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Happy Regionals Weekend to those who celebrate! Today we’re looking at two semifinals in Gainesville, where in each semi, the top two teams will qualify to Sunday’s regional final, which will send the top two teams to nationals.

The Gators will compete later, but provided they qualify to Sunday (which feels likely), this meet will feature two of their opponents, so it’s important we get a good look ahead of time!

Utah and Michigan State are certainly favored to qualify to Sunday’s final as the two seeded teams in this session. Utah’s No. 5 ranking puts their NQS just behind Florida by 0.01. Floor is the Utes’ strongest event, followed by beam, bars, and then vault. While a strong team, they don’t necessarily have a strong all-arounder to pin their hopes on – instead, their strategy relies on two- and three-eventers like Maile O’Keefe and Grace McCallum (UB/BB/FX), Jaylene Gilstrap (VT/FX), Makenna Smith (VT/UB), Ella Zirbes (UB/FX), and Abby Paulson (BB/FX). McCallum and Smith do compete AA, but both have at least one weaker event (VT for McCallum, BB for Smith).

The biggest story at Utah this season has been more behind-the-scenes with their coaching troubles – former head coach Tom Farden was accused of emotional abuse and dangerous coaching practices during the 2023 offseason, and shortly before the season began, he and the school reached a mutual agreement that he would resign, supposedly unrelated to the allegations. Farden’s AC Carly Dockendorf became the interim head coach, and fairly quickly had that arrangement made permanent, so the question remains: has anything really changed at Utah? And amidst all this, do they still have what it takes to make nationals?

Michigan State, on the other hand, is a program on the rise after several challenging years. After the full-scale scandal that rocked the gymnastics world, they’ve rebuilt, but it hasn’t been easy. In 2021, they had to withdraw from season after COVID-19 concerns cancelled several of their meets. But since 2022, the Spartans have been steadily improving, and each year, head coach Mike Rowe has been named Coach of the Year by the Big 10 Conference. That climb culminated this year in their first conference championship win, beating long-time rival Michigan, and earning one of their highest rankings in program history, entering this competition at No. 10. The Spartans’ best event is vault, followed by bars, floor, and beam. Watch out for all-arounder duo Skyla Schulte and Gabrielle Stephen, as well as Nikki Smith on VT/UB/FX, Sage Kellerman on VT/UB, Baleigh Garcia on BB, and Delanie Harkness on UB/FX.

On a normal day, it feels unlikely that Towson or Maryland would be able to catch either of the two frontrunners here, but in postseason, anything can happen. Towson’s highest score is a 197.5, which would have qualified at any of yesterday’s semifinals, as would either of their other two 197+ scores this season. The Tigers are Top 20 on vault and bars, but struggle more on beam and floor. Keep an eye out for Elise Tisler on VT/FX, Bella Minervini on UB/FX, and Grace Vaillancourt on UB/BB.

Maryland’s season high of 197.3 would also have qualified at any of yesterday’s meets, though it may need a little more help from misses from the top teams to get through, since it’s only crossed that 197 threshold once this year. Bars is the Terps’ best event, followed by vault, floor, and beam. Watch for strong routines from Alexa Rothenbuescher and Rhea Leblanc (UB/FX), Natalie Martin (VT/BB/FX), and Maddie Komoroski (BB/FX).

The action is about to begin on ESPN+! If you are busy with another meet or can’t tune in, we’ll have all the quick hits for you right here.

1:01pm: The event is live on ESPN+! But we have a black screen with just audio… joy.

We’ll also have a few individuals competing today from LIU, New Hampshire, UNC, Brown, and Temple for individual berths to Nationals, but it will depend on which teams qualify to Nationals as to whether any of them will make it all the way, as I don’t believe any of them can win their events outright with the competition we have here today.

1:06pm: Here we go!

Gilstrap, UU VT: Yfull, pretty clean, just a small shift back.

Gatzendorfer, UM UB: Big leg sep on the pak salto. Short on last handstand. Double tuck with a big hop forward. Not the start they’d want.

Keener, Tow BB: Little wobble on acro series. Gorgeous switch leap to tuck jump 3/4, love that. Front toss is super steady. Gainer full off the side, looked stuck?

Beaufait, MSU FX: Front double full to start, a sizable lunge out. Switch ring in her dance series is gorgeous. 1.5 to front lay, little hop forward. Really showcasing her lines throughout this choreo section, love it. Rudi to close – nice finish. A great start for the Spartans!

Zirbes, VT: Y1.5, nice and laid out, little hop forward.

Brozowski, UB: Blind change is good. Jaeger is nice and high. Good handstand after, bail is a little crooked on the low bar. DLO is stuck! Much better.

Portillo, BB: Front aerial, nice and steady. Goes for her bhs loso and there’s a fall! Oof. Split jump, wobbles, has to repeat. Split to ring, much better. Gainer full off the side is stuck, but they’ll want to drop that to stay in this.

Tucker, FX: Hits first pass, although I missed what it was. Nice double turn into her dance series to start things off, wow! Front double full to finish, very clean in the air, landing well controlled.

Glynn, VT: Y1.5, a little short, has to take a step back. Utah not quite firing on all cylinders right now.

Kondo, UB: Great opening handstand work. Jaeger to immediate overshoot, great amplitude. Stuck dismount!

Hong, BB: Side aerial to roundoff, that’s a fun series! Never seen that before. Dance series is clean. Punch gainer full off the end is stuck!

Stephen, FX: Punch through to double pike, great control there. Great height and shape in her dance series, fantastic. Final pass is also very clean, super sharp twisting form. That’ll be a great score!

Smith, VT: Omelianchik – Yhalf on, pike off – and it’s a solid landing, just one step.

Griot, BB: Triple series, bobble at the end but saves it! Wow! Dance series, another bobble it looked like. Sticks her dismount!

Silberman, UB: Geinger, very nice, keeps her legs together and gets good height. Overshoot is fine. Single step forward on the dismount.

Harkness, FX: Full in to open, chest a little low? Dance series is gorgeous, very precise in her positions in the air. Punch front through to double tuck, well controlled. Well done!

Rucker, VT: Y1.5, sits it! Oh boy. Utah opening the door.

Weitz, BB: Front aerial to beat jump, excellent, very quick connection. Bhs loso, bobbles all over and was so close to saving it, but ended up falling. Towson will count a fall right off the bat, that’s rough.

Rothenbuescher, UB: I missed her routine while watching Weitz stumble, but she stuck her dismount and Brett Nelligan roared in celebration, so I think it was good!

Nikki Smith, FX: Nails her first pass, really well controlled lunge. Dance series is so crisp and so high, we love to see it. Combination pass, super clean form. Double back to close, basically 2ft stick, just steps back into a lung because she can. What a routine!

McCallum, VT: I know she’s doing a very different vault but I missed what it was entirely, just that she hit it.

Vaillancourt, BB: Very steady in her acro series, she looks so calm, what a pro. Switch leap switch leap split jump, that’s a hard dance series and she connected all of them well, maybe shy of 180 on the second switch? Stuck gainer full!

LeBlanc, UB: Jaeger, maybe not as big as she can go but solid. Bail is clean, hits 180. Gorgeous final handstand. Sticks her DLO? Maybe?

Schulte, FX: This will be a gem, do not miss this y’all. Full in to start, fabulous amplitude, well controlled landing. Really giving it to the crowd in this choreo section. The leap series!! Oh my goodness. Front through to double tuck, two foot stick! Back tuck to front support to close it out – that’s an anchor routine if I’ve ever seen one.

Gorgenyi, indiv UNH BB: Bhs loso, clean. Side aerial to beat, a little slow to connect. Leap series looked clean. Small adjustment on the dismount.

Morris, indiv LIU UB: Piked Jaeger, gorgeous. Pak salto is clean. A little shy of final handstand? Sticks their DLO!

Bedell, indiv Brown FX: Full in to open, a little short. Dance series is lovely, into a really cool choreo sequence, showcasing her lines and flexibility really well. I need to watch more Brown meets apparently?? Front through to double tuck, again short of rotation, but covers well. Switch leap to calypso turn to finish things up. Great to see her out here representing the ECAC!

AFTER ONE: MSU 49.375, UU 49.225, UMD 49.05, TU 48.5

1:36pm: Rotation 2, here we go!

Schulte, MSU VT: Yfull, just a little hop in place, a little pike in the hips.

Smith, UU UB: Pak salto is very clean, floaty. Gorgeous low bar handstands. van Leeuwen is clean. Final handstand work is strong. Toe on pike half off is stuck! That’s an unusual dismount for them.

Silberman, UMD BB: Leap series is very clean. Little step on the dismount, it looked like.

Vaillancourt, TU FX: Front full front lay to start off, very clean. Switch side to straddle jump, gorgeous oversplit. Rudi to straddle jump, doesn’t travel at all, well controlled. Another dance series, again very clean. A great start!

Tucker, VT: Y1.5, has to take a little step back.

Hammer, BB: Bhs loso, super steady. Front toss, solid. Switch to split, maybe a hair short of 180? Gainer full is stuck! Another strong one for the Terps.

Zirbes, UB: Great handstand to open. Tkachev to direct pak, very big amplitude. Full in dismount stuck – Utah getting it back, it seems.

Weitz, FX: Front through to double tuck, a little short there. Double pike, pulled it around somehow. Shushunova to finish – Towson needs to step it back up a little if they want to get back in this.

Zsarmani, VT: Y1.5, little hop forward, but big amplitude, lovely clean body position.

Martin, BB: Acro series – bobbles as she tries to put her foot down on her side aerial but somehow puts it down with minimal arm waving. A little shy of 180 on one of her dance elements. Little adjustment on the dismount, it looked like.

Morgan, UB: Maloney to Bhardwaj, wow! And sticks her dismount somehow? I’m so impressed.

Stephen, VT: Y1.5, single step to the side, outside the lines.

Calafati, FX: Double full to punch front, felt a little out of control? But pulled it out. Dance series is fine, maybe a little less precise than others we’ve seen. Rudi to back layout to a jump to finish, that’s fun.

Gatzendorfer, BB: Triple series, super steady, very nice. Switch to split, lovely toe point. Gainer pike off the end, little shift back. Another solid hit for the Terps!

O’Keefe, UB: Maloney to pak salto, little leg separation there. Looked a little labored on the half turn on the low bar? Double arabian dismount, just floats down and sticks it cold.

Nikki Smith, VT: Y1.5, so close to sticking, just a little shuffle forward with her toes.

Hong, FX: Front double full, little bit skiddy on the landing. Dance series is much cleaner. Hits last pass, but I missed what it was watching Komoroski fall.

Komoroski, BB: One-arm bhs loso – and she’s off. That’ll need to be their drop score, but they may be out of this. Dance series is fine. Roundoff 1.5, little hop forward.

McCallum, UB: Maloney to pak salto, big leg sep on that. van Leeuwen, actually really nice. Full in, bounce back, I think that might be their first non-stuck landing? Lots of flexed feet throughout there though.

Kellerman, VT: Handspring pike half, a little close to the table but just the tiniest of shifts back.

Tisler, FX: Front lay to Rudi, very nice. Switch half to stag half? That’s interesting. 1.5 to front lay, very clean. A very quick routine but efficient.

Kogler, BB: Bhs bhs loso, leans to the side but stays on. Forward roll, don’t see that very often. Dance series, very clean. Gainer full off the side is stuck! Good fight.

Sabado, UB: Jaeger to overshoot, big amplitude on that. Sticks her dismount!

Dekanoidze, indiv UNC VT: Yfull, very solid, just a little bounce in place.

Halsell, FX: Piked full-in to open! Wow! Great extension in her splits in her leap series. Double pike to finish, nice!

Morris, indiv LIU BB: Rolling mount sequence akin to Nugyen’s that’s fun. Switch leap to pike jump, love that!. Series is super steady, good for them. Full turn is clean. Side somi, not a wobble in sight. Split 3/4, wow this is just packed with difficulty. Roundoff double full, single step back. Wow! What a big routine.

Schafer, indiv UNC UB: I missed what her single-bar release was the but the transition to low was nice. Short of last handstand though, and a little step on the dismount.

Gorgyeni, indiv UNH FX: Double pike, well controlled but steps into the lunge forward instead of back. 1.5 to front pike, very clean, keeps it perfectly in bounds. A little awkward in the wolf element of her dance series? Love this choreography, although Black Panther music feels like an interesting choice for her. Rudi to finish, closing it out strong. Keeping herself in the conversation!

AFTER TWO: MSU 98.825, UU 98.8, UMD 98.175, TU 97.575

2:06pm: Rotation 3!

Hoffman, TU VT: Yfull, big amplitude, just a little hop backward but great body position in the air.

Schulte, MSU UB: Maloney to bail, clean on both. Great final handstand. DLO, just a little bounce back.

Morgan, UU BB: Bhs bhs loso, nice and steady. Switch to switch half, clean. Front gainer off the side, that’s unusual! Looked stuck though.

Rech, UMD FX: Front double full! Nice! Double tuck, well controlled. Dance series is fine, not the most amplitude we’ve seen today. 1.5 to front lay, two foot stick! A great start for the Terps!

Belanovski, VT: Yfull, very short, has to stumble forward a little.

Zsarmani, UB: Pak salto is clean, to Maloney – had to recast in order to get it though. DLO, little step forward.

Smith, BB: Bhs loso, very steady, light. Beat to split 1/4, clean. Gainer full off the side is stuck!

Osterhout, FX: Double tuck to open, controlled lunge. Very clean straddle positions in that dance series, super sharp. Double pike to finish, well controlled again. Maryland doing their job on floor so far.

Poblete, VT: Yfull-on, back pike off? I think? That’s probably the only one of those we’ll see all day, that’s fun.

McCallum, BB: Triple wolf turn, into a double wolf. Acro series is solid. Split to switch, good 180 positions there. Gainer tuck full off the end looked stuck fomr here.

Kellerman, UB: Jaeger has great amplitude, transition to low is clean. Finally a stuck dismount! Fabulous.

LeBlanc, FX: Front double full, very nice! Love seeing these E passes from Maryland. Front full front lay, super clean. Rudi to finish, twisting form is so tight, well done.

Vitoff, VT: Yfull, big hop back and not a lot of height.

2:15pm: Paulson, BB: Beat to side aerial loso, that’s fun. Switch to split, very clean. Full turn is fine. Sticks her gainer full off the side – Utah doing what they do.

Stephen, UB: Maloney to bail, a little loose in the handstand but brought it back. Final handstand is excellent! Full in, I thought she had that dismount but took a step back.

Komoroski, FX: Rudi to open, very clean. Switch ring is nice in this dance series, second element is less precise. 1.5 to front lay, really has to pull it around but stays on her feet.

Halsell, VT: Big Yfull, but also a big hop back.

O’Keefe, BB: Split leap is lovely as she gets going. Side aerial loso, very steady. She’s got her game face on. Bhs gainer full, little step on the dismount.

Nikki Smith, UB: Great low bar handstand work. Maloney gets great rise, pak salto legs just pasted together. Final handstand is fab. DLO is stuck!

Tisler, VT: Y1.5, wow! Great amplitude, just a little shuffle forward.

Rothenbuescher, FX: Double tuck to start here, solid. Orphan front tuck, okay. Switch side to Popa, clean, not the most amplitude. Double pike to finish, but has to step forward instead of back, indicating an underrotation.

Gilstrap, BB: Wolf turn to start, fine. Front aerial is pretty clean. Bhs 2ft layout, breaks at the hip. More bobbles in her dance series. Little adjustment on the dismount it looked like.

Harkness, UB: Gienger is strong. Bail is good, final handstand too. Full in, just a little hop.

Gorgyeni, indiv UNH UB: Yfull, strong body position, just a little slide back.

Martin, FX: Full in, very well controlled. 1.5 to front layout, really had to whip that around but stayed on her feet fine. Front handspring to knee into choreography, that’s very nice. Dance series is nice and crisp, not the biggest amplitude but passable. Double tuck to finish – that’s a great closer for them! And from a freshman!

Dekanoidze, indiv UNC UB: Great opening handstand on the low bar. Maloney to bail, very clean, legs glued together. Maybe a little shy of final handstand? DLO, little shift back. Good for her!

Morris, indiv LIU FX: Double tuck to open, nice and high, great control on the landing. Really performing the heck out of this choreography. Dance series is well extended, nice and precise in the landing positions too. Front lay to front full, just a little crossover step on the landing. Double pike is a bit short to finish, crown pose to finish. I love that routine!

AFTER THREE: UU 148.4, MSU 148.175, UMD 147.175, TU 146.65

Maryland and Towson are almost certainly out of this, but they’re not letting off the gas, which is great to see. Beam scoring for Utah felt really generous to me, but Michigan State definitely gave up some tenths on bars, especially on dismounts. We’ll see how the last rotation goes!

2:36pm: Last rotation, here we go!

Weir, UMD VT: Yfull, big step back and across the line. Maybe injured? Is limping off the floor, oof.

Keener, TU UB: Short of first handstand? Releases looked okay, but double tuck dismount and her knees just gave out, went to her knees.

Kalefe, MSU BB: Series looks clean, no wobbles. Switch leap to tuck jump full, that’s nice! A little arm wave maybe though. Cartwheel to gainer full is stuck! A strong leadoff.

Smith, UU FX: Front double full to start, a big lunge forward, drags that back foot a little. Rudi to layout to straight jump, perfectly on beat, good for her. Rudi to straddle jump to finish – a great start for the Utes.

Rech, VT: Yfull stuck! Really no amplitude, but drilled the heck out of that landing, wow.

Greene, UB: Shy of opening hanstands, blind change is good, Endo?? That’s fun! Jaeger is good, to overshoot, okay. Stalder to double tuck, just a step back.

Tucker, BB: Beat to split 3/4, pretty clean. Cat leap to side aerial, nice and steady. Acro series was clean. Stuck landing on the dismount! They’ll take that!

Zirbes, FX: Front double full to open, great quick twisting form. Dance series, very precise, flings those arms down by her side to emphasize how in control she is. Looked like a two-foot stick on her last pass? Wow.

Kogler, VT: Yfull, pretty clean, little shuffle.

Vitoff, UB: Jaeger and she’s off! Ouch, that fall looked rough. Gets back up, transition to low is fine, short of final handstand. Big step on dismount.

Nikki Smith, BB: Acro series is steady to start, good for her. Dance sequence looks good, good extension in her split position. Full turn is clean. Roundoff double back dismount – that’s hard for NCAA – and STUCK COLD! Wow!

2:45pm: Paulson, FX: Punch front through to double full, strong start. Front lay to front full, came close to the line but didn’t step out. 1.5 to front tuck, really had to pull that around – not sure if that was supposed to be tucked or laid out? If it was supposed to be laid out, she may have a start value issue…

Silberman, VT: Yfull-on, pike off STUCK COLD! Wow, Maryland coming through with the vaults!

Schulte, BB: Dance series to start is gorgeous. Bhs loso – break at the hips, bobbles but saves it somehow. Sticks her dismount but they’ll need to drop that. That may dash her chances at qualifying individually if Michigan State doesn’t qualify as a team.

Rothenbuescher, VT: Yfull-on tuck full off? Another unusual vault, just a step back on the landing.

Hong, UB: Jaeger is excellent! Bail doesn’t quite flatten out to handstand, stays piked. Great final handstand though! Double front, hop forward.

Garcia, BB: Starts with her full turn, getting comfortable. Bhs loso, and she’s off! Holy cow! This just got really interesting. Front aerial to split jump as she gets back up. Dance series is clean, split is lovely, toes pointed. Bhs gainer full is stuck, but wow, that will be their drop score, Schulte’s 9.7 will have to count.

Rucker, FX: Full in, well controlled lunge. Really showing off in this choreo. Double back to close it out. Utah cruising to qualification over here on autopilot.

Martin, VT: Y1.5, just a step to the side – that’s big for them!

Vaillancourt, UB: Shy on opening handstand, blind change to Jaeger is great. Bail, missed her toe hand but somehow saved it? Stuck her dismount!

Stephen, BB: A big deep breath before she mounts. Pike front toss, has to take a step forward but doesn’t wobble. Full turn is clean. Bhs loso, big amplitude, rock solid. Beat to split 1/2, super well extended. Roundoff double full stuck!

Gilstrap, FX: Front lay to Rudi to open, solid. Dance series is nice, lovely extension. Front lay front full to finish.

Morris, indiv LIU VT: Yfull, comes up short, has to step forward, across the line.

Minervini, UB: Ray to open, so clean. Transition to low is gorgeous, just toe point to die for. DLO is stuck! I hope she and Mara Titarsolej in the next session tie as the bars winners for this regional, that’s next-level excellence.

McCallum, FX: Full in to open, very well controlled, drops it in pretty casually honestly. Dance series is excellent, 180 positions are great. Front lay to Rudi, a little whippy but makes it work. That’ll be a good closing score.

Gorgenyi, indiv UNH UB: Maloney to pak salto, gorgeous. Full in dismount is stuck cold!

Donabedian, indiv Temple FX: All eyes on her as the last athlete in the session – she’s waited all meet to go. Rudi to a very floaty loso, gorgeous. And Sam’s right, her toe point in her tumbling is next-level. Her dance series is also lovely, well-extended. Y turn, very clean. Front double full to finish! E pass to finish! What a fabulous routine.

FINAL: UU 197.825, MSU 197.475, UMD 196.35, TU 195.05

Utah and Michigan State qualify to Sunday’s regional final, as expected.

Nikki Smith currently leads the AA race with a whopping 39.675, so unless someone from a non-qualifying team (Jocelyn Moore, Sienna Schreiber, Lily Smith, or any of Florida’s AAers if the Gators have an off day) this afternoon can beat her, she’s going to Nationals either way.

Emma Silberman of Maryland currently leads vault, so as long as no one beats her 9.95 in the second session from a non-qualifying team, she’ll go to Nationals!

If Utah and Florida are the qualifying teams to Nationals as the numbers would dictate, and Smith goes as the AA winner, Isabella Minervini of Towson currently leads bars qualifications with her 9.925! If Utah has an off day and doesn’t qualify, Amelie Morgan would go instead with a 9.95. This is, of course, assuming no one from a non-qualifying team in the afternoon scores higher, and Mizzou’s Mara Titarsolej and Georgia’s Lily Smith are coming and have both scored 10.0s in the past, so that feels unlikely.

Again, assuming Utah and Florida qualification and a Smith AA berth, Grace Vaillancourt of Towson leads beam qualifications with a 9.9. If Utah has an off day on Sunday and doesn’t make it as a team, Abby Paulson would go instead with her whopping 9.975. Vaillancourt’s score could yet be beaten by someone like Sienna Schreiber of Mizzou, Kielyn McCright of Clemson, or any of several Gators if Florida has an off day on Sunday, but it has to feel good to be the leader in the clubhouse.

And for floor, assuming the same conditions, Skyla Schulte leads qualifications with her 9.9, but that score could well be beaten by someone like Jocelyn Moore or Amari Celestine from Mizzou, Brie Clark from Clemson, Lily Smith of Georgia, or Noelle Adams of Iowa State. If Utah has an off day Sunday, Jaylene Gilstrap would lead instead with her 9.95, and if the Gators miss Nationals, any number of their floor squad could also beat Schulte’s 9.9.

I know a lot of that is confusing, but we’ll have more answers after session II, I promise. I’ll see you back here at 7pm to root on the Gators!