It’s the last meet of the regular season, which means it’s time for the Gators to shape up and show out, putting it all together in preparation for conference championships next weekend. But it’s also senior night, which means emotions will be running high, and lineups may look a little different as the seniors are given time to shine. Tonight’s senior celebration will honor fifth-year Payton Richards as well as seniors Chloi Clark, Ellie Lazzari, Michala Magee, and Victoria Nguyen.
As we’ve seen before, Florida has invited multiple programs to make senior night a quad meet. NCSU is the highest ranked of the bunch, with bars and beam their best events this year. Watch for Chloe Negrete on all but bars, Alexis Ortega on bars and beam, and Emily Shepard on all four – she’s their powerhouse fifth-year all-arounder.
Iowa State is right on the regionals bubble, currently holding that final No. 36 slot but in danger of losing it to one of a few teams. Vault is actually ISU’s strongest event this year under new head coach Ashley Miles Greig, but it will certainly be interesting to see how that progresses as she takes ownership of the program. Individuals to watch include Noelle Adams on all but bars, Josie Bergstrom on vault, Loganne Basuel on bars, and Kaia Parker on floor. Hannah Loyim is also a strong all-around competitor for the Cyclones.
And last but not least, Long Island has been the subject of much speculation over the few years of its team’s existence, as many athletes have transferred away after a year or two, including most of its stars, like Mara Titarsolej (now at Mizzou) or Jah’liyah Bedminster (now at Pitt). Still, the Sharks persist, and athletes keep committing there, so head coach Randy Lane must have something going for him. Beam is their best event this year, at No. 36, and their star is Syd Morris, the first openly non-binary NCAA gymnast and former training mate of Gator Morgan Hurd. Morris can absolutely been an AA threat when they’re firing on all cylinders. You’ll also want to watch for Cael Bixler on beam and Alana Ricketts on all but bars.
Florida’s opponents in tonight’s quad, much like last week, are not much of a threat as far as getting another W, so Florida needs to be focused on beating itself – fixing mistakes from previous weeks, with an eye toward the best preparation possible for postseason. Let’s take a look at our late season checklist from last week:
- Better vault landings across the lineup
- Last week looked great – the Gators just need to keep doing what they’re doing to build that muscle memory before they get to SECs.
- Dialing it in on bars – not just hits, but clean details and stuck dismounts such that scores build and the team earns at least three 9.9+ scores
- Look for a strong, confident hit from Lazzari and 9.9+ scores from Pilgrim and Nguyen – those were the errors from last week that need fixing before this team hits postseason. Lazzari has had two off weeks in a row, but here’s a bright spot – Riley McCusker was seen warming up bars this afternoon. Will we see her make a return before season end? I’d be shocked, but that would be really great news for this Gator squad.
- A full rotation of confident, consistent beam work that Florida is known for
- Hurd out, Blakely back in is what I expect to be the ideal lineup, but I don’t know that we’ll see that ideal lineup this week with it being senior night. Richards reportedly warmed up beam, which is excellent news for her ankle, but even though it’s her senior night, I’d be surprised if they risk putting her in just to do beam.
- A strong leadoff routine on floor, followed by higher scores from each subsequent athlete, and replacing Richards’ 9.9+ potential with an equally strong and clean routine
- I’m expecting the final six in postseason to be Nguyen, Pilgrim, Ferris, Blakely, Wong, and Richards if she’s healthy, Hurd or Bluffstone if she’s not – but again, we may not get the final six tonight. Lazzari has competed floor once this season and did warm up tonight, so she may be in the lineup. Ferris also may not quite be ready for lineup, so we may see Draser in instead again. Regardless of who’s in, though, this week’s routines should ideally be the cleanest we’ve seen to date, as there’s only one week until conference championships.
It all starts at 7pm ET on SECN+, but if you don’t have access or have other plans tonight, we’ll have all the details right here for you!
6:38pm: I mentioned a few warmups in the introduction here – here are all the videos I can find!
McCusker warmed up bars – no dismount, but still a great sign.
Payton warmed up beam AND FLOOR??? The double layout looks ready? Really good even? Don’t know if she’ll go tonight but wow, that’s great news.
Ellie also warmed up floor – I wonder if she’ll be in tonight for senior night?
6:56pm: Live stats are here for anyone who wants to follow along! I expect the broadcast will be starting shortly.
7:01pm: We get commentary from Trinity Thomas tonight! What a treat!
Nguyen warming up vault – live scores indicate she’ll definitely be vaulting tonight.
7:05pm: Okay, here we go!
Draser, UF VT: Y1.5, just dropped it in casually, stuck it cold! Wow!
Adomitis, NCSU UB: Maloney to pak, legs pasted together. Stalder to double tuck dismount, also stuck cold. I see why they’re doing so well this season!
We are looking at Lazzari waiting to vault instead of beam or floor…
Lazzari, VT: Y1.5, did not get it all the way around – looked like her hand slipped on her block – and ended up sitting it. That is not what she needed tonight.
O’Brochta, ISU BB: Really lovely extension on her choreo. Acro series is nice and steady. A little short of split on her dance series. Gainer pike off the end, stuck!
7:10pm: Nguyen, VT: Y1.5, very clean in the air, good amplitude – little hop forward. A good reset.
Miller, LIU FX: Double pike to start out, steps out of bounds. Little Wipeout music going on here, that’s fun. Front full front lay, almost went OOB again but I didn’t see a hand go up. Dance series looked clean. Double tuck to finish, did not have the stamina and came up short, had to put her hands down. Not a great one for the Sharks.
Blakely, VT: Y1.5, another sizable hop forward but we’d rather that than her sit it. Really clean in the air, though.
Adams, BB: Acro series, breaks at the waist… and can’t stay on, has to hop off. Lovely leaps as she gets back on though, nice 180 positions. Side aerial gets great lift. Cat leap to front aerial, clean. Gainer full off the side, stuck. A good recovery, but they’ll want to drop that.
7:15pm: Pilgrim, VT: Y1.5, absolutely textbook in the air, just a short hop forward.
Harper, UB: Gorgeous Jaeger to open. Bail is straight on, very nice. Good final handstand. Sticks her DLO cold!
Bergstrom, BB: Joining midway through. Switch leap to switch leap, maybe a little shy of 180 on the last one? Split jump is much better. Punch front tuck full off the end is stuck! A good reset for the Cyclones.
Ferris, VT: Y1.5, huge distance, just the tiniest hop forward. Another great one!
Thomas, BB: Choreo to start looked really pretty but we cut back to vault. We cut back after Edwards, lovely dance series, gorgeous 180 on the straddle 1/4. Roundoff 1.5 dismount is stuck!
Edwards, VT exh: Yfull, big bounce backward. Good that she’s there, but hopefully this vault squad can all stay together.
Brubach, VT exh: Yfull, like a dart into the mat! Basically stuck, good for her. Another solid option, I’d use her over Edwards should any of the 1.5s need to come out.
Morris, FX: Double tuck to open is nice and high. Dance series looks pretty clean. Front lay to front full, gorgeous. Double pike stuck cold!
Shepard, UB: Release looks great. Bail is solid, clean handstand position. Full in looked maybe stuck? Might’ve shifted a little early.
7:25pm: Ricketts, FX: Whip through to double tuck, overcooks it a little and steps OOB. Lovely extension in her dance series. Front tuck to straddle jump, I guess that’s one way to get bonus? Loving the dark, mysterious vibes in this routine, the Paint It Black cover is excellent. Double back to finish, a little short but covered well.
AFTER ONE: UF 49.475, ISU 49.175, NCSU 48.9, LIU 47.825
Draser, Pilgrim, and Ferris doing their jobs tonight, especially Draser with a massive 9.95 to lead off the rotation! Lazzari still having some trouble, and some more sizable hops from Nguyen and Blakely – would certainly rather they have hops than sit them down, but by this point in the season, those landings need to be more secure if the Gators are going to compete with the likes of Oklahoma on vault.
7:35pm: Rotation 2, let’s get it!
Blakely, UF UB: Maloney to pak, small sep on the Maloney but pak is good. Camera angle makes it impossible to tell how the last handstands are. But she sticks the double front! A great start.
Adler, NCSU BB: Acro series to start, very clean. Switch leap to split 1/4, gorgeous extension through those, 180s are great. Side aerial, little check there but keeps it cool. Cat leap to switch side, slow on the connection but great oversplit. Gainer full off the side, stuck! A good start for the Wolfpack.
Parks, LIU VT: Yfull, off to one side, goes out of the lines.
Nguyen, UB: Maloney to pak, legs pasted together. Great final handstand! DLO, little scoot back as she salutes. Another solid routine!
Jennings, BB: Triple series is gorgeous, very patient, very steady. Switch leap to tuck 3/4, patient with that too, good for her. Split position in the switch was nice as well. Side aerial is clean, some flexed feet? Gainer full off the side is stuck!
Cooke, ISU FX: A little Juicy Wiggle music to get going here. Front double full to start! Very clean. Last wolf element in her dance series was a little wild, not sure if it got around fully. 1.5 to front lay, just pulled that around, a little short on the second element.
Lazzari, UB: Tkachev is good, pak very clean. She had a bobble standing on the low bar, didn’t fall, caught herself and swung around. Fought for that! Maybe stuck her dismount? Hard to tell from here.
Morris, VT: Yfull, just a small adjustment on their landing.
Wilke, FX: Joining midway through, first pass looked like a hit? Dance series is nice, straddle position is gorgeous. Double pike to finish is well controlled.
7:45pm: Disidore, UB: Maloney to pak, super clean, legs glued together. van Leeuwen is clean too. Final handstand is great. DLO – fights for the stick.
Ricketts, VT: Yfull, a little off to the left but solid amplitude, especially considering how far back her block was.
Parker, FX: Punch front through to double tuck, nice and high, well controlled. A little labored in the dance series, the straddle positions looked like a struggle for her. Don’t love this floor choreo, I feel like it would be a lot higher energy if she were standing during that section. Double pike to finish, just pops it out into the lunge. A strong finish.
Pilgrim, UB: Maloney to pak, very clean, maybe her best. Low bar handstand work is solid. Final handstand also clean. Full in gets SO high, and she sticks!
Adams, FX: Front lay to Rudi, suuuper clean twisting form, very floaty. Leap series is very precise, clean 180 positions too. Double tuck, a small bounce on the landing but stays in bounds. Easily my favorite from this Cyclone team.
Wong, UB: Maloney to pak, textbook. van Leeuwen is clean too. DLO is STUCK. That better be 9.9+.
Negrete was hitting an excellent beam routine until we cut back to bars.
Hurd, UB exh: Maloney to pak, a little off on the pak but she covers well. Little hop on the dismount, but that’s great to see them hit that!
AFTER TWO: UF 98.9, ISU 98.575, NCSU 98.275, LIU 96.9
The Gators got stuck in the 9.8s again and I’m honestly not sure why? Lazzari’s low bar stumble was weird, and it’s the third week in a row she’s had a miss – she may need a break, but they’re kinda out of time for that. Pilgrim also keeps getting lowballed on bars and I do not understand it. She had an excellent routine tonight. It’s a good thing Blakely and Nguyen have gotten their wits about them and both went 9.9.
8:03pm: Rotation three – let’s see what beam brings for the Gators!
Draser, UF BB: Bhs loso, very steady and calm. Switch leap to switch half, nice 180 positions there. Roundoff 1.5, step forward. A good start for her.
Edwards, NCSU FX: Double pike to open, nice and high, no slide on the landing either. Lovely split positions in her dance series. Aaaaand we cut away….
Blakely, BB: Front aerial to bhs, she was a little off on the first element but adjusted mid-air. Split leap to switch half to beat jump, very nice. Gainer full off the side is stuck! Very clean.
Two falls from Hinson of LIU on UB and had to roll out of her dismount – that’s not what you want to see. Ouch.
Pilgrim, BB: Bhs loso and is completely off on her loso, just missed the beam entirely. Oof. Beat jump to front aerial as she gets back up, clean. Switch to split leap, gorgeous. Bhs gainer full is stuck – better to get that miss out now than have it happen next week. Hopefully they’ll be able to drop that.
Ortega of Iowa State missed the punch on her last pass and did her second twisting element right to her back, WOW. Things are falling apart out here.
Another fall from LIU on UB, this time from Bixler. Woof.
Lazzari, BB: Bhs loso loso, little lean but you could barely tell. Switch to split, lovely positions and toe point. Full turn is clean. Split 1/2 from side stand, very precise. Cartwheel to gainer full, stuck! That’s a good reset for the Gators.
Hall, FX: We’re joining midway through. Solid Rudi there, very clean. 1.5 to front lay to finish it out, well controlled if a little pulled around. That’ll be a good reset for them as well after the fall from Ortega.
8:15pm: Nguyen, BB: Rolling mount is just gorgeous. Onodi – bobbles, goes to repeat the element. Onodi to bhs, much better, good for her. That’s mental toughness. Switch to split, gorgeous oversplit there. BHs 1.5, little step back. That’s a good fight.
Zultevicz, FX: Double tuck is nice and high as she finishes her routine – very strong.
Arana, BB: Love seeing her get the nod as they rest Wong, this is a pressure set for her for sure though. Bhs loso, very clean, very patient with it. Front aerial, super steady. Switch to switch half, maybe a little shy of 180 there on the second element. Full turn is clean. Gainer full is stuck! How clutch!
Loyim, VT: Y1.5, little hop back.
Shepard, FX: This should be a treat. Double pike, absolutely TEXTBOOK. Pointed toes in the air and everything. Gorgeous extension through her splits in her dance series. And we’re cutting away… cheers indicate it’s a hit though.
Hurd, BB exh: Front aerial to bhs, very strong. Split to ring jump, little bobble but stays on. Roundoff double full, just a little hop forward.
Negrete, FX: Double pike to start, very well controlled. Really loving the drama in this choreography section. Front full front lay, gorgeous, good turnover on the connection. Another leap sequence is excellent. Double back to finish, good control – that’ll be an excellent score.
Adler, FX exh: Rudi to open, very floaty. Dance series is clean, if a little off kilter on the wolf jump full. Random roundoff loso in the middle of the routine to knee, that’s a choice. Front full front pike to finish, I guess that random loso was because she doesn’t do back tumbling. A good seventh routine for NCSU.
AFTER THREE: UF 148.3, NCSU 147.575, ISU 147.4, LIU 144.375
I expect that the fall from Pilgrim was a fluke, and the squad did a great job of stepping up to cover her, but I’m a little concerned about how many times the team has had to do that tonight with SECs being next week.
8:35pm: Okay, last rotation!
Nguyen, UF FX: Front double full to sissone, one of her good ones this week. I think she’s finally gotten that pass under control. Gorgeous extension in her leap series, lovely positions in the air. Y turn is clean. 1.5 to front layout, very clean to finish. That’ll be a good one. 9.925! What a great leadoff score!
Bixler, LIU BB: Acro series is clean! A little short of 180 on her leap sequence. Roundoff 1.5 is stuck! That’s a strong start for them, they need that.
Ortega, NCSU VT: Yfull, good distance, a slide back on the landing.
Lazzari, FX: She is in tonight! Front double full, very nice! Triple dance series, all very precise and great 180 positions. 1.5 to front lay – her best routine of the night! What a way to finish on senior night.
Loyim, ISU UB: Gorgeous piked Jaeger! Pak was a little funky, had some trouble on the low bar but recast and got it. Fought for her last handstand – DLO with a bounce back.
Ferris, FX: So excited to see her in the competitive lineup this week! Full in, well controlled and great amplitude. Switch side to Popa to another Popa… may not have been fully rotated? Great straddle positions though. 1.5 to front lay, a little shy on the front lay but brings it around. That should be good, but not great. She can do more, and likely well with more reps. 9.85 is perfectly respectable for her first competitive routine.
Laura Cooke nailed her DLO for ISU on bars, just drilled it.
Hurd, FX: DLO to open, it’s a good one! Switch ring to switch half to wolf jump full, gorgeous. Really bringing the drama in this choreo section, just gorgeous, great musicality. Front lay to front full to finish, should be another great score for them.
Shepard, VT: Yfull, really far off to the side for some reason but good landing, just a little slide.
Pilgrim, FX: 1.5 through to double tuck, just gorgeous, so well controlled. Leap series is clean, just the two elements still, what a smart change. Really paying attention to the hits in her choreo with this Rihanna medley she uses. Double pike, a little slide of the front foot but great amplitude. Should be a good score, better than last week I’d expect.
Blakely, FX: Front through to double tuck, bouncy on the landing but stays in bounds fine. Switch to switch ring half, gorgeous. 1.5 to front full, reeeally pulled that around somehow. Killing this choreography, really hitting all her picture moments.
Apparently everything is a 9.925 on floor tonight – score separation? Never heard of her.
Lehman, VT exh: Yhalf, really pretty in the air, small shuffle on the landing.
Brubach, FX exh: Front lay to Rudi to open, much cleaner than last week. Really performing the heck out of this choreography, leap pass looks good. Double tuck to close, well controlled.
Bluffstone, FX exh: I love this routine. Full in is gorgeous to start. Dance series is solid. Front full front full, I cant remember if that’s different? Looked a little wild. Love her ending choreo including the straddle to front support.
FINAL: UF 197.9, NCSU 196.825, ISU 195.825, LIU 192.025
Draser wins vault with 9.95, Wong bars with 9.975, Blakely and Arana tie with NCSU’s Negrete for the beam title with 9.925, and Iowa State’s Ella Schell won floor with 9.95! AA goes to Blakely with a 39.625, good for her.
Overall, not the dominant performance that maybe we were looking for, but with some adjustments to lineups and resting Wong, that’s not the most surprising. Lazzari needs to REST this week to try and get herself straight on bars next week, and everyone else needs to shake out the nerves and get podium ready. I’ll have a regular season recap up for y’all later this week, so rather than looking at the checklist now, look for that in the next few days.
I’ll be liveblogging both sessions of SEC Champs next weekend, so see you all at 3:30pm next Saturday back here!
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