Friday NCAA roundup: Arkansas shocks Florida, and other NCAA news

Arkansas, which was projected to have a good season but probably not challenge for the NCAA title against UCLA and Florida, has had a breakthrough. The Razorbacks are still an unlikely contender to take it all in the Super Six, but this did demonstrate that Florida can be humbled (both Alaina Johnson and Ashanee Dickerson had falls on balance beam, meaning the Gators counted a 9.275 on the event. 

 

Arkansas junior Jamie Pisani won the all-around with a 39.6, won beam (9.875) and tied Dickerson for first place on floor (9.9) and vault (9.925). Florida superfreshman Mackenzie Caquatto was best on bars (9.925). (Arkansas Razorbacks)

 

Discussion point: Florida has a history of starting strong and peaking long before the NCAA Championships. Is this the beginning of Florida's habitual end-of-season slide?

 

Here's what else happened this past week in the NCAA:

 

Auburn vs. Pittsburgh at Auburn: Auburn had a season-high 195.925 as it won over Pitt, who scored 192.65. Auburn all-around champion Petrina Yokay (38.325) also won bars (9.925), while Toi Garcia was the champion on vault (9.925), Kylie Shields won beam (9.9) and Laura Lane was the top gymnast on floor (9.85), completing the sweep. (Auburn Tigers)

 

Ball State vs. Northern Illinois @ Ball State: Ball State's 193.4 was enough to top Northern Illinois, which tallied 192.025. Ball State's Brittney Emmons was the all-around champion (38.825) and also won floor (9.775). Elsewhere, Northern Illinois's Holly Reichard won beam (9.725) while Ball State's Kayla Kmiecik was the top gymnast on bars (9.725) and Nicole Allen was the champion on vault (9.75). (Ball State Cardinals)

 

Boise State vs. Wisconsin-Stout @ Boise State: Boise State won what was essentially a team intrasquad against D-III Stout, tallying 195.125 (Stout had 181.325). Boise State's Hannah Redmon and Amy Glass went on a tear, winning or tying for just about everything. Redmon, a senior, won floor (9.875), vault (9.875) and shared the bars title with Glass (9.8), who won the all-around (39.25). Boise State's Kelsey Lang tied for the beam title with Glass (9.825). (Boise State Broncos)

 

New Hampshire vs. Bridgeport @ New Hampshire: New Hampshire topped Bridgeport 194.375-191.3, but Bridgeport gymnasts fought hard and ended up splitting the event titles. New Hampshire's Chelsea Steinberg, the all-around champion (39.3), was the top gymnast on beam (9.875) and teammate Ali Carr won bars (9.85). Bridgeport's Monica Mesalles won the best on vault (9.875) and also nabbed the title on floor (9.9). (Bridgeport Knights)

 

Minnesota vs. Cal State Fullerton @ Cal State Fullerton: Minnesota's 195.3 blew away Cal State Fullerton, which managed only 188.725. Minnesota's Kendra Elm won the all-around (939.175), while her teammates cleaned up on three of the four events: Kayla Slechta won vault (9.875), Janell Campbell and Elm tied for the title on bars (9.825), and Shannon Golich was the best on beam (9.9). CSUF's Alaina Baker won floor (9.875). (Fullerton Titans)

 

Central Michigan vs. Eastern Michigan, Alaska and Southeastern Missouri State @ Central Michigan: Central Michigan had an impressive 194.875 to top the four-team fied at its own quad meet. SEMO was second (193.875), followed by Eastern Michigan (191.475) and Alaska (188.9). CMU dominated on floor, taking the top five spots, led by Britney Taylor's 9.85. Taylor also won a share of the vault, tying with teammates Andrea de la Garza, Meaghan McWhorter, Kristin Teubner and Eastern Michigan's Nicole Viltz and SEMO's Brianna Gaddie. (Everybody had a 9.85.) CMU's Brittany Petzold won bars (9.875), and Emily Heinz beam (9.85). (CMU Chippewas) 

 

Georgia vs. Alabama @ Georgia: Everyone was dressed in pink, and although it was Georgia's season high, things were not all rosy in Athens. The Gym Dogs fell 197.675-197.225, though there certainly were some good performances by all. All-around champion Kayla Hoffman of Alabama (39.675) also won beam (9.95), while Cassidy McComb of Georgia topped the field on floor (9.95). Georgia's Kat Ding is back in the vault lineup and winning, along with Bama's Geralen Stack-Eaton and Ashley Sledge (9.925). Ding also won bars (9.95). (Georgia Gym Dogs)

 

Iowa vs. Iowa State @ Iowa: Iowa senior Rebecca Simbhudas won her fourth-straight all-around title Friday night as Iowa defeated Iowa State 195.45-195.2. Simbhudas also won beam (9.9), while teammate Jessa Hansen was the best on floor (9.95). Iowa State's Michelle Browning beat everyone on vault (9.825) and teammate Camille Santerre-Gervais won bars (9.9). (Iowa State Cyclones)

 

Kentucky vs. LSU @ Kentucky: Kentucky posted a season high to defeat struggling SEC rival LSU 195.575-192.95. (LSU is not going to be pleased with that score. And to think that D-D Breaux went into a tent for several hours in order to sell ticekts to their meets!) Kentucky's Phylicia Reshard won the all-around (39.275) and tied with Andrea Mitchell for the title on floor (9.85). Mitchell won beam (9.85), Caitlyn Ciokajlo bars (9.875) and Jasmine Minion vault, tied with LSU's Sarie Morrison (9.875). Note: Kentucky's Whitney Rose, normally one of her team's best vaulters, scored only 4.7 on floor, which usually denotes a mid-routine injury. (Kentucky Wildcats)

 

Michigan State vs. Illinois @ Michigan State: The good news for Michigan State is that it bettered any score it has had all season. But it still wasn't enough for the win, which went to Illinois 195.225-195.0. All-around champion Allison Buckley of Illinois also won floor (9.9) and tied with teammates Kelsey Joannides and Melissa Fernandez for the win on beam (9.9). Joannides won vault in her own right (9.85), and Michigan State's Jackie Berg was the champion on bars (9.875). (Michigan State Spartans)

 

Missouri vs. Southern Utah @ Missouri (Gold Rush): Missouri had the top score here, 1894.925-193.75, though Southern Utah's Ari Lamb won the all-around (38.95). Missouri had a first-place finish on every event: Alex Gold won vault, tying with SUU's Lindsey Schultz (9.825), while Allie Heizelman won bars and beam (both 9.85). Tori Howard was the top performer on floor (9.875). (Missouri Tigers)

 

Washington vs. Oregon State, San Jose State and UC Davis @ OSU (Salbasgeon Suites): Oregon State finished first (196.675) behind Pac-10 rival Washington (195.725), San Jose State (193.05) and UC Davis (192.95). OSU freshman Britney Ranzy was the top gymnast on vault (9.925), while all-around champion Leslie Mak of OSU (39.425) won beam and bars (9.9 each). OSU's Melanie Jones tied Washington's Kristen Linton for first on floor (9.9). (OSU Beavers)

 

Sacramento State vs. Denver @ Sacramento State: Denver's Brianna Springer led her team over Sac State 193.975-191.675, winning the all-around (38.75), vault (9.8) adn bars (9.875) in the process. Denver's Jorie Hall won beam (9.85), while Sac State Kailey Hansen and Springer tied for the best score on floor (9.875). (Sacramento State Hornets)

 

Air Force vs. Seattle Pacific @ Seattle Pacific: In this competition between one of the strongest Division II schools and one of the weakest Divsion I schools, the D-I still prevailed. Air Force beat SPU, barely, 188.475-188.275. Air Force's Brittany Dutton carried the day in the all-around (37.55), but the teams split the event titles: Seattle Pacific gymnasts Corrine Wise and Bri Steigauf won beam (9.75) and floor (9.725), respectively, while Air Force's Sherah Veron and Katie Hawthorne were the champions on vault and bars (9.675 each). (Seattle Pacific Falcons)

 

Springfield vs. Rhode Island @ Springfield: Springfield easily defeated Rhode Island 183.35-163.175. Springfield sophomore Brittany Baglow won the all-around (37.4) and added titles on beam (9.5) and floor (9.625). Her teammates Carly Flynn (bars, 8.975) and Christina Pagella (vault, 9.475) mopped up wins on the other events. (Springfield College)

 

Utah vs. Utah State @ Utah State: Utah went 196.55 to confirm its supremacy as the top gymnastics school in its state (though a bigger challenge would come from Southern Utah, perhaps). Utah State, meanwhile, celebrated career high all-around scores from Rachel Vaske (38.6) and Jackie Dillon (39.025). But this meet was all about the Utes: 2008 Olympian Nansy Damianova claimed the first NCAA titles of her young college career, tying Stephanie McAllister for first place on vault (9.875) and floor (9.9). Senior Gael Mackie won bars (9.925) and beam (9.875). (Utah State Aggies)

 

Wilson vs. West Chester @ West Chester: West Chester topped Wilson 185.45-168.75, and the host school's gymnasts dominated the meet: Paige Griffin won the all-around (36.65), Rachel Pearson was the champion on floor (9.55), Alli Aquila took beam (9.45), Karen Laskaris bars (9.5) and Melissa Voskian vault (9.35). (Wilson Golden Rams)

 

Wisconsin-Eau Claire vs. Gustavus Adolphus @ Eau Claire: Eau Claire scored a fairly easy win against D-III rival Gustavus 179.95-172.575. Eau Claire's Danielle Schulzetenberg won the all-around (36.075), floor (9.225) and beam (9.475), while her teammates Sarah Hulbert (vault, 9.6) and Claire Johnson (bars, 9.0) finished off the sweep for Wisconsin. (Eau Claire Blu-Golds)

 

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