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NCAA Gymnastics Week 8: Florida defeats LSU and OU sets another record

February 26, 2024, 02:21 pm ET

On Friday night, moments after Florida's Payton Richards was carted off the field after suffering an injury on her first drop pass, all eyes were on Leanne Wong as she prepared to close out the contest against LSU.

Needing a 9.825 to seal the victory, Wong did everything the Gators needed, and then some. The junior delivered a flawless performance, complete with a soaring double design, intricate and elegant choreography, and the signature “Gator chomp” at the end. Wong's heroics were rewarded with his first 10.0 on the court, not only to give Florida the 198.150-197.950 victory and its best overall team score of the season, but also to complete the elusive “Gym Slam” .

Wong is now the 15th gymnast in NCAA history, and the fourth in Florida, to have earned a perfect score on every event during her collegiate career. She later said she felt “very accomplished” after what she considered a productive day: She had recorded the best all-around score of the season (39.875) for any gymnast in the country, the bars title and a share of the floor titles. . she and she beamed, at the same time she was taking a U.S. history midterm, taking a quiz in a health class, and completing three biology assignments.

But ultimately, she just wanted to help her teammates when they needed her most.

“At that moment, I knew the team needed my score, so I had to go out and do my routine the way I had been practicing it,” Wong said during the post-match press conference.

The Gators are now guaranteed at least a share of the SEC regular-season title for the sixth consecutive season and remain at No. 5 in the standings.

Oklahoma, which broke the record for highest team score in program history (198,675) during its win over West Virginia on Friday, continues its run at the No. 1 spot. LSU remains at No. 2 after moving up to the last week, and California and Utah remain at No. 3 and No. 4, respectively.

Here's what you may have missed from a memorable Week 8 of the 2024 NCAA gymnastics season:

The perfect 10 club

While Wong's perfect score was undoubtedly the most dramatic, she wasn't the only one to record a 10.0, nor even the only gymnast to make the score and find her way into the history books. Five others earned the historic score this weekend.

Ragan Smith, Oklahoma: A week after posting her first 10.0 of 2024, the Sooners senior further cemented her “Beam Queen” title with her seventh perfect score in the event. She is now tied with Maggie Nichols, who was present for the win over West Virginia, for the most in school history on beam.

Aleah Finnegan, LSU: The Tigers junior had another amazing performance on the court, earning her second consecutive 10.0 and fourth in the event. Although LSU lost on Friday, the team still earned its best road floor score of 49.775, thanks in large part to Finnegan. To quote ESPN's Sam Peszek during the broadcast after her first pass, “She's similar an interpreter. [She] He really takes it to the next level with his jumps, his jumps… It's a lot of fun to watch. This is a real pleasure.”

Grace McCallum, Utah: As an Olympic silver medalist, two-time world champion and 2023 NCAA bars runner-up, there isn't much the Red Rocks junior hasn't accomplished in gymnastics. McCallum had twice received a perfect score on bars and had been very close before on the court, but on Friday, during Utah's 198.075-196.625 win over Stanford, he earned his first 10.0 on the court. She became the first Utah gymnast since MyKayla Skinner in 2019 to record the mark at the event, and the first since MaKenna Merrell-Giles in 2018 to do it at home.

eMjae Frazier, California: Sunday was a monumental day for the Golden Bears. The team not only beat UCLA 198.400-197.775 in the “Battle for California,” but also set the record for the highest score in team history. And, if that weren't enough, Frazier (whose sister Margzetta is a sixth-year senior for the Bruins) had the best individual all-around score (39.825) in Cal history and earned his second perfect 10.0 of the year, and the first. On the floor.

Mya Lauzon, California: In Sunday afternoon's final rotation, shortly after Frazier's triumph on floor, Lauzon reminded everyone why she is the reigning Pac-12 champion on beam. Showcasing her impressive flexibility, creativity, poise and impeccable triple set, Lauzon earned her second perfect score in the event and her first of 2024.

Back to back

It's hard to know where to start with Michigan State's remarkable victory on Friday. Competing in the first of two “Big Five” meets held at Penn State, the Spartans closed the night with a 49.475 on the court, for a final score of 197.275 and the victory over conference rivals Ohio State, Minnesota, Nebraska and Rutgers.

But that is not all.

With the victory, Michigan State clinched the team's second consecutive regular-season Big Ten title and became the fourth team in Big Ten history to have an undefeated record (9-0) in conference competition. So yeah, it was a pretty big night for the Spartans, who will be the top seed and host of next month's Big Ten championships.

“It means a lot,” the head coach said. Mike Rowe said after the game about becoming back-to-back Big Ten regular season champions. “But we have to get back in the gym. We have a lot of work to do. The season isn't over yet, but I'm very, very happy for these guys and all the hard work they put in this season.” “.

The best of the rest

Sierra Brooks, Michigan: Competing in the second “Big Five” meet, the Wolverines' graduate student led the team to victories over Illinois, Penn State, Iowa and Maryland on her final big day. Brooks won her fifth consecutive all-around title (39.650) as well as the floor title with a near-perfect 9.975 routine that featured powerful (and perfectly controlled) spins and precise, intricate moves throughout.

Lilly Tubbs, Washington: The Huskies lost to Arizona State, but the team still posted its best score of the season (196.500) and Tubbs tied her career-best on bars with a 9.95, the day's highest score in an individual event. Come for his impressive release moves and his double takedown design, stay to see the look of pure joy and relief on his face at the end.

Cassie Stevens, Chestnut: In her final competition at Neville Arena, the fifth-year senior gave Tigers fans something to remember when she led the team to victory over Missouri with her fourth all-around title of the season (39.625), as well as the title in jump and a part of it on floor and beam. Midway through the meet, Stevens helped her team rally with a clutch 9.925 on beam to take the lead heading into the final rotation.

Emily Lee, UCLA: It was a disappointing day for the Bruins overall during the loss to Cal, but Lee did everything he could, and more, to give his team a chance. Competing in the (often undesirable) first place in three events, the junior earned a 9.95 on floor and beam and won the vault title with a Yurchenko stuck full that tied her career-high score of 9.90.

Key meetings for this weekend

Friday: Alabama at LSU; 6 p.m. Eastern on ESPN2

Friday: Kent State and Bowling Green at Ohio State; 6:30 pm ET on B1G+

Friday: Auburn at Georgia; 7 pm ET on the SEC Network

Friday: New Hampshire at Michigan State; 7 pm ET on B1G+

Friday: Michigan at Oklahoma; 7:15 p.m. Eastern on ESPN2

Friday: UCLA at Stanford; 8 p.m. ET on Pac-12 Networks

Friday: Minnesota, Washington and UC Davis at Boise State; 9 p.m. ET on Mountain West Network

Friday: Arizona State at Oregon State; 10 p.m. ET on Pac-12 Networks

Saturday: Utah at California; 5 p.m. ET on Pac-12 Insider

Sunday: Florida at Kentucky; 2 p.m. Eastern on ESPN2

Sunday: North Carolina at Nebraska; 2 pm ET ON B1G+

Sunday: Oklahoma, Clemson and Penn at Texas Woman's; 3 pm eastern time

Sunday: San Jose State, Lindenwood and Air Force in Denver; 3 pm eastern time

Sunday: Arizona at Washington; 4 pm eastern time

Sunday: Arkansas at Missouri; 6 pm ET on the SEC Network



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