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NCAA Gymnastics Week 1: Oklahoma dominates as two 10.0s are awarded


The 2024 NCAA gymnastics season officially kicked off over the weekend with the “Mean Girls Super 16” main event in Las Vegas, as well as several other dual meets across the country. And even without all the teams competing, the week was one for the books (burned).

Oklahoma, the reigning two-time NCAA team champion, looked fully ready for its attempt at a hat trick with the weekend’s highest score (197.850) and highest totals on bars and beam (49.625 and 49.475, respectively). ). Led by Faith Torrez, Ragan Smith and Jordan Bowers, the Sooners were stellar in their victory in Las Vegas over Kentucky, Michigan State and Michigan.

LSU’s Haleigh Bryant had the highest individual overall score (39.675) of the weekend with a near-perfect performance in the Tigers’ win over Ohio State.

And that’s not all. Week 1 really had something for everyone. There were perfect scores, surprising upsets and memorable debuts. Here’s everything you need to know about the opening week of collegiate gymnastics:

the perfect duo

Earning a perfect score of 10.0 in NCAA gymnastics is always worthy of celebration and recognition. But doing it during the first week of the regular season? That’s something completely different.

Two gymnasts accomplished the feat over the weekend: Michigan State’s Sage Kellerman on vault and Utah’s Maile O’Keefe on beam. And both performances need to be seen – immediately – if you haven’t had the chance.

Kellerman, a sophomore who was Big Ten co-champion in the event last year, earned her first score of 10.0. But you wouldn’t know it from her calm demeanor after an absolutely icy landing during the Spartans’ meet at the Mean Girls Super 16 event.

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O’Keefe, however, is no stranger to receiving perfect scores: this was the 12th of her career and the 11th on beam. But she told The Salt Lake Tribune that this one, with a home win over Boise State, felt particularly special after the turmoil within the program over the past few months. “Honestly, it was probably one of my top 10 most emotional,” O’Keefe said. “To start the season like this is crazy and surreal.”

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Maile O’Keefe scores a perfect 10 on beam for Utah

Senior Maile O’Keefe earns a perfect 10 on beam on opening night of Utah gymnastics.

Debuts to remember

The transition to NCAA gymnastics can be difficult. Being part of a team, often for the first time, combined with often loud crowds and unparalleled energy, can be a culture shock that takes time to adjust to. But that wasn’t the case for LSU’s Amari Drayton and Georgia’s Lily Smith.

The two freshmen seemed completely calm and seemed ready to be major contributors this season.

Drayton, a former elite gymnast who trained alongside Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles at the World Champions Center, made an immediate impact for the Tigers during their meet against Ohio State, earning a 9.925 on vault to start the meet, and then followed as a late replacement on the floor with another 9.925. Drayton drew cheers from the home crowd for her initial double-pass design and she only seemed to endear her fans (and Biles, who immediately showed support for her on social media) more as she progressed:

Smith, one of the highest-ranked recruits in the current freshman class, showed what all the hype was about with a staggering score of 9.975 as the team’s anchor on bars. The match commentators gushed about his technical prowess, points and lines, and you’ll see why if you haven’t seen this routine yet:

On a related note, Smith’s freshman teammate Ady Wahl won the overall title during Georgia’s win over North Carolina State.

That’s not how you start…

UCLA and Michigan were the 5th and 6th ranked teams, respectively, in the Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association preseason poll, and there were (and are) high expectations for both teams. But both teams, competing in separate meets in the Super 16 event, finished fourth in their sessions. UCLA finished behind Alabama, California and Auburn, with a final score of 196.550, and Michigan (195.875) lost to Oklahoma, Kentucky and Michigan State.

UCLA led its meet after the first two events before a disastrous rotation on the beam, which caused two gymnasts to fall. Michigan was in third place after its first turnover and never found a way to make up the deficit.

Still, there were bright spots for both teams. Selena Harris had a great meet for the Bruins, winning a share of the bars title with a 9.95 scoring routine and finishing second in the all-around competition. Chae Campbell earned a 9.95 for her full Yurchenko (a perfect score for that vault, which is rated at 9.95), and the team bounced back floor after beam with four gymnasts scoring a 9.9 or better. Brooklyn Moors earned a career-high 9.95 in the event.

Gabby Wilson had a strong performance for the Wolverines, posting three 9.90 scores on the day and a second-place finish on floor and a third-place finish on beam.

TL;DR: Don’t panic, UCLA and Michigan fans. It’s only Week 1 and there’s a lot to feel good about. According to the Daily Bruin, UCLA coach Janelle McDonald cited “first meet nervousness,” but she didn’t seem too worried.

“We’ll get back in the gym and figure things out,” McDonald said. “I hope they come out with confidence next week.”

Keep calm and Carey carries on.

While several Olympic hopefuls, including 2020 medalists Sunisa Lee and Jordan Chiles, are taking the year away from college gymnastics to focus on Paris, Jade Carey remains at Oregon State with her eyes set on both the NCAA and gymnastics hardware. elite.

Unlike her first two seasons at the collegiate level, Carey will not compete regularly in all four events this year and will instead primarily do bars and beam for the Beavers. Known for her success on vault and floor at the elite level, Carey looked equally comfortable in her two “weak” events over the weekend in Las Vegas.

She earned a 9.90 on the beam and a 9.975 on the bars, with Chiles (and Lee’s coach, Jess Graba), commentating on the broadcast.

And even though Chiles isn’t competing for UCLA this year, he still managed to have one of the funniest moments of the weekend in Las Vegas. After Graba and former LSU coach DD Breaux received criticism on the broadcast for saying Chiles didn’t eat popcorn because she was training for the Olympics, Chiles posted a photo of herself doing just that on her Instagram Story . Iconic.

If you are not a 10 (you are a 9.9)

Thanks to Luke Bryan for the category title here, here are just a few more must-see routines from the weekend:

Sierra Ballard, LSU: Serving as the Tigers’ leadoff hitter after a tough third rotation, the senior set the tone for the event with poise, polished choreography and LOTS of ENERGY to score a 9.90.

Raena Worley, Kentucky: The fifth-year super senior earned a new personal best on bars with a 9.975, and her reaction after performing the dismount says it all.

He tied Torrez for the highest score of the Super 16 and the second-highest, behind Bryant, of the weekend.

Mya Lauzon, California: The junior took home the all-around title during the Bears’ session in Las Vegas and ended her night with this Yurchenko 1.5 of 9.95 points.

Aleah Finnegan, LSU: We were hesitant to share another LSU routine here, but Finngean’s beam set, which included a perfectly executed triple set, absolutely warrants its inclusion. After a shaky beam rotation, the junior closed out the event for the Tigers with a much-needed 9.95.

Key meetings in week 2:

January 12, Missouri vs. Alabama; 7 pm ET on the SEC Network

January 12: Florida, Fisk, George Washington and Talladega; 7 pm Eastern on SECN+

January 12: Michigan vs. Stanford, 7 pm ET

January 12: Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad Session #1 (Arizona, Boise State, Nebraska, North Carolina); 9 pm ET on the ACC Network

January 13: Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad Session #2 (LSU, Oklahoma, UCLA, Utah); 4 pm ET on ABC

January 13: Sprouts Farmers Market Collegiate Quad Session #3 (BYU, California, Michigan State, North Carolina State); 9 pm ET on the ACC Network



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