Host Iowa State celebrated Senior Night with a narrow win over cross-state rival Iowa. Haylee Young led the Cyclones, winning UB, FX and the AA (39.35). Iowa's Mollie Drenth won VT and BB.
Link: Release and Highlights
Arkansas overcame a standout effort from Missouri's Morgan Porter to defeat the host Tigers. Porter won the UB, BB and FX en route to a 39.675 AA win. Teammate Britney Ward won VT with her pike Omelianchik.
Link: Mizzou Release
Florida's Bridget Sloan posted a 10 on BB to lead the Gators to the road win at Kentucky. She also won UB and the AA (39.65). Teammates Alicia Boren and Bridgette Caquatto won VT and FX, respectively.
Link: Release
PSU defeated host ASU, 195.35 to 194.625. Both teams did not field all six gymnasts per event. PSU's Kiera Brown and Jessica Jones tied for AA honors at 39.175. Brown won UB while Jones tied for the BB title with teammate Nicole Medvitz. ASU's Taylor Allex won VT and FX.
Link: PSU Release
Utah down host Michigan on Senior Night. Breanna Hughes led the Utes, tying for titles on VT and UB. Teammate Maddy Stover tied for the BB title. Nicole Artz led Michigan, tying for first on UB and BB, and taking the FX (9.975) and AA (39.725). Teammate Talia Chiarelli tied for the VT title.
Link: Michigan Release
Rachel Stypinski won the BB and FX titles and tied for the UB title with EMU's Kendall Valentin to lead the Golden Flames to the win over the visitors from EMU. (She does not compete vault). Teammate Nicolle Eastman tied with Valentin for the VT title.
Link: Kent State Release
Auburn scored a big win over the host GymDogs, edging Georgia by 0.05. Abby Milliet posted a 9.95 to win UB and lead the Tigers to a win. Teammate MJ Rott tied with UGA's Brandie Jay for the VT title. Tiger Caitlin Atkinson tied with UGA's Ashlyn Broussard and Mary Beth Box for the BB title. GymDog Gigi Marino won the FX and Jay took the AA with a 39.6.
Link: Release
NC State defeated host GWU for the 2nd week in a row. They were led by Brittni Watkins, who won VT, FX and the AA (39.425). Teammate Nicole Wild took the BB. For GWU, Alex DeMoura won the UB.
Link: NC State Release
CMU downed host Bowling Green, led by wins from Katy Clements on BB and Taylor Bolender on FX. For Bowling Green, Alyssa Nocella won UB and took the AA with a 39.275. Teammate Lauren Feely won the VT.
Link: BGSU Release
Assistant Ralph Russo will lead the team in their next meet. Per the ASU State Press, "The university cannot make any other comment regarding this topic as it is a personnel/HR issue".
Link: State Press
Megan Roberts, Canadian National Team member, has announced her commitment to UGA. She recently competed at Elite Canada, placing 2nd AA and 3rd on floor. In 2015 she in the all around, vault and floor at the Junior National Championships. She also competed internationally.
Samantha Strickler, L10 at Tampa Bay Turners, has committed to Iowa State. In her first season at Level 10 this year, she has earned the AA, the vault and the floor titles at the TBT Invitational. She placed 1st on floor and 2nd all around at the Manhattan Classic.
Cami Bea Austin, L10 at River City Gymnastics, has committed to Centenary. This season she placed 1st AA at the Blues and BBQ Invitational (1st V/FX) and at the Crimson Classic (1st V/BB). She won vault and floor at the Atlanta Paws for a Cause and she placed 7th AA at the St. Louis Classic.
We've passed the mid-point of the season and we're approaching the final stretch. With March we see a mad dash to secure coveted Regional Seeds and qualifying spots. The National Rankings have now switched to the Regional Qualifying Score or RQS. The RQS is computed by taking a team's top three away meet scores and assembling the next highest three scores (home or away). The high is discarded and the results are averaged. The Top 36 teams qualify to the Regionals, and the Top 18 are seeded and distributed among the six Regional sites (more on this later).
Rachel Dugan, L10 at Bartlett Gymnastics in Illinois, has committed to Pitt. She has placed in the top 5 all around at three meets this season: St.Judes, Bravo Classic and Circle of Stars. She recently won a bars title at the Chicago Style.
Logan and Leighton Varnadore expect to graduate early and join the USU team for the 2017-18 season. They compete at Level 10 for Aiken Gymnastics. Leighton placed 1st AA and swept the events at the Louisville Holiday Classic. She placed 1st AA and 1st on vault and bars at the Hilton Head Invitational and 8th AA at the Fiesta Bowl.
Logan has only competed at the Louisville Holiday Classic this season, placing 2nd AA.