The midway point of 2020-21 women’s college gymnastics regular season has come and gone.
Gymnastics has successfully — for the most part — operated in the middle of a global pandemic. Most teams have competed five or six times and aside from the wearing of masks, social distancing and a general lack of fans, things have gone pretty smoothly on the whole. There have been cancellations and postponements, of course, but overwhelmingly, competition has gone on.
So with the midway point of season past us, it is time to turn an eye toward the postseason. Only six programs have ever won a national championship in the 39 years that women’s gymnastics has been an NCAA-sanctioned sport, but competing as one of the final four teams remains the goal of almost every program.
“Ultimately your goal is to be there, competing against those same top teams at the end,” Utah head coach Tom Farden said.
What makes a team national title contenders?
There are many unmeasurables — the ability to be comfortable in incredibly uncomfortable situations, or a refusal to concede defeat to name a couple.
There are measurables too. Over the last decade, every single national champion has finished the regular season ranked in the top six nationally on every event (balance beam, floor exercise, uneven bars and vault), per Road to Nationals.
Additionally, every champion, save one, has had at least one gymnast ranked in the top 10 in the all-around come season’s end, if not more. The one exception — Alabama in 2012 — had gymnasts ranked in the top 10 on individual events.
With that in mind, who are the national title contenders this year?
Upper echelon
Florida Gators
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22308218/AP18111076331427.jpg)
Jeff Roberson, Associated Press
National ranking: 1
Season average score: 197.635
- Season high: 198.150
- Season low: 197.250
Top gymnast: Trinity Thomas
- No. 3 in the all-around with an average score of 39.525. She has the single highest all-around score this season: a 39.900.
The Gators are the top-ranked team in the country through six weeks and it isn’t exactly close either. Florida has an 0.310 of a point edge over second-place LSU when it comes to season average score, no small margin in college gymnastics. Florida is the No. 1 team in the country on both vault and balance beam, averaging a 49.420 on the former, a 49.490 on the latter, and is ranked third on floor and fourth on bars.
When it comes to individual gymnasts, the Gators are led by Thomas, a Tokyo Olympic hopeful, but Ellie Lazzari is currently the eighth-best gymnast in the country on beam, while Nya Reed is No. 5 on floor.
After the Gators defeated LSU last weekend in Baton Rouge, Tigers head coach Jay Clark told KALB, “That was a heck of a meet and a heavyweight boxing match. I’m proud of our kids. They fought toe to toe with probably one of the best Florida teams I’ve ever seen.”
Title contender? Florida is absolutely a national title contender and at this point of the season almost has to be considered the championship favorite.
LSU Tigers
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22308203/AP20013039910371.jpg)
John Amis, Associated Press
National ranking: 2
Season average score: 197.325
- Season high: 198.050
- Season low: 196.550
Top gymnast: Alyona Shchennikova or Kiya Johnson
- Shchennikova is tied with Thomas for No. 3 in the all-around, with an average score of 39.525, but has only competed on all four events once this year. Johnson, for her part, is the No. 1-ranked gymnast on floor.
The Tigers were one of the youngest teams in the country a season ago, but have seemed to put it all together through the first six weeks of this season. After a difficult opener against Arkansas, LSU has only scored above a 197 and has improved its team score in back-to-back-to-back meets.
The Tigers are currently ranked No. 2 on both floor and beam and are No. 3 on bars and No. 4 on vault. They also have four individual gymnasts ranked in the top 10 on an event, namely Haleigh Bryant (No. 5 on vault), Sami Durante (No. 4 on bars), Bridget Dean (No. 10 on beam) and Johnson.
Florida head coach had only good things to say about the Tigers, after her Gators escaped Baton Rouge with a victory. “What an awesome, amazing, wonderful night,” Rowland told Gatorsports. “Really, No. 1, No. 2. These two teams bring out the best in each other. They always have and they always will. Props to LSU for an incredible meet tonight — the crowd was here and the energy was here.”
Title contender? The Tigers have to be considered one. Favorable judging has been a common discussion point surrounding LSU this year, but the fact remains that LSU was a routine away from upsetting Florida.
On the cusp
Utah Utes
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22271147/merlin_2850883.jpg)
Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
National ranking: 3
Season average score: 197.090
- Season high: 197.475
- Season low: 196.550
Top gymnast: Maile O’Keefe
- O’Keefe has been far and away the best Red Rock this season. She is ranked No. 2 in the country on beam, thanks in part to her perfect 10 against Washington, and No. 7 in the all-around.
Take away a disappointing showing against Oklahoma earlier this year and Utah looks right at home next to Florida and LSU, or at least somewhere close to it. The Red Rocks have scored above a 197 in back-to-back-to-back meets and are currently ranked in the top five on both beam (No. 3 ) and floor (No. 4), where they have proven to be among the best in the country. Utah is also ranked No. 6 on vault after recording a season-high at Arizona State two weeks ago. The only event the Red Rocks have been found lacking on thus far is bars, where they are ranked No. 8.
Individually, O’Keefe is far and away the standout, as the only Utah gymnast ranked in the top 10 on an event. That could change soon, however, as Abby Paulson, Sydney Soloski and Alexia Burch all have proven capable of scores 9.950 or higher.
Oklahoma head coach K.J. Kindler said of Utah earlier this year, “They (Utah) are an exceptional team. Honestly, from top to bottom (they are) consistent across the board and very well-coached.”
Title contender? For the first time in a while, thanks to the abbreviated 2020 season, the answer for Utah is yes. Or at least they should be by the end of the season. The Red Rocks have been one of the country’s most consistent teams this year and should run away with the Pac-12. While they have yet to reach the scoring heights of other teams, there is a strong case to be made that Utah will finish as one of the nation’s best four teams.
Oklahoma Sooners
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22308210/AP21047240562473.jpg)
Richard W. Rodriguez, Associated Press
National ranking: 4
Season average score: 197.075
- Season high: 198.225
- Season low: 195.850
Top gymnast: Anastasia Webb
- Ranked No. 17 in the all-around, Webb has been elite on beam, where she is ranked No. 4 in the nation.
The reigning national champions, Oklahoma has been hit and miss at times this season. Most recently, at the Metroplex Challenge, the Sooners reached heights no other team has this year, showing an upper level that warrants consideration as a title contender, if not favorite. At the same time, the Sooners have also recorded their lowest single meet score since 2012, in a win over West Virginia.
As a result, Oklahoma is a top six team on three events: Vault (No. 2), bars (No. 2) and floor (No. 6). The Sooners rate as the eighth best team in the country on beam thus far.
On an individual level, Oklahoma has some of the country’s best gymnasts, including Webb, but also Evy Schoepfer, ranked No. 4 on vault, Audrey Davis and Vanessa Deniz, ranked seventh and eighth, respectively on bars, and Carly Woodard, ranked No. 8 on beam.
Farden previously praised Oklahoma and after their latest meet was even more complimentary.
“You can see the chemistry and the confidence is growing at Oklahoma,” he said.
A sentiment Sooner gymnast Karrie Thomas echoed in an interview with Sooner Sports last weekend. “This year, we kind of had a rough start and we’ve found our groove,” Thomas said. “We’re showing what our team is capable of and we have so much more in our tank to show everyone.”
Title contender? Since basically 2013 Oklahoma has been a title contender. Most years, they’ve been the championship favorite. While that doesn’t appear as likely to be the case this year, the Sooners are very much alive in the championship race and come next month might be the most feared team in the country.
Michigan Wolverines
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22308226/AP20041142060123.jpg)
Rick Osentoski, Associated Press
National ranking: 8
Season average score: 196.908
- Season high: 197.650
- Season low: 195.850
Top gymnast: Natalie Wojcik
- Wojcik is the top-ranked all-arounder in the country, with an average score of 39.587. She has improved each and every meet this season too.
This is where things get interesting. While the previous four teams were pretty self explanatory as title contenders, on the surface Michigan is not.
The Wolverines are ranked No. 1 in the country on uneven bars and No. 3 on vault, but come in at No. 19 on beam and No. 26 on floor. Those rankings, though, are from only two total meets. Michigan has only competed three times this season, one of them being this past Monday.
The program was shut down for two weeks due to a state order prohibiting indoor sports competition, an order that was only recently lifted.
Michigan was dominant against Nebraska in its return to the competition floor, but there is still so much unknown about the Wolverines. They do have one of the best gymnasts in the country in Wojcik, who earned a perfect 10 on beam in the win over the Huskers, as well as Sierra Brooks (No. 8 on bars).
Title contender? Yet to be determined. Michigan has shown elite flashes — you can argue more than some of the teams in the top four even — but given the Wolverines’ abbreviated schedule, there just hasn’t been a large enough of a sample size to declare one way or another. Given the talent on the roster, though, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Michigan competing on the final day of nationals.
Could surprise
Arkansas Razorbacks
Lots of love for this team! ❤️ pic.twitter.com/kmSF53Nbo2
— Arkansas Razorback Gymnastics (@RazorbackGym) February 14, 2021
National ranking: 5
Season average score: 196.755
- Season high: 197.250
- Season low: 196.350
Top gymnast: Maggie O’Hara
- O’Hara is the top ranked Gymback gymnast, at No. 12 in the country on bars.
Arkansas has been the surprise of the season. Prior to this year, the Gymbacks were always a good team, but rarely if ever one of the SEC’s elite. That has changed this year, however.
Arkansas is 1-4 overall, but the Gymbacks haven’t scored lower than a mid-196 this season, and have broken the 197 barrier twice, once against LSU and another time against Florida. In the season opener against LSU, Arkansas gave the Tigers everything they could handle and arguably could, even should have won the meet.
The Gymbacks are ranked in the top five in the country on two events, beam and floor, where they are No. 5. Arkansas is also the No. 8 team on vault, as well as No. 13 on bars.
Individually, O’Hara and Kennedy Hambrick (No. 14 on floor) are the team’s only gymnasts ranked in the top 15.
Title contender? It has been a dream season for Arkansas and it hasn’t gone unnoticed. Coaches and gymnasts across the country have been paying attention to the rising Gymbacks. That being said, Arkansas hasn’t proven capable of the kind of success needed to win a national championship. Not yet at least.
Alabama Crimson Tide
Happy Birthday, Lexi!!! #HappyBirthday #BamaStrong #RollTide pic.twitter.com/Spqw8vH6Qo
— Alabama Gymnastics (@BamaGymnastics) February 12, 2021
National ranking: 6
Season average score: 196.665
- Season high: 197.000
- Season low: 195.775
Top gymnast: Luisa Blanco
- Blanco is ranked No. 6 in the all-around, with an average score of 39.500 and a season high score of 39.625
Alabama has a wealth of gymnastics tradition, and has been nothing if not solid this season. The Crimson Tide are ranked in the top 10 on every event: No. 6 on bars, No. 7 on beam, No. 9 on floor and No. 10 on vault and have beaten Kentucky, Auburn and Missouri, while losing to only Georgia.
Individually, Blanco has been great, particularly on beam where she is ranked No. 7, as has Lexi Graber who is No. 5 in the country on vault and No. 10 on floor.
Title contender? Not this year. Alabama has talent, but they simply haven’t proven themselves capable of competing at the same level as the nation’s best teams. Not consistently at least, although they have a chance to prove otherwise with meets remaining against both Florida and LSU.
Iowa Hawkeyes
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22308411/AP21016171767630.jpg)
Bruce Kluckhohn, Associated Press
National ranking: 7
Season average score: 196.580
- Season high: 196.800
- Season low: 196.325
Top gymnast: Adeline Kenlin
- Kenlin is the No. 19 gymnast in the country on balance beam
The Hawkeyes have been one of the bright spots of the season and not just for their work on the competition floor.
Iowa is the No. 1 team in the nation on floor and No. 6 on balance beam, showings that are on par with the best in the sport. The Hawkeyes are also ranked No. 16 on vault and No. 17 on bars.
In addition to Kenlin, Alexandra Greenwald is ranked No. 26 on floor.
Off the floor, Iowa has championed the quest for equal rights and supported the Black Lives Matter movement, to great effect.
We are...
— Iowa Gymnastics (@IowaGymnastics) February 6, 2021
We've had...
. pic.twitter.com/hJ8W2l9Gpq
Title contender? It would be a complete surprise if the Hawkeyes were able to make it to the second day of nationals, let alone win the national title, but a berth at nationals is a legitimate possibility and would signify a major leap forward for the Iowa program.
from Deseret News https://ift.tt/3uc4kzy
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario