Here are the NCAA Regional assignments, as announced this morning by the NCAA:
Los Angeles Regional (hosted by UCLA): UCLA, Arkansas, Iowa State, Arizona, Brigham Young and Arizona State, seeded in that order, will compete for two team slots to the NCAA Championships at 6 p.m. local time on April 10.
In addition, the following all-around gymnasts have qualified to this regional: Alaina Baker, Cal State Fullerton; Lily Swann, San Jose State; Tanya Ho, UC Davis; Eryn Stubblefield, Sacramento State; Katie Yamamura, UC Davis. Alternate is Kendall McCann, UC Davis.
Event specialists headed to this regional are: Shakea Sanders, Alaska Anchorage on vault; Lida Gehlen, UC Davis on bars; Cayla Boyce, Sacramento State on beam; and Gabrielle Targosz, San Jose State on floor.
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Salt Lake CIty Regional (hosted by Utah): Florida, Utah, Auburn, Boise State, Denver and Washington, seeded in that order, will compete for two team slots to the NCAA Championships at 6 p.m. local time on April 10.
In addition, the following all-around gymnasts have qualified to this regional: Heather Heinrich, Utah State; Jenna Dudley, Air Force; Lyndsie Boone, Utah State; Brittany Dutton, Air Force; Meghan Hargens, Wisconsin-Stout. Alternate is Amanda Watamaniuk, Utah State.
Event specialists headed to this regional are: Gabi Hooper, Wisconsin-La Crosse on vault; Jackie Dillon, Utah State on bars; Lisa Wong, Air Force on beam; and Michelle Denise, Air Force, on floor.
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Columbia Regional (hosted by Missouri): Georgia, Oregon State, Missouri, Minnesota, Iowa and North Carolina, seeded in that order, will compete for two team slots to the NCAA Championships at 6 p.m. local time on April 10.
In addition, the following all-around gymnasts have qualified to this regional: Rashonda Cannie, Texas Woman's University; Erica Schick, Illinois State; Jordan Salsberg, Southeast Missouri State; Rachel Montoya, UIC; Rikara Turner, Southeast Missouri State. Alternate is Andrea Skala, UIC.
Event specialists headed to this regional are: Chantel Turk, UIC on vault; Ashley Guerra, Northern Illinois on bars; Hannah Deutsch, Illinois State on beam; and Brianna Gaddie, Southeast Missouri State on floor.
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Lexington Regional (hosted by Kentucky): Alabama, Nebraska, Illinois, Kentucky, Central Michigan and Michigan State, seeded in that order, will compete for two team slots to the NCAA Championships at 6 p.m. local time on April 10.
In addition, the following all-around gymnasts have qualified to this regional: Kristine Garbarino, Western Michigan; Kaylyn Millick, Eastern Michigan; Brittney Emmons, Ball State; Breanne Guy, Bowling Green; Kasey Fillmore, Bowling Green. Alternate is Erin Grigg, Eastern Michigan.
Event specialists headed to this regional are: Danielle Wishart, Bowling Green on vault; Bibiana Rodriguez-Lockwood, Ball State on bars; Nikole Viltz, Eastern Michigan on beam; and Tiffany Brodbeck, Ball State on floor.
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University Park Regional (hosted by Penn State): Oklahoma, LSU, Penn State, Maryland, Ohio State and New Hampshire, seeded in that order, will compete for two team slots to the NCAA Championships at 6 p.m. local time on April 10.
In addition, the following all-around gymnasts have qualified to this regional: Alicia Talucci, Pittsburgh; Bridgette Kivisto, Yale; Lorraine Galow, Bridgeport; Megan Biros, Pittsburgh; Miranda Der, Bridgeport. Alternate is Jenna Zito, Rutgers.
Event specialists heading to this regional are: Dani Bryan, Pittsburgh on vault; Jennifer Liberato, Pittsburgh on bars; Emily Repko, Bridgeport on beam; and Lauren Gildemeyer, Brockport on floor.
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Morgantown Regional (hosted by West Virginia): Stanford, Michigan, Southern Utah, North Carolina State, Kent State and West Virginia, seeded in that order, will compete for two team slots to the NCAA Championships at 6 p.m. local time on April 10.
In addition, the following all-around gymnasts have qualified to this regional: Leslie Delima, George Washington; Alise McDonald, Towson; Megan Quinn, George Washington; Kayla Carto, George Washington; Teenie Beck, William and Mary. Alternate is Megan Wooden, Towson.
Event specialists headed to this regional are: Avis Hixon, Towson on vault and floor; and Jackie Schweitzer, Towson on bars and beam.
To qualify for the NCAA Championships from the Regional Championships, a gymnast must: Be on one of the top two teams, or be one of the top two all-arounders at the regional meet who are not on one of the top two teams, or win an event at the regional meet. Event winners qualify to the NCAA Championships only on the event they win.
A few thoughts: The really lucky schools in this draw are Penn State and Missouri, both of whom are seeded third in their regions but have the advantage of performing at home.
The slightly lucky schools in this draw include Illinois, which had a dismal Big 12 Championships (they were sixth) but has an outside chance of making a repeat appearance at the NCAA Championships if it can edge Nebraska. Arkansas should also consider itself lucky -- the Razorbacks should have no trouble qualifying in behind UCLA in Los Angeles.
Unlucky schools in this draw: Auburn and Boise State, which have to get by either Florida or Utah in Salt Lake City. At another school, either would have a better chance at knocking off Utah, which has had better seasons. But not in Salt Lake City -- the fan presence at Utah alone should be enough to boost the Utes, who don't perform at a conference championship, to the NCAA prelims.
Georgia, whose gymnasts have been fighting injury and lack of "flow" in the post-Suzanne Yoculan era, are seeded first in the Columbia Regional but are certainly the most vulnerable no. 1 seed. For one thing, they have to compete against the home team, which has one of the best all-around performers in the nation in Sarah Shire. They also have to meet Oregon State, which is capable of matching Georgia on a good day on the road. The Gym Dogs without Shayla Worley in top shape have a real chance of not qualifying to the NCAA Championships.
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