NCAA women's rankings, week five: New faces in some top places

Shayla Worley, who made her NCAA all-around debut this past weekend, is currently no. 2 overall.

AP Photo/Robb Carr

 

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It's fun to speculate which school will break the juggernaut -- which team not named Georgia, Utah, UCLA or Alabama will be the first to win an NCAA Championship. Florida has seemed the likeliest candidate in recent years, but the Gators have always fizzled in post-season competition.

Oklahoma hasn't been the subject of much of this discussion, but that may be about to change. After previous no. 1 Alabama got beaten by LSU (no. 11 this week) on Friday night, Oklahoma moved into the top spot. The Sooners are unbeaten and, well, booming. They have 2003 World bars co-champion Hollie Vise, beam sensation Megan Ferguson (no. 1 this week!), floor sensation Jackie Flanery and redshirt freshman Natasha Kelley, competing with a full ACL tear no less.

Still, it's hard to say that the rankings are indicative of how things will shake down during the post-season. Case in point: Georgia freshman Shayla Worley, who struggled at the beginning of the season and did not compete all four events until this past weekend, is currently the no. 2 all-arounder in the country -- based on one competition. Ditto Stanford freshman Ashley Morgan, who sits third.

Morgan and Worley are among the best freshmen in the U.S. But it should be another few weeks before a definitive statement can be made about how they really are compared to others who have been competing all four events for the past month.

Surprise of the week: LSU knocking off no. 1 Alabama. Despite senior Susan Jackson's all-around dominance, LSU has struggled this season. Their win is bound to give both teams a jolt. Perhaps it will give theTigers some upward momentum. Certainly it is something Alabama will try not to let happen again.

NCAA women's standings, week five:

Team:

1. Oklahoma
2. Alabama
3. Arkansas
4. Utah
5. UCLA
6. Florida
7. Oregon State
8. Stanford
9. Georgia
10. Nebraska

All-around:

1. Susan Jackson, sr., LSU
2. Shayla Worley, fr., Georgia
3. Ashley Morgan, fr., Stanford
4. Vanessa Zamarripa, so., UCLA
5. Morgan Dennis, sr., Alabama
6. Anna Li, sr., UCLA
7. Elyse Hopfner-Hibbs, so., UCLA
8. Ashley Priess, so., Alabmaa
9. Jaime Pisani, so., Arkansas
10. Casey Jo Magee, sr., Arkansas

Susan Jackson, 2010 LSU vs. Alabama, Floor Exercise:

Vault:

1. Susan Jackson, sr., LSU
2. Brandi Personett, sr., Penn State
3. Morgan Dennis, sr., Alabama
4. Kyndal Robarts, jr., Utah
5. Vanessa Zamarripa, so., UCLA
6T. Erin Davis, jr., Nebraska
6T. Ashanée Dickerson, fr., Florida
8. Melissa Johnson, sr., Southern Utah
8T. Mandi Rodriguez, sr., Oregon State
8T. Becky Colvin, jr., Oregon State

Susan Jackson, 2010 Lady Luck Invitational, Vault:

Uneven Bars:

1. Leslie Mak, so., Oregon State
2. Vanessa Zamarripa, so, UCLA
3. Anna Li, sr., UCLA
4. Hollie Vise, sr., Oklahoma
5. Ashley Price, sr., Alabama
6T. Carly Janiga, sr., Stanford
6T. Susan Jackson, sr., LSU
8. Kat Ding, so., Georgia
9T. Ashley Priess, so., Alabama
9T. Laura-Ann Chong, sr., Oregon State

Leslie Mak, 2009 NCAA Central Regional, Uneven Bars:

Balance beam:

1T. Megan Ferguson, so., Oklahoma
1T. Ashley Priess, so., Alabama
3. Vanessa Zamarripa, so., UCLA
4. Sarah Shire, sr., Missouri
5. Elyse Hopfner-Hibbs, so., UCLA
6. Jamie Bullock, jr., Minnesota
7T. Anna DiLuzio, sr., Utah
7T. Morgan Dennis, sr., Alabama
7T. Susan Jackson, sr., LSU
10T. Christine Nguyen, sr., North Carolina
10T. Natalie Beilstein, fr., Michigan

Ashley Priess, 2010 Alabama vs. Georgia, Balance Beam:

Megan Ferguson, 2010 Oklahoma vs. Florida, Balance Beam:

Floor exercise:

1. Elyse Hopfner-Hibbs, so., UCLA
2. Courtney McCool, sr., Georgia
3. Brandi Personett, sr., Penn State
4. Melanie Jones, fr., Oregon State
5T. Jackie Flanery, sr., Oklahoma
5T. Susan Jackson, sr., LSU
7T. Mandi Rodriguez, sr., Oregon State
7T. Annie DiLuzio, sr., Utah
9T. Morgan Dennis, sr., Alabama
9T. Makayla Stambaugh, fr., Oregon State

Elyse Hopfner-Hibbs, 2010 UCLA vs. Arizona State, Floor Exercise:

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