2016 NCAA ChampionshipsOct 8, 2016 by Justine Kelly
The Most 10.0 Vaults in the NCAA Super Six
The Most 10.0 Vaults in the NCAA Super Six
For our final post on the highest difficulty in the 2016 NCAA Super Six, we're analyzing vault. In particular, we're looking at which teams had the most 10.
For our final post on the highest difficulty in the 2016 NCAA Super Six, we're analyzing vault. In particular, we're looking at which teams had the most 10.0 vaults in their lineups and how this correlated with scoring during the season. As a reminder, the Yurchenko full and Yurchenko half were both devalued last season to a 9.95 start value. Check out our ranking and analysis below.
Alabama is No. 1 in our ranking -- the Crimson Tide had four gymnasts in their lineup who performed 10.0 vaults. Lauren Beers, Mackenzie Brannan, and Nickie Guerrero all competed the Yurchenko 1 1/2, and Jenna Bresette performed the Omelianchik (round-off, 1/2 on, salto forward piked off). Keely McNeer performed a Yurchenko full, and Katie Bailey performed a Yurchenko half. Check out Bresette's powerful vault from the 2016 SEC Championships in March:
Video via NCAA Gymnastics
Although Alabama ranks No. 1 for difficulty out of the Super Six teams, it ranked No. 5 in the regular season on vault, behind fellow Super Six finalists LSU, Florida, Georgia, and Oklahoma. So, was it worth it for the Crimson Tide's gymnasts to perform the tougher vaults? The answer seems to be, yes. Three of their gymnasts who performed 10.0 vaults ranked highest for the team in the individual rankings for the season -- Beers was tied for 10th, Brannan was tied for 18th, and Guerrero was tied for 37th.
The No. 2 spot is a three-way tie between LSU, Georgia, and Oklahoma, which all had three gymnasts in their Super Six lineups who performed 10.0 vaults.
We'll start with LSU, which also ranked No. 1 on vault in the regular season. Ashleigh Gnat was the Tigers' standout performer on this event, and she was one of the the small handful of NCAA gymnasts who performed the double twisting Yurchenko. Her teammates Sydney Ewing and Jessica Savona competed the Yurchenko 1 1/2, while the rest of the lineup performed Yurchenko fulls. Overall, the tougher vaults seemed to benefit LSU as well. Gnat ranked No. 1 nationally in the regular season on vault -- check out one of her 10.0s that she received in a meet against Kentucky in January:
Video via NCAA Gymnastics
Ewing came in behind Gnat in the regular season rankings, tying for 10th nationally. LSU's only 10.0 vaulting gymnast who did not rank above her teammates and performed lower valued vaults was Savona. But this is because Savona did not start competing vault until the latter half of the season due to injury.
Georgia's 10.0 vaulters were Brandie Jay, Brittany Rogers, and GiGi Marino, who all competed the Yurchenko 1 1/2, and the remainder of the Bulldogs' lineup performed Yurchenko fulls. Like the other teams, competing the more difficult vaults definitely paid off for Georgia. Jay ranked fourth in the country in the regular season rankings, followed closely by Rogers who ranked No. 5. Marino was next for the team, tied for 24th. It's worth noting as well that Rogers competed the double twisting Yurchenko once in a meet against UCLA.
Oklahoma's 10.0 vaults came from Ali Jackson, Haley Scaman and Hunter Price. Both Jackson and Scaman performed the Yurchenko 1 1/2, while Price performed a front handspring on, salto forward pike with 1/2 turn off. Price would often exhibition for the team on vault, but was added to the lineup in March and did not score below a 9.825. Her highest score was a 9.913, achieved during semifinals. Jackson and Scaman were Oklahoma's best vaulters -- Jackson was tied for second in the regular season rankings, and Scaman was tied for 18th.
Next in our rankings is a tie between Florida and UCLA, which each had two 10.0 vaulters in their Super Six lineups.
Starting with Florida, the Gators had Kennedy Baker and Alicia Boren performing the Yurchenko 1 1/2, while the rest of the lineup competed Yurchenko fulls. Interestingly, Baker actually tied Alex McMurtry in the regular season rankings on vault for the highest on their team, even though McMurtry competed the Yurchenko full. McMurtry often performed this vault close to perfect and was able to bring in big numbers, regardless of the lower start value. She scored 9.925 four times, thus receiving only .025 in deductions. McMurtry is also currently training the Yurchenko double full for next season. Check out one of her near-perfect vaults below from a meet against UCLA last season:
Video via NCAA Gymnastics
UCLA's two 10.0 vaulters were Pua Hall, who competed the Yurchenko 1 1/2, and Sadiqua Bynum, who competed the Yurchenko Arabian. The remaining four gymnasts in its lineup competed Yurchenko fulls. For the Bruins, the 10.0 vaults added a lot to their lineup. Bynum ranked the highest in the regular season for the team, tied at No. 42, and Hall ranked next for the team, tied at No. 63 (and she did not vault in every meet). Their best Yurchenko full vault came from Madison Preston, who ranked tied at 81st. The Bruins seem to be working quite a bit on vault upgrades for this upcoming season, and we have already caught a glimpse of both Hall and Kyla Ross training the Omelianchik, Felicia Hano training a double twisting Yurchenko, and JaNay Honest, Angi Cipra, and Gracie Kramer training the Yurchenko 1 1/2. Check out UCLA's recent tweet showcasing their upgrades:
Related:
Highest Difficulty in the NCAA Super Six: Bars
Highest Difficulty in the NCAA Super Six: Beam
Highest Difficulty in the NCAA Super Six: Floor
1. Alabama
Alabama is No. 1 in our ranking -- the Crimson Tide had four gymnasts in their lineup who performed 10.0 vaults. Lauren Beers, Mackenzie Brannan, and Nickie Guerrero all competed the Yurchenko 1 1/2, and Jenna Bresette performed the Omelianchik (round-off, 1/2 on, salto forward piked off). Keely McNeer performed a Yurchenko full, and Katie Bailey performed a Yurchenko half. Check out Bresette's powerful vault from the 2016 SEC Championships in March:
Video via NCAA Gymnastics
Although Alabama ranks No. 1 for difficulty out of the Super Six teams, it ranked No. 5 in the regular season on vault, behind fellow Super Six finalists LSU, Florida, Georgia, and Oklahoma. So, was it worth it for the Crimson Tide's gymnasts to perform the tougher vaults? The answer seems to be, yes. Three of their gymnasts who performed 10.0 vaults ranked highest for the team in the individual rankings for the season -- Beers was tied for 10th, Brannan was tied for 18th, and Guerrero was tied for 37th.
2. TIE -- LSU, Georgia, Oklahoma
The No. 2 spot is a three-way tie between LSU, Georgia, and Oklahoma, which all had three gymnasts in their Super Six lineups who performed 10.0 vaults.
We'll start with LSU, which also ranked No. 1 on vault in the regular season. Ashleigh Gnat was the Tigers' standout performer on this event, and she was one of the the small handful of NCAA gymnasts who performed the double twisting Yurchenko. Her teammates Sydney Ewing and Jessica Savona competed the Yurchenko 1 1/2, while the rest of the lineup performed Yurchenko fulls. Overall, the tougher vaults seemed to benefit LSU as well. Gnat ranked No. 1 nationally in the regular season on vault -- check out one of her 10.0s that she received in a meet against Kentucky in January:
Video via NCAA Gymnastics
Ewing came in behind Gnat in the regular season rankings, tying for 10th nationally. LSU's only 10.0 vaulting gymnast who did not rank above her teammates and performed lower valued vaults was Savona. But this is because Savona did not start competing vault until the latter half of the season due to injury.
Georgia's 10.0 vaulters were Brandie Jay, Brittany Rogers, and GiGi Marino, who all competed the Yurchenko 1 1/2, and the remainder of the Bulldogs' lineup performed Yurchenko fulls. Like the other teams, competing the more difficult vaults definitely paid off for Georgia. Jay ranked fourth in the country in the regular season rankings, followed closely by Rogers who ranked No. 5. Marino was next for the team, tied for 24th. It's worth noting as well that Rogers competed the double twisting Yurchenko once in a meet against UCLA.
Oklahoma's 10.0 vaults came from Ali Jackson, Haley Scaman and Hunter Price. Both Jackson and Scaman performed the Yurchenko 1 1/2, while Price performed a front handspring on, salto forward pike with 1/2 turn off. Price would often exhibition for the team on vault, but was added to the lineup in March and did not score below a 9.825. Her highest score was a 9.913, achieved during semifinals. Jackson and Scaman were Oklahoma's best vaulters -- Jackson was tied for second in the regular season rankings, and Scaman was tied for 18th.
5. TIE -- Florida & UCLA
Next in our rankings is a tie between Florida and UCLA, which each had two 10.0 vaulters in their Super Six lineups.
Starting with Florida, the Gators had Kennedy Baker and Alicia Boren performing the Yurchenko 1 1/2, while the rest of the lineup competed Yurchenko fulls. Interestingly, Baker actually tied Alex McMurtry in the regular season rankings on vault for the highest on their team, even though McMurtry competed the Yurchenko full. McMurtry often performed this vault close to perfect and was able to bring in big numbers, regardless of the lower start value. She scored 9.925 four times, thus receiving only .025 in deductions. McMurtry is also currently training the Yurchenko double full for next season. Check out one of her near-perfect vaults below from a meet against UCLA last season:
Video via NCAA Gymnastics
UCLA's two 10.0 vaulters were Pua Hall, who competed the Yurchenko 1 1/2, and Sadiqua Bynum, who competed the Yurchenko Arabian. The remaining four gymnasts in its lineup competed Yurchenko fulls. For the Bruins, the 10.0 vaults added a lot to their lineup. Bynum ranked the highest in the regular season for the team, tied at No. 42, and Hall ranked next for the team, tied at No. 63 (and she did not vault in every meet). Their best Yurchenko full vault came from Madison Preston, who ranked tied at 81st. The Bruins seem to be working quite a bit on vault upgrades for this upcoming season, and we have already caught a glimpse of both Hall and Kyla Ross training the Omelianchik, Felicia Hano training a double twisting Yurchenko, and JaNay Honest, Angi Cipra, and Gracie Kramer training the Yurchenko 1 1/2. Check out UCLA's recent tweet showcasing their upgrades:
Vault squad working on those 10.0 vaults today! #Gracie @JaNayHonest @Puasworld @kyla_ross96 @fish_hano @angicipra pic.twitter.com/utjkeWoXVY
— UCLA Gymnastics (@uclagymnastics) September 29, 2016
Related:
Highest Difficulty in the NCAA Super Six: Bars
Highest Difficulty in the NCAA Super Six: Beam
Highest Difficulty in the NCAA Super Six: Floor