The best level 10s from around the country competed at the Junior Olympic National Championships this past weekend in Des Moines, Iowa. Many of these top gymnasts have already committed to college and we took a look at where these college bound gymnasts finished this weekend to determine which college had the best competition. 

 

Many of the top NCAA teams like Florida and UCLA have committed elite gymnasts, who obviously didn’t compete this weekend. However, many other top teams like Alabama and Michigan had numerous future team members compete. (These total numbers may not be completely accurate due to the nature of undocumented verbal commitments).

 

Analyzing the number of gymnasts each college had competing, as well as the placement of those gymnasts, we determined which college teams had the best showing at JOs. Below are the top three schools. 

1. Michigan

 

Not only did Michigan have the most gymnasts competing, they had the best showing overall. Michigan had at least nine commits qualify to JO Nationals and each of these gymnasts had an exceptional competition. Scores in the 38s: Abby Brenner and Emma McLean both scored 38.35, Olivia Karas posted a 38.275, Lauren Farley earned a 38.125, and Natalie Wojcik posted a 38.075. Scores in the 37s: Madison Osman posted a 37.975, Maggie O’Hara and Abby Heiskell both earned 37.9, and Lexi Funk with a 37.8. 

 

24 for 24? How about 36 for 36! There was not one fall in all 36 routines and the lowest all-around score was still a big 37.8. Eight of the gymnasts finished in the top 10 all-around in their age divisions, and the ninth gymnast was close behind in 11th place. That means the lowest placement from all of their girls was still 11th all-around in the nation. 

 

The group also earned three event titles - Wojcik on floor (9.75), Farley on bars (9.625), and Karas on vault (9.875). Other stellar scores posted include Brenner and McLean who both earned 9.675 on floor, O’Hara’s 9.65 on bars, and Farley’s 9.625 on beam.

 

Michigan was by far the strongest college team out there this weekend and it will be exciting to see these gymnasts once they are really competing for the school! 

                                                                                                                                               

Gymnast	Club	Class	Age Group	Score	Place
Olivia Karas	IK	2015	Senior C	38.275	4th
Emma McLean	Stars and Stripes	2015	Senior D	38.35	3rd
Lexi Funk	IGI	2016	Senior B	37.8	9th
Madison Osman	Orlando Metro	2016	Senior C	37.975	6th T
Lauren Farley	WOGA	2017	Junior D	38.125	2nd
Maggie O’Hara	Southeastern	2017	Senior A	37.9	7th
Abby Brenner	Twin City Twisters	2018	Junior C	38.35	2nd
Natalie Wojcik	Berks	2018	Junior C	38.075	7th
Abby Heiskell	Southeastern	2018	Junior C	37.9	11th T

 

 

2. Alabama

 

Alabama had seven gymnasts compete at JOs and they all had great performances. Wynter Childers lead the group and won the Senior B division with a 38.55. She also took three individual event titles - vault with a 9.725, beam with a 9.65, and floor with a 9.675. Another top finisher was Makarri Doggette who scored a 38.425 for second place all-around in Junior B. She also won the beam title with a 9.625. 

 

Six out of the seven gymnasts placed in the top 10 all-around. Griffin James posted a 38.05 for eighth in Junior C, Shea Mahoney earned a 37.95 for seventh in Senior B, Jenna Bresette scored a 37.875 for seventh and Amanda Huang scored a 37.625 for eighth both in Senior D. Angelina Giancroce scored a strong 37.325 but ended up 20th in Senior D. 

 

The Bama commits performed remarkably as individuals as well as a group. 
                                                                                                                 

Gymnast	Club	Class	Age Group	Score	Place
Jenna Bresette	GAGE	2015	Senior D	37.875	7th
Angelina Giancroce	Hayden’s	2015	Senior D	37.325	20th
Amanda Huang	Brandy Johnson’s	2015	Senior D	37.625	8th
Wynter Childers	Spearfish	2016	Senior B	38.55	1st
Shea Mahoney	Legacy Elite	2016	Senior B	37.95	7th
Griffin James	Gymstrada	2018	Junior C	38.05	8th
Makarri Doggette	Buckeye	2019	Junior B	38.425	2nd

3. LSU

 

LSU had six commits who competed last weekend and similar to Bama, they had one all-around champion supported by five other strong performances. Kennedi Edney lead the group winning all-around in the Senior A division with a 38.6. She also won the vault title with a 9.825, bars with a 9.75, and floor with a 9.75. This feat alone is impressive but she was backed up by five other outstanding performances. 

 

Reagan Campbell scored a 38.0 for sixth all-around, Bridget Dean earned a 37.65 for eighth all-around, Ashlyn Kirby posted a 37.775 for 10th, Julianna Cannamela scored a 37.15 and Kaitlyn Szafranski scored a 36.9. Four out of the six girls placed in the top 10 all-around. Szafranski also won the Senior C bars title with a 9.6. 

 

This was another impressive showing from a strong group of gymnasts who will be sure to shine in NCAA. 
                                                                                                       

Gymnast	Club	Class	Age Group	Score	Place
Julianna Cannamela	Southeastern	2015	Senior C	37.15	23rd
Kaitlyn Szafranski	Parkettes	2015	Senior C	36.9	32nd T
Kennedi Edney	Precision	2016	Senior A	38.6	1st
Ashlyn Kirby	Shooting Stars	2016	Senior B	37.775	10th T
Reagan Campbell	Texas Dreams	2017	Senior A	38.0	6th
Bridget Dean	Orlando Metro	2017	Senior A	37.65	8th

 

Honorable mentions:

Auburn

Cal Berkeley

Denver

Illinois

Kentucky

Missouri

Pitt

Utah 

 

 

MORE INFO: Top five finishers in each division with their intended college:

 

Junior A 

1. Alyssa Al-Ashari, Twistars - 38.3 - uncommitted

2. Kelsey Knox, Dynamo - 38.225 - uncommitted

3. Chae Campbell, Metroplex - 38.2 - uncommitted

4. Tori Tatum, Twin City Twisters - 38.15- uncommitted

5. Kiya Johnson, Texas Dreams - 37.925- uncommitted

 

Junior B

1. Kai Rivers, Twistars - 38.575 - uncommitted

2. Makarri Doggette, Buckeye - 38.425 - Alabama

3. Maddie Quarles, Twin City Twisters - 38.15 - uncommitted

4. Matilyn Waligora, Olympia - 38.075 - uncommitted

5. Brenna Brooks, WOGA - 38.05 - uncommitted

 

Junior C

1. Rachael Lukacs, North Stars - 38.375 - Georgia

2. Abby Brenner, Twin City Twisters - 38.35 - Michigan

3. Alexandria Ruiz, ACE - 38.3 - Denver

4. Karrie Thomas, American Twisters - 38.25 - Maryland

5. Shaylah Scott, Metroplex - 38.225 - uncommitted

 

Junior D

1. Alexia Burch, Gym Nevada- 38.3 - uncommitted

2. Lauren Farley, WOGA - 38.125 - Michigan

3. Catherine Rogers, Epic Gym - 38.1 - North Carolina

4. McKinley Pavicic, Academy of Gymnastics - 38.05 - Boise State

5. Evy Schoepfer, Triad - 38.95 - Oklahoma

 

Senior A

1. Kennedi Edney, Precision - 38.6 - LSU

2. Kynsee Roby, Triad - 38.475 - Nebraska

3. Kyla Bryant,Georgia Elite - 38.4 - uncommitted

4. Lynnzee Brown, GAGE - 38.125 - Denver

5. Mariah Peterson, Epic - 38.05 - Cal Berkeley

 

Senior B

1. Wynter Childers, Spearfish - 38.55 - Alabama

2. Cassidy Keelen, Texas Dreams - 38.375 - Cal Berkeley

3. Jade DeGouveia, American Twisters - 38.225 - uncommitted

4. Stephanie Day, Aerial Athletics - 38.175 - Auburn

5. Karen Howell, Olympia - 38.025 - Illinois

 

Senior C

1. Macy Toronjo, Texas Dreams - 38.65 - UCLA

2. MaKenna Merrell, All American Gym - 38.625 - Utah

3. Madeline Karr, Twin City Twisters - 38.4 - Denver

4. Olivia Karas, IK - 38.275 - Michigan

5. Jamie Stone, World Class - 38.075 - Ohio State

 

Senior D

1. Alicia Boren, North Stars - 38.8 - Florida

2. Kirah Koshinski, Northeast - 38.475 - West Virginia

3. Emma McLean, Stars and Stripes - 38.35 - Michigan

4. Sarah Means, Gymcats - 38.175 - Boise State

5. Sabrina Garcia, Prestige - 38.05 - Penn State

 

 

Related:
Full JO Nationals Results