The 2016 NCAA season continues with another exciting week collegiate gymnastics. The defending NCAA champions Florida Gators retain the top spot in the women’s rankings with a 197.192 followed by the Oklahoma Sooners (197.094) and Michigan rounds out the top three with a 196.938.
WOMEN
No. 1 Florida vs. No. 5 Alabama
- Friday, Jan. 29 at 6 p.m. ET
Series Record Alabama leads 71-38-2
Last meeting, Florida won the 2015 NCAA Super Six (197.85) and Alabama was fourth (197.275) on April 18, 2015
This is an exciting top-10 matchup between two programs that combine for the last five NCAA Championships and seven Southeastern Conference titles. Florida is the three-time defending national champions, winning their first title in 2013 following victories in 2014 and 2015. Alabama, winner of six championships overall, won back-to-back titles in 2011 and 2012. In the last regular season matchup between the two teams, Alabama upset No. 1 Florida 197.400-196.800.
No. 1 Florida/Previous Week Score: 197.075
No. 1 Florida tops the rankings this week following a 197.075-195.950 victory at No. 8 Auburn. Senior Bridget Sloan used the nation’s top all-around total of the weekend (39.575) to earn her the third consecutive all-around victory of the season. Sloan also won her third consecutive uneven bars title at Auburn with a 9.925 resulting in her third straight SEC Gymnast of the Week honor, her 10th overall. Sophomore Kennedy Baker posted the top score of the competition (9.95) to win her third floor title of the season while sophomore Alex McMurtry took the title on vault and beam with a pair of 9.9’s, earning SEC specialist of the week. McMurtry is currently ranked second in the nation on vault with a 9.917 average.
No. 5 Alabama/ Previous Week Score: 196.400
The Tide are the two-time defending SEC champions and have advanced to the NCAA Super Six each of the previous eight seasons. Last Friday in Tuscaloosa, Alabama was upset 196.700 -196.400 by No. 10 Arkansas. The Tide earned season-best scores on vault (49.400) and uneven bars (49.300) but a three-fall performance on beam cost Alabama the win. Highlights from the meet included a 9.950 from junior Aja Sims on beam and a 9.925 from junior Amanda Jetter on floor. Bama ranks second in the nation on floor. The Tide’s roster features five returning All-Americans: seniors Lauren Beers and Carly Sims, juniors Katie Bailey and Keely McNeer and sophomore Mackenzie Brannan. Due to back-to-back dual meets in Tuscaloosa between Florida and Alabama, only Tide seniors – Lauren Beers and Carly Sims – have competed in Gainesville.
No. 2 Oklahoma, No. 6 LSU, No. 12 Stanford, No. 16 Missouri, Washington (Metroplex Challenge)
- Saturday, Jan. 30 at 8 p.m. ET
This weekend No. 2 Oklahoma, No. 6 LSU, No. 12 Stanford, No. 16 Missouri and Washington travel to Fort Worth, Texas to compete in the Metroplex Challenge. The event will be held at the Fort Worth Convention Center, the host site of the 2016 NCAA Championships. The talented field includes three of the nation’s top-10 all-arounders; No. 2 Elizabeth Price (Stanford), No. 7 Keeley Kmieciak (OU), No. 9 Myia Hambrick (LSU). Oklahoma won the past three Metroplex challenges.
No. 2 Oklahoma/Previous Week Score: 197.473
Oklahoma remains second in the country after a posting a season-high 197.475 in a tri-meet victory over Arizona State and Iowa State, The Sooners are ranked in the top seven nationally in every event, including three second-place rankings on vault, beam, and bars. Junior McKenzie Wofford is No. 1 in the country on uneven bars with an average of 9.925, and junior Chayse Capps ranks fifth on beam with a 9.888. Senior Haley Scaman’s 9.912 average on floor ties for seventh and senior Keeley Kmieciak ranks seventh nationally in the all-around with a 39.294.
No. 6 LSU/Previous Week Score: 196.575
Last week LSU defeated No. 20 Kentucky 196.575-195.100. Junior Ashleigh Gnat earned the vault title with a perfect 10.0 for her stuck double twisting yurchenko and picked up an additional title on floor with a 9.950. Freshman Lexie Priessman scored a 9.925 to capture the uneven bars title in her first bar routine as an LSU Tiger. Freshman Sarah Finnegan earned a share of the beam title with a 9.90, tying with Kentucky’s Sidney Dukes. Sophomore Myia Hambrick captured the all-around crown with a 38.325. The team ranks No. 1 on vault, No. 5 on floor, No. 12 on bars and No. 15 on beam. Individually, Gnat is No. 1 on vault, Priessman No. 1 on bars and Erin Macadaeg is No. 1 on floor.
No. 12 Stanford/Previous Week Score: 196.675
Stanford is coming off a season-best 196.675 in a victory over No. 23 California and San Jose State. Former elite star Elizabeth Price was named Pac-12 Gymnast of the week for the third consecutive week after three straight all-around victories. Price ranks second all-around in the nation with an average of 39.492.
No. 16 Missouri/Previous Week Score: 195.800
Missouri arrives in Fort Worth following an upset over No. 9 Georgia, the first-ever SEC dual win for the Tigers. The Tigers were trailing for three rotations and posted a season-high 49.075 on floor for the come-from-behind victory. Brittany Ward earned SEC Freshman of the Week honors for her performance which included event titles on beam (9.900) and vault (9.875). Sophomore Kennedi Harris placed first on floor with a 9.925.
Washington/Previous Week Score: 194.300
Last week, Washington posted season-high scores on bars and beam at Denver to finish with a 194.300. Senior captain Allison Northey placed second in the all-around, first on beam, third on bars and vault. Nationally, Northey is currently tied with LSU’s Ashleigh Gnat at No. 21 in the all-around.
MEN
No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 6 Iowa and No. 8 Cal
- Saturday, Jan. 30 at 6 p.m. ET
No. 1 Oklahoma Sooners/Previous Week Score: 444.400
The defending NCAA Champions remain at the top of the rankings the week in addition to holding the highest average score on all six events heading into this weekend’s tri-meet. Last time out the Sooners topped the Michigan Wolverines in decisive fashion with a 444.400-427.850 team victory in addition to sweeping the individual all-around and event individual titles. Individually, junior Hunter Justus ranks No. 1 on vault and Yul Moldauer is No. 1 on parallel bars.
No. 6 Iowa/Previous Week Score: 431.800
The Hawkeyes competed in two meets last weekend against Illinois and UIC. Iowa fell to Illinois by less than a point, 431.150 – 430.850. The following day Iowa bounced back with a victory over UIC (431.800-388.100). Additionally, Iowa swept the event titles including a new program record on pommel horse from senior Doug Sullivan (15.400)
No. 8 Cal/Previous Week Score: 425.300
Last week Cal place third in a tri-meet against No. 2 Stanford and No. 4 Ohio State posting 425.300. The Golden Bears enter this week’s competition ranked eighth nationally with an average score of 425.383, and senior Kevin Wolting is ranked tenth nationally on floor with an average of 15.200.
No. 3 Ohio State at No. 9 Michigan
- All-time series record: Ohio State 103-97 Michigan
Saturday, Jan. 30 at 2 p.m. ET
No. 11 Michigan/ Previous Week Score: 427.850
Last week, Michigan fell to No. 1 Oklahoma 444.400-427.850. However, 427.850 was a new season-high for the young team. The Wolverines enter this week’s competition ranked ninth in the CGA coaches poll and 11th in RQS. The Wolverines rank in the top 10 in three events; No. 2 on vault, No. 7 on still rings and No. 9 on floor exercise. Two individual athletes are ranked in the top 10 nationally on vault with junior Anthony Stefanelli (sixth 15.175) and freshman Emyre Cole (seventh, 15.150). Michigan has not lost a regular-season dual meet to Ohio State since 2007.
No. 3 Ohio State/Previous Week Score: 435.550
Ohio State leads the all-time series with Michigan (103 – 97) but has not beaten Michigan in a head-to-head matchup since 2007. Last time out, the Buckeyes posted a season-high total of 435.550 to place second in a tri-meet with No. 2 Stanford and No. 5 Cal. The score was nearly ten points higher than their season-opening score of 425.700. Ohio State is ranked third nationally on rings, parallel bars, and high bar. Individually, Sean Melton is ranked No. 1 on rings and No. 2 on vault and parallel bars.
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