With Week 8 of SEC gymnastics over and the postseason shortly approaching, it is vitally essential that groups are producing good, constant scores to contribute to their NQS (nationwide qualifying rating).
NQS is set by taking a crew’s prime six scores, three of which should be away, dropping the best and averaging the remaining 5. The highest 36 groups will qualify to regionals. Every SEC crew is clawing for each tenth they’ll discover, hoping to finish up in a great place for the postseason.
Learn on to see which groups rose to the problem in Week 8.
#2 LSU @ #5 Florida
Last rating: Florida: 198.150 – LSU: 197.950
LSU
LSU vs. Florida has turn out to be probably the most anticipated matchups each gymnastics season. The stakes had been simply as excessive final weekend as the 2 groups confronted off within the nation’s prime twin meet of the weekend. Each groups placed on superb performances, however LSU couldn’t sustain with Florida in Gainesville and fell by 0.2 to the Gators.
The Tigers began on bars, incomes a 49.275. LSU head coach Jay Clark expressed that he thought the scores ought to have been greater on the occasion primarily based on the routines he noticed. The very best rating was anchor Hayleigh Bryant with a 9.925, whereas all different scores had been a 9.85 or beneath. Scoring a type of 9.85s was Gator alum Savannah Schoenherr. This was the primary time Schoenherr competed in Gainesville not carrying orange and blue.
LSU stepped it up on vault, scoring a season-high 49.55. Amari Drayton carried out a beautiful Yurchenko 1.5 that scored a near-perfect 9.975, claiming her first ever occasion victory. Kiya Johnson wowed with the peak and explosion of her Yurchenko double and scored a 9.95 – simply her greatest efficiency on the occasion this 12 months.
The Tigers jumped into the lead after posting a record-high street rating on flooring (49.775). Each gymnast within the lineup scored a 9.9 or above, however no counted rating was beneath a 9.925. KJ Johnson, Bryant and Johnson scored 9.95s, and Aleah Finnegan discovered perfection for the second week in a row.
LSU misplaced their lead on beam, the place Bryant and Konnor McClain had been the one gymnasts to attain above a 9.825. They each earned 9.95s to assist the Tigers rating a 49.35, however it wasn’t sufficient to maintain LSU forward.
Upcoming matchup: Friday, March 1 @ 8:30 p.m. ET | Alabama @ LSU
Florida
The Gators’ win over LSU was huge for greater than only one purpose, because the win implies that Florida is assured not less than a share of the 2024 SEC common season title. It will make it Florida’s sixth consecutive common season title, proving that they’re the crew to beat within the SEC.
The Gators pushed their season greatest into the 198 vary with their 198.150 on Friday, and Leanne Wong turned the fourth Gator to affix the celebrated “Fitness center Slam” membership along with her 10.0 on flooring. Florida was trailing the Tigers by 0.15 heading into the final rotation on flooring, however because of Wong’s excellent rating, Sloane Blakely’s 9.975, and two 9.925 routines from Anya Pilgrim and Victoria Nguyen, the Gators jumped forward for the win. The 49.7 occasion whole was a season greatest for the crew.
Florida began the evening off on the appropriate foot, placing up a season-best 49.6 on vault within the first rotation. No counted rating was beneath a 9.9. Wong and Pilgrim led the crew with a pair of 9.95s. The Gators recorded their lowest occasion rating on bars with a 49.225. Within the anchor spot, Wong carried out an important routine that earned a 9.95 and claimed the occasion title.
The Gators put up one other season-best occasion rating on beam with a 49.625. Nguyen set a brand new career-high with a 9.95. Wong and Pilgrim as soon as once more got here in clutch for Florida, each scoring near-perfect 9.975s that had the group in an uproar eager to see a ten.0. Wong claimed the all-around with a nation-high rating of 39.875.
Sadly, throughout that stellar remaining rotation on flooring, Gator grad scholar Payton Richards was injured halfway by way of her routine. Her standing is unknown as of publishing.
Upcoming matchup: Sunday, March 3 @ 2 p.m. ET | Florida @ Kentucky
#6 Kentucky @ #16 Arkansas
Last rating: Arkansas: 197.400 – Kentucky: 197.150
Kentucky
The Wildcats got here up brief in Fayetteville, posting their lowest SEC twin meet rating on Friday with a 197.150. This rating was a 0.625 drop from final week’s 197.775 at dwelling. With two losses on the street, Kentucky must deal with preserving scores constant of their final two away meets of the season to be positioned nicely for a robust postseason run.
Kentucky began off on bars with a 49.275. Bailey Bunn posted the crew’s top-score with a 9.9. The Wildcats then went to vault the place they earned their lowest occasion whole of the evening with a 49.075. Anchor Makenzie Wilson led with a 9.875.
The Wildcats turned it round on flooring, scoring a 49.525 to place them within the lead. The back-to-back duo of Creslyn Brose and Raena Worley put up a 9.95 and 9.975, respectively, to shut out the rotation. The beam lineup produced a 49.275, however it wasn’t sufficient to maintain up with Arkansas’s flooring scores. Bunn and Isabella Magnelli each scored 9.875s to assert a share of the beam title.
Worley had an uncharacteristically low scoring meet with a 9.7 on vault, 9.825 on bars, and a 9.85 on beam. Nonetheless, she nonetheless claimed a share of the ground title and the all-around title with a 39.35.
Upcoming matchup: Sunday, March 3 @ 2 p.m. ET | Florida @ Kentucky
Arkansas
The Gymbacks pulled off an thrilling upset on Friday evening, lastly beating Kentucky in a regular-season matchup for the primary time since 2016. Arkansas outscored the Wildcats on each occasion however beam and set a brand new program document on flooring with a 49.675.
Kentucky was forward heading into the final rotation, so the Razorbacks turned up the warmth on flooring with 4 counted scores of 9.925 or above. Leadoff Kalyxta Gamiao scored a brand new career-best 9.875 and Maddie Jones additionally scored a brand new career-best 9.95. Frankie Worth scored a 9.975 within the anchor spot to assert a share of the ground title with Kentucky’s Raena Worley.
Arkansas began off the meet with pace on vault, incomes a 49.4. Cami Weaver earned a brand new career-high 9.925 within the leadoff spot for her caught Yurchenko full. Lauren Williams additionally delivered a 9.925 within the anchor spot for her Yurchenko 1.5, they usually shared the vault title.
The Razorbacks scored a 49.375 on bars. Jones led within the anchor spot with a 9.95 to win the occasion title. Arkansas struggled on beam, solely scoring a 48.95, however fortunately the stellar flooring rotation after that pushed them again into the lead. The very best rating on beam was Cally Swaney with a 9.85.
Upcoming matchup: Sunday, March 3 @ 6 p.m. ET | Arkansas @ Missouri
#13 Missouri @ #12 Auburn
Last rating: Auburn: 197.425 – Missouri: 197.000
Missouri
The Tigers couldn’t sustain with Auburn, with their remaining rating dropping by 0.475 from final weekend.
Missouri began on bars with a 49.225. Sienna Schreiber was the one gymnast to hit 9.9 and was part of a three-way tie for the title. Hannah Horton made her first look within the bars lineup and earned a 9.8. On vault, the Tigers put up a 49.325. No gymnast scored within the 9.9 vary, however three scored 9.875s: Jocelyn Moore, Rayna Mild and Amari Celestine.
Persevering with to show why they’re ranked within the prime 10 on flooring, Missouri posted their highest occasion whole of the evening with a 49.475. Kennedy Griffin notched a 9.9, Celestine scored a 9.925, and Moore tied for the ground title along with her 9.95 routine alongside Auburn’s Olivia Hollingsworth and Cassie Stevens.
The Tigers struggled on beam, solely selecting up a 48.975. Schreiber’s 9.925 was the one rating above a 9.8 and was essential for Missouri to hit 197. She claimed a share of the occasion title.
Upcoming matchup: Sunday, March 3 @ 6 p.m. ET | Arkansas @ Missouri
Auburn
“All the things’s in entrance of this crew,” Auburn head coach Jeff Graba mentioned. “We is usually a Last 4 crew if we wish, however we’ve received to place it collectively, and we’ve received to place it collectively exterior of Neville Enviornment.”
Auburn will probably be on the street for the remainder of the common season, with the prospect to show what they’ll deal with away from dwelling, however final weekend, the Tiger seniors placed on a present for his or her final time competing of their enviornment.
Senior Cassie Stevens claimed the all-around with a 39.625. In her 2 hundredth profession routine, Stevens anchored with a 9.9 on vault. She claimed the occasion title and helped push Auburn to a 49.2 on the occasion. Shifting to bars, the Tigers earned a 49.325. Sophia Groth and Olivia Greaves each scored 9.9s and cut up the title with Missouri’s Sienna Schreiber.
The beam lineup produced one other 49.325, led by a 9.925 from Stevens. She shared the occasion title with Missouri’s Schreiber. The Tigers had been trailing Missouri by 0.175 heading into the final rotation, however Auburn stepped as much as the problem and posted a formidable season-best 49.575 to burst forward. The bottom counted rating was a 9.875 from Gabby McLaughlin. Stevens and Olivia Hollingsworth took up the final two spots within the lineup, scoring consecutive 9.95s to separate the ground title in a three-way tie.
Upcoming matchup: Friday, March 1 @ 7 p.m. ET | Auburn @ Georgia
#18 Georgia @ #10 Alabama
Last rating: Alabama: 198.075 – Georgia: 196.975
Georgia
The GymDogs proceed to wrestle in opposition to their SEC opponents, dropping to Alabama by over 1 level in Tuscaloosa on Friday evening.
“It was a great away rating for us and one thing we are able to construct on, however we had been a couple of errors away from it being nice,” UGA head coach Courtney Kupets-Carter mentioned.
Georgia began on bars, posting a 49.275, led by anchor and bars trustworthy Lily Smith with a 9.925. The Bulldogs moved onto vault the place they scored a season-high 49.275. Katie Finnegan scored a career-high 9.925, tying with Alabama’s Gabby Gladieux for the occasion title.
The GymDogs scored their lowest occasion whole on flooring with a 49.175. Smith as soon as once more led the crew with a 9.9 for her elegant routine. Georgia completed on beam with a 49.25, led by 9.9s from Anya Turner and JaFree Scott.
Upcoming Matchup: Friday, March 1 @ 7 p.m. ET | Auburn @ Georgia
Alabama
The Tide had an explosive meet, crossing the 198 mark for the primary time this season. Alabama has hit their excessive on the excellent time, and if they’ll preserve their scores constant, they may very well be in for an electrical postseason.
The thrill began on vault with a 49.325. Gabby Gladieux led the Tide with a 9.925 and claimed a share of the title. Alabama proved why they’re ranked within the prime 5 on bars with a 49.6. Luisa Blanco and Shania Adams shared the occasion title after posting back-to-back 9.95s.
The beam lineup put up a 49.4 with the assistance of Adams scoring an event-winning 9.95. The Tide didn’t decelerate on flooring, notching a brand new program-record 49.75, regardless of already being far forward of the visiting Bulldogs. The bottom counted rating was a 9.925 from Lilly Hudson. Three gymnasts scored a 9.95: Cameron Machado, Ella Burgess and Blanco. Gladieux stole the present with a 9.975 to win the ground title.
Upcoming Matchup: Friday, March 1 @ 8:30 p.m. ET | Alabama @ LSU
