scored a 196.400. They set new program records with totals on bars (49.100) and on beam (49.425).

The huge performance on balance beam helped the meet for the Lions as all six gymnasts scored a 9.750 or better. Kierstin Sokolowski tied her program record 9.950 in the anchor spot, while both Emily Milliet and Ryan Henry posted 9.900s. Sokolowski also led the way on vault with a 9.875 and tied Henry for the top Lions score on bars with a 9.850.

Florida topped Nebraska 197.925 to 196.700 on senior night while celebrating its four seniors — Rachel Slocum, Grace McLaughlin, Alex McMurtry, and Kennedy Baker. McMurtry posted a 9.925 or better on all four events — including 9.975s on bars and beam to have a 39.825 all-around score. Additionally, freshman Megan Skaggs competed in the all-around for the first time this season and went 9.825 or better on all four routines.

Stanford posted its best score of the season,196.650, to celebrate senior Elizabeth Price’s final home competition. Price earned a 9.975 for her stuck Yurchenko double twist and a 9.950 for an awesome bar routine. Price capped off her day with her third 10.0 of the season, this time on floor after a flawless final routine. UCLA earned the win in the meet with a 197.800, including three 10.0s — two from Peng Peng Lee and one from Kyla Ross.

Oklahoma posted its sixth score over 198 in the last seven meets with a 198.100 in a quad meet against Arizona State, Denver, and Arkansas. AJ Jackson, who has struggled a little bit with her landings on floor this season, had an impressive performance on floor and finished with a 9.950 to win the event.

Overall, its great to see how the DI teams are competing and which teams are major competitors with other teams. What teams do you guys believe will stand out this year for post season?