EDIT: Catch up here on all the action from semifinals, then head here to get in on the action for finals!
After a surprising set of morning sessions, we are ready to go for session two with the Gators at regionals!
To round up the events from this morning, California and Ohio State qualified to the Morgantown final, Alabama and Arkansas qualified to the Tuscaloosa final (leaving Iowa out despite a huge score), Utah and Arizona State advance in Salt Lake City, and Minnesota and Denver are the first two teams that Florida will likely face tomorrow in Athens.
Looking ahead to this evening, remember the keys we discussed in the regionals preview:
- Leading after beam
- Thomas in more than just bars and firing on all cylinders
- The team having fun and staying loose on the sideline, but going after every tenth in routines
If the Gators win this semifinal, that means they’ll rotate in Olympic order tomorrow, which would add an extra level of comfort in addition to the familiar arena coach Rowland was excited about in a press call earlier this week.
If you plan on watching, this meet is on ESPN3 tonight, and if you can’t watch, make sure to keep refreshing this page – it all starts at 7pm ET – just a few minutes!
6:59pm: Broadcast is starting!
Beam lineup is being flashed on screen, looks like both Thomas and Johnson-Scharpf are out, so Schoenherr is in the anchor spot again. I’ll try and get some routines besides Florida.
7:02pm: Richards, BB: Triple series is good. Switch to straddle is solid. Side aerial back full, little slide it looked like.
Illinois starts with a stick on bars from O’Donnell.
Something happening with Central Mich on floor. No one is competing.
Jordan, NCSU VT: FTY, little piked forward on the landing.
Biondi, Ill UB: Releases good. DLO little short, hop forward
7:04pm: Skaggs, BB: Switch to split, both gorgeous. Bhs loso is super steady. Front aerial is great. Switch side is good too. Side aerial back full stuck!
Double tuck to close on floor for Central Mich is good.
Not sure who that was on VT for NCSU just now but it looked like a roundoff half on front tuck off? Might be wrong on the entry, but either way it wasn’t an FTY so it’s nice to see. Ah, it was Benson.
7:07pm: Double pike to open for Williams of Central Mich on floor. Cool headstand choreo, that’s fun.
Shepard, NCSU VT: FTY is just gorgeous, great amplitude.
Lazzari, BB: Leaps are lovely, maybe a little flexed foot on the split jump. Hit the rest! Great!
Oooooh, Williams just crashed her double tuck, faceplanted onto the floor, oof.
7:09pm: Illinois UB: Gorgeous high Jaeger but caught a little close?? Couldn’t tell if that was supposed to be a bail or just a shootover. Double tuck with a step.
Baumann, BB: Bhs loso, super straight on. Switch to split, lovely extension. Front aerial is perfect, just textbook. Switch half is great! Definitely hit 180 tonight. stuck her 1.5 dismount cold!!! A queen!
Last VT for NCSU looked like a Y1.5? It was great! That was Hunter, I believe.
Central Michigan is getting it back on floor, dance elements were a little wild but it’s a hit. That was DeMers, I believe.
7:13pm: Clapper, BB: Triple series is excellent. Super steady so far. Switch to split, good. Sider aerial back full, stuck! Yes Leah!
Pitchell, FX: Double pike to open is solid. Straddles in oversplit, lovely. Double tuck to close, a little overcooked maybe but covered well. Another hit in the quest to drop Williams’s fall.
Another 9.975 for Baumann – when are they going to give her the 10??? A crime, I swear.
7:16pm: Schoenherr, FX: Front aerial was great. Bhs loso, little bobble with the front foot but puts it back down with no trouble. Wowww, straddle 3/4 was the best I’ve seen her do. 1.5 dismount, hop forward.
DeMarinis, FX: First two passes hit. Double pike to close, a little short but she stays on her feet, they’ll take it.
Seeing some individuals competing here too – the top ranked individuals on each event and AA in each region qualify without their teams, and they rotate with an assigned team for the night, but only earn scores for themselves.
Piringer for Nebraska on FX: just killed her DLO. 1.5 to front pike is floaty and she barely needs half the floor for it. Some fun floor choreo here, little knee spin up to standing. Double pike, a little short but not as bad as DeMarinis before her.
AFTER ONE: UF 49.625, NCSU 49.075, ILL 49.05, CMU 49.0
To update you on what’s happening elsewhere in the country, Michigan had a bobblefest on beam and sits in third after one in Morgantown, while UCLA leads.
Floor lineup on screen looks like Johnson-Scharpf is back, very exciting. Clapper leading, Baumann anchoring. Richards is out then.
Rotation two!!
7:28pm: Townes, Ill BB: Switch to straddle 1/4, lovely positions. Bhs loso, lovely and steady. Cat leap to sider aerial to back tuck full stuck! Great start for the Illini.
Clapper, FX: Rudi to double stag to start off, a little wild in the air. 1.5 to front lay to stag, better control there. Double pike to finish, looked like she went OOB but commentator does not… we’ll see if the judges take it.
Jordan hit UB to lead off for NCSU.
Clean FTY for CMU, I think that was Cesarone.
7:30pm: Nelson, NCSU UB: Gorgeous Tkachev. Bail is a little loose in the knees. Great last handstand! Double tuck dismount, little hop.
Borden, BB: Front aerial to front handspring to straddle 1/4, wow! That’s fun, and very well connected. Beat to sheep, actually a good sheep jump, she can stay. Stuck her dismount!
Skaggs, FX: Still obsessed with this routine. Rudi to double stag instead of a split jump? That didn’t look 100% intentional, might get deducted for that. Gorgeous splits on her dance series. 1.5 to front lay, great control coming out.
Yes, Clapper did go OOB. Florida will want to drop that.
7:34pm: Biondi, BB: Love her mount sequence! Bhs loso, little lean but locks it down. Split to double stag, lovely. Side aerial, breaks at the hips but stays on. 1.5, hop forward.
Robinson hit UB for NCSU, little dismount hop.
Lazzari, FX: Double pike, little bounce back. 1.5 to front lay to stag, great control there. Gorgeous in the dance series, awesome amplitude. Double tuck to finish, lunge is controlled nicely. Another great one for her!
Cox, UB: Almost overarches her last handstand but saves it. DLO stuck!
Y1.5 from the individual from Nebraska, whose name escapes me at the moment. Will update. Ahh, Dujakovich.
7:37pm: Johnson-Scharpf, FX: Double arabian is SPOT on, so good for her. Combo pass is solid, well controlled. Love her choreo. Double tuck, a little stutter back but keeps it in bounds fine. Love seeing her back.
Murphy, UB: Another individual! Releases are great. Ooh a double twist for her dismount! Love it.
Takekawa, BB: Oh no, she’s off on an acro element and it looks like she’s hurt? She CRASHED into the beam. Shaking her leg, maybe it’s a cramp. Gets back up to finish. Bhs gainer full stuck! Good recovery.
7:40pm: Reed, FX: DLO is gorgeous as ever. Rudi is solid. Dance elements are good. Double pike to close, lands it standing straight up, great control! That should be a huge score.
7:43pm: Scott, BB: Front toss to bhs, don’t know if I’d give that connection but that’s me. Front toss was nice though. Jump series is good. Front aerial to bhs is also good, I guess that’s a backup series? Stuck dismount! They’ll drop that fall.
Baumann, FX: Double tuck to open, just a hair short but she covers well. 1.5 to front full, great control. Sooo high on her dance series. Double pike, also short, bounced forward. Won’t be a high score but they’ll drop Leah’s OOB.
AFTER TWO: UF 99.0, NCSU 98.4, ILL 98.025, CMU 97.825
Sooo NC State might actually make regional final? That would be the ultimate story after being shafted by being sent to a play-in.
To update you from the other regionals around the nation, Michigan has moved into a pretty safe second behind UCLA now and ahead of WVU by nearly six tenths.
Vault rotation on screen now, Foberg leading off, still no Thomas, but Richards is anchoring. Hopefully she can hit it this week.
The rotation on screen is apparently incorrect? This is from the the Gators:
7:54pm: Foberg, VT: clean FTY, little hop forward. Good start.
Nelson, NCSU BB: hit so far, little bobble on the full turn. Stuck dismount though!
Ewald, ILL FX: Looked like a hit, nothing major so far.
Lazzari, VT: big FTY, little slide back.
7:55pm: Skaggs, VT: FTY, gorgeous body position but some leg sep, itty bitty hop.
Noonan, FX: Front double full, nice! Rudi is great, barely needs the run into it. Final combo series is well controlled. Great routine for her!
Foland, BB: Front toss to bhs bhs, a little squatty in the toss. Jump series is good. 1.5 dismount is stuck!
Schoenherr, VT: Y1.5, one of her best! Just a little hop forward.
8:00pm: Reed, VT: Y1.5, huge amplitude, great form in the air. Just a hop forward. Needs to find that landing!
Shepard, BB: Bhs loso is super solid. Side aerial, snaps it down. Side aerial back full is stuck! They’re keeping that momentum going!
Biondi, FX: Double pike to open, nice. Double tuck to finish is great too! Another solid hit for Illinois.
Baumann, VT: FTY, very bouncy but only one hop. Wonder if Richards is okay.
8:02pm: Townes, FX: Front double full is gorgeous! Ooh, I love her floor choreo, lots of power. Wolf full is a little wonky. 1.5 front full is well controlled and clean. That’ll be a great score!
Cox, BB: Series is solid. Switch to tuck 3/4 was tight and barely made it around. Cat leap to side aerial, steady. Stuck gainer full!
Kotas for CMU on UB ran out of gas a little there. Roby from Nebraska should be next.
8:06pm: Negrete, BB: Front aerial to bhs, lovely. Switch to switch half, a little tight on that half. Didn’t see if she stuck, but another hit.
Mueller, FX: Double pike, a little short and bounced back. Front lay to front full, much better. Dance series is nice. Double tuck to close, solid.
Roby, Nebraska individual on UB: Jaeger is gorgeous. Pak, lovely. Little hop forward on her dismount, but really nice to see her finish out her career here.
8:08pm: Scott, FX: Front double full again, gorgeous twisting form! Lovely splits in that dance sequence. 1.5 to front lay, super floaty. Choreo is so dramatic here, love it. Rudi to finish, very nice.
Webb, BB: Love seeing her thrive at NCSU! How cool would it be to have both of these teams in the final tomorrow. Series is great. Switch to split, great extension. Front aerial, very nice. Beat to… Sloan says sheep jump but it looked like a stag to me, weird angle on the camera though. Small step on the dismount, but NCSU keeps going!
Murphy, WMU individual on BB: Piked front toss, nice. She has just gorgeous lines, wow. Bhs loso, steps back and breaks at the hips but stays on! Beat to sissone? Unclear shape there. Side aerial to back full stuck! NCSU erupts into cheers! Love that.
AFTER THREE: UF 148.275, NCSU 147.475, ILL 147.225, CMU 146.575
Bars lineup for the Gators shows Gallentine in the anchor slot? No Clapper, Thomas in.
8:22pm: Richards, UB: Maloney to bail, a little struggle on the Maloney but keeps it going. Short on all handstands through here, but stuck her DLO? Comes out in the wash I think for a good start.
Jordan, NCSU FX: Combo pass to open is nice. Such drama here! I missed her second pass but it was a hit, it seems.
Biondi, Ill VT: I missed Mueller apparently. Yhalf it looked like, stuck! Nice!
Lazzari, UB: Tkachev is gorgeous. Pak a little short it seemed like but she makes it down fine. Full in, little slide back. Another hit.
Takekawa, VT: FTY, little slide.
8:25pm: Cox, FX: Missed her first punch and only does a front half, big bounce. 1.5 to front lay to finish, good finish, but the damage is done, she will not start from a 10.
Skaggs, UB: TKachev to pak, aggressive and lovely. Great last handstand. DLO, just drops it in! Yes!
Townes, VT: Another stick! Wow!
8:27pm: Rowe, VT: FTY is sooo clean in the air, little bounce back.
Schoenherr, UB: Releases are good this week. Double front half out STUCK! YES!
Waight, VT: Y1.5, looked stuck to me! Wow! That’s huge for them.
Long wait for NCSU’s floor score, have to recalculate start value.
8:30pm: Thomas, UB: Maloney to uprise, gorgeous. Pak is super floaty. Great handstand on low bar. Van Leeuwen, legs pasted together. Great last handstand. STUCK DLO! For her only routine tonight, that was a HUGE win. SHE GOT THE TENNNNNNN! YES MA’AM!
Benson, FX: Double pike to open, very nice! 1.5 to front pike, great control and body positions there. Popa to wolf full, wolf position was a little funky. A good reset for the Pack.
Gallentine, UB: Transitions solid. DLO bounce back. Great to see her come back that way!
8:33pm: DeMarinis killing it on beam for CMU. Stuck her dismount! Very nice!
Nelson, FX: Back 1.5 to front tuck, floaty, nice. Double pike, well controlled. Switch side to wolf full, good. A little short on final combo pass but covers well with a lunge.
Tong, BB: Another great hit for the Chippewas, and a stick to close it out! Love seeing them fight to the end.
8:37pm: Shepard, FX: Only one of these last two athletes needs a 9.8 or better and they’ll clinch it. Double pike to open, very nice. Front lay front full, great control and form. Double tuck to close, and that’ll do it!
Roby, Neb individual on BB: Front aerial, so crisp! Series is solid. FUll turn clean. Split to stag, gorgeous. Side aerial back full, gets the stick! Great to see her killing that.
8:41pm: Negrete, FX: This is just a victory lap! Double pike to open, great. Super clean in her dance elements, great extension in the split. Front full front lay, gorgeous. Double tuck, just lays it back into the lunge. That should be a great score!
Murphy, WMU individual: Double back to open, soo high. Fun floor choreo in here. This is Myia Hambrick’s old floor music, from LSU. Exact mix and everything. Rudi to straddle, super high but well controlled in the air. Lovely splits. Double pike to close, a little low on the end but what a night for her!
I think this is Higgins on BB for Neb, she’s hitting it out of the park too.
FINAL: UF 197.95, NCSU 196.775, ILL 196.375, CMU 195.575
NC State makes the regional final after being forced to compete in a play-in!!! That’s insane! And Florida’s scorecard, even without Thomas, is absolutely A+ material tonight.
In other regional news…
Michigan and UCLA advance in Morgantown, pitting them against Cal and Ohio State tomorrow. Oklahoma and Missouri will almost assuredly advance in Tuscaloosa, filling out the field with Alabama and Arkansas in the final. And Salt Lake City is about to start in just 10 minutes!
Thanks for hanging out tonight! We’ll see you back here tomorrow night, same time, same place. Follow me @mycluttereddesk on Twitter for more gymnastics thoughts tonight, and be sure to follow @ChompTalk for all your Florida athletics news!
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